House of Commons some poyson and ill constructions to feed upon and to induce a new diversion or plain Cessation of weightier businesses His Majestie infers and that most truly for where were the Commons before Henry the first gave them authority to meet in Parliaments that their priviledges are but Graces and favours of former Kings which they claim to be their inheritance and natural birthrights Both these assertions if men were peaceably disposed and affected the dispatch of the common businesses might be easily reconciled These priviledges were originally the favours of Princes and are now inherent in their persons Nor doth his Majestie go about to impair or diminish them If his Majestie will be pleased to qualifie that passage with some mild and noble exposition and require them strictly to prepare things for a Session and to leave this needlesse dispute his Majestie shall thereby make it appear to all wise and just men that these persons are opposite to those common ends whereof they vaunt themselves the onely Patrons But do his Maiestie what he please I am afraid although herein the Lord Treasurer and others do differ from me they do not affect a Sessions nor intend to give at this time any Subsidie at all Will the King be pleased therefore to add in this Letter which must be here necessarily upon Munday morning that if they will not prepare bills for a Session his Majesty will break up this Parliament without any longer Prorogation and acquainting the Kingdom with their undutifulnesse and obstinacy supply the present wants by some other meanes Or will his Majesty upon their refusal presently rejourn the the Assembly until the appointed 8th of Feburary This course is fittest for further advice but the other to expresse a just indignation I dare advise nothing in so high a point but humbly beseech almighty God to illuminate his Majesties understanding to insist upon that course which shall be most behoveful for the advancement of his service In our house his Majesties servants are very strong and increase every day nor is there the least fear of any Malignant opposition God reward all your Lordships goodnesse and affection towards c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke about Mr. Thomas Murrayes Dispensation c. 23. Febr. 1621. My most Noble Lord I Should fail very much of my duty to his Majestie if before the sealing of Mr. Thomas Murrayes Dispensation I should not acquaint his Majestie explicitely and freely with the nature of this act far differing from any dispensation in this kind ever granted by his Majestie since his happie coming to the Crown of England For to say nothing of the right of the election of this Provost which being originally not in the King but in the fellowes and now by their neglect devolved unto me shall be fully and absolutely at his Majesties command the place is a living with cure of souls and I am to institute and admit him to the cure of souls of the Parish of Eaton by the expresse Letter of the Statute without admission it is impossible he should receive any real or rightful possession of the same Now that his Majestie or any of his Predecessors did ever dispence with a Lay-man to hold cure of souls I think will be hard for any man to shew by any warrantable president or record whatsoever And I know his Majestie to be as much averse from giving any such president as any Prince in Christendome living this day This is altogether differing a Deanery or an Hospital which being livings without cure have been and may be justly conferred by his Majestie upon Lay-men with dispensations de non promovendo If Sir Henry Savil's example be objected I answer besides that the Queen made Clayme to the guift of the place by lapse occasioned through the promotion of the Provost to the Bishoprick of Chichester whereas his Majestie hath no such Clayme thereunto at this time That Savil never durst take true possession of the place but was onely slipt in by the Bishop who for fear of the Earl of Essex made bold with the conscience Ad Curam et regimen Collegii that is to the care and government of the Colledge Whereas by the expresse words of the foundation he is to be admitted Ad Curam annimarum Parochianorū Ecclesia Aetonianae to the Cure of the souls of all the people of the Parish of Eaton Secondly I hold it no Disparagement to Mr. Murray nor do find him all together averse from the same to enter into orders in the raign of a King so favourable to our Coat as Gods name be praised for it raigns now over us This will give satisfaction to all the Church bring him into this place according to statute and the foundation of that dead King prevent such a dangerous president for a Lay-man to possesse cure of souls in the Eye and Center of all the Realm and by an everlasting testimony of his Majesties Piety to the Church of England Thirdly what opinion this Gentleman hath of our Church government is better known to his Majestie then to me If he should be averse thereunto it were such a blow unto the Church the number of the Fellowes and Students there considered as the like were never given by publique authority these 50. Years Fourthly howsoever his Majestie and the Prince his Highnesse shall resolve thereof at whose feet I lie to be wholly disposed I hope it is neither of their royal intendments to transfer the Bishopprick of Lincolne upon the Fellowes of that house who have rashly usurped a Power of admitting their Provost by any example seen before Whereas all Provosts as well the Churchmen who come in by Election as the Lay-men recommended by the late Queen were as the foundation exactly requires it admitted by the Bishop of Lincolne their Diocaesand and Visitor I hope it was Mr. Murraies inexperience rather then neglect never deserved by me that directed them to this strange course subscription and other conformities to be acted in the presence of the Visitor are essentially to be required before he can be admitted Provost of Eaton Lastly Mr. Murraie hath hitherto mistaken all his course He must be first dispensed withal If his Majestie in his wisedom shall hold it fit and then Elected first Fellow and then Provost of the Colledg if he will come in regularly and safely whereas now contrary to Savils president he is first Elected and then goes on with his dispensation All this I most humbly intreat your Lordship to make known to the Prince his Highnesse and as much as your Lordship thinks fit thereof to his Majestie I will only adde one note and so end It will be no more disparagement for Mr. Murray his Highnesse Schoolmaster to enter into orders then it was for Coxe King Edwards Schoolmaster a Master of Requests and Privie Counsellour to do the like who afterwards became a worthy Prelate of this Church I have discharged my duty to the King
false supposal of your Graces displeasure may be many otherwise then according to justice and fair proceeding And let this paper bear record against me at the great Parliament of all if I be not in my heart and soul your Graces most faithful and constant poor friend and Servant His Highnesse desires your Grace to move his Majestie to accept of my Lord Sayes commission and to procure me leave to send for him Also to move his Majestie that my Lord of Hartford may be in the house accepting his fathers place and making his protestation to sue for his Grandfathers according to his Majesties Lawes when the King shall give him leave His Highnesse and my Lords do hold this a modest and submissive Petition His Highnesse upon very deep reasons doubts whether it be safe to put all upon the Parliament for fear they should fall to examine particular Dispatches wherein they cannot but find many Contradictions And would have the proposition onely to ayd for the recovery of the Palatinate To draw on an engagement I propound it might be to advise his Majestie how this recovery shall be effected by reconquering the same or by a War of diversion This will draw on a breach with Spain without ripping up of private dispatches His Highnesse seemed to like well hereof and commanded me to acquaint your Grace therewith and to receive your opinion I humbly crave again two lines of assurance that I am in your Grace's opinion as I will ever be indeed c. The Heads of that Discourse which fell from Don Francisco 7. Die Aprilis 1624. at 11. of the clock at night This Relation was sent by the Lord Keeper to the Duke HOw he came to procure his accesses to the King The Marquesse putting Don Carlos upon the Prince and Duke in a discourse thrust a Letter into the Kings hand which he desired the King to read in private The King said he would thrust it into his pocket and went on with his discourse as if he had received none The effect was to procure private accesse for Don Francisco to come and speak with the King which his Majestie appointed by my Lord of Kelley and he by his secresie who designed for Don Francisco time and place At his first accesse he told the King That his Majestie was a prisoner or at leastwise besieged so as no man could be admitted to come at him And then made a complaint against the Duke that he aggravated and pretended accusations against Spain whereas its onely offence was that they refused to give unto him equal honour and observance as they did unto his Highnesse And that this was the only cause of his hatred against them At the last accesse which was some 4. dayes ago he made a long invective and remonstrance unto the King which he had put into writing in Spanish which he read unto me corrected with the hand of Don Carlos which I do know It was somewhat general and very rhetorical if not tragical for the stile The heads of what I read were these viz. 1. That the King was no more a freeman at this time then King John of France when he was prisoner in England or King Francis when he was at Madrid Being besieged and closed up with the servants and vassals of Buckingham 2. That the Embassadours knew very well and were informed 4. moneths ago that his Majestie was to be restrained and confined to his Country house and pastimes and the Government of the State to be assumed and disposed of by others and that this was not concealed by Buckinghams followers 3. That the Duke had reconciled himself to all the popular men of the State and drawn them forth out of prisons restraints and confinements to alter the Government of the State at this Parliament as Oxford South-hampton Say and others whom he met at Suppers and Ordinaries to strengthen his popularity 4. That the Duke to breed an opinion of his own greatnesse and to make the King grow lesse hath oftentimes brag'd openly in Parliament that he had made the King yield to this and that which was pleasure unto them And that he mentioned openly before the Houses his Majesties private oath which the Embassadors have never spoken of to any creature to this hour 5. That these Kingdomes are not now governed by a Monarch but by a Triumviri whereof Buckingham was the first and chiefest the Prince the second and the King the last and that all look towards Solem Orientem 6. That his Majestie should shew himself to be as he was reputed the oldest and wisest King in Europe by freeing himself from this Captivity and eminent danger wherein he was by cutting off so dangerous and ungrateful an affecter of greatnesse and popularity as the Duke was 7. That he desired his Majestie to conceal this his free dealing with him because it might breed him much peril and danger And yet if it were any way available for his service to reveal it to whom he pleased because he was ready to sacrifice his life to do him acceptable service And this was the effect of so much of the penned speech as I remember was read unto me out of the Spanish Copy His Majestie was much troubled in the time of this speech His Offer to the King for the restitution of the Palatinate TO have a Treaty for three moneths for the restitution and that money was now given in Spain to satisfie Bavaria That in the mean time because the people were so distrustful of the Spaniard the King might fortifie himself at home and assist the Hollanders with men or money at his pleasure And the King of Spain should not be offended therewith His opinion of our preparing of this Navie IT was a design of the Duke to go to the Ports of Sevil and there to burn all the Ships in the Harbour which he laught at Speeches which he said fell from his Majestie concerning the Prince 1. THat when he told the King that his greatnesse with the Duke was such as might hinder his Majestie from taking a course to represse him His Majestie replyed He doubted nothing of the Prince or his own power to sever them two when he pleased 2. His Majestie said That when his Highnesse went to Spain he was as well affected to that Nation as heart could desire and as well disposed as any son in Europe but now he was strangely carried away with rash and youthful Councels and followed the humour of Buckingham who had he knew not how many Devils within him since that journey Concerning the Duke 1. THat he could not believe yet that he affected popularity to his disadvantage Because he had tryed him of purpose and commanded him to make disaffecting motions to the houses which he performed whereby his Majestie concluded he was not popular 2. That he desired Don Francisco and the Embassadours and renewed this request unto them by Padre Maestro two dayes ago to get him any ground to
the increase of Gods Worship and by not only defending but propagating the jurisdiction of the Pontifical authority There have been many and shall be hereafter whom the bountie of Kings hath enriched with fading riches and advanced to envied titles and yet mindful posterity will not celebrate your name with eternal Prayses for having attayned these but if your Councels should reduce those most powerful Kings and people unto the bosom of the Romane Church the name of your Noblenesse would be written in the book of the living whom the torment of Death toucheth not and the Monuments of Histories shall place you amongst those wise men in whose splendor Kings walked but with what comforts in this life and what rewards in the life to come God who is rich in mercy would reward you they easily see who know the art and force by which the Kingdom of heaven is conquered It is not only our Pontifical charity to whose care the salvation of mankind pertaineth but also the piety of your Mother who as she brought you into the world so she desireth to bear you again to the Romane Church which she acknowledgeth for her mother that moved us to desire that you were made Partakers of so great felicity Therefore when our beloved son the religious man Didacus de la Fuente who hath wisely administred the affaires of your Princes in this City prepared his journie for Spain we commanded him to come unto your Noblenesse and present these our Apostolical Letters by which the Greatnesse of our Pontifical charity and the desire of your salvation may be declared Your Noblenesse may therefore heare him as the interpreter of our mind and as one indued with these virtues which have won him the love of forraign nations being a Catholique and religious priest He certainely hath reported those things of you in these parts of the world that he is worthie to be imbraced of you with singular affection and defended by your authority being a servant to the Glorie and salvation of the Brittish Kings and people This thing truly will we pray for to the father of mercies that he will open to your Noblenesse the gates of his Coelestial kingdom and afford you frequent Documents of his Clemency Given at Rome at St. Marie the Greater under the Ring of the Fisherman the 19. of May. 1623. and of our Popedom the third John Champolus To his Sacred Majestie ab ignoto My most Gratious King THese things which your Majestie did lately command to be spoken unto you and now to be repeated in writing are not such as they can be made by legal and Judicial proofes both because they by whose testimony they may be confirmed do for fear of a most potent adversarie withdraw themselves And also because they think it a crime to come into the Embassadours house yea even they are afraid to do it who have commandement from your Majestie but neither was it lawful for the Embassadours themselves to speak these things especially not to such as they directed when the order of the affaires required it because they had never the freedom to speak unto your Majestie and no audience was given or granted them in the absence of tht Duke of Buckingham An example certainly unusual with other Kings and never to be taken in good part unlesse it be perhaps when the King himself wanting experience and being of weak judgment and no wisedom some one that is familiar and inward with the King a man wise and circumspect of great judgment and no lesse experience supplies the Kings place But here when all things go preposterously and the King himself being a most prudent and experienced Prince he that is familiar or favorite doth in all things shew himself a rash headie young man a Novice in managing of businesse and to the Crown of Spain most offensive Certainly by all just right this man was to be kept away from the audience of the Embassadour of the State We may also be bold to say that his presence so earnestly desired of him doth argue a great fear in him and a great distrust in him as well of his own upright conscience as also the Kings wisdom Hence therefore it is come to passe that your Majesties most faithful Vassals dare not so much as indirectly disclose their minds to the King though they take it in very ill part that a very good King should be driven into such streights And that a man pleasing himself in his own designs should use the favours of Princes so sinisterly that he doth of set purpose stir up breach of friendship and enmity between most Mighty Kings Besides who can without a discontented mind endure that the greatest affaires and of greatest moment if any in the Christian world can be so tearmed shall be ordered or concluded at the pleasure of your Parliament and from thence all things carried on with a headlong violence at his will and pleasure and a most deadly war to be preferred before a most happie Peace When as neverthelesse I am not ignorant that not so much the restitution of the Palatinate as the very claime to it will very difficultly be obtained or recovered by force of armes Let your Majestie exactly consider as it useth to do whether this be not an evident argument of that I have said that the conference or treatie about the Palatinate was taken from the Councel of State a society of most prudent men only for this cause that almost everie one of them had with one consent approved the proposition of the most Catholique King and did not find in it any cause of dissolving that treaty Hereupon the Parliament of this Kingdom was procured by the Duke because he thought his plots would be most acceptable to the Puritans not without great injury to your Councel of State from which he fled and disclaimed by way of an appeale and with such successe that we may be bold to say that the Parliament is now above the King Nay which is more that this daring Duke propounded many things to the Parliament in the Kings name your Majestie being neither acquainted with them nor willing to them Yea and that he propounded many things contrary to your Majesties service Who is there that doth not see and commend the royal disposition of the Prince adorned with so great endowments of his mind that he doth not in them all shew and approve himself to be a very good son of a very good King And yet neverthelesse that the Duke doth so much presume upon his favour that he contemneth all men as knowing that those who are obedient to his Highnesse will also subject themselves to his will I would to God he did direct those his actions to the good of the Prince But that is a thing so far from the opinion of good men that they rather believe that he who hath overthrown the marriage with Spain will be of no lesse power to the breaking of any other marriage
French Lady though as zealous a Catholique doth not please him for they were tyed to Spain by their hopes of a change of Religion that way All the Priests are sent from the Spanish Dominions and the sons and daughters of the Papists remain as hostages of their fidelities in the Colledges and Nunneries of the King of Spain And though the Papists have no place in the house of Commons yet privately they aggravate all scandals against the Duke to kindle a separation between the King and his people and avert them from enabling the King to resist or be avenged of our great enemy Remember the course held by these men in the Parliament of undertakers also Dr. Eglesham and all the Priests daily practice libelling against all great men about the King 4. Needy and indebted persons in both Houses who endeavour by these Parliamentary stirres not so much the Dukes overthrow as a rebellion which they hope will follow if it be not done This is much to be suspected as well by their Calumniations against his Majestie as for their own wants many of them being outlawed and not able to shew their heads but in Parliament time by priviledge thereof and they know that there are enough to follow them in the same mischief 5. Puritans and all other Sectaries who though scarce two of them agree in what they would have yet they all in general are haters of Government They begun in Parliament about Anno 23. Eliz. and spit their venom not only against the Bishops but also against the Lord Chancellour Hatton and others the Queens favourites and Councellours as they do now against the Clergie and the Duke But their main discontentment is against the Kings Government which they would have extinguished in matters Ecclesiastical and limited in Temporal This is a fearful and important Consideration because it pretends Conscience and Religion and they now more deadly hate the Duke because he sheweth himself to be no Puritan as they hoped he would at his return from Spain 6. Malecontents censured or decourted for their deserts as the kindred and dependants of the Earl of Suffolk and of Sir Henry Yelverton Coke Lake Middlesex though all of them the last excepted were dejected by King James without any Concurrencie of the Duke Others because they are not preferred as they do imagine that they deserve as the Lord Say Earl of Clare Sir John Eliot Selden and Glanvile Sir Dudley Diggs and the Bishops of Norwich and Lincoln These and many others according to the nature of envy look upon every one with an evil eye especially upon the Duke who either hath or doth not prefer them to those places or retain them in them which their ambition expecteth 7. Lawyers in general for that as Sir Edward Cook could not but often expresse our Kings have upholden the power of their Prerogatives and the rights of the Clergie whereby their comings in have been abated And therefore the Lawyers are fit ever in Parliaments to second any Complaint against both Church and King and all his servants with their Cases Antiquities Records Statutes Presidents and Stories But they cannot or will not call to mind that never any Nobleman in favour with his Soveraign was questioned in Parliament except by the King himself in case of Treason or unlesse it were in the nonage and tumultuous times of Rich. 2. Hen. 6. or Edw. 6. which happened to the destruction both of the King and Kingdom And that not to exceed our own and Fathers memories in King Hen. 8. time Wolsies exorbitant power and pride and Cromwels contempt of the Nobility and the Lawes were not yet permitted to be discussed in Parliament though they were most odious and grievous to all the Kingdom And that Leicester's undeserved favour and faults Hatton's insufficiency and Rawleigh's insolence far exceeded what yet hath been though most falsly objected against the Duke yet no Lawyer durst abet nor any man else begin any Invectives against them in Parliament 8. The Merchants and Citizens of London convinced not by the Duke but by Cranfield and Ingram to have deceived the King of Imposts and Customs and deservedly fearing to be called to accompt for undoing all the other Cities and good Towns and the poor Colonie of Virginia as also for transporting of our silver into the East-Indies these vent their malice upon the Duke in the Exchange Pauls Westminster-Hall with their suggestions and therein they wound both to Subjects and strangers the honour of his Majestie and his proceedings 9. Innovators Plebicolae and King-haters At the latter end of Queen Elizabeth it was a phrase to speak yea to pray for the Queen and State This word State was learned by our neighbourhood and Commerce with the Low-Countries as if we were or affected to be governed by States This the Queen saw and hated And the old Earl of Oxford his Propositions at her death they awakened King James to prevent this humour and to oppose the conditions and limitations presented unto him by the Parliaments The Lawyers Citizens and Western men who are most hot infected with Puritanisme stood strong against him under a colour of Parliaments and Parliamentary priviledges His Majestie therefore strengthened himself ever with some Favourite as whom he might better trust then many of the Nobility tainted with this desire of Oligarchie It behoveth without doubt his Majestie to uphold the Duke against them who if he be but decourted it will be the Corner stone on which the demolishing of his Monarchie will be builded For if they prevail with this they have hatched a thousand other demands to pull the feathers of the Royalty they will appoint him Councellours Servants Alliances Limits of his expences Accompts of his Revenue chiefly if they can as they mainly desire they will now dazle him in the beginning of his reign 10. King James and King Charles lastly are the Dukes Accusers my meaning is with all humble reverence to their Honours and Memories and to speak in the sence of the House of Commons both their Majesties are Conjuncta Persona in all the aspersions that are laid upon the Duke For instance The Parliaments money destined for the Wars spent in the Treaties Messages Embassadours and Entertainments of the Kings marriage and the burial of his Father and the War in the name of the Count Palatine the Breach of both the Treaties which then Canonized the Duke but now is made evidence against him the Honours and Offices conferred upon him by King James That his Majestie might with his own Councels direct their managing the setting forth of the Navy though to the Duke 's great charge by both their Commandments the Match with France and generally whatsoever hath not been successeful to mens expectations All these though the Acts of the Kings are imputed to the Duke who if he suffer for obeying his Soveraigns the next attempt will be to call the King to accompt for any thing he undertakes which doth not
seek to King James 178 179 sue to him to forbid exportation of Artillery c. 180 refuse Turkish ayds against Christians 186. incivil to the Duke of Savoy 187 Velville Marquesse 274 284 286 287 289. Vere Sir Horatio sleighted unreasonably by Sir Edward Cecyl as inferior in birth and worth 134 323 Viceroy of Portugal 45 Ville-aux Cleres 293 300 Vorstius questioned for blasphemous propositions 175 Uprores in Naples Millain c. 188 W. VVAke Sir Isaac imployed in Savoy his prudence 180 181 186. governs himself according to his instructions 184 not supplyed with monies 189 War the most prosperous hath misfortune enough in it to make the author unhappy 33 knowledge of it the highest of humane things 133 preparation of things shewes experience what war is lawful 258 Weston Sir Richard Earl of Portland 198 199. a fit Minister 234 treats for the Palatinate at Brussels cannot prevail 201 234. accused to the Duke 202 Intercedes for the Earl of Middlesex 203 Wilford Sir Thomas sinks a Turkish man of war 141 Williams Dean of Westminster Lord Keeper and Bishop of Lincoln after sues for the Bishoprick of London 54 his Ecclesiastical promotions 55 advanced by the Duke of Buckingham 62 70. his opinion of the Archbishop of Canterburies mischance where his ambition is visible 56 Will serve the Earl of Southampton while he makes good his professions to the Duke 58 loves the Earl of Bristol at this rate 23 sits in the Common Pleas. 61 Will not seal the Lord St. Albans pardon and why 61 62 81. nor Sir Richard Westons Patent 93 nor an order for a Papist Priests liberty 62. nor the Earl of Arundels Patent for the Earl Marshals place 68 An enemy to the Lord Treasurer 62 To the Earl of Arundel 62 63 64. Will not discharge a prisoner for contempt of a Decree in Chancery 65 seems to advise King James to dissolve the Parliament of 1621. to find out other wayes to supply his wants and acquaint the Kingdom with the undutifulnesse and obstinacy of the Commons 66 accused by the Lord Treasurer of making injust advantages of his place vindicates himself 71 72 74. forbidden the Court 78 Will not seal the Kings Patent of honour without knowledge of the Dukes good pleasure 79 against the Councel Table 75 Dislikes prohibiting execution of Statutes against the Papists 80 His advice to hang the titulary Bishop of Calcedon 81 Would have all honours and offices derived from the Duke 83 84 Is his vassal 85 100 101 103 Lives not but in the Dukes favour 107 Loves and hates as the Duke does 84 88 94 does equal Justice 83 Wants 85 Would not be over-topped 94 charged by the Duke to run Courses dangerous to his Countrey and to the cause of Religion betrayes the Duke esteemed by him a fire-brand and not worthy of trust 87 88 his Reply 89 96. Writes unworthily of King James to the Duke 94 sues to the Duke for the Countesse of Southampton 96 Would have the Duke to be Lord Steward 101 102 Mercy with Sir Edward Coke 104 advises concerning the Proxies and Marriage with France 106 107 In disgrace the Seal taken away excuses himself to King Charles 108 suspected as a Malecontent and willing to imbroil 225 Wimbledon Viscount See Cecyl Sir Edward c. Wotton Sir Henry 193 194. sends rare Pictures to the Duke 195 Complains that after his long service his Embassage should be given another and himself left naked without any rewards or provision for his subsistance 196 197 too bashful 199 Wynwood Sir Ralph Embassadour in the Netherlands how contemned there 331. Y. YElverton Sir Henry 310 Ynoiosa Marquesse Embassadour in England his ill Offices here and false informations 40 41 50. endeavours to stain the Prince of Wales his honour 52. See Olivarez for the Duke of Bavaria's pretences 167 Young Patrick 94 Z. ZAnten Treatie 318 Zapara Cardinal Viceroy of Naples 188 Zutenstein of Utrecht 317 Books Printed for William Lee. D. Pakeman Ga. Bedel REports of certain Cases Arising in the several Courts of Records at VVestminster in the Reigns of Queen Elizabeth King James and the late King Charles with the resolutions of the Judges of the said Courts upon debate and solemn Arguments Collected and lately reviewed by Justice Godbold in Quarto The Touchstone of common assurances by William Sheppard Esquire in Quarto The whole office of a Countrey Justice of Peace both in Sessions and out of Sessions with an Abridgement of all the Acts and Ordinances of Parliament relating to the office of a Justice of Peace in Octavo A Collection of several Acts of Parliament published in the yeares 1648 1649 1650 1651. very useful especially for Justices of Peace and other Officers in the execution of their duties and Administration of Justice with several Ordinances of the like concernment by Henry Scobel Esquire Clark of the Parliament in Folio A Collection of several Acts of Parliament which concern the Adventurers of Ireland by Henry Scobel Esquire Clark of the Parliament in folio A General Table to all the several Books of the Reports of the Lord Cook with two Tables one of the principal Cases the other of the general Titles arising out of the matter of the Reports done into English in Octavo The new Natura Brevium of the Reverend Judge Mr. Antho. Fitzherbert with the Authorities of Law Collected out of the year-Books an Abridgment with Writs and return of Writs translated into English never before Printed in octavo The Grounds and Maximes of the Lawes of England by William Noy Esquire in Octavo The Atturney's Academy being the manner of proceedings in all the Courts of Record at VVestminster and other Courts of Law and Equity in Quarto An excellent Treatise entituled For the Sacred Lawes of the Land by Francis White Esquire in Octavo De Priscis Anglorum Legibus being the ancient Lawes of England in Saxon and Latine out of the Authors Mr. Lambert own Manuscript Copy published with the Additions of Mr. Wheelock of Cambridge in folio Reports and Pleas of Assises at York held before several Judges in that Circuity with some Presidents useful for pleaders at the Assises never Englished before in Octavo Reports or Cases in Chancery collected by Sir George Cary one of the Masters of the Chancery in Octavo A perfect Abridgment of the Eleven Books of the Reports of the Lord Cook written in French by Sir John Davis and now Englished in Duodecimo Reports or new Cases of Law by John March in Quarto Statuta pacis containing all Statutes in order of time that concern a Justice of Peace in Duodecimo Three Learned Readings the first by the Lord Dyer of Wils second by Sir John Brograve of Joyntures third by Thomas Risden of forcible Entryes in quarto The Learned Arguments of the Judges of the Upper Bench upon the Writ of Habeas Corpus with the opinion of the Court thereupon in Quarto The Book of Oaths with the several forms of them both Antient and
defuit unum I therefore whom onely love and duty to your Majestie and your royal line hath made a Financier do intend to present unto your Majestie a perfect book of your estate like a perspective glasse to draw your estate neer to your sight beseeching your Majestie to conceive that if I have not attained to do that that I would do in this which is not proper for me nor in my element I shall make your Majestie amends in some other thing in which I am better bred God ever preserve c. The Lord Chancellour to the Marquesse of Buckingham 25. March 1620. My very good Lord YEsterday I know was no day Now I hope I shall hear from your Lordship who are my anchor in these flouds Mean while to ease my heart I have written to his Majestie the inclosed which I pray your Lordship to read advisedly and to deliver it or not to deliver it as you think Good God ever prosper your Lordship Yours ever what I am Fr. St. Alban Canc. The Lord Chancellour to the King March 25. 1620. It may please your most excellent Majestie TIme hath been when I have brought unto you Gemitum Columbae from others now I bring it from my self I flie unto your Majestie with the wings of a Dove which once within these seven daies I thought would have carrried me a higher flight When I enter into my self I find not the materials of such a tempest as is come upon me I have been as your Majestie knoweth best never authour of any immoderate Counsel but alwaies desired to have things carried suavibus modis I have been no avaritious oppressor of the people I have been no haughty or intolerable or hateful man in my conversation or carriage I have inherited no hatred from my father but am a good Patriot born Whence should this be for these are the things that use to raise dislikes abroad For the house of Commons I began my Credit there and now it must be the place of the Sepulture thereof And yet this Parliament upon the Message touching Religion the old love revived and they said I was the same man still onely honesty was turned into honour For the Upper House even within these daies before these troubles they seemed as to take me into their arms finding in me ingenuity which they took to be the true streight line of noblenesse without Crooks or angles And for the briberies and guifts wherewith I am charged when the books of hearts shall be opened I hope I shall not be found to have the troubled fountain of a corrupt heart in a depraved habit of taking rewards to pervert Justice howsoever I may be frail and partake of the abuses of the Times And therefore I am resolved when I come to my answer not to trick my innocency as I writ to the Lords by Cavillations or voidances but to speak to them the language that my heart speaketh to me in excusing extenuating or ingenuous confessing praying God to give me the grace to see to the bottom of my faults and that no hardnesse of heart do steal upon me under shew of more neatnesse of Conscience then is Cause But not to trouble your Majestie any longer craving pardon for this long mourning Letter that which I thirst after as the Hart after the streams is that I may know by my matchlesse friend that presenteth to you this letter your Majesties heart which is an abyssus of goodnesse as I am an abyssus of mercy towards me I have been ever your man and counted my self but as an usufructuary of my self the property being yours And now making my self an oblation to do with me as may best conduce to the honour of your Justice the honour of your Mercy and the use of your Service resting as Clay in your Majesties gracious hands Fr. St. Alban Canc. Magdibeg to his Majestie May it please your most excellent Majestie I Make bold after a long silence to prostrate my self before your Majestie and being the Ambassadour of a great King that counteth it an honour to stile himself your friend I do beseech you to afford me that justice which I am sure you will not refuse to the meanest of your Subjects At my first arrival into this your happy Kingdome I was informed by the general relation of all that had recourse unto me that one here who had the title of Ambassadour from my Master did vainly brag that he had married the King of Persia's Neece which kindled in me such a vehement desire to vindicate my Masters honor from so unworthy and false a report that at my first interview with him my hand being guided by my dutie I endeavoured to fasten upon him a Condigne disgrace to such an imposture But the caution that I ought to have of my own justification when I return home biddeth me the more strictly to examine the truth of that which was told me whereon my action with Sir Robert Shirley was grounded and to have it averred in the particulars as well as by a general voice Therefore I humbly beseech your Majestie that out of your Princely goodnesse you will be pleased to give such order that this point may be fully cleared Wherein for the manner of proceeding I wholly and humbly remit my self to your Majestie And this being done I shall return home with some measure of joy to ballance the grief which I have for having done ought that may have clouded your Majesties favour to me And so committing your Majestie to the protection of the greatest God whose shadowes and elect instruments Kings are on earth I humbly take my leave and rest c. The Copy of a Letter written by his Majestie to the Lord Keeper the Bishops of London Wynton Rochester St. Davids and Excester Sir Henry Hubbert Mr. Justice Dodderidge Sir Henry Martin and Dr. Steward or any six of them whereof the Lord Keeper the Bishops of London Wynton and St. Davids to be four IT is not unknown unto you what happened the last Summer to our trusty and welbeloved Councellour the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury who shooting at a Deer with a Crossebowe in Bramzil Park did with that shoot casually give the Keeper a wound whereof he dyed Which accident though it might have happened to any other man yet because his eminent rank and function in the Church hath as we are informed ministred occasion of some doubt as making the Cause different in his person in respect of the scandal as is supposed we being desirous as it is fit we should to be satisfied therein and reposing especial trust in your learnings and judgments have made choice of you to inform Us concerning the nature of this Cause and do therefore require you to take presently into your Considerations the Scandal that may arise thereupon and to certifie Us what in your Judgements the same may amount unto either to an irregularity or otherwise And lastly what means may be found for the
Toledo who is under age swore to all the Capitulations so that the Prince seemed to depart well satisfied The King brought him to the Escurial and a little before his departure the King and he went into a close Coach and had a large discourse together my Lord of Bristol being in another Coach hard by to interpret some hard words when he was called And so they parted with many tender demonstrations of love A Trophy of Marble is erected in the place where they parted Many rich Presents were given on both sides The Prince bestowed upon the Queen the biggest Crown Pearl in the world between two Diamonds He gave the Infanta a rope of Pearl and an anchor of great Diamonds with many other Jewels He hath been very bountiful to every one of the Kings house and all the Guard Never Prince parted with such an universal love of all He left every mouth filled with his Commendations every one reporting him to be a truly Noble discreet and well deserving Prince I write what I hear and know and that without passion for all he is the Prince of my Countrey My Lord of Buckingham at first was much esteemed but it lasted little his French garb with his stout hastinesse in negotiating and over-familiarity with the Prince was not liked Moreover the Councel of Spain took it ill that a green head should come with such a superintendent power to treat of an affair of such Consequence among so many grave Ministers of State to the prejudice of so able and well-deserving a Minister as my Lord of Bristol who laid the first stone of this building Hereupon his power was called in question and found imperfect in regard it was not confirmed by the Councel Thus the businesse began to gather ill bloud between Olivarez and him and grew so far out of square that unlesse there had been good heads to peece them together again all might have fallen quite off the hinges He did not take his leave of the Countesse of Olivarez and the farewel he took of the Conde himself was harsh for he told him he would be an everlasting servant to the King of Spain the Queen and the Infanta and would endeavour to do the best offices he could for the concluding of this businesse and strengthening the amity between the two Kingdomes but for himself he had so far disobliged him that he could make no profession of friendship to him at all The Conde turned about and said he accepted of what he had spoken and so parted Since his Highnesse departure my Lord of Bristol negotiates closely he is daily at the Palace to attend the Infanta and he treats by means of the Countesse of Olivarez There is a new Junto appointed for the disposing of the Infanta's affairs and we hope here that all things will be ripe against the next Spring to bring her over And so I rest c. From Madrid 30. Septemb. 1623. His Majesties to the Earl of Bristol Jan. 21. 1625. VVEE have read your Letter addressed to us by Buckingham and We cannot but wonder that you should through forgetfulnesse make such a request to us of favour as if you stood eavenly capable of it when you know what your behaviour in Spain deserved of Us which you are to examine by the observations We made and know you will remember how at our first coming into Spain taking upon you to be so wise as to foresee our intentions to change our Religion you were so far from disswading us that you offered your service and secresie to concur in it and in many other open Conferences pressing to shew how convenient it was for us to be a Roman Catholique it being impossible in your opinion to do any great action otherwise how much wrong disadvantage and disservice you did to the Treaty and to the right and interest of our dear Brother and Sister and their Children what disadvantage inconvenience and hazard you intangled us in by your artifices putting off and delaying our return home The great estimation you made of that State and the vile price you set this Kingdome at still maintaining that we under colour of friendship to Spain did what was in our power against them which you said they knew very well And last of all your approving of those Conditions that our Nephew should be brought up in the Emperours Court to which Sir Walter Aston then said he durst not give his Consent for fear of his head you replying to him that without some such great action neither marriage nor peace could be had c. Lord Conway to the Earl of Bristol March 21. 1625. My Lord I Received a Letter from your Lordship dated the 4th of this month written in answer to a former which I directed to your Lordship by his Majesties Commandment This last Letter according to my duty I have shewed unto his Majestie who hath perused it and hath commanded me to write back this unto you again That he finds himself nothing satisfied therewith the question propounded to your Lordship from his Majestie was plain and clear Whether you did rather choose to sit still without being question'd for any errours past in your negotiation in Spain and enjoy the benefit of the late gratious pardon granted in Parliament whereof you may have the benefit or whether for the clearing of your innocency whereof your self your friends and your followers are so confident you will be contented to wave the advantage of that pardon and put your self into a legal way of examination for the tryal thereof His Majesties purpose hereby is not to prevent you of any favours the Law hath given but if your assurance be such as your words and letter import he conceiveth it stands not with that publique and resolute profession of your integrity to decline your tryal His Majestie leaves the choyce to your self and requires from you a direct answer without Circumlocution or bargaining with him for future favours before hand But if you have a desire to make use of that pardon which cannot be denyed to you nor is it any way desired to be taken from you His Majestie expects that you should at least forbear to magnifie your service and out of the opinion of your own innocency cast an aspersion upon his Majesties Justice in not affording you that present fulnesse of liberty and favour which cannot be drawn from him but in his own good time and according to his own good pleasure Thus much I have in command to write unto your Lordship and to require your answer cleerly and plainly by this Messenger sent on purpose for it And so c. The E. of Bristol to the Lord Conway 4. March 1625. My Lord I Received your Letter of the 25. of February and therein a Commandment from his Majestie and in his Majesties name to make a cleer and plain answer Whether I desire or rest in the security I am now in and to acknowledge the gratious favour of his
more daughters I onely insisted that it was a thing by the last King settled and agreed with me that this King had by several answers in writing to me undertaken to pursue the businesse as it was left by his father and to make good whatsoever he had promised And thereupon desired that the original Papers and Consultos of the last King might be seen which very honestly by the Secretary Cirica were produced and appeared to be such that I dare say there was not a man that saw them that doubteth of the last Kings real intention of making the Match And questionlesse this had been the usefullest occasion to have disavowed former proceedings and I was resolved to put them to it But both the King and his Councel upon the sight of what had been promised by his father presently took resolution to make good the two millions onely to remonstrate unto his Majestie the vastnesse of the Portion and to desire him to consider how far the King had stretched himself in this particular for his satisfaction And therefore that he would have Consideration of it in such things for the future as might be treated of betwixt them and their Kingdoms As for the daies of payment I insisted to have had half a million upon the Deposorios half a million to be carried along with the Infanta and the other million at their Fleets the two next years after by equal portions But I have now received the Kings answer in this particular which your Highnesse will see in the enclosed paper as likewise what I have done therein by the Copie of the dispatch which I now write about it to Mr. Secretary So not having any thing more to add concerning this particular I recommend your highnesse to Gods holy protection c. Madrid The E of Bristol to the Duke of Buckingham Decemb. 6. 1623. May it please your Grace THe present estate of the Kings affairs requireth the concurrencie of all his servants and the Co-operation of all his Ministers which maketh me desirous to make unto your Grace this tender of my service that if there have happened any errours or misunderstandings your Grace would for that regard passe them over and for any thing that may personally concern my particular I shall labour to give you that satisfaction as may deserve your friendship And if that shall not serve the turn I shall not be found unarmed with patience against any thing that can happen unto me And so wishing that this humble offer of my service may find that acceptation as I humbly desire I rest Your Graces most humble servant Bristol Madrid The E. of Bristol to Secretary Cottington Apr. 15. 1623. Good Mr. Secretary Cottington THere is no man living knoweth better then your self how zealous I have been unto the Prince's service and whilest I thought he desired the Match I was for it against all the World Now the Treatie is ended the world shall see I never had nor will have any affections of my own but will wholly follow my Masters as I have written unto you in my former Letters and have not these four moneths spoken a word in the marriage If his Majestie and the Prince will have a war I will spend my life and fortunes in it without so much as replying in what quarrel soever it be And of thus much I intreat you let his Highnesse be informed by you And I intreat you let me know his directions what he will have me do and how to behave my self for I absolutely cast my self at his feet which I desire to do the first thing after my landing to the end that understanding his pleasure I may commit no errour I beseech you to dispatch this bearer back unto me withal possible speed though it be with not one word more but what the Prince will have me do wherewith I shall come muy Consolado I understand that I have been much bound to the Prince for the procuring the 4000 l. to be payed and for my Pension I pray present unto him my most humble thanks and I confesse I have been much more comforted with that demonstration of his favour then I can be with the money I doubt not but at this time I shall have the effects of a real friendship from you in this particular And so desiring to have my service remembred to my Lady Cottington I rest Poitiers Yours c. Bristol Postscript I Pray move the Prince that one of the Kings Ships may be presently appointed to waft me over For I have a great charge of of the Princes with me W. Greisly met me within 10. posts of Burdeaux and is passed on to Madrid I think he shall find the Blandones for his Highnesse in a readinesse for Mr. Stone taketh care of them and hath the money in his hand May it please your most excellent Majestie I Hope your Majestie will not be displeased that I continue unto you that most humble and just suit which I have often made unto your Majestie and your Majestie hath been often gratiously pleased to promise which was that I should be no waies lessened or diminished in your Majesties favour and good opinion until you should be first pleased gratiously to hear me and my Cause And although your Majestie for just respects hath not been pleased hitherto to admit me into your presence which I esteem an infinite misfortune to me Yet I hope that time will no way confirm those impressions of displeasure which I do no way doubt but will be fully cleared whensoever I shall be so happy as by your Majestie to be heard For I take God to record that I have faithfully and honestly served you and exactly pursued your ends to the best of my understanding and abilities And I do no way doubt but your Majestie will in the end protect so faithful a servant as I have been and shall appear to be to your Majestie And in the interim my most humble suit unto your Majestie is that since I am neither admitted my self nor any man else will speak any word in my defence or justification your Majestie according to your Justice will let nothing that may be said of me redound to my prejudice in your gracious opinion For it shall be found that I will in all things wholly conform my self unto your Majesties will and pleasure So wishing unto your Majestie a happy journey and a safe return with the increase of all hapinesse I humbly c. Your Majesties c. Bristol London Here next of all follow divers Dispatches and Letters from Sir Walter Aston to the Duke Sir Walter Aston to the Duke May it please your Grace I Have received so much comfort by the care which I see in your grace to take all occasions to honour and favour me that I should be glad if it were possible in my affection to your person and in my desire to serve you that your grace might see something in me above what you
of them being under the Command of such as are either this Kings servants or absolutely under his dispose that his Majestie will be able to overcome the businesse and they are now busie how to settle the manner of the leavie of the said sum by yearly and equal portions They having found here divers inconveniences in their new Government of Portugal by way of Governours are resolved to place Vice-Kings again there And for to gratifie the Emperour have elected for that charge his third Brother Don Carlos who is presently to make his repair thither On the 27th of the last moneth my Lord of Bristol took his leave of the Queen and the Infanta and on the Sunday following being the 29. of the said moneth his Lordship delivered unto me the Powers which his Highnesse left with him and those which have been since sent hither His Lordship is preparing for his journey and saith that he is already in such a forwardnesse as upon the arrival here of Mr. Greisley or any other from England whereby he shall receive means for the taking up of moneys here he will presently put himself upon the way The Queen here some few daies since fell suddenly ill and swooned two or three times but her indisposition lasted not above two or three dayes Her Majestie is now thanks be to God very well again The King having received advice thereof intended as it is said to come presently post hither but upon better news his Majestie proceeds in his journey and for any thing that I can understand it will be May before his return to this Town There are lately thrown abroad in this Town divers Copies of a Proclamation pretended to be published in Ireland bearing date the 27. of January last It hath made a great noise here and divers of their Ministers have spoken with me about it they conceiving it to be contrary to what hath been lately Capitulated For my part I have been able to give them no answer not having yet understood from your Honour nor any of his Majesties Ministers of any such Proclamation I have seen the Proclamation as it came printed from thence and do here inclosed send your Honour a Copy thereof desiring you that you will acquaint his Majestie therewithal that he may be pleased to Command therein what to his wisdom shall seem fit To those that have spoken with me about this Proclamation having first disclaimed the having had knowledge of any such thing I have used discourses of mine own touching the abuses of those which are called titulary Archbishops Bishops c. letting them understand here that if those kind of people have been busie there to plant secretly their Government they have far exceeded the favour which was promised them and given his Majestie just cause to give order for the reformation My last to your Honour was of the 7th of February last by Albert Rivas whom I dispatched with all diligence to you since when I have received nothing from your Honour I shall therefore c. Your Honours c. Wa. Aston Sir Walter Aston to the Lord Conway 5th June 1624. Right Honourable IN a former Dispatch which I lately made unto your Honour I sent unto you the Copy of a Letter which I then had newly received from the Secretarie Don Andreas de Prada by which he advertised me That the King his Master according to what I had requested by memorial had commanded that all English Commodities and Manufactures which I have long since advertized were prohibited by Prematica's published here for the reformation of abuses should enter into these Kingdoms I have long since performed divers diligences my self both with the Secretary and President of Castile for the procuring a declaration of the said order being careful to prevent such inconveniences as the King our Masters Subjects might fall into for want thereof But having been tossed up and down between the Secretarie and the President with several delayes the one remitting me to the other I repaired to the Conde of Olivarez suspecting some novelty in the businesse and acquainted him that upon the receipt of a Letter sent me from the Secretary Don Andreas de Prada concerning the free entrance of English Commodities I had given notice by a Copy of the said Letter unto the King my Master of what was therein Commanded and had likewise advertised the Merchants that reside in these Kingdomes of the said Order I also gave him account of the several diligences which I had performed with the President and the Secretary for the procuring a declaration thereof and desired that he would presently command that there might be such course taken that there should be no further delayes used therein since I should be loath to see the King my Masters Subjects encouraged by the said Order to repair hither with their Merchandizes and fall into inconveniencies for want of notice given thereof unto their Ministers in the Ports The Conde fell into discourses far from my expectation asking me whether it was not free for any King in his own Kingdom to Command his own Subjects to wear what he pleased saying further that the English were not prohibited to bring in their Commodities but that the King his Master might command his Subjects to spend the Bayes and other Commodities of his own Kingdoms and not to make use of those that came from forraign parts as to his wisdom for the good of his Kingdoms should seem best That there should be a suspension of the execution of the said Pramatica's until St. James-tide and no longer To which I answered That I made no doubt of the power that every King had over his own Subjects notwithstanding where it was articled betwixt two Kings that there should be a free admittance of each others Commodities unto their several Kingdomes and after a Command should be given prohibiting either of them unto their Subjects the making use thereof it could not but be understood a defrauding and deluding of the Articles and the true intention of them but I told him I came not to dispute this now for the Secretaries Letter had desired me to take notice of another resolution therefore I desired that there might be a speedy and publique declaration made of what was therein signified unto me or if there were any new resolution that I might understand it To which he answered pretending that he spake it as a freedom which he used with me but came out with it in such a manner as I saw he was full of it That the truth was that they would proceed here as they were proceeded withal in England That the King my Master had lately given leave to the Hollanders to transport Artillery out of England and had denied the like to their Embassadours having required it which was as he said directly against the articles of peace wherein it was Capitulated That neither should assist with any kind of armes the enemy of the other He said farther That
the English had taken Ormuh and there was no satisfaction given concerning that businesse nor appearance of any intention to do it and concluded That when the Articles of Peace should be observed to them they would do the like I told the Conde I had not understood any thing of those particulars which he mentioned and therefore could say nothing unto him neither thought I fit to give him any further answer being loath in a businesse of this importance where the Articles of Peace between these Kingdoms are in question to do any thing at guesse but to advertise it to the King my Master and to proceed according to such order as he shall please to give me I do therefore intreat your Honour that you will be pleased to acquaint his Majestie with what hath passed wherein I doubt not but his Majestie will observe the distraction and inconstancy of their proceedings here at present in Commanding what his Majestie will have found by this Secretaries Letter and taking presently after new resolutions After this language which the Conde hath used unto me I cannot expect any reason or justice here and the Merchants have many suites depending wherein they have received great injuries whereof I have not hitherto complained because I was in continual hope of procuring redresse and their suites proceeded on I cannot say as I would have wished but according to the stile here and in such manner as they have done in former times I doubt not but his Majestie will therefore likewise please to consider what a stop there is likely to be here of all businesses concerning the Commerce and either proceed as occasion shall there be offered in the like manner or take such a Course for settling things in better order as to his wisdom shall seem best I have since had some overtures made unto me that the said declaration shall presently come out in the mean time I would not wish that the Merchants should adventure any thing trusting to their courtesie here By my last unto your Honour which was of the 20th of May I advertized the advice which was given hither That the Galeons that bring the Plate were upon the way for these parts Since when there is newes of their arrival at St. Lucar excepting two of them which perished in their journey hitherward the one sprung a leak in a calm day and sunk so fast that there were onely saved 52 men the rest which were about 200. persons were all drowned neither was any of her fraight saved The other was their Admirante which corresponds with our Vice-Admiral which likewise sprung a leak but all the men aboard were saved and a good part of her silver There is lost upon Register in these two Ships three millions and it is thought that there perished in them above a million in silver and goods unregistred Upon order that was lately sent unto the Assistente of Sevil for the perfecting the Grant of the Millions to the King by the said City there being doubt made whether it was a lawful Concession or no The Assistente called together those that had voices in the said grant of the said Millions and made a speech unto them wishing a general Conformity to what his Majestie had desired of them but the proposition was very distastful unto the greater number who little expected to have heard that businesse revived again And the people having gotten notice upon the breaking up of that meeting of what had been there propounded in a tumultuous manner ran after the Assistente who was returning to his house and hearing such a clamour behind him thought that the people had been disquieted by some accident and stayed to have appeased them but by the curses which he heard and the blowes he received by the stones which were thrown at him he quickly found against whom the fury of the people was bent and so made all the haste he could to his own house which at length he recovered sore wounded and with much hazard of his life The Irish Priests and others of that Kingdome which reside in this Court begin to grow very busie here and do promise great matters unto this King in the assistance which his Majestie shall find in Ireland whensoever he shall please to attempt any thing against that Kingdome but for any thing I can learn there hath been as yet so little ear given unto them that they have not descended to make any particular offer But they are treated here with much Courtesie Tyr-Connel being made a Page to the Queen and the rest receiving good satisfaction I will be as vigilant as I can to trace out their steps and I hope I shall be able to give seasonable advertizement of their proceedings Howsoever since secret Councels may be held and resolutions taken which I may misse of I doubt not but the King our Master considering the present jealousies and distastes betwixt these Crowns will be vigilant to secure that Kingdom that there may be nothing neglected upon which they may here take any sudden advantage By the English Merchants that reside in Malaga I have received advice that 3. Scottish Masters of Ships have lately had a sentence pronounced against them by the D. of Medina Sidona wherein their Ships and all their goods are confiscated for having brought Holland Commodities to that Port and their persons condemned to the Galleys which notwithstanding their apellation unto to the Councel of War here which ought to have been admitted them was presently put into execution The same day that I received the advice I gave in a Memorial to the Councel of State representing the rigorous and unjust proceeding against the said Scottish Masters and desired that they would send their order that the Apellation might be admitted and that their persons might be presently returned off of the Gallies I likewise repaired to the Conde of Olivarez acquainting him with the proceedings of the Duke and was able to give him some examples of divers Hollanders that had been treated in the like occasion with far lesse rigour Whereupon there is Command given according to what I have desired and whatsoever shall become of their goods I have a promise from the Conde of Olivarez that their persons shall be treated with all Courtesie It is published by the Ladies of the Palace that the Queen is with Child which hath filled this Court with much joy and her Majestie hath so much better health now upon her being new with Child then she hath had of the rest that they are already here full of hopes that she will bring them a Prince c. Your Honours c. Wa. Aston The Abstract of a Letter from Sir Walter Aston to the Lord Conway 17. July 1624. HE acknowledgeth the receipt of his Majesties Letters of the 27. of June by Mr. Wych and is busie in preparing to put those Directions in execution and that being done will give a speedy and full account The Marquesse Ynoisa
reason I think it will appear how well grounded their complaints be Upon those two former Anchors I will therefore rest and that so far from Cowardlinesse that I will either challenge them before his Majestie to make good their suggestions or else which I hold the greater valour of all and which I confesse I wanted before this check of your Lordships go on in my Course and scorn all these base and unworthy scandals as your Lordship shall direct me I have sent a Copy of a Letter of mine to my Lord Anan which his Majestie hath seen and given his assent it should not be kept private yet I would humbly crave your Lordships opinion thereof by Mr. Packer before any Copy goeth from me I am ever c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke 12th Octob. 1622. My most Noble Lord I Will speak with the Jesuit to morrow and deliver him his admonition from the King but do send your Lordship here inclosed a Copie of the Conference which I procured from him without his privity onely to make his Majestie and your Lordship merrie I have also received a Letter concerning the French Embassador which I will be ready to put in execution as your Lordships servant and Deputy but not otherwise Yet your Lordship will give me out of that freedom which was wont to be well interpreted by your Lordship to let your Lordship understand that I find all businesses of restitution of ships and goods thus taken to have been handled before the Councel in Star-chamber all the reigns of Henry 7th and H. 8th without any contradiction of the Lord Admiral for the time being But this to your Lordship in secret I will be very careful of the Earl of Desmond that neither his cause nor your Lordships reputation shall suffer thereby And this is the account I can yet give of your Lordships Letter save that I humbly expect that answer which your Lordships own Luckie hand hath promised in the postscript of one of them I would ease your Lordship in this place but to prevent complaint that peradventure may be first invented and then presented Your Lordship shall heare of a long narrative of our Councel Table dispatches That passage of our letter which as it now goeth doth hope that his Majestie will spare to confer any suites of moment in Ireland until the return of the Irish Committee was a blunt request to the King to grant no suites there without our advice Against this concluded in my absence the first day of the Tearm I spake first to the Prince privately who allowed of my reasons then when the President would not mend it at the Table openly that I did utterly dislike we should tutour his Majesty how to grant suits especially in Letters that are to remain upon record My Lord of Cantuar and the Earle Marshal said they had many Presidents in that kind I answered I knew they had none but in the Kings time and that I wished them as I do all torn out of the book and cast into the fire I concealed my reasons which now I will reveal unto your Lordship because this is the third time I have expressed unto your Lordship under my hand my dislike of this kind of Limiting his Majestie otherwise then by word of mouth First if his Majestie which we see so often done shall dispose of these suites otherwise here are so many records remaining to malitious men to observe his Majesties aversenesse from following the advice of the Councel board Secondly if your Lordship shall procure any suit in this kind here are records also in time to come that you crosse and thwart the government of the Kingdom And I pray God this be but mine own jealousie The passage in the Letter with my Prating and his Highnesse help was altered and for fear of misreporting I make bold to relate the truth hereof to your Lordship My Lords proceeded very resolutely in those reformations which concerned other men The Commission of fees enables the Committees to call before them all the Judges as well as their under Officers which was more then the King exprest at Hampton Court amongst whom the Lord Keeper is one who from the Conquest to this day was never subjected to the call of any power in the Kingdom but the King and the Parliament And although I have not one Pennie of Fee which hath not continued above one hundred years yet for the honour of the Prime place in the state though now disgraced by the contemptiblenesse of the Officer I am an humble suiter unto your Lordship that my Person may be exempted from the command of Sr. Edwin Sandys or indeed any man els besides the King my Master Otherwise I shall very patiently endure it but the King hereafter may dislike it The Justices of the Peace are also appointed but if the Judges and my self be not utterly deceived to no purpose in the world nor service to his Majestie But when their Lordships came to surrender the under Leivtenantships to his Majesties hands whom the Lord President and I held fit to be created henceforward by several Commissions under the Great Seal it was stiffly opposed and stood upon that the King should name them in their Lordships Commissions onely according to a President in the late Queens time that is the King shall have the naming but they still the appointing of them And now it was pressed that his Majestie intended not to disgrace his Lords c and your Lordship is to have a Letter from Mr. Secretarie to know his Majesties mind herein If his Majestie shall not ordain them to be created by several Pattents it were better a great deal they should continue as they do I am very tedious in the manner and peradventure in the matter of this Letter I humbly crave pardon c. Passages between the Lord Keeper and Don Francisco HE was very inquisitive if I had already or intended to impart what he had told me the night before in secret to any man to the which he did adde a desire of secresie Because 1. The King had charged him and the Frier to be very secret 2. The Embassadours did not know that he had imparted these things unto me 3. The Popes were secret instructions which they gave to the Fryer to urge and presse the same points which himself had done to the King He confessed that the greatest part of the Friers instructions were to do all the worst offices he could against the Duke and to lay the breach of the marriage and disturbance of the peace upon him He excused the bringing the Copy of that paper unto me because the Marquesse had it yet in his custody but said he would procure it with all speed I desired him to do it the rather because besides my approbation of the form and manner of the writing I might be by it instructed how to apply my self to do his Majestie service therein as I found by that Conference
little and little by reason of favours done to particular Catholiques The former course might breed a general impression if not a mutinie This Letter will but loosen the tongues but of some few particulars who understand of their neighbours pardon and having vented their dislikes when they have not many to Sympathise with them they grow coole again so as his majestie afterwards may enlarge these favours without any danger at all Secondly to forbid Iudges against their oaths and Justices of the Peace sworn likewise to execute the law of the Land is a thing unpresidented in this Kingdom et Durus Sermo a very harsh and bitter pill to be digested upon a suddain and without some preparation But to grant a pardon even for a thing that is Malum in se and a dispensation with Penal Lawes in the profit whereof the King onely is interested is usual and full of presidents and examples And yet is this Letter onely tending to the safety the former but to the glory and insolencie of the Papists and the magnifying the service of the Embassadors ends too dearly purchased with the indangering of a tumult in three Kingdomes Thirdly and Lastly his Maiestie useth to speak to his Bishops Judges and Justices of the peace by his Chancelour or Keeper as your Grace well knoweth and by his Great Seal and I can signify his Majesties pleasure unto them with lesse noise and danger which I mean to do hereafter if the Embassadors shall presse it to this effect unlesse your Grace shall from his Highnesse or your own judgment direct otherwise That whereas his Majestie being at this time to mediate for favour to many Protestants in forraign parts with Princes of another religion and to sweeten the entertainment of the Princess into this Kingdom who is as yet a Roman Catholique doth hold a mitigation of the rigour of those lawes made against Recusants to be a necessary inducement to both those purposes and hath therefore issued forth some pardons of Grace and favour to such Roman Catholiques of whose faithfulnesse and fidelity to the state he rests assured That therefore you the Lords Bishops Judges and Justices each of those to be written unto by themselves do take notice of this his Majesties pardon and dispensation with all such penal Lawes and demean your selves accordingly c. Thus have I been too tedious and troublesome unto your Grace and Crave your pardon therefore and some directions which you may cause Sir Francis Cottington or some other to write without your Graces trouble if there shall apeare any cause of alteration Doctor Bishop the new Bishop of Calcedon is come to London privately and I am much troubled thereabouts not knowing what to advise his Majestie in this posture as things stand at this present If you were shipped with the Infanta the onely Councel were to let the Judges proceed with them presently hang him out of the way and the King to Blame my Lord of Cantuar or my self for it But before you be shipped in such form and manner I dare not assent or Connive at such a course It is my gracious Lord a most insolent Part and an offence as I take it Against our common Law and not the statutes onely which are dispensed withall for an English man to take such a consecration without the Kings consent and especially to use any Episcopal Jurisdiction in this Kingdom without the royal assent and Bishops have been in this State put to their fine and ransom for doing so three hundred years ago I will cease to to be further troublesome and pray to Almighty God to blesse your Grace and in all humblenesse take my leave and rest c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke 14th of October 1621. My most Noble Lord I Humbly thank your Lordship for your most sweet and loving Letter which as Sir George Goring could not but observe hath much revived me drooping under the unusual weight of so many businesses Let God suffer me no longer to be then I shall be true plain faithful and affectionately respectful of your Lordship as being most bound unto your Lordship for these so many fruits but far more for the tree that bore them your love and affection If your Lordship shall not think it inconvenient I do beseech your Lordship to present this Petition inclosed either by word or writing unto his Majestie and to procure a speedy dispatch thereof because we are to meet on Thursday next Also to acquaint his Majestie that I stumble at the Proclamation now coming to the Seal against any that shall draw or present any bill for his Majesties signature besides those Clarks which usually draw them up by virtue of their places It is most prejudicial to my place the Lord Treasurer and the Judges itinerant who are often occasioned to draw up and present to his Majestie divers matters and especially pardons of Course It is also too strong a tie upon your Lordships hands being intended by his Majestie against Projectors and Scriveners only If it shall please his Majestie therefore to make an exception of the Lords of his Councel and Judges of Assize it may passe to the contentment of all men Mr. Attourney saith he meant this exception but I find it not sufficiently expressed in the Proclamation Also I humbly beseech your Lordship to meddle with no pardon for the Lord of St. Albons until I shall have the happinesse to confer with your Lordship the pardoning of his fine is much spoken against not for the matter for no man objects to that but for the manner which is full of knavery and a wicked president For by this assignation of his fine he is protected from all his Creditors which I dare say was neither his Majesties nor your Lordships meaning I have presumed to send your Lordship a true Copy of that speech which I made at VVestminster Hall at my entrance upon this office because somewhat was to be spoken at so great a change and alteration in so high a Court And I was never so much troubled in my life not how but what to speak I humbly crave pardon if I have failed in points of discretion which a wiser man in such a case might easily do With my heartiest prayers unto God to continue all his blessings upon your Lordship I rest deservedly c. Postscript MY Lord I find my Lord Treasurer affectionately touched with removing from the Court of Wards and do wish with all my heart he may have contentment in that or any thing else but orderly and in a right method Let him hold it but by your Lordships favour not his own power or wilfulnesse And this must be apparent and visible Let all our greatnesse depend as it ought upon yours the true original Let the King be Pharaoh your self Joseph and let us come after as your half-brethren God blesse you c. The Lord Keeper to the Duke concerning Sir John Michel 8. Aug. 1622. My most noble
presence at this next Parliament And I trust in God I shall most readily obey any other Command that bears the image and superscription of your Majestie without any desire of searching after the hand that helps to presse and ingrave it Yet because I suffer in some more particulars then peradventure is explicitely known to your Majestie And that I have no friend left about your Majestie that dares for fear of displeasure relate unto your Majestie my griefs and necessities I humbly crave your gratious Pardon to make some two representations and some few Petitions unto your most excellent Maiestie First I humbly shew unto your Majestie that besides my former Calamities I am not paid that part of my Pension which should pay the Creditors who lent me money to buy the same notwithstanding your Majestie hath been gratiously pleased to order otherwise Secondly I have not yet received my Writ of Summons unto the Parliament denied to no Prisoners or condemned Peers in the late raign of your blessed Father that I might accordingly make my Proxie the which I cannot do the Writ not received nor can I my self go into the Countrie as I had done long ere this had not the expectation of this Writ together with the special service of my Lord Duke and no other occasion whatsoever detained me These two particulars I present with all submission unto your Majestie and shall rest satisfied with what royal resolution your Majestie shall make therein These petitions that follow I must earnestly beg at your Majesties hands and for Gods sake and your blessed Fathers sake whose Creature and most painful servant I was First that your Majestie would be pleased to mitigate and allay the causelesse displeasure of my Lord Duke against me who is so little satisfied with any thing I can do or suffer that I have no means left to appease his anger but my prayers to God and your Sacred Majestie Secondly I beseech your Majestie for Christ Jesus sake not to believe newes or accusations against me concerning my carriage past present or to come whilest I stand thus injoyned from your Royal presence before you shall have heard my answer and defence unto the particulars Those that inform your Majestie may God he knoweth be oftentimes mis-informed My last supplication unto your Majestie is That in my absence this Parliament no use may be made of your sacred name to wound the reputation of a poor Bishop who besides his Religion and Dutie to that Divine Character you now bear hath ever affectionately honoured your very Person above all the objects in this world as he desires the salvation of the world to come But I crave no protection against any other accuser or accusation whatsoever So shall I never cease to pray to the Almighty God to make your Majestie the Happiest and Greatest King that ever was Crowned and Anointed which shall be the continual orisons of Your Majesties most dutiful and most humble Vassal Jo. Lincoln The Lord Keeper to the Lord Viscount Anan 17. Septemb. 16. Right Honourable I Owe more service to that true love and former acquaintance which your Lordship hath been pleased to afford me now these full ten yeares then to be sparing or reserved in satisfying your Lordship about any doubt whatsoever the resolution whereof shall lie in my power Concerning that offence taken by many people both on this side the borders and in Scotland from that Clemencie which his Majestie was pleased to extend to the imprisoned Lay-Recusants of this Kingdom and my Letter written unto the Justices for the reigling of the same which your Lordship did intimate unto me yesterday at Mr. Henry Gibbs his house out of some newes received from a Peer of Scotland This is the plainest return I can make unto your Lordship In the general as the Sun in the firmament appears unto us no bigger then a Platter and the Stars but as so many nails in the pummel of a saddle because of the Elongement and disproportion between our eyes and the object so is there such an unmeasurable distance betwixt the deep resolution of a Prince and the shallow apprehension of common and ordinary people that as they will be ever judging and censuring so must they be obnoxious to errour and mistaking Particularly for as much as concerns my self I must leave my former life my profession my continuall preaching my writing which is instant in the hands of many my private indeavours about some great persons and the whole bent of my actions which in the place I live in cannot be concealed to testifie unto the world what favour I am likely to importune for the Papists in their religion For the King my Master I will tell you a storie out of Velleius Paterculus A Surveyor bragging to M. Livius Drusus that he would so contrive his house Vt Libera à conspectu immunis ab omnibus arbitris esset that it should stand removed out of sight and be past all danger of peeping or Eves-dropping was answered again by Drusus Tu vero si quid in te artis est ita compone domum mean ut quicquid agam ab omnibus Conspici possit Nay my good friend if you have any devices in your head contrive my house after such a manner that all the world may see what I do therein So if I should indeavour to flourish up some artificial Vault to hide and conceal the intentions of his Majestie I know I should receive the same thanks that the Surveyor did from Drusus I was not called to Councel by his royal Majestie when the resolution of this Clemencie to the Lay-Recusants was first concluded But if I had been asked my opinion I should have advised it without the least haesitation His Majestie was so Popishly addicted at this time that to the incredible exhaustments of this Treasurie he was a most zealous interceder for some ease and refreshment to all the Protestants in Europe his own Dominions and Denmarks onely excepted Those of Swithland having lately provoked the Pole had no other hope of peace those of France of the exercise of their Religion those of the Palatinate and adjoyning Countries of the least connivencie to say their prayers then by the earnest mediation of our gracious Master And advised by the late Assembly of Parliament to insist a while longer in this milkie way of intercession and Treatie What a preposterous argument would this have been to desire those mighty Princes armed and victorious to grant some liberty and clemencie to the Protestants because himself did now imprison and execute the rigour of his lawes against the Roman Catholiques I must deal plainely with your Lordship Our viperous countrymen the English Jesuits in France to frustrate these Pious endeavours of his Majesties had many months before this favour granted retorted that argument upon us by writing a most malitious book which I have seen and read over to the French King inciting him and the three Estates
this Warrant I would not deliver over the ship unto him neither if I would would the company give way unto the same we not holding it a sufficient discharge for us But that we were ready to receive a competent number of Souldiers aboard with a chief Commander and to go upon such service as his Christian Majestie should direct us according to the agreement with the King my Master but nothing would satisfie him but to have her delivered over to him which if I did not presently my head should pay for it I desired his patience for two or three daies till I had written and sent to your Grace and that he would let me have a Shallop for that purpose but he denied both the one and the other notwithstanding sent away a Barque himself with one to your Grace but would not suffer me to send thereby which made me the more jealous of the real intent of the businesse The 23. he sent your Lordships Secretarie aboard to work and perswade me but I could not give other answer then I had done formerly only that I would attend until I heard farther from your Grace though I must confesse I had much ado to perswade my Company who were very unwilling to it But I had hope still to have a more ample Order how to proceed in this great and weighty businesse And upon the 24. at two of the clock in the morning Mr. Ingham whom I sent from Stokes Bay to your Grace returned unto me with two Letters one from your Grace and another from my Lord Conway the former part of both commanding me to put your former Commands in execution but the latter part prohibiting me to depart with my charge gave me the more courage to stand upon my former tearms This day your Graces Secretarie came aboard me again after I had sent your Graces Letter to him being sent by the Embassadour to prosecute the businesse for the deliverie of the ship unto them But after I had shewed him that part of your Graces Letter he knew not what to say to it I willed him to tell the Embassadour that this Letter was nothing but an answer of mine written from Stoken Bay concerning the not coming of the rest of the ships I further offered his Lordship this day for the more expedition of the businesse to take 150 of his men aboard and to run over for the Coast of England and to send presently to your Grace that we were ready to surrender over there upon an authentique Warrant from his Majestie or your Grace His answer to this was That he would not put his men in to be prisoners nor that we should be the major part I then offered him to take in as many French as I had English man for man but without arms yet nothing would satisfie him but the possession of the Ship either by delivering of her over into their hands or by receiving 400 armed men aboard wherewith they would quickly have taken her from us as you may plainly see their intent by their proceeding Which I refusing to do this night about ten of the clock he sent his Secretarie aboard with three or four others to make a protestation against me as a Rebel to my King and Countrey as you may perceive by the Copie of it which I send your Grace herewith and this he said was the last he would have to do with me for that on the morrow he would away for Paris Whereupon the next morning I sent this Gentleman Mr. Ingham unto him to know what farther service he would command me and whether he would have me attend his pleasure longer here for that I was ready to go upon any service they would command according to the former agreement and to receive as many men aboard as possibly I could but he said he had nothing to do except I would either deliver up the ship or take in the 400. Souldiers In the interim came his Secretarie with the same company he had before and made another protestation against me in regard I would not take in his 400. men and therewithal brought me a Letter from your Graces Secretarie for he is so jealous that he will not suffer him to come aboard but when he listeth which Letter was That the Embassadour would stay till Thursday next if I would give it him under my hand to deliver up the ship then if I had not order to the contrary before which I had as good have done at the present for I expect no Letters from your Grace in regard they would not suffer me to write to you as I desired And if your Grace should write to me by his messenger they would be sure not to deliver them till the day were past except such as were for their turn In all which your Grace may see their intents that there hath been no slights or wayes left unassayed to bring their purpose to passe first by fair words then by seeking to get me become the French Kings servant with promises of a great Pension and brave employment with offers of good sums to be laid down upon the surrender of the ship as aforesaid And when none of these courses could prevail with me then followed their threatnings of having my head and such like All which I thank God I have withstood for I had rather live all my life with bread and water then betray my King and Country of so precious a Jewel as this and had rather the King should take my life then to have a hand in the surrender or valuing of such a Bulwark of the Kingdom Upon the making of the last Protest and with the threats they gave us my Company grew into such a fury and tumult that they got up their Anchors and set sail for England without acquainting me with it or order from me saying They would rather be hanged at home then surrender the Kings Ships or be slaves to the French or fight against those of the Religion But I must confesse I heard what they were a doing but let them alone because I saw they had reason otherwise I should rather have died amongst them then to have suffered it And thus I have related the principal passages unto your Grace wherein if I have offended his Majestie or your Grace it hath been for want of discretion and not of true zeal to do his Majestie your Grace and my Countrey service which if it be found to be an offence I humbly crave pardon I am now come to an anchor in the Downs where I shall attend your Grace's farther pleasure to be disposed of as his Majestie and your Grace shall please But to return again to France I can assure your Grace that all the people in the ship will rather be hanged then do it they have been so well used there Thus praying for your Graces many happie and prosperous daies I humbly rest Your Graces most humble and faithful servant Jo. Pennington From aboard
wholly upon Spain so that this King will protect him in his Electoral dignity and what he hath lately possessed himself of in those parts This offer of the Dukes hath been several dayes debated in Councel where the Marquesse Ynoiosa hath been busie in the behalf of the Duke but the wiser part of this Councel seeing how prejudicial the increase of the Dukes greatnesse may prove to the Empire do no way favour his pretentions They likewise hold fit to continue the state of things in a possibility of an accommodation without our Master The Arch-Duke Don Carlos hath brought power from the Emperour to proceed to the consummation of a marriage betwixt the Emperours son and the Infanta Donna Maria wherein he sayes he hath nothing to Capitulate but brings them a blanck paper and hath power and order to confirm what conditions they shall here set down The Emperour's Embassadour doth much presse to proceed to the Capitulations but there is yet nothing done The Infanta of Brussels hath lately written hither importing this King to admit of a treaty of marriage betwixt the Prince of Polonia and the Infanta his Sister extolling with many expressions the worth and parts of that Prince There hath been some moneths a general stop of their proceedings here in all suites of English Merchants depending in this Court but I have at last procured a Junto to be assigned for the hearing of all English Causes wherein I am promised there shall be a speedy Resolution taken of whatsoever is at present in Question The Duke of Feria hath lately advertised hither from Millain that the French King and the Duke of Savoy do minister much occasion of jealousie that they intend to attempt some novelty in those parts and doth therefore desire that his Troops may be augmented whereupon above the ordinary charge there was instantly remitted unto him 2000. Duckets The great annual Assiento which this King makes with the Genoueses is newly concluded it is for 7. millions whereof 4. are remitted for Flanders to be paid by monethly portions In a late meeting of the Councel of State upon a discourse that passed amongst them taking into consideration this Kings wants and the present distemper of his affairs the Inquisidor General expressing how necessary a time it was for his Majesties Subjects to assist his present occasions made offer of 100 Duckets for his part which the Conde of Olivares followed with a tender of 300 the Conde of Monterrey of 100 all the rest of the Councel of State following their example gave according to their quality Notice being taken of this abroad the Condestable wrote a Letter unto this King wherein he made tender of 200 Duckets the Marquesse of Castel Rodrigo of 100 the Marquesse of Carpio of the like summe Divers others have likewise declared themselves in this donative and it is hoped that it will go over the whole Kingdome and bring in an extraordinary Treasure into the Kings purse Thus with the remembrance of my duty I rest Your Graces c. W A. Archbishop Abbots to Secretarie Nanton 12. Septemb. 1619. Good Mr. Secretarie I Have never more desired to be present at any Consultation then that which is this day to be handled for my heart and all my heart goeth with it But my Foot is worse then it was on Friday so that by advice of my Physitian I have sweat this whole night past and am directed to keep my bed this day But for the matter my humble advice is That there is no going back but a countenancing of it against all the world yea so far as with ringing of Bells and making of Bon-fires in London so soon as it shall be certainly understood that the Coronation is past I am satisfied in my Conscience that the Cause is just wherefore they have rejected that proud and bloody man and so much the rather because he hath taken a course to make that Kingdom not elective but to take it from the donation of another man And when God hath set up the Prince that is chosen to be a mark of honor through all Christendom to propagate his Gospel and to protect the oppressed I dare not for my part give advice but to follow where God leads It is a great honour to the King our Master that he hath such a Son whose virtues have made him thought sit to be made a King And me thinks I do in this and that of Hungary foresee the work of God that by piece and piece the Kings of the earth that gave their power unto the beast all the Word of God must be fulfilled shall now tear the Whore and make her desolate as St. John in his Revelation hath foretold I pray you therefore with all the spirits you have to put life into this businesse and let a return be made into Germany with speed and with comfort and let it really be prosecuted that it may appear to the World that we are awake when God in this sort calleth us If I had time to expresse it I could be very angry at the shuffling which was used toward my Lord of Doncaster and the slighting of his Embassage so which cannot but touch upon our Great Master who did send him and therefore I would never have a Noble Sonne forsaken for respect of them who truly aym at nothing but their own purposes Our striking in will comfort the Bohemians will honour the Palsgrave will strengthen the Union will bring on the States of the Low Countries will stirre up the King of Denmark and will move his two uncles the Prince of Orange and the Duke of Bovillon to-together with Tremoville a rich Prince in France to cast in their shares And Hungarie as I hope being in that same cause will run the same fortune for the meanes to support the war I hope Providebit Deus The Parliament is the old and honourable way but how assured at this time I know not yet I will hope the best certainly if countenance be given to the action many brave spirits will voluntarily go Our great Master in sufficient want of mony gave some ayde to the Duke Savoy and furnished out a prettie army in the cause of Cleve We must trie once again what we can be done in this businesse of a higher nature and all the mony that may be spared is to be turned that way And perhaps God provided the Jewels that were layd up in the Tower to be gathered by the Mother for the preservation of her Daughter who like a noble Princesse hath professed to her Husband not to leave her self one Jewel rather then not to maintain so religious and righteous a cause You see that lying on my bed I have gone too far but if I were with you this should be my language which I pray you humbly and heartily to represent to the King my Master telling him that when I can stand I hope to do his Majestie some service herein So commending me unto you I
all their poysons For the better effecting whereof the world doth attend with great devotion to see a good correspondencie renewed betwixt your Majestie and the French King and for the disposing your Majesties heart thereunto the State of Venice doth joyn her humble prayers unto the earnest intreaty of many others In the mean time I am to request your Majestie that you will be pleased to forbid the exportation of Artillerie ships and Marriners out of our Kingdomes for the service of the Spaniards it being neither just nor agreeable to your Majesties Piety that your Arms should be stayned with the blood of a State and Prince that hath no equal in love to your Royal Crown and that will ever testifie to all the world by effects of their observance the pure and sincere devotion that they have to your Glorious name For my own particular I humbly crave leave to kisse your royal hands Sir Isaac Wake to the Secretarie Right Honourable I Have safely received the Letter wherewith your Honour hath been pleased to favour me dated at Theobalds the 19th of July Stil Vet. and have to my singular comfort understood that you have been pleased not onely to give favourable acceptance unto such weak dispatches as I have made bold to addresse unto you but done me the honour likewise to acquaint his Majestie with the contents of them and to direct my proceedings in in this intricate businesse which instructions dictated by his Majesties wisedom this light will be sufficient to direct my steps in the middest of an Egyptian darknesse which doth not only obscure the Horizon of this Province where I reside but almost the whole face of Europe by reason of the great mists which are cast artificially in all mens eyes to cover the designs of those who do presume that they have in all places arbitrium Belli et Pacis I most humbly crave pardon of your Honour if you do not receive my answer so soon as perhaps you might expect For yours having stayed upon the way a month and a day did not come to my hands until the 20th of August Stil Vet. At which time it was brought unto me by Mr. Rowlandson whom I had dispatched into Germany to advertize those Princes of the motion made to the Duke of Savoy for the passage of Spanish forces through his State My Lord of Doncaster under whose Cover I received that Letter did not think fit to send it to me by an expresse messenger for fear of increasing the suspition of some in those parts who are jealous that his Majesty doth favour the Duke of Savoy more then they could wish And I must confesse that the same reason induced me likewise to send that Gentleman of the Duke of Savoy's into Germany rather then any servant of mine own for fear least allees and vennes of messagers betwixt my Lord of Doncaster and me in these doubtful times might so far injealous the contrary party as might prejudice the service of his Majestie in that Negotiation The instructions that your Honour hath been pleased to give me from his Majestie concerning my treating with 52. 52. c. the Duke of Savoy 93. a. the Bohemians 95 a. the Emperour Ferdinand 51. a. the King of England 97. a. Germany 99. a. the King of the Romans 71. c. the Agent of England 51. b. the Prince Palatine 52. b. the Marquesse Brandenbergh 54. b. the Marquesse Auspach 50. b. the Princes of the Union 56 b. Count Ernest Mansfelt c. in favour of 93. a. having reference unto the inclination of 95. a. to peace or the probability of defence to be made by 93. a. I held it more safe for me to govern my self by such informations of the state of those affairs as I have received from the favour of the 1. 32. 7. 5. 47. 48. 2. 10. 40. 45. of 51. a. in 97. a. And for the better justification of my proceedings I send your Honour here inclosed the Copie of his Letter unto me wherein you will see that I have no reason as yet to spend the name of 51. a. in favour of 93. a. nor to imbargue 52. c. in a businesse which may draw a great charge and envie upon himself and not much advantage the 93. a. I must confesse that the 50. b. in general and particularly the 54. b. and the 41. 45. 23. 34. 9. 12. of 5. 35. 22. 4. 30. 50. have represented the state of those affairs at this present unto 52. b. in a manner not onely different from the advertisements sent me but almost contrary and they do seem not only to be confident of the prevailing of 93. c. but likewise they continue to give hope that the 10. 51. 29. 15. of 48. 3. 59. 15. will concur with 51. b. and 52. b. in the 12. 30. 13. 9. 50. 27. 40. 35. of 99. a. But because I have reason to suspect that they make relation of those affairs rather as they wish they were then as they be indeed and that their intention to draw somewhat from 52. c. towards the succours of 93. a. I will forbear to joyn with them therein until I can have some better ground then their advertisements which may be thought to savour of partiality and I have reason to be backward therein because I know that 5â— c. would presently take me eu mot and put to the account of 51. a. that which he is most willing to do of himself I do not affirm this out of conjecture but upon good ground for besides that he did signifie so much unto me at my return out of England I do know that within this fortnight he hath sent unto 56. b. 3000. 41. 24. 48. 49. 40. 30. 47. in part of 42. 2. 60. 32. 15. 35. 50. and in the conveyance of this 33. 39. 34. 35. 61. there was extraordinary diligence used to conceal it from the knowledge of the 71. c. whereof no other construction can be made but that 52. c. would fain be intreated by 71. c. to do that which he hath already a mind to do If upon more fresh Letters which I expect from my Lord of Doncaster I shall find that the affairs there have changed face since the writing of his last unto me I will govern my self accordingly as I shall receive warrant from him We are here at a stand expecting with devotion the issue of the affairs of Germanie The Army in the Kingdom of Naples is still retained and no order given either for the dismissing of those Troops or the employing them in any service Prince Philibert is at Messina with the Gallies and hath with him 10. or 12000 men The Ships and Gallions remain at Naples and the Walloons Lombardes and Neapolitanes which should have come to Vado are since their dis-imbarquing again quartered round the City of Naples It is impossible to guesse what they mean to do but the most probable conjecture is that under the colour of suspecting the Duke of Ossuna the
Spaniards will keep their potent Army on foot and by that means keep all Italy in awe and as it were sub Ferulâ and delude the reiterated promises and oathes that have passed by them to assure the Duke of Savoy and the Venetians that they would dismisse those Forces The season is now past for any enterprise by Sea so that Prince Philibert must be forced to return without doing any thing And many are of opinion that the Duke of Ossuna had secret order to counterfeit madnesse and to crosse the Kings Commandement expressely to deprive Prince Philibert of the honour which would have redounded unto him if he had been possessed of the absolute Command of so potent an Armie The Duke of Savoy on the other side would fain make you believe that undoubtedly Ossuna hath entertained rebellious thoughts and that if Don Octavio D'Arragona do not bring a good answer out of Spain he will break out into open contumacie His demands of the King of Spain are these First That he may be continued in the Government four years longer Secondly That he may be permitted to enter with his Fleet into the Gulph of Venice and to dispute his Majesties Title to that Sea by the force of Arms. Lastly That in case the King of Spain will not let him Contest so far with the Venetians that there may then be sent him so much money out of Spain as may license his Army considering that the Kingdome of Naples is so far exhausted as that they cannot contribute any longer either to the maintaining or to the dismissing of those Forces The Venetians did lately chase a small Gallie of the Vicocchi which was entred into the Gulph to rob and spoyl and followed her unto the shoares of Apuglia where Ferlitick the Captain of those Thieves saved himself and the most part of his fellowes by flight into the mountains but Signior Filippo Belegno recovered the Gallie and carried her away as a prize having found two banners displayed the one with the arms of Spain the other with the arms of Ossuna And not onely a formal Patent and Commission to take any thing that he could from the Venetians but some Letters likewise from some principal Ministers of Ferdinand wherein this Capo di Banditi is encouraged and requested to do the Venetians as much hurt and dammage as he might be able Now the Duke of Ossuna is fallen into a great rage with the Venetians quod non totum telum corpore acceperunt and he doth threaten to be revenged upon them for not suffering these Vicocchie to rob and spoyl their subjects The Duke of Savoy hath done me the honour to intreat my company with him into Savoy whither he doth purpose very shortly to go that he may receive at the confines of his estate the Prince of Piedmount and Madam his wife And because his request hath the power of a command over me in Licitis et honestis I must be enforced to passe the Mountaines again at an unseasonable time before I have sufficiently refreshed my self after my last voyage and I know not whether I shall have the opportunity of writing unto your Honour again before my going which is uncertain as depending upon the going of the Duke So with my hearty prayers unto Almighty God for the preservation of his Majestie in health and the prosperity of his Estate in all humility I take leave And rest Your Honours most faithfully to command Isaac Wake Turin 27. Septemb. 1619. 22. August 1619. Sir Isaac Wake to Mr. Secretarie Right Honourable I Have received the Letter wherewith your Honour hath been pleased to favour me dated at White-Hall the 27. of February and having to my singular comfort understood that his Majestie hath declared his gracious approbation of my proceedings here with the Duke of Savoy and the Venetians And I do with all thankfulnesse acknowledge to receive that favour from the hand of your Honour as my only Gratum faciens I will not fail to govern my self precisely by the rule of those Instructions which you have been pleased to give me And as you have favoured me with passing your word for me that I will not spend his Majesties name without particular Warrant and direction so will I promise faithfully to perform as much as you have undertaken for me and both in this as in all things else you may assure your self that his Majesties revealed will and that only shall be a Law unto me Your Honour will have understood by my former Dispatches that the Duke of Ossuna is re-confirmed in his Government of Naples He hath not as far as I can learn any certain time prefixed but is to remain there durante Regis bene placito And when his Patent was presented unto him he had likewise order which was delivered by word of mouth that the King his Master did require him immediately to dismisse all his Army and to send the Walloons and Neapolitanes into Germany to the succours of the Emperour The same party did likewise signifie unto him that as the King of Spain had shewed to have a care of the honour of the Duke of Ossuna in establishing him anew in that Regencie at this time when the world had made some doubt that his late actions had not been conformable to the will and pleasure of his Master so he did expect that he should voluntarily and of himself ask leave to go into Spain and offer to give an account of all his proceedings Which course the King did recommend unto him as most honourable for the justification of his own innocencie and the confusion of his enemies This Message the said Duke hath wisely suppressed and hath published the Patent of his Confirmation without taking notice of the private Articles which were annexed thereunto and delivered verbally He doth professe to understand very well that in Spain they wish him ill and that their design is under the fair bait of this establishing him in that Government to make him swallow the hook of dismissing his armie that so they may afterwards dispose of him at their pleasure when he hall remain utterly disarmed But his heart did not serve him to throw away the scabbard when he had drawn his sword and I am perswaded that as in Spain they will judge of his proceedings by the rule of Tacitus Qui deliberant desciverant so he will repent of not having observed that other Maxime Aut nunquam tentes Aut perfice His best hope is that Chi ha tempo ha vita and if he can make his peace at home upon any conditions he will not much care to turn honest and change his dangerous designs into faithful service of his Master To play Le bon valett he hath now obeyed his Masters Commandment in sending the Walloons and Nepolitans into Lombardie and they are all so safely arrived at Vado upon 19. Gallions being in number 6. or 7000 The landing of these troops and their passing along the skirt
appear you are the more willing to do it for my earnest intreatie My Lord you shall not onely hereby oblige all my Lord of Oxford's friends but likewise the Lady Diana's who doth lose a great deal of precious time by my Lords imprisonment and therefore let all be arguments to excite your noble heart to procure his freedome And so I kisse your hands and rest More yours then his own H. R. Postscript PRay make all haste from Spain for neither are your pleasures and contents so great there as you may find them here neither have you so faithful friends there as you deserve but sure I am you have many false ones For I have work enough both in Court and Citie to falsifie their reports of you yea some of them about women very base ones and much tending to your great dishonour And it goes currant among very great ones that the Prince hath been somewhat displeased with you of late I have sent you another Letter of larger contents and I should be glad to hear from you King James to Pope Gregorie 15th 30. September 1622. James by the Grace of God King of great Brittain France and Ireland Defender of the faith c. To the most Holy Father Pope Gregorie the the 15th greeting and all manner of Felicitie Most Holy Father YOur Holinesse will perhaps marvel that we differing from you in point of Religion should now first salute you with our Letters Howbeit such is the trouble of our mind for these calamitous discords and bloudsheds which for these late years by past have so miserably rent the Christian World and so great is our care and daily sollicitude to stop the course of these growing evils betimes so much as in us lies as we could no longer abstain considering that we all worship the same most blessed Trinitie nor hope for salvation by any other means then by the bloud and merits of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus but breaking this silence to move your Holinesse by these our Letters friendly and seriously that you would be pleased together with us to put your hand to so pious a work and so worthy of a Christian Prince It is truly to be wished and by all means to be endeavoured that this mischief creep on no farther but that these storms at the last ceasing and the rancor being removed by which they were at the first raised the hearts of these Princes whom it any way concerns may be re-united in a firm and unchangeable friendship and as much as may be knit together in stricter obligations then before one unto another This we have alwaies had in our desires and to bring it to passe have not hitherto spared any labour or pains not doubting but your Holinesse out of your singular pietie and for the credit and authoritie that you have with the parties both may and will further this work in an extraordinary manner No way can any man better merit of the state of Christendome which if it shall take the desired effect in your daies and by your assistance your Holinesse shall worthily reap the glorie and the reward due to so excellent a work That which remains for us further to say concerning this matter this Gentleman our Subject George Gage will deliver unto you more at large Praying your Holinesse that you will give him in all things full credence and belief beseeching Almightie God from our heart to preserve you in safetie and to grant you all other happinesse From our Palace at Hampton Court the last of Septemb. 1622. Pope Gregorie the 15th to the Prince of Wales Most Noble Prince Health and light of Divine Grace c. GReat Brittain abounding with worthy men and fertile virtues so that the whole earth is full of the glorie of her renown induceth many times the thoughts of the great Shepherd to the consideration of her praises In regard that presently in the infancie of his Church the King of kings vouchsafed to choose her with so great affection for his inheritance that almost it seems there entred into her at the same time the Eagles of the Roman Standard and the Ensigns of the Crosse And not few of her Kings indoctrinated in the true knowledge of Salvation gave example of Christian pietie to other Nations and after-ages preferring the Crosse to the Scepter and the defence of Religion to the desire of Command So that meriting heaven thereby the Crown of eternal blisse they obtained likewise upon earth the lustre and glorious ornaments of sanctitie But in this time of the Brittanicks Church how much is the case altered yet we see that to this day the English Court is fenced and guarded with moral virtues which were sufficient motives to induce us to love this Nation it being some ornament to the Christian name if it were likewise a defence and sanctuarie of Catholique virtues Wherefore the more the glorie of your most Serene Father and the property of your naturall disposition delighteth us the more ardently we desire that the gates of Heaven should be opened unto you and that you should purchase the universal love of the Church For whereas that the Bishop Gregorie the Great of most pious memorie introduced amongst the English people and taught their Kings the Gospel and a reverence to the Apostolical Authority we much inferiour to him in virtue and sanctity as equal in name and height of dignity it is reason we should follow his most holy steps and procure the salvation of those Kingdomes especiallie most Serene Prince there being great hopes offered to us at this time of some successeful issue of your determination Wherefore you having come to Spain and the Court of the Catholique King with desire to match with the house of Austria it seemed good to use most affectionatetly to commend this your intent and to give clear testimony that at this time your person is the most principal care that our Church hath For seeing you pretend to match with a Catholique Damosel it may easily be presumed that the antient seed of Christian pietie which so happilie flourished in the minds of British Kings may by Gods Grace reverberate in your breast For it is not probable that he that desires such a wife should abhor the Catholique religion and rejoyce at the overthrow of the holy Romane Church To which purpose we have caused continual prayers to be made and most vigilant orisons to the Father of Lights for you fair flower of the Christian world and only hope of great Brittain that he would bring you to the possession of that most Noble inheritance which your Ancestors got you by the defence of the Apostolique authority and destruction of monsters of haerisies Call to memorie the times of old ask your forefathers and they will shew you what way leades to heaven and perceiving what path mortal Princes passe to the Heavenly Kingdom behold the Gates of heaven open Those most holy Kings of England which parting from Rome
accompanied with Angels most piously reverenced the Lord of Lords and the Prince of the Apostles in his Chair Their works and examples are mouthes wherewith God speaks and warneth you that you should imitate their customes in whose Kingdomes you succeed Can you suffer that they be called Heretiques and condemned for wicked men when the faith of the Church testifieth that they reign with Christ in Heaven and are exalted above all the Princes of the Earth and that they at this time reached you their hands from that most blessed Country and brought you safely to the Court of the Catholique King and desire to turn you to the womb of the Romane Church wherein praying most humbly with most unspeakable groans to the God of mercy for your salvation to reach you the arms of Apostolical charity to imbrace most lovingly your children so often desired and to poynt out as it were with a finger the blessed hopes of Heaven And truly you could do no act of greater comfort to all Nations of Christendom then to return the possession of those most Noble Isles to the Prince of the Apostles whose authority for so many ages was held in England for the defence of the Kingdom and divine Oracle which will not be uneasie to do if you open your breast upon which depends the prosperity of those Kingdoms to God who is knocking And we have so great desire of the honour and exaltation of your Royal Name that we wish that you should be called through thee whole world together with your most Serene Father the Freer of Great Britain and restorer of her antient Religion Whereof we will not lose all hopes putting them in mind in whose hands the hearts of Kings lie and he that rules all nations of the world by whose Grace we will with all possible diligence labour to effect it And you cannot choose but acknowledge in these Letters the care of our Apostolical charity to procure your happinesse which it will never repent us to have written if the reading thereof shall at leastwise stir some sparks of Catholique religion in the heart of so Great a Prince who we desire may injoy Eternal comfors and flourish with the Glorie of all virtues Given in Rome in the Palace of St. Peter the 20. of April 1623. In the third of our Pontificado The Princes answer to the Popes Nuntio that brought him this Letter I Kisse his Holinesse Feet for the favour and honour he doth me so much the more esteemed by how much the lesse deserved of me hitherto And his Holinesse shall see what I do hereafter and I think my Father will do the like So that his Holinesse shall not repent him of what he hath done The Prince of Wales his Reply to the Popes Letter Most Holy Father I Received the Dispatch from your Holinesse with great content and with that respect which the pietie and care wherewith your Holinesse writes doth require It was an unspeakable pleasure to me to read the generous exploits of the Kings my predecessours in whose memorie posterity hath not given those praises and Elogies of honour as were due to them I do believe that your Holinesse hath set their examples before my eyes to the end I might imitate them shall my actions for in truth they have often exposed their estates and lives for the exaltation of the holy Chair and the courage with which they have assaulted the enemies of the Crosse of Jesus Christ hath not been lesse then the care and thought which I have to the end that the peace and intelligence which hath hitherto been wanting in Christendom might be bound with a true and strong concord for as the common enemy of the peace watcheth alwaies to put hatred and dissention amongst Christian Princes so I believe that the glory of God requires that we should endeavour to unite them And I do not esteem it a greater honour to be descended from so great Princes then to imitate them in the zeal of their piety In which it helps me very much to have known the mind and will of our thrice honoured Lord and Father and the holy intentions of his Catholique Majestie to give a happy concurrence to so laudable a design for it grieves him exceedingly to see the great evils that grow from the division of Christian Princes which the wisdom of your Holinesse foresaw when it judged the marriage which you pleased to design between the Infanta of Spain and my self to be necessary to procure so great a good for 't is very certain that I shall never be so extreamly affectionate to any thing in the world as to endeavour alliance with a Prince that hath the same apprehension of the true Religion with my self Therefore I intreat your Holinesse to believe that I have been alwaies very far from Novelties or to be a partisan of any faction against the Catholick Apostolick Roman Religion But on the contrary I have sought all occasions to take away the suspition that might rest upon me and that I will imploy my self for the time to come to have but one Religion and one Faith seeing that we all believe in one Jesus Christ Having resolved in my self to spare nothing that I have in the world and to suffer all manner of discommodities even to the hazarding of my estate and life for a thing so pleasing unto God It rests onely that I thank your Holinesse for the permission you have been pleased to afford me and I pray God to give you a blessed health and his glory after so much pains which your Holinesse takes in his Church Signed Charles Steward The Pope to the Duke of Buckingham Gregorie P. P. XV. Nobleman health and the light of Divine Grace THe authority wherein we have understood your Noblenesse to flourish in the Brittish Court is accounted not onely the reward of your merits but also the patronage of virtue certainly an excellent renown and every way so worthy that the people desire a diuturnity to be annexed unto it But it is almost ineffable what an increase of glory thoroughout the world would be annexed unto it if by Gods favour it should become the defence of Catholique Religion Certainly you have gained an opportunity by which you may insert your self into the Councels of those Princes who obtaining an immortal name have attained the Celestial Kingdom Suffer not then O Nobleman this occasion presented to you from God and commended by the Bishop of Rome to slip out of your hands You that are privie to their royal Councels cannot choose but know in what estate the affaires of Brittain at this time stand and with what voyces of the Holy Ghost speaking in them they daily sound in the ears of your Princes What Glorie would redound unto your Name if by your exhortation and perswasion the English Kings should again recover their Celestial inheritance of that Glorie left unto them by their Ancestours in those Kingdomes in abundant manner by providing for
Souldiers and garrisons and still the Low-countries strongly assisted and war made upon the enemie there or at home at his own doores which was more Noble gainful and safe for us for we still had peace and plenty at home though war abroad I know not how the ease stands now between us and the Spaniards but me thinks it should not be very well when nothing will satisfie him but the head of him that spake the truth for the good of the King and kingdom Certainly if we break with him as they which sit at the Helm know what is best to do he is readie to strike and will peradventure strike quickly before we be fully prepared therefore our preparations had need to be more speedie thorough lost we fall into the snare While they were treating of peace in 88. they did even then invade us I pray God they have not used this treatie of marriage to as bad a purpose for it seemes they never did intend it but for delayes and to make it serve their turn they have plainly abused us in the Palatinate therereby But I can say nothing for the present yet what is to be done it is proper to an higher judgment onely I tell what was then when we were enemies I remember in 88. waiting upon the Earl of Leicester at Tilbury Camp and in 89. going into Portugal with my Noble Master the Earl of Essex I learned somewhat fit to be imparted to your Grace The Queen lying in the Campe one night guarded with her armie the old Lord Treasurer Burleigh came thither and delivered to the Earl the examination of Don Pedro who was taken and brought in by Sir Francis Drake which examination the Earl of Leicester delivered unto me to publish to the armie in my next sermon The sum of it was this Don Pedro being asked what was the intent of their coming Don Pedro's Confession stoutly answered the Lords What But to subdue your Nation and root it out Good said the Lords and what meant you then to do with the Catholiques He answered We meant to send them good men directly unto Heaven as all you that are Heretiques to hell Yea but said the Lords what meant you to do with your whips of cord and wyer whereof they had great store in their ships What said he We meant to whip you Heretiques to death that have assisted my Masters Rebels and done such dishonours to our Catholique King and people Yea but what would you have done said they with their young Children They said he which were above seven yeares old should have gone the way their fathers went the rest should have lived branded in the forehead with the Letter L. for Lutheran to perpetual bondage This I take God to witnesse I received of those great Lords upon examination taken by the Councel and by commandement delivered it to the armie The Queen the next morning rode through all the Squadrons of her armie as Armed Pallas attended by Noble Footmen Leicester Essex and Norris then Lord Marshal and divers other great Lords Where she made an excellent Oration to her armie which the next day after her departure I was commanded to redeliver to all the Armie together to keep a Publique Fast Her words were these MY loving people we have been perswaded by some that are careful of our safety to take heed how we commit our self to armed multitudes for fear of treachery but I assure you I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people Let Tyrants fear I have alwayes so behaved my self that under God I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good will of my subiects And therefore I am come amongst you as you see at this time not for my recreation and disport but being resolved in the midst and heat of the battaile to live or die amongst you all to lay down for my God and for my kingdom and for my people my Honour and my blood even in the dust I know I have the bodie but of a weak and feeble woman but I have the heart and Stomach of a King and of a King of England too and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain or any Prince of Europe should dare to invade the borders of my Realm to which rather then any dishonour shall grow by me I my self will take up arms I my self will be your General Judge and Rewarder of everie one of your virtues in the field I know alreadie for your forwardnesse you have deserved rewards and crownes and we do assure you in the word of a Prince they shall be duly paid you In the mean time my Lievetenant General shall be in my stead then whom never Prince commanded a more Noble or worthie subject not doubting but by your obedience to my General by your Concord in the Camp and your valour in the field we shall shortly have a famous victorie over those enemies of my God of my Kingdomes and of my People This I thought would delight your Grace and no man hath it but my self and such as I have given it to and therefore I made bold to send it unto you if you have it not already I would I could perswade your Grace either to read your self or to command your Secretarie to gather out of the Historie of Spain translated into English towards the end five or six leaves which hath matter of great importance fit for the Parliament especiallie for two points the one concerning the setled intention of the State of Spain against England whensoever they can get an opportunity the other concerning the main reasons of state which moved the Queen and Councel then to take upon her the protection of the Low-countries They were of two sorts the first inherent in the Person of the Prince then being which died with her as some think the Quarrel being then between the Queen and King of Spain Philip the second which are said to be buried in their graves the other inherent in their estates which live with them and remain in the heart of the State of Spain against us whosoever is their King And this appeareth by a large Disputation of State had before the King of Spain and blab'd out by their Chronicler in many words wherein pro et contra two do argue The one who proves that the Netherlands their Rebels are first to be conquered that it may serve them as a rise to the Conquest of England and the reasons for that project The other who proves that the English are first to be conquered the supporters of those their Rebels and for a rise to the Empire of Christendome and the reasons for the project and specially for that it is more easie now for the disuse of armes in England for that England is not now that England which it hath been c. And the mean how they may win themselves into us by a Treatie of Marriage as Mariana blabs it
out in general that which the Prince hath cryed and your Grace hath uttered in Parliament in special that Colloquia de Contractibus are with them Mera ludibria parata tantum Regum animis Ne noceant distinendis dum ea quae ipsi intendunt perficiantur Which Guicciardine also doth in general affirm That the Spaniards bring more things to passe by Treaties and subtilties then by force of Armes And that you may truly understand the full intention of the Spaniard to the state of this Kingdom and Church I would your Grace would read a notable Discourse of the late most Noble Earl of Essex made by the Commandment of Queen Elizabeth and debated before her Majestie and her Councel concerning this point Whether Peace or War was to be treated with Spain The Lord Buckhurst speaking for a Treatie of Peace to the which the Noble Queen and her old Lord Treasurer inclined The Earl speaking for War because no safe peace could be made with that State for 3. special Reasons which are in that Treatise set down at large which is not fit for me yet to deliver by writing but there you shall find them Your Grace may have the book of divers Noblemen your friends If you have it not if I may understand your pleasure I will get it for you It was of that effect that it brought the Queen and Treasurer contrary to their purpose to his side for the very necessity of the common safetie Your Lordship having angred them and endeared your self to us you had need to look to your self you are as odious to them as ever the Earl of Essex was The Jesuite Walpool set on one of the stable Squire one well affected to my Lord to poyson the rests of his Chair And seeing they strike at the Ministers which deal effectually for his Church witnesse worthy Doctor White what will they do to such Pillars of State as you are The Lord preserve your Grace and watch over you And thus I rest Your Grace his most humble at Commandment Leonel Sharp The Lord Cromwell to the Duke 8. Septemb. 1625. May it please your Grace I Am now returned from mine own home and am here at Fulham neer Mr. Burlemachi making my self ready to attend your Command in the best manner my poor fortunes will give me leave and with what speed I may Some things I have sent to Plymouth and some Gentlemen so as when I come there I hope to find that your Lordship hath appointed me a good sailing ship and one that shall be able to play her part with the best and proudest enemy that dare look danger in the face Though your Grace hath placed a Noble Gentleman in the Regiment was intended to my Lord of Essex yet I will not despair of your favour or that you will not give me some taste of it as well as to any other I will study to be a deserving Creature and whether you will please to look on me with an affectionate eye or no I will love honour and serve you with no lesse truth and faith then those you have most obliged What concerns me I will not here speak of for fear I offend My prayers shall ever attend you and my curses those that wish you worse then their own soules Divers I do meet that say your Grace hath parted with your place of the Mastership of the Horse which makes the world suspect that some disfavour your Lordship is growing into And that this prime feather of yours being lost or parted with be it as it will it will not be long ere the rest follow They offer to lay wagers the Fleet goes not this year and that of necessitie shortly a Parliament must be which when it comes sure it will much discontent you It is wondered at that since the King did give such great gifts to the Dutchesse of Chevereux and those that then went how now a small summe in the Parliament should be called for at such an unseasonable time And let the Parliament sit when it will begin they will where they ended They say the best Lords of the Councel knew nothing of Count Mansfelts journey or this Fleet which discontents even the best sort if not all They say it is a very great burthen your Grace takes upon you since none knowes any thing but you It is conceived that not letting others bears part of the burthen you now bear it may ruine you which heaven forbid Much discourse there is of your Lordship here and there as I passed home and back and nothing is more wondered at then that one Grave man is not known to have your Ear except my good and Noble Lord Conway All men say if you go not with the Fleet you will suffer in it because if it prosper it will be thought no act of yours and if it succeed ill they say it might have been better had not you guided the King They say your undertakings in the Kingdom and your Engagements for the Kingdome will much prejudice your Grace And if God blesse you not with goodnesse as to accept kindly what in dutie and love I here offer questionlesse my freedom in letting you know the discourse of the world may much prejudice me But if I must lose your favour I had rather lose it for striving to do you good in letting you know the talk of the wicked world then for any thing else so much I heartily desire your prosperitie and to see you trample the ignorant multitude under foot All I have said is the discourse of the world and when I am able to judge of your actions I will freely tell your Lordship my mind Which when it shall not be alwaies really inclined to serve you may all noble thoughts forsake me Because I seldom am honoured with your Ear I thus make bold with your all-discerning eye which I pray God may be inabled with power and strength daily to see into them that desire your ruine Which if it once be I will never believe but so good a King will constantly inable you daily with power to confound them Many men would not be thus bold and saucie If I find you distaste me for my respect to you I will respect my poor self who ever hath honoured you so much as hereafter to be silent So I kisse the noble hands of your Grace Your Lordships servant during life Tho. Cromwell Sir Robert Philips to the Duke of Buckingham 21. August 1624. May it please your Grace BEfore the receipt of that Dispatch with which you were pleased to honour me from Apthorp dated the last of July I was fully determined at your return to Woodstock to have presented your Grace my most humble and faithful service and by that means to have obtained the knowledge in what state and condition of health you had passed this part of the progresse Your former weaknesse together with the dangerous temper of the season giving me cause both to doubt and
I am Your Lordships Most devoted and most humble servant Kensington Postscript IF the French Embassadour or my Lord of Carlile wonders I have not written unto them I beseech your Lordship let them know this Messenger is not of my sending and in such haste as he cannot be stayed The Lord Kensington to the Prince May it please your Highnesse I Cannot but make you continual repetitions of the value you have here to be as justly we know you the most Compleat young Prince and person in the world This reputation hath begotten in the sweet Princesse Madam so infinite an affection to your fame as she could not contain her self from a passionate desiring to see your Picture the shadow of that person so honoured and knowing not by what means to compasse it it being worn about my neck for though others as the Queen and Princesses would open it and consider it the which ever brought forth admiration from them yet durst not this poor young Ladie look any otherwise on it then afar off whose heart was nearer it then any of the others that did most gaze upon it But at the last rather then want that sight the which she was so impatient of she desired the Gentlewoman of the house where I am lodged that had been her servant to borrow of me the picture in all the secresie that may be and to bring it unto her saying She could not want that Curiositie as well as others towards a person of his infinite reputation As soon as she saw the party that brought it she retired into her Cabinet calling onely her in where she opened the picture in such haste as shewed a true picture of her passion blushing in the instant at her own guiltinesse She kept it an hour in her hands and when she returned it she gave with it many praises of your person Sir this is a businesse so fit for your secresie as I know it shall never go farther then unto the King your Father my Lord Duke of Buckingham and my Lord of Carliles knowledge A tendernesse in this is honourable for I would rather die a thousand times then it should be published since I am by this young Lady trusted that is for beautie and goodnesse an Angel I have received from my Lord of Buckingham an advertisement that your Highnesse opinion is to treat of the General league first that will prepare the other Sir whatsoever shall be propounded will have a noble acceptation though this give me leave to tell you when you are free as by the next newes we shall know you to be they will expect that upon those declarations they have here already made towards that particularitie of the Alliance that your Highnesse will go that readier and nearer way to unite and fasten by that knot the affection of these Kingdomes Sir for the general they all here speak just that language that I should and do unto them of the power and usurpation of the Spaniards of the approaches they make to this Kingdom the danger of the Low-Countries the direct Conquest of Germany and the Valtoline By which means we have cause to joyn in opposition of the Ambitions and mightinesse of this King The which they all here say cannot be so certainly done as by an Alliance with us This they speak perpetuallie and urge it unto my consideration Sir unlesse we proceed very roundly though they be never so well affected we may have interruptions by the arts of Spain that make offers infinite to the advantage of this State at this time But they hearken to none of them untill they see our intentions towards them The which if they find to be real indeed they will give us brave satisfaction But Sir your Fathers and your will not my opinion must be followed and what Commandments your Highnesse shall give me shall be most strictly obeyed by the most devoted Your Highnesse Most dutiful and humblest servant Kensington The Lord Kensington to the Duke the 14. of March 1624. My Lord I Have already acquainted your Grace how generally our desires are met with here much more cannot be said then I have already for that purpose There was never known in this Kingdome so intire an agreement for any thing as for an Alliance with England the Count of Soysons onely excepted who hath had some pretensions unto Madam but those are now much discouraged upon a free discourse the Cardinal of Rochfalcout made unto the Countesse his Mother telling her That if she or her son believed or could expect the King would give him his sister in marriage they would as he conceived deceive themselves for he imagined upon good grounds that the King would bestow his Sister that way that might be most for her honour and advancement and likewise for the advantage of his Crown and Kingdom and he professed for his part although he much honoured the Count as a great Prince of the bloud yet was he so faithful unto his Master as he would advise him to that purpose The Queen Mother and Mounsieur Le Grand have advised me to say something unto the King concerning my businesse I told them I could say nothing very directly unto him and yet would I not so much as deliver my opinion of the King my Masters inclinations to wish an alliance with him unlesse I were assured his answers might make me see his value and respect unto him They then spake unto him and assured me I should in that be satisfied Having that promise from them I told the King that I had made this journey of purpose to declare unto him my humble service and thankfulnesse for all his Honours and favours the which I thought I could not better expresse then by informing his Majestie that our Prince whom he had ever so much valued would be as I conceived free and dis-ingaged from our Spanish Treatie by reason that the King could not find them answer his expectation in those things that made him principally desire their Conjunction the which your Lordship seeing you have exercised your interest and credit with the King your Master and the Prince to convert those thoughts towards his Majestie from whom you were perswaded nothing but truth and honour would be returned the which at this time more then ever would be an infinite advantage to both these Kingdoms and that I believed if his Majestie would shew a disposition as affectionate to receive Propositions to this purpose as the King my Master had to make them a long time would not passe before the effects of this might appear the which would shew the report raised here of the ends of my coming to be false and me to be free of all other designs then those which I had expressed unto him He told me that he had not heard that the Spanish Match was yet broken the which justly might give him cause to be reserved yet thus far he would assure me in the general That whatsoever should be
friendship and alliance He is very free to me telling me That to prevent this the King of Spain offers now the largest conditions of satisfaction and friendship that can be imagined but their thoughts here are wholly bent towards us And although as yet the King cannot with honour or wisdom say more then he hath done yet we may be assured when we are free to be satisfied in all we can desire This day I understand the Earl of Argile is like lightning passed by for Spain and by a special Command from the King it is to put us in more terrour That he will use his service in Scotland where I believe he hath little credit and power to offend us But howsoever they omit nothing that may dishearten us but we are of too noble and constant a temper either to fear their cunning or power My Lord give me leave to beseech you not to defer our businesse for never can this State be found so rightly and truly inclined in love and affection towards us And the rather hasten it because all the art that may be is daily used from Spain to prevent us and if we go not roundly and clearly with them here they may have jealousies and discouragements that may change them Take them therefore now when I dare promise they are free very free from those thoughts My Lord pardon the haste of this Letter that hath no more time given me but to tell you that you never can have any servant more devotedly yours then is Your Graces Most obliged and most humble servant Kensington The Earl of Holland to the Duke My dearest Lord VVEE have made a final conclusion of this great Treatie Upon what terms the dispatch at large will shew your Grace We have concluded honourably that which we could not do safely for to receive words that obliged not would have appeared an unwise and unperfect Treatie of our part and no way worthy of the greatnesse of our Master nor the passion of his Highnesse the which now hath a brave expression since his Mistresse is only considered and desired and the only object of our Treatie But I must tell you that since we have proceeded thus they say they will out-go us in the like braverie doing ten times more then we expect or they durst promise fearing the World would conceive all their doings conditionally the which would be dishonourable for Madam But that being safe they now say their interest is greater then ours for the recovering of the Palatinate and they will never abandon us in that action I hope we shall shortly have the honour and happinesse to see your Grace here where you will be as justly you deserve adored You must make haste for we are promised our sweet Princesse within six weeks I beseech you let me know your resolution that I may contrive which way I may best serve you against your coming I have carefully laboured according unto your Commands in that which the Marquesse de Fiat You may assure him of a speedie and good successe in it the which he will more fully understand when Mounsieur de la Ville-aux-Cleres shall be in England He begins his journey from hence within 3. daies He is worthy of the best reception that can be given him having throughout all this Treatie carried himself discreetly and affectionately I beseech you put the Prince in mind to send his Mistris a Letter And though I might as the first Instrument imployed in his amours expect the honour to deliver it yet will I not give my Colleague that cause of envie But if his Highnesse will write a private Letter unto Madam and in it expresse some particular trust of me And that my relations of her have increased his passion and affection unto her service I shall receive much honour and some right since I onely have expressed what concerned his passion and affection towards her If you think me worthy of this honour procure a Letter to this purpose and send it me to deliver unto her and likewise your Commands the which I will receive for my greatest comforts living in unhappinesse untill I may by my services expresse how infinitely and eternally I am Your Graces Most humble and most obliged and devoted servant Holland Postscript THe Presents that the Prince will send unto Madam I beseech you hasten The Earl of Holland to his Majestie May it please your most excellent Majestie VVE are in all the pain that may be to know what to answer to the malicious and continual complaints made by Blanvile of wrongs and violences done him even to the assaulting of him in his own lodging the which he hath represented with so much bitternesse as it took great impression here in the hearts of all especially of the Queen Mother whom yesterday I saw in the accustomed priviledge hath ever been given me to have at all times my entrance free into the Louure And I the rather went because I would not shrink at all their furies and clamours and it came to such a height as Petitions were given by Madam de Blanvile that she might for the injuries done to her husband his Embassadour have satisfaction upon our persons But she was as she deserved despised for so passionate a follie yet was it in consideration as I suspect by a word that the Queen Mother uttered in her passion to me who with tears before all the World being accompanied by all the Princesses and Ladies told me but softlie That if your Majestie continued to affront and suffer such indignities to be done to the Embassadour of the King her Son your Majestie must look that your Embassadours shall be used a la pareylie I confesse this stirred me so much as I told her That if the intentions of your Majestie were no better considered by the King here your Majestie commanding us for the good and happinesse of his Kingdom to endeavour to bring and give him the which we have done the greatest blessing in this World Peace in his Countrie then to be ballanced with a person that in requital hath stirred up and dailie desires to do it disputes and jarres even between your Majestie and the Queen we had reason to believe your Majestie most unjustly and most unworthily requited And it might take away upon any such occasion the care that otherwise you would have had to do the like And for my part it took from me all desire ever to be imployed upon any occasion hither where our Actions that their acknowledgments have been acceptable but a few daies past are now of so little consideration as we are of no more weight then the unworthiest Minister that ever was imployed Upon that I found she was sorrie for having expressed so much But this day we had from her a more favourable audience and from the King the effects and circumstances of that which we have in our Dispatch presented unto my Lord Conway Sir the malice of this Blanvile is so great
unto your worthie servant my Lord Duke as he hath written a private Letter unto the King the which I saw by the favour of a friend that he is in a condition of danger to be ruined by the furie and power of the Parliament And to confirm him in that opinion hath sent all the passages amongst them that concern my Lord Duke adding to that of great factions against him at the Councel Table and naming some Lords the which makes me see he hath intelligence with all those that he believes may contribute any thing towards the mischieving of him But those that know the magnanimitie and noblenesse of your Majesties heart know that so noble a vessel of honour and service as he is shall never be in danger for all the storms that can threaten him when it is in your Majesties hands not onely to calm all these tempests but to make the Sun and beams of your favour to shine more clearly upon his deservings then ever the which upon this occasion your courage and virtue will no doubt do to the encouragement of all deserving and excellent servants and to his honour and comfort that is the most worthie that ever Prince had And so affectionate that the world hath no greater admirations then the fortunes that the Master and servant have run together And certainly our good God will ever preserve that affection that in so many accidents and one may say afflictions hath preserved your Persons Sir this boldnesse that I take proceeds not from the least doubt these foolish rumours give me of changes but out of a passionate meditation of those accidents that your courage and fortune hath carried you through blessing God for your prosperitie the which will be by his grace most glorious and lasting according to the prayers of Your Majesties Most humble and most obedient Subject and servant Holland Paris 1 13. March 1625. The Earl of Holland to the Duke My dear Lord THis Messenger is so rigid and such an enemie to all Jantileise as by him I will not send any news in that kind but when the little Mercurie comes you shall know that which shall make you joy and grieve that you cannot injoy what your fate and merit hath so justly destined unto you We have such daily alarums here out of England from Blanvile of the beating of his servant and at the last the danger that of late he himself hath been in of being assassinated in his own house for the first word that his servant said unto the King and the whole Court was The Embassadour had run such a hazard of his life as no man that heard him believed he had escaped with lesse then 5. or 6. wounds Insomuch as your friend Bouteve asked Fait vn belle fine And this hath so animated this Court being as your Lordship knowes apt upon all occasions to be fired and stirred up as the King hath been moved to forbid us our entries and liberties here And yesterday Madam de Blanvile did openly petition the King to imprison us for the wrongs and injuries done unto her husband and his Embassadour that she feared was by this time dead But that had no other effect but to be laught at I never I confesse saw the Queen Mother in so much distraction and passion for she never speaks of her Daughter but with tears and yesterday with some heat and bitternesse to me about it the Circumstances I have taken the boldnesse to present unto his Majestie That which distracts me infinitely is to hear that they do traduce you as the cause of all these misfortunes and that you stirre up the King to these displeasures And so much impression it hath made into the Queen Mother as this day at the audience she told me That you had made the marriage and were now as she imagined and was informed resolved to destroy your work I asked her what particularitie could make her say and believe so against the general and continual actions and endeavours that the whole world ought to be satisfied of your infinite care and affection to fasten and tye together a good and constant intelligence and friendship between these Crowns She told me that you intreated Madam de St. George to do some service for you to the Queen the which she did and instead of giving her thanks you threatned the sending of her away I told her Though I had as yet heard nothing of this particularitie yet I knew your nature to be so generous as you would never do any action unjust I told her that she must distinguish between what you say as Commanded by the King and what you say of your self for if it be his pleasure to make the instrument to convey his will upon any occasion of his displeasure you are not to dispute but to obey his Command in that and in all other things I told her farther that I saw the continual malice of the Embassadour that invents daily injuries and falshoods of your Lordship to unload himself from his insolencies and faults but I hoped that nothing should light upon your Lordship but what you deserved the which to my knowledge was more value and esteem then any man in the world could or can ever merit from this Kingdome And I desired her not to entertain the belief of these things too hastily until we had newes out of England that we knew would contradict all these malitious discourses And I must tell your Grace that by a friend whom I am tyed not to name I was shewed the private Lettter that Blanvile wrote to the King in the which he sent him the whole proceedings of the Parliament and concludes they will ruine you naming great factions against you and as it were a necessitie to destroy you But I hope he and the whole world here will fall before any misfortunes should fall upon so generous and so noble a deserver of his Master and so excellent a friend and Patron unto Your Graces Most humble and most obedient servant Holland Postscript THough the Embassadour deserves nothing but contempt and disgrace as Blanvile yet I hope as Embassadour he shall receive for publique Honours and accustomed respect to Embassadours all possible satisfaction and it will be conceived a generous action My dearest Lord ALL the joy I have hath such a flatnesse set upon it by your absence from hence as I protest to God I cannot rellish it as I ought for though beautie and love I find in all perfection and fulnesse yet I vex and languish to find impediments in our designs and services for you first in the businesse for I find our mediation must have no place with this King concerning a Peace We must only use our power with those of the Religion to humble them to reasonable Conditions and that done they would as far as I can guesse have us gone not being willing that we should be so much as in the Kingdom when the Peace is made for
even of the biggest party as I am informed which I approve in all but in the last point in the delivery whereof I find something to dislike and therefore tell them that things are not to be judged alone by the successe and that when they would not look so high as Gods providence without which no place is secure they might find even in reason of State so much as might sufficiently warrant his Highnesse person and liberty to return I will come from the ordinary voice to the selecter judgement of the Ministers of State and more intelligent people in this Kingdom who though they nothing vary from the above recited opinion yet as more profoundly looking into the state of this long treated of Alliance betwixt your Sacred Majestie and Spain in the persons of his Highnesse and the Infanta they comprehended their sentence thereof as I am informed in three Propositions First that the protestation which the King of Spain made to his Highnesse upon his departure whereby he promised to chase away and disfavour all those who should oppose this marriage doth extend no further then to the said Kings Servants or at furthest not beyond the temporal Princes his Neighbours so that the Pope being not included herein it is though his consent must be yet obtained and consequently that the businesse is in little more forwardnesse then when it first began Secondly that the Pope will never yield his consent unlesse your Sacred Majestie grant some notable priviledges and advantage to to the Roman Catholique religion in your Sacred Majesties Kingdomes Thirdly that the said King of Spain would never insist upon obtaining those priviledges but that he more desires to form a party in your Sacred Majesties Kingdomes which he may keep alwaies obsequious to his will then to maintain a friendly correspondence between your Sacred Majestie and himself I must not in the last place omit to acquaint your Sacred Majestie very particularly with the sense which was expressed by the bons Francois and bodie of those of the Religion who heartily wish that the same Greatnesse which the King of Spain doth so affect over all the world and still maintaines even in this country which is to be Protector of the Jesuited and Bigott partie your Sacred Majestie would imbrace in being defender of our faith The direct answer to which though I evade and therefore reply little more then that this Counsel was much fitter when the union in Germany did subsist then at this time Yet do I think my self obliged to represent the affection they bear unto your Sacred Majestie This is as much as is come to my notice concerning that point your Sacred Majestie gave me in charge which therefore I have plainely layd open before your Sacred Majesties eyes as understanding well that Princes never receive greater wrong then when the Ministers they put in trust do palliate and disguise those things which it concerns them to know For the avoiding whereof let me take the boldnesse to assure your Sacred Majestie that those of this Kings Councel here will use all meanes they can both to the King of Spain and to the Pope In whom they pretend to have very particular interest not only to interupt but if it be possible to break off you Sacred Majesties Alliance with Spain For which purpose the Count de Tilliers hath strict command to give al punctual advice that accordingly they may proceed It rests that I most humbly beseech your Sacred Majestie to take my free relation of these particulars in good part since I am of no faction nor have any passion or interest but faithfullie to perform that service and dutie which I owe to your Sacred Majestie for whose perfect health and happinesse I pray with the devotion of Your Sacred Majesties most obedient most Loyal and most affectionate Subject and Servant Herbert From Merton Castle the 31. of October 1623. Stil No. Mr. Edward Clark to the Duke May it please your Grace I Have been hitherto very unfit by reason of my sicknesse to give your Lordship any account of my time at Madrid So that without your Lordships favourable construction I may be thought forgetful of the trust committed to my charge and the rather in that as yet your Lordship hath only heard what I have done but not why I presume I have faithfullie followed the Princes direction and on such probable inducements as will I hope both in your Highnesses and your Lordships opinion plead my excuse at least The verie day the Prince arrived at St. Anderaet my Lord of Bristol seeing me verie weak told me he was verie sorrie I was not able to perform the journie for England for that now there was an extraordinary occasion of a dispatch not only in respect of the ratification come the night before but because also they were almost come to a final conclusion of all articles which were to be engrossed and signed the next day Hereupon I was inquisitive to know what assurance he had the Ratification was come He answered that that verie day he had been summoned to attend the Junto and that there they had earnestlie pressed him that the Articles might be speedilie drawn up and signed since they had now received full warrant to authorize them to proceed And that the next day was appointed accordingly Thereupon unwilling to omit the present opportunitie conceiving withal the purpose of the Princes Letter to be either to expresse his Highnesse further pleasure before the meeting of the Junto or to prevent the concluding of some other particular Article they might otherwise fall upon I delivered his Letter to his Lordship pretending it came to my hands amongst other Letters that same day I found him exceedinglie troubled in reading it nor did he forbear to tell me it must for a time be concealed for he feared if they should come to the knowledge of it they would give order to stay the Prince Upon these motives and in this manner I parted with it wherein I humbly submitting my self to his Highnesse Construction I remain Your Graces humblest servant to command Ed. Clark Madrid 1. Octob. 1623. Mr. Edward Clark to the Duke My Lord THe Infanta's preparation for the Disposorio was great but greater sorrow good Ladie to see it deferred It hath bred in them all some distraction The multitude know not what to conjecture what to say but cry Piden el Palatinato They confesse the demand just but unseasonable and do publish that the Disposorio past the Infanta on her knees should have been a suitor to the King to restore it making it thereby her act and drawing the obligation wholly to her I must confesse I want faith to believe it and the rather because I see it reflect secretly and malitiously upon your Lordship who are made the authour of all the impediments that happen not by your enemies onely but by those that should suppresse it Which troubles me so much that I hasten all I
one day be your self and be governed by your own noble thoughts and then I am assured to obtain what I desire since my desires be so reasonable and but for mine own Which whether you grant or no the affliction my poor husband is in if it continue will keep my mind in a continual purgatorie for him and will suffer me to sign my self no other but Your unfortunate Sister F. Purbeck Dr. Donne to the Marquesse of Buckingham 13th Septemb. 1621. My most honoured Lord I Most humbly beseech your Lordship to afford this ragg of paper a room amongst your evidences It is your evidence not for a Mannour but for a man As I am a Priest it is my sacrifice of prayer to God for your Lordship and as I am a Priest made able to subsist and appear in Gods service by your Lordship it is a sacrifice of my self to you I deliver this paper as my Image and I assist the power of any Conjurer with this imprecation upon my self that as he shall tear this paper this picture of mine so I may be torn in my fortune and in my fame if ever I have any corner in my heart dispossessed of a zeal to your Lordships service His Majestie hath given me a royal Key into your Chamber leave to stand in your presence and your Lordship hath already such a fortune as that you shall not need to be afraid of a suitor when I appear there So that I protest to your Lordship I know not what I want since I cannot suspect nor fear my self for ever doing or leaving undone any thing by which I might forfeit that title of being alwaies Your Lordships c. J. D. Dr. Donne to the Duke My Honoured Lord ONce I adventured to say to the Prince his Highnesse That I was sure he would receive a book from me the more gratiously because it was dedicated to your Grace I proceed justlie upon the same confidence that your Grace will accept this because it is his by the same title If I had not overcome that reluctation which I had in my self of representing devotions and mortifications to a young and active Prince I should not have put them into your presence who have done so much and have so much to do in this world as that it might seem enough to think seriously of that No man in the bodie of storie is a full president to you nor may any future man promise himself and adaequation to his precedent if he make you his Kings have discerned the seeds of high virtues in many men and upon that Gold they have put their stamp their favours upon those persons But then those persons have laboured under the jealousie of the future Heire And some few have had the love of Prince and King but not of the Kingdom and some of that too and not of the Church God hath united your Grace so to them all that as you have received obligations from the King and Prince so you have laid obligations upon the Church and state They above love you out of their judgement because they have loved you and we below love you out of our thankfulnesse because you have loved us Gods privie Seal is the testimonie of a good conscience and his broad-Seal is the outward bessings of this life But since his Pillar of fire was seconded with a Pillar of Cloud and that all his temporal blessings have some partial Eclipses and the purest consciences some remorses so though he have made your way to Glorie Glorie and brought you in the armes and bosome of his Vicegerent into his own arms and bosome yet there must come a minute of twilight in a natural death And as the reading of the actions of great men may assist you for great actions so for this one necessarie descent of dying which I hope shall be the onely step of Lownes that ever you shall passe by and by that late you may receive some Remembrances from the Meditations and Devotions of Your Graces Devoutest Servant J. Donne Sir John Hipsley to the Duke My Noble Lord I Find that all my Lord of Bristols actions are so much extolled that what you command me to say is hardly believed I will say no more in it but leave the rest to Mr Greihams only this that you have written much to the King in some mans behalf and Mr. Gresley hath a 100. a year given him during his life all which I think is without your knowledge And Mr. Killegrew hath the like that came for your sake after the other was granted Mr. Greihams can tell you how that came My Lord of Southampton hath offered his son to marrie with my Lord Treasurers Daughter and tells him this reason that now is the time he may have need of friends but it is refused as yet the event I know not what that will be I have spoken to the King of all that you gave me in command and he doth protest that what he hath done was meerly for your sake and indeed he is very careful of all your businesse as if you were here your self but yet for Gods sake make what haste you may home for fear of the worst For the carriage of Captain Hall I will not trouble you till you come home only this by the way that my Lord Treasurer hath it but upon what tearms I know not nor indeed desire you should be troubled with it Sir George Goring came home but this last night and is gone to the Court and desires to be excused for writing to you My Ladie Hatton and my Ladie Purbeck came home with him from the Hague My Lord of Arundel hath not been at Court since the death of his son I fear the newes that Charles Gleman did shew you was true For I can assure you Marquesse Hamilton was much troubled till I had spoken with him There be some have done no good offices betwixt you Pray have a care of the Letter I mean the man Mr. Gleman did shew you and keep as many friends as you may I have spoken with no man but my Lord Keeper who is yours or not his own as he sweares And Mr. secretarie Conway is yours bodie and soul I never heard of the like of him for he flies at all men that be not yours Here is much admiration that they hear not from you but I thank God the King is not troubled at it for I do assure him that it is the better that he heares not from you for now he may be confident that you keep your day in comming away which doth much please him I will write nothing of my own businesse though there be nothing done in it but do hope that you will not see your Servant perish If I be too tedious I pray pardon mee it is my love that makes me so and yet I have an humble suite unto you which is to begg at your hands for patience for now is the time to shew it or
Zealand When I call to mind what Patents I procured of the King of Bohemia and sent your Grace by Sir William Saint Lieger amongst which was one of submission to any accommodation his Majestie shall at any time like well of for the King of Bohemia I think it necessary to advertize your Grace that knowledge being come hither of the Infanta's sending the Count Shomburgh to the King of Denmark with a fair Message and the Count Gondomar's overtures to Mr. Trumbal tending to reconcilement and restitution of the Palatinate it is so willingly hearkned unto by the King of Bohemia that there is no doubt of his Consent but withal he well considers that if Treatie alone be trusted unto and thereupon Armes now leavied by his Majestie and his Friends be laid aside all will prove as fruitlesse as formerly For howsoever the King of Spain for more free prosecution of other quarrels or designs may be induced to quit what he possesseth in the Palatinate the shares the Emperour the Duke of Bavier and the two Electours Majenct and Trevers with a great rabble of Popish Priests and Jesuites have therein will require more then bare negotiation to wring it out of their hands and nothing but Victorie or at least a well armed Treatie can serve that turn The time seems long both to the King and Queen and growes very irksome every day more then other of their abode here in this place which indeed doth prove in all respects very uncomfortable and that your Grace will gather out of Mr. Secretarie Morton's report and my Letters to my Lord Conway In this very Consideration I beseech your Grace be the more mindful of Your Graces Most humble and most devoted servant Dudley Carleton Hague 20th of August 1625. FINIS The Table of things most remarkable A. ADmiral of England his Office p. 102 of Castile takes place of the Imperial Embassadour 165 Aerscus 342 Algier Voyage 143 144 Allegiance Puritanes will not swear it 121 Alpes when passable 186 Anchre Marshal of France 320 Archbishop of Canterbury shoots a Keeper by mischance 12. see tit James King c. for the Palsgraves accepting the Bohemian Crown 169 170 Archbishop of York against Toleration of Popery blames the Voyage into Spain 13 Argile Earl 291 Arminians chief in the Dutch State 322 Arundel Earl Marshal no friend to the Bishop of Lincoln 62 63 74 302 307 316. Ashley Sir Anthony gives the Duke of Buckingham intelligence of Plots against him 308 Aston Sir Walter will not consent that the Prince Palsgrave should be brought up in the Emperours Court 17 see Bristol Earl Concurs with the Earl of Bristol in prefixing a day for the Deposorio's without making certain the restitution of the Palatinate which is heynously taken by the Prince 35. in danger for it to be called off there 36 37. His Care to discover Plots against his Masters Crownes 49 51 53. of the Merchants 168. see Merchants Prosecutes the Marquesse of Ynoiosa in defence of the honour of England 52. sues to return home 52 54. will not see the Arch-Duke in Spain and why 166 AustrianVsurpation 191. See tit Spain B. BAcon Viscount St. Albans Lord Chancellour declines all Justification of himself 5 6. Casts himself upon the Lords 6 Discontents the Marquesse of Buckingham 8. his wayes to make the Kingdom happy 9 advises King James concerning his revenues devises a book of his estate there-how he carried himself when a Councellour and otherwise how esteemed 10. Never took bribe to pervert Justice 11. his pardon 60 82 Barnevelt 318 factious no friend to the English an Arminian 331 Bavaria Duke offers to depend wholly on Spain 167. see Palatinate Beamont Lord fined in the Star-Chamber 16. E. 2. 58 Bergen besieged 328 Bergstrate given the Archbishop of Mentz 335 Blanvile the French Embassadour an enemy to the Duke of Buckingham holds intelligence with the Dukes English enemies 295. his Character by the French 300. See 274 296 197 302. Blundel Sir George 129 Book of Common Prayer translated into Spanish and why 73. See Spaniards Borgia Cardinal 178 Bovillon Duke 165. seeks the protection from the States united 320. weary of the Palsgrave 327 Brandenburgh Elector 317 336 Bret a Peusioner in disgrace 204 Bristol Earl first mover in the Spanish Match negotiates in it 16. Earnest to conclude it 24 25 26 306 ohidden by the King Charles for giving the Spaniards hopes of his inclination to a change in Religion for his manage of things concerning the Match and undervaluing the Kingdome of England 16 17. Consents that the Prince Palsgrave shall be bred in the Emperors Court which the King Charles takes ill 17. Proffered by the King the favour of the general pardon or to put himself upon his tryal 18. under restraint for his errours in Spain 19. removed from his offices forbidden the Court denyed his Parliament Writ there Justifies himself 19 20. to King James 30. Differs in opinion from the Duke of Buckingham concerning the Match 21. Seeks the Duke of Buckingham his savour 28. charged to be his enemy his wisdome and power at Court 161 162. Conde of Olivarez offers him a blank paper signed by the King bids him choose what was in his Masters power he refuses 42 Brule Peter his practises 302 Buckingham Duke his carriage and esteem in Spain 16 22. See Olivarez contemns the Earl of Bristol 22. See Bristol an enemy to him 231 The Spaniards will not put the Infanta into his hands 22 thought an enemy to the Match with Spain 32 92 159 218 219 222 237 243 248 Censured 159 160 218 219 221 222 263 210. Forgives wrongs 58 Steward of VVestminster 69 Haughty to the Prince of VVales 78 Used to sit when the Prince stood c. 221 falls from his affection to VVilliams Lord Keeper 87. See Don Francisco his power 91 King James his words of him on Don Francisco's relation 92 Mediates for the Earl of Suffolk 125 No audience of Embassadours without him 216. taxed to King James freely 218 219 220 221 223. defended 224 225 226 227. a faithful servant 229 Charge against him in Parliament 228 229 230 Procures graces for the Nobility and Gentry 231 Breaks the Spanish Designes and Party 265 for the Match with France 291 A Consederacy by Oath against him 307 308 The Queen of England had need of his friendship 303 Dares submit the judgment of his Actions to any tryal 87 Buckingham Countesse 254 302 Buckleugh Lord 327 329 Button Sir Thomas in the Voyage of Algier 143 144. C. CAlcedon a titulary Roman Bishop in England 81 Calvert Sir George 202. See 304. Carlile Earl Viscount Doncaster loves not the Bishop of Lincoln 74 89. See 180 182. perswades King James to feed his Parliament so he with some crums of the Crown 270. refuses See 288. Count Mansfelts Commission for Colonel to his son 273 Carlos Arch-Duke in Spain 165 Calderon Don Rodrigo Marquesse de las Siete Iglesias his Riches confined 208
We give it known unto thee That We by the sufferance of the great God named the Perpetuall and Universall God in earth most mighty Emperour Soldan in Babylon Lord of Armenia the most mightiest in Persipolis and Numidia the great helper of God Prince from the Rode of Barbary unto the mountains of Achaia King of Kings from the Meridian to the Septentrian of the earth from the rising place of the Sun to the setting of it the first and chiefest placed in the Paradise of Mahomet the destroyer of all Christendom and of all Christians and that do profess Christianity the keeper and defender of the Sepulcher of thy God crucified the onely victorious and triumphant Lord of all the world and of all Circuits and Provinces thereof Thou Maximilian which writest thy selfe King of our Kingdom of Hungary which is under our Crown and obeysance We will visit thee for that cause and also perswade thee that with our strength and force of thirteen Kingdoms with might and strength to the number of one hundred thousand as well Horsemen as Footmen prepared for war with all the power and strength of Turkish munition and with such power as thou nor none of thy servants have seen heard or had knowledge of even before thy chief Citie Vienna and the Countrey thereabouts We Solyman God on earth against thee with all thy assisters and helpers with our Warlike strength do pronounce protest your uttermost destruction and depopulation as we can by all means possible devise it And this we we will signifie unto thee to the which thou and thy miserable people may prepare your selves With us it is determined with our men appointed thee and all thy German Kingdoms and Provinces altogether to spoyl This misery we have consented unto against thee and thy Princes and have thou no doubt but we will come Dated in the City of Constantinople out of the which we did expulse your predecessors their wives children and friends and made them most miserable slaves and captives the year of our reign fourty seven Sir John Perrots Commission for Lord Deputy of Ireland ELizabetha Dei gratia c. omnibus ad quos presentes literae pervenerint salut Sciatis quod nos certis urgentibus causis considerationibus nos specialiter movendis de provida circumspectione industria praedilecti fidelis nobis Johannis Perrot milit plenius confidentes dejadvisamento Concilii nostri assignavimus fecimus ordinavimus constituimus deputavimus per praesentes assignavimus c. eundem Johannem Perrot milit Deputat nostrum Generalem Regni nostri Hiberniae habend tenend gaudend exercend occupand officium praedict eidem Johanni Perrot milit durante beneplacito nostro dantes concedentes eidem Deputat nostro Generali plenam tenore praesentium potestatem ad pacem nostram ac ad leges consuetudines regni nostri praedict custodiend custodiri faciend ad omnes singulas leges nostras c. The whole Contents of the Commission for the Lord Deputy TO conserve the peace to punish offenders to make Orders and Proclamations to receive offenders to grace to give pardons and impose fines to levy forces to fight and make peace to dispose Rebels lands to pardon all treasons saving touching the Queens person and counterfeiting of coyn to give offices saving the Chancellor Treasurer two chief Justices chief Baron and Master of the Rolls to dispose of Ecclesiasticall livings except Archbishops and Bishops to receive homage and the oath to make provision for his houshold according to the ancient custome to assemble the Parliament with her Majesties privity to receive the account of Officers saving the Treasurers to exercise martiall law The Queens Warrant to the Lords c. of Ireland for ministring the Oath and delivery of the Sword to him 31 Ian. 1583. RIght Reverend Father in God right trusty welbeloved and trusty and right welbeloved we greet you wel Whereas upon the departure from thence of our right trusty and welbeloved the Lord Gray of Wilton late our Deputy there we thought it meet for our government there to appoint you joyntly to have the place of our Justices until such time as we should resolve to send another thither to be our Deputy there We let you wit that meaning now no longer to burthen you with such a charge wherein you have according to the trust imposed in you very wisely behaved your selves greatly to our contentation we have chosen and appointed our right trusty and welbeloved Sir Jo. Perrot Knight this bearer to be our Deputy of that our said Realm that for that purpose to send him presently thither Wherefore our will and pleasure is and by vertue of these our Letters we authorize you upon the view of our letters Patents made and delivered unto him in that behalf both to minister unto him the oath accustomed to be given unto the Deputy there also to deliver unto him the Sword as heretofore hath been used And further that you communicate unto him amply the present estate of that our Realm and of all our affairs there for his better instruction at his entrance into that Government and the advancement of our service And these our Letters shall be your sufficient warrant and discharge in this behalf Given under our Signet c. the last of January 1583. the 26 year of our reign Another for his Entertainment there TRusty and welbeloved we greet you well Whereas we have now appointed our right trusty and welbeloved Sir John Perrot Knight to be our Deputy in that our Realm of Ireland for which Office allowance aswell of dyets as of entertainments for certain Horsmen is to be given him These be therefore to let you wit that we allow unto him for his ordinary dyet one hundred pounds sterling according to the last Establishment in March 1589. and for his Retinue fifty Horsmen and fifty Footmen with such wages for every Horsman and Footman and for their Officers as was allowed to Sir William Fitzwilliams and Sir Henry Sydney Knights in the late times of their Governments in that Realm After which rates as well for his own dyet as for the said fifty Horsmen and fifty Footmen and for their Officers We will and command you to make payment to him during his imployment and service in that place from the date of our Letters-Patents authorising him to that government And these our Letters shall be sufficient Warrant as well to you as to any Treasurer or Vice-treasurer there for the time being and to your and their Substitutes as also to the Auditor or his Deputies and to all other Commissioners to be appointed over your Accompts to pass and allow the same payments to you accordingly Given c. the fourth of April 1583. in the 26. year of our Reign of England c. The Queens Instructions to him YOU shall see immediately upon your arrival into that Realm assembled our Councel there and confer
heart be mis-judged by imputation of popularity or opposition I have great wrong and the greater because the manner of my speech did most evidently shew that I spake most simply and onely to satisfie my conscience and not with any advantage or policy to sway the cause and my terms carried all signifification of duty and zeal towards her Majesty and her service It is very true that from the beginning whatsoever was a double Subsidy I did wish might for presidents sake appear to be extraordinary and for discontents sake might not have been levied upon the poverty though otherwise I wished it as rising as I think this will prove or more This was my mind I confess it and therefore I most humbly pray your good Lordship first to continue me in your own good opinion and then to perform the part of an honorable good friend towards your poor servant and all in drawing her Majesty to accept of the sincerity and simplicity of my zeal and to hold me in her Majesties favour which is to me dearer then my life And so c. Your Lordships most humble in all duty FR. BACON Sir Francis Bacon to the Earl of Northampton May it please your good Lordship AS the time of sowing of a seed is known but the time of coming up and disclosing is casuall or according to the season so I am witness to my self that there hath been covered in my mind a long time a seed of affection and zeal towards your Lordship sown by the estimation of your vertues and your particular honors and favours to my brother deceased and to my self which seed sti l springing now bursteth forth into this profession And to be plain with your Lordship it is very true and no winds or noyses of evill matters can blow this out of my head or heart that your great capacities and love towards studies and contemplations of an higher and worthier nature then popular a matter rare in the world in a person of your Lordships quality almost singular is to me a great and chief motive to draw my affection admiration towards you and therefore good my Lord if I may be of any use to your Lordship I humbly pray your Lordship to hold me your own and therefore withall not to do so much disadvantage to my good mind as to conceive that this commendation of my humble service proceedeth out of any straits of my occasions but meerly out of an election and indeed the fulness of my heart And so wishing your Lordship all prosperity I continue yours c. FR. BACON To the Lord Kinloss upon the entrance of K. James My Lord THe present occasion awaketh in me a remembrance of the constant amity and mutual good offices which passed between my Brother deceased and your Lordship whereunto I was less strange then in respect of the time I had reason to pretend and withall I call to mind the great opinion my Brother who seldom failed in judgment of a person would often express to me of your Lordships great wisdom and soundness both in head and heart towards the service and affairs of the Lord our Soveraign King The one of those hath bred in me an election and the other a confidence to address my good will and sincere affection to your good Lordship not doubting in regard that my course of life hath wrought me not to be altogether unseen in the matters of the Kingdom that I may be in some use both in points of service to the King and your Lordships particular And on the other side I will not omit to desire humbly your Lordships favour in furthering a good conceit and impression of my most humble duty and true zeal towards the King to whose Majesty words cannot make me known neither mine own nor others but time will to no disadvantage of any that shall forerun his Majesties experience by their humanity and commendations And so I commend your Lordship to Gods protection Your c. FR. BACON From Grayes-Inne c. To King James MAy it please your most excellent Majesty It is observed upon a place in the Canticles by some Ego sum Flos Campi Lilium Convallium that it is not said Ego sum flos horti lilium montium because the Majesty of that Person is not inclosed for a few nor appropriate to the great And yet notwithstanding this Royal vertue of access which nature and judgment hath placed in your Majesties mind as the portal of all the rest could not of it self my imperfections considered have animated me to have made oblation of my self immediately to your Majesty had it not been joyned to a habit of like liberty which I enjoyed with my late dear Soveraign Mistress a Princess happy in all things but most happy in such a Successor And yet further and more neerly I was not a little encouraged not only upon a supposal that unto your Majesties sacred eares open to the aire of all vertues there might have come some small breath of the good memory of my Father so long a principal Councellor in your Kingdom but also by the particular knowledge of the infinite devotion and incessant endeavours beyond the strength of his body and the nature of the times which appeared in my good Brother towards your Majesties service and were on your Majesties part through your singular benignities by many most gracious and lively significations and favours accepted and acknowledged beyond the thought of any thing he could effect All which endeavours and duties for the most part were common to my self with him though by design between brethren dissembled And therefore most high and mighty King my most dear and dread Soveraign Lord since now the corner-stone is laid of the mightiest Monarchy in Europe and that God above who is noted to have a mighty hand in bridling the floods and fluctuations of the seas and of peoples hearts hath by the miraculous and universal consent the more strange because it proceedeth from such diversity of causes in your coming in given a sign and token what he intendeth in the continuance I think there is no Subject of your Majesty who loveth this Island and is nâ—â— hollow and unworthy whose heart is not on fire not only to bring you Peace-offerings to make you propitious but to sacrifice himself as a Burnt-offering to your Majesties service Amongst which number no mans fire shall be more pure and fervent but how far forth it shall blaze out that resteth in your Majesties imployment For since your fortune in the greatness thereof hath for a time debarred your Majesty of the fruitly vertue which one calleth the principal Principis est virtus maxima nosse suos because your Majesty hath many of yours which are unknown unto you I must leave all to the trial of further time and thirsting after the happiness of kissing your Royal hand continue ever Your c. FR. BACON To the Earl of Northumberland concerning
publiquely professed in England shall obtain at your hands For if our fault be like less or none at all in equity our punishment ought to be like less or none at all The Gates Arches and Pyramids of France proclaimed the present King Pater patriae Pacis restitutor that is the Father of his Country and Restorer of their peace because that Kingdom being well neer torn in peeces with Civil wars and made a prey to foraign foes was by his providence wisdom and valour acquitted in it self and hostile strangers expelled the which he principally effected by condescending to tolerate them of an adverse Religion to that which was openly professed Questionless Dread Soveraign the Kingdom of England through the cruel persecution of Catholiques hath been almost odious to all Christian Nations Trade and traffique is exceedingly decayed Wars and blood hath seldom ceased Subsidies and Taxes never so many discontented minds innumerable All which your Princely Majesties connivance to your humble suppliants the afflicted Catholiques will easily redness especially at this your Highness first ingress Si loquaris ad nos verba levia erunt tibi servi cunctis diebus 1 King 12.7 that is if you speak comfortable things unto them or if you hearken unto them in this thing they will be servants unto you or they will serve all their days say the sage Councellors of Solomon to Roboam For enlargement after affliction resembleth a pleasant gale after a vehement tempest and a benefit in distress doubleth the value thereof How gratefull will it be to all Catholique Princes abroad and honorable to your Majesty to understand how Queen Elizabeths severity is changed into your Royal clemencie and that the lenity of a man reedified what the misinformed anger of a woman destroyed that the Lyon rampant is passant whereas the passant had been rampant How acceptable shall your Subjects be to all Catholique Countries who are now almost abhorred of all when they shall perceive your Highness prepareth not pikes or prisons for the Professors of their Faith but permitteth them Temples and Altars for the use of their Religion Then we shall see with our eyes and touch with our fingers that happy benediction of Isa 14.7 in this Land that swords are turned into mattocks or ploughs and lances into sithes and all Nations admiring us will say Hi sunt semen cui benedixit Dominus that is these are the seed which the Lord hath blessed We request no more favour at your Graces hands then that we may securely believe and profess that Catholique Religion which all your happy Predecessors professed from Donaldus the first converted unto your late blessed Mother martyred a Religion venerable for antiquity majestical for amplitude constant for continuance irreprehensible for doctrine inducing to all kind of vertue and piety disswading from all sin and wickedness a religion beloved by all primitive Pastors established by all Oecumenicall Councels upholden by ancient Doctors maintained by the first and best Christian Emperours recorded almost alone in all Ecclesiasticall Histories sealed with the blood of millions of Martyrs adorned with the vertues of so many Confessors beautified with the purity of thousands of virgins so conformable unto naturall sense and reason and finally so agreeable with the sacred Texts of Gods Word and Gospell The free use of this Religion we request if not in publick Churches at the least in private houses if not with approbation yet with toleration without molestation Assuring your Grace that howsoever some Protestants or Puritans incited by morall honesty of life or innated instinct of nature or for fear of some temporall punishment pretend obedience unto your Highness Laws yet certainly the onely Catholiques for conscience sake observe them For they defending that Princes Precepts and Statutes oblige no subject under the penalty of sin will have little care in conscience to transgress them which principally are tormented with the guilt of sin But Catholiques professing merit in obeying and immerit in transgressing cannot but in Soul be grievously tortured for the least prevarication thereof Wherefore most mercifull Soveraign we your loving afflicted subjects in all dutifull subjection protest before the Majesty of God and all his holy Angels as loyal obedience and immaculate allegiance unto your Grace as ever did faithfull subjects in England or Scotland unto your Highness Progenitors and intend as sincerely with our goods and lives to serve you as ever did the loyallest Israelites King David or the trustiest Legions the Roman Emperours And thus expecting your Majesties customary favour and gracious bounty we rest your devoted suppliants to him whose hands do manage the hearts of Kings and with reciprocate mercy will requite the mercifull Your Majesties most devoted servants the Catholiques of England Sir Walter Raleigh to King James before his triall IT is one part of the Office of a just and worthy Prince to hear the complaints of his vassals especially such as are in great misery I know not amongst many other presumptions gathered against me how your Majesty hath been perswaded that I was one of them who were greatly discontented and therefore the more likely to prove disloyall But the great God so relieve me in both worlds as I was the contrary and I took as great comfort to behold your Majesty and always learning some good and bettering my knowledge by hearing your Majesties discourse I do most humbly beseech your Soveraign Majesty not to believe any of those in my particular who under pretence of offences to Kings do easily work their particular revenge I trust no man under the colour of making examples should perswade your Majesty to leave the word Mercifull out of your Stile for it wil be no less profit to your Majesty become your greatness then the word Invincible It is true that the Laws of England are no less jealous of the Kings then Caesar was of Pompey's wife for notwithstanding she was cleared for having company with Claudius yet for being suspected he condemned her For my self I protest before Almighty God and I speak it to my Master and Soveraign that I never invented treason against him and yet I know I shall fall in manibus eorum a quibus non possum evadere unless by your Majesties gracious compassion I be sustained Our Law therefore most mercifull Prince knowing her own cruelty and knowing that she is wont to compound treason out of presumptions and circumstances doth give this charitable advice to the King her Supream Non solum sapiens esse sed misericors c. cum tutius sit reddere rationem misericordiae quam judicii I do therefore on the knees of my heart beseech your Majesty from your own sweet and comfortable disposition to remember that I have served your Majesty twenty years for which your Majesty hath yet given me no reward and it is fitter I should be indebted unto my Soveraign Lord then the King to his poor Vassal Save me therefore most mercifull Prince
that I may ow your Majesty my life it self then which there cannot be a greater debt Limit me at least my Soveraign Lord that I may pay it for your service when your Majesty shall please If the Law destroy me your Majesty shall put me out of your power and I shall have none to fear but the King of Kings WALTER RALEIGH Sir Walter Raleigh to Sir Robert Car after Earl of Somerset SIR AFter many losses and many years sorrows of both which I have cause to fear I was mistaken in their ends It is come to my knowledge that your self whom I know not but by an honorable favour hath been perswaded to give me and mine my last fatal blow by obtaining from his Majesty the Inheritance of my Children and Nephews lost in Law for want of a word This done there remaineth nothing with me but the name of life His Majesty whom I never offended for I hold it unnatural and unmanlike to hate goodness staid me at the graves brink not that I thought his Majesty thought me worthy of many deaths and to behold mine cast out of the world with my self but as a King that knoweth the poor in truth hath received a promise from God that his Throne shall be established And for you Sir seeing your fair day is but in the dawn mine drawn to the setting your own vertues and the Kings grace assuring you of many fortunes and much honour I beseech you begin not your first building upon the ruines of the innocent and let not mine and their sorrows attend your first plantation I have ever been bound to your Nation as well for many other graces as for the true report of my trial to the Kings Majesty against whom had I been malignant the hearing of my cause would not have changed enemies into friends malice into compassion and the minds of the greatest number then present into the commiseration of mine estate It is not the nature of foul Treason to beget such fair passions neither could it agree with the duty and love of faithfull Subjects especially of your Nation to bewail his overthrow that had conspired against their most natural and liberal Lord. I therefore trust that you will not be the first that shall kill us outright cut down the tree with the fruit and undergo the curse of them that enter the fields of the fatherless which if it please you to know the truth is far less in value then in fame But that so worthy a Gentleman as your self will rather bind us to you being sixe Gentlemen not base in birth and alliance which have interest therein And my self with my uttermost thankfulness will remain ready to obey your commandments WALTER RALEIGH Sir Thomas Egerton Chancellor after Lord Ellesmere to the Earl of Essex SIR HOw things proceed here touching your self you shall partly understand by these inclosed Her Majesty is gracious towards you and you want not friends to remember and commend your former services Of these particulars you shall know more when we meet In the mean time by way of caution take this from me There are sharp eyes upon you your actions publique and private are observed It behoveth you therefore to carry your self with all integrity and sincerity both of hands and heart lest you overthrow your own fortunes and discredit your friends that are tender and carefull of your reputation and well-doing So in haste I commit you to God with my very hearty commendations and rest Your assured loving Friend THO. EGERTON C. S. At the Court at Richmond 21 Octob. 1599. Lord Chancellor Ellesmere to King James Most gracious Soveraign I Find through my great age accompanied with griefs and infirmities my sense and conceipt is become dull and heavy my memory decayed my judgment weak my hearing imperfect my voice and speech failing and faltering and in all the powers faculties of my mind body great debility Wherefore conscientia imbecilitatis my humble suit to your most sacred Majesty is to be discharged of this great Place wherein I have long served and to have some comfortable Testimony under your Royal hand that I leave it at this humble suit with your gracious favour So shall I with comfort number and spend the few dayes I have to live in meditation and prayers to Almighty God to preserve your Majesty and all yours in all heavenly and earthly felicity and happiness This suit I intended some years past ex dictamine rationis conscientiae Love and fear stayed it now Necessity constrains me to it I am utterly unable to sustain the burthen of this great service for I am come to St. Pauls desire Cupio dissolvi esse cum Christo Wherefore I most humbly beseech your Majesty most favourably to grant it Your Majesties most humble and loyal poor Subject and Servant THO. ELLESMERE Cane Again to the same King Most gracious Soveraign YOur royal favour hath placed and continued me many years in the highest place of ordinary Justice in this your Kingdom and hath most graciously borne with my many but unwilling errors and defects accepting in stead of sufficiencie my zeal and fidelity which never failed This doth encourage and stir in me an earnest desire to serve still But when I remember St. Pauls rule Let him that hath an office wait on his office and do consider withall my great age and many infirmities I am dejected and do utterly faint For I see and feel sensibly that I am not able to perform those duties as I ought and the place requires and thereupon I do seriously examine my self what excuse or answer I shall make to the King of Kings and Judge of all Judges when he shall call me to accompt and then my conscience shall accuse me that I have presumed so long to undergo and weild so mighty and great a charge and burthen and I behold a great Cloud of witnesses ready to give evidence against me 1. Reason telleth me and by experience I find Senectus est tarda obliviosa insanabilis morbus 2. I heard the precepts and councel of many reverend sage and learned men Senectuti debitur otium solve senectutem mature c. 3. I read in former Laws that old men were made temeriti rudè donati And one severe Law that saith Sexagenarius de ponte whereupon they are called Depontanei And Plato lib. 6. de legibus speaking of a great Magistrate which was Praefectus legibus servandis determineth thus Minor annis 50 non admittatur nec major annis 70 permittatur in eo perseverare And to this Law respecting both mine office and my years I cannot but yeeld But leaving foreign Laws the Stat. anno 13. E. 1. speaketh plainly Homines excedentes aetatem 70 annorum non ponantur in Assissis Juratis So as it appeareth that men of that age are by that Law discharged of greater painfull and carefull especially Judiciall Offices 4. Besides I find many examples of men
those Officers of the Inquisition attempting to lay hands on the subjects of another Prince your Majesties confederate offering none offence to the Laws or publike prejudice to their profession yea in divers parts of your Majesties dominions the subjects of my Master have suffered this restraint The Inquisitor-Generall lately deceased who in all his actions shewed himself a considerate Minister and carefull in regard of your Majesties honour of the observing of what you have capitulated upon my complaint never failed to give the remedy that in justice I required He being now with God and one of my Soveraigns subjects having been long without cause detained by the Inquisitors in Lisbon and another of good account a man moderate and temperate in all his actions lately apprehended by that Office in Almonte and restrained in their prison at Sivil I am commanded from his Majesty and importuned by my Country-men who all with one voice complain and protest that they dare not longer continue their commerce without present order for remedy of so extream and perillous an injustice do beseech your Majesty that you will be pleased not only to give present order for the release of those that without scandal are known for the present in your prisons but also that in time to come the true intention of that Article be observed which is That without known offence and scandal the King my Masters subjects be not molested The accomplishment of this considering how much it imports your Majesty in honour your Majesty and the Archduke having in that Article in no other sort then in all the rest covenanted by especial words that your selves would provide that in no case but only in giving scandal to others the subjects of my Soveraign should be troubled for their consciences I cannot but expect from so just and sincere a Prince And therefore will not trouble your Majesty with more words but offering my self in all things within my power to your Majesties service I remain with a desire to be reckoned in the number of your Majesties humble and affectionate servants C. C. Iuly 23 stilo novo 1608. Sir Charls Cornwallis to the Spanish King Jan. 16. 1608. THe largeness and liberality of your Majesties Royall hand being such that it hath made your Greatness and Munificence of so much note through most parts of this world I assure my self it is far removed from the thoughts of your Princely heart to straiten in matter of Justice that so naturally and necessarily belongeth to your Kingly Office your Majesty hath been pleased to refer to the Constable the Duke of Infantasque and two of the Regents of your Councell of Arragon the understanding and determining of the extream and barbarous usage outrage and spoyl committed by ships set out in course under the commission at the charge of your Majesties Viceroy of Sardinia and his son-in-law Don Lewis de Calatana and others by their procurement those Lords and others there authorized by that Commission very nobly and justly desiring that of the spoyl committed there might be made intire satisfaction gave order divers months since but your Majesties Viceroy adding to his former offence contempt of your Majesties authority hath not onely disobeyed in his own person but contradicted and withstood in others the accomplishment of your commandements it seemeth that God is pleased for the good of your Majesties Estate and Government to disvizard that man and make apparent to the world how unfit he is to be trusted with your command of so great importance whose covetous and ungodly condition is come to such height as hath drawn him not onely to spoil unlawfully and so barbarously to use the subjects of so great a King your confederate and thereby to hazard a breach of the amity between your Majesties so necessary for both your Estates and so utile to the whole Commonwealth of Christendom but also to neglect and contemn the authority of your Majesty his own Soveraign to whom besides the obligation of his naturall allegiance he is so infinitely bound for preferring and trusting him with a matter of so great consequence and dignity By this paper inclosed your Majesty shall understand the manner of proceeding of the King my Master against such of his subjects as commit the like crimes and outrage against any of yours and thereby conceive what my said Soveraign expecteth of your Majesty in this and the like and what I am commanded in conformity thereof to require which is that there be no proceeding in so clear and plain a case by way of processe or suit in Law which in this kingdom as by experience is known are immortall but that according to the sixth Article of the Peace and the most Christian and just example shewed by my Soveraign who so punctually and conscionably in all things observeth with your Majesty you will be pleased that there be not onely an intire and immediate satisfaction to the parties but that as well your said Viceroy and Don Lewis his son-in-law as all others their aiders partners and receivers in that crime may be criminally proceeded against and suffer such punishment as so enorm and unlawfull actions have justly deserved The performance of this considering with what patience the King my Master out of his love to your Majesty notwithstanding the daily complaints and importunities of the parties the generall exclamation of other his subjects who hold it rather agreeable with his honor and Kingly Office not so long to permit unsatisfied or unpunished so intollerable an outrage hath more then three whole years attended it I cannot but expect from so just and pious a Prince without further delay or protraction of time Jan. 16. novo stilo 1608. Sir Charls Cornwallis to the Spanish King WEll knoweth your Majesty in your Royall wisdom how necessary to Kings is the conservation of authority and respect to their Kingly dignities as also that the greatest and most absolute precept of Justice is to do to others what we would be done unto our selves How religiously punctually the King my master hath observed these unto your Majesty hath appeared by many demonstrations and not the least in the deniall he made to Antonio de Perez to abide in his Kingdom or to have accesse to his person onely out of a conceit he had that he came with a mind determined to disauthorize your Majesty in his speeches or to make offer of some practise against your estates in his overtures Your Majesties own Royall and gratefull inclination I know to be such as you are not without desire to pay my Soveraign with the like equivalent retribution but with your Majesties pardon and favour duty inforceth me plainly to tell you that the Ministers of these your Kingdoms shew not the like affection where not one but many my of Soveraigns worst affected subjects are daily received cherished and honored with entertainments in your service Were that sort of people contented onely to abuse your Majesties
Kingly munificence and Christian charity and to deceive your Ministers with their falsified genealogies and with putting the Don upon many whose fathers and Ancestors were so base and beggerly as they never arrived to be owners of so much as convenient apparell to cover their nakedness it were much more tolerable but when having here tasted the warmth of your Majesties liberall and pious hand they become furnished in such ample and abundant manner as their poor and miserable ancestors durst never so much as dream of like Aesops serpent they turn their venemous stings towards the bosoms that gave them heat and life and endeavour with all the force and Art they have to give cause of distaste and by consequence of division between your Majesty and your faithfullest and most powerful Confederate in uneven paiment for your Majesties so great and gracious favour With generalities for the present I will not deal as he whose cares and desires have ever been to soften and not to sharpen Two Irish in your Court the one a son as by his own Countreymen is generally reported either to a vagabond Rimer a generation of people in that Countrey of the worst account or to give him his best title of a poore Mechanicall Surgeon The other descended rather of more base and beggerly parents neglecting what by the Laws of God they ow to their own Soveraign and as little regarding their obligation to your Majesty who from the dust of the earth and miserable estate hath made them what they are notwithstanding that they cannot be ignorant of the strait charge and commandements your Majesty hath given that all due respect be had to the King my Master and his Ministers and subjects the first in irreverend and irrespective behaviour towards my self and some of mine the other in obstinate defending his companions unmannerliness delivering by way of direct asseveration that I am an heretique and such an one as to whom it is not lawfull under the pain of deadly sin to use any courtesie or reverence whatsoever have of late miscarried themselves as I hold it not agreeable either with what I ow to the King I serve or the honor I have to represent his person to passe over with silence but to present it instantly to your Majesty The names of the parties are Magg Ogg a Sollicitor as here is said for the fugitive Earle of Tyrone condemned by the verdict of his own Contreymen besides his delict of Treason of thirteen several murders The other names himselfe Condio Mauricio and is here as I am informed allowed for a for his vagabonding Countreymen hath put on the habit of a Priest and hath of your Majesty thirty crowns a moneth in Pension The parties and the offences I have made known unto your Secretary of State and I cannot doubt your Majesty in conformity of what the King my master hath by so many arguments demonstrated towards your Majesty and your Ministers will command such exemplary punishment to be made of them as a behaviour so undecent a slander and reproach so intolerable and an opinion so desperate and dangerous and so contrary to what your Majesty and all those of your Councell Nobility and Clergy do practise do worthily merit c. Feb. 1608. Sir Charls Cornwallis to the Spanish King YOur Majesty to whom God hath given so large an Empire so much exceeding that of other Princes and whom he hath blessed with so great an inclination to piety clemency and other vertues becoming your Royall dignity and Person will I know hold it evil beseeming so rare a greatness to come behind any King how pious vertuous soever either in the observance of the laws of mutual charity and friendship or in love or zeal to justice which to all Kingdoms and Governments gives the assuredst foundation and in defect whereof by the Spirit of God himself Kingdoms are said to be translated from one Nation to another The first King that God gave unto his people he elected of higher stature then the rest by the shoulders upwards signifying thereby how much Kings are to strive to exceed and excell in the height and measure of vertue and justice also how fit it is for them to over-look with their authorities and providences the highest head of their Ministers and to observe how they guide themselves By the content of this paper inclosed your Majesty shall perceive the Christian and Kingly care the King my Master hath had not onely of the observances of the Articles of Peace since the same between your Majesties were concluded but of the punctuall accomplishment of the true Laws of amity and friendship which are more surely and expressively imprinted in Royall and Noble hearts then possibly they can be written or charactered by any pen in paper In your Majesties Kingdoms pardon I humbly beseech you if I speak plainly much contrary to that example the King my Masters subjects suffer all manner of spoils oppressions and miseries and are as well I may term them made a very prey to the hungry and greedy your Viceroyes and others enter their ships under cover and colour of Peace and Justice finding them rich they lay crimes to their charge whereof there appears neither proof nor probability yet serve their pretences to possess them of their goods to put the poor Merchants to a demand in Law wherein were truth alone the ballance they should be weighed by though that form of redress were far short of the immediate remedy provided by the King my Soveraign for your Majesties subjects yet were it much more allowable and to be endured but having here complained two whole years without any course at all taken for redress as in the cause with the Duke of Feria three intire years as in that with the Viceroy of Sardinia one year and more as in that of his Majesties servant Adrian Thihaut taken and spoiled by your Majesties Generall Don Luis as in that of Estry and Bispich imprisoned and bereaved of their goods by Iuan de Vendoza Alcalde of Madrid we are after so long a time spent in misery and charge countervailing a great part of the value of the goods taken from us inforced still to all punctualities and extremities of forms of law and to abide the uttermost perill of all advantages that by the inventions wits tongues of Lawyers can be devised to obscure and hide the light and right of truth The false colour given by every of these and the barbarous cruelty used to the parties would require too long and tedious a declaration It satisfieth that none of their pretences are proved nay which is more they are so false and fabulous as to no indifferent understanding they appear so much as probable My humble desire is your Majesty would be pleased to pass your own Royal eyes upon this paper and therefore to affect all possible brevity I will pass unto your Majesties other inferior ministers of your Ports of which few
enjoy now only the name and now since hath so much quickned and enlightned me by his gracious countenance and assured me by his daily favours to make me to depend upon him and that I should deliberately and determinately take any flowers from his Crown to place them on the heads of others or to betray his Majesties interest into the hands of others I hope his Majesty will vouchsafe me so much favour not to value me at so low a rate as to think these things came in de industria For if I had felt any such Eccho arise in my breast I protest I would have laid hands on my self and judged my self unworthy of any society My Lords the corruption of my hands are far inferior to the corruption of the heart and the hand that runs wilfully into error works meerly from the corruption of the heart and that makes it the more inexcusable as the bleeding of a wound inwardly ever becomes mortal and were I conscious to my self I would not have any color of excuse I thank his Majesties Councel that howsoever these hands were at first mistrusted yet since they are not at all misdoubted nor the least corruption laid to my charge But this doth most grieve me that my faithfulness to his Majesty should be suspected And I humbly desire upon my knees that his Clemencie in this case may stop the issue of his Justice that though a long time his face hath been hid yet now at length his mercy will break through the clouds to support me that am now fallen I lay my self at his Majesties feet to do with me as it pleaseth him and humbly desire his Majesty would take me to his own sentence I never thought of my self otherwise then clay in his Majesties hands to mould me to honour or dishonour When I look and behold this solemnity and spectacle about me I make no other account of it then Pompa mortis and such a Prince as he is knows that Life and Reputation are equall if the last be not the greatest I know your Lordships have such power and his Majesty takes such pleasure in you you are so dear in his eyes that he can deny you nothing and therefore I would desire you that you would be suiters in my behalf that his favour might once again shine upon me I know his grace and clemency sleepeth if I be not unworthy to partake and the rather because the River that did run another way is now turned into the Sea again and the Charter given up surrendred and cancelled I know much life might be added to the sinewes of my happinesse by your Lordships intercessions for me in vouchsafing whereof I shall pledge a perpetuall assurance of better service for the time to come and shall be bound and engaged to every one of your Lordships so that my desire is that his Majesty might first be acquainted with this submission before you proceed into the merits of the cause remaining still a prisoner to his Justice knowing his Majesty may if he please turn me to vanity Ferdinand the second Emperour to the Catholique King Most gracious King my most loving Nephew FAther Jacinthus comes over to your Court to negotiate with your Majesty in the Popes name about a business much concerning the conservation of our holy Faith and consequently the support of our Family as your Majesty shall understand of the said Father to whom I refer my self as also to Don Balthazar de Zuniga to whom I have written more distinctly fearing to be over-tedious to your Majesty and being well assured how well your Majesty stands inclined to either of these points Ferdinand the Emperour to Don Balthazar de Zuniga October 15. 1621. To the Honorable and sincerely beloved Don Balthazar de Zuniga Cousin and Councellour of State to the most excellent and Catholique King of Spain Honorable and sincerely beloved WHat my mind and purpose is touching the translating of the Electorship to the Duke of Bavaria according to the promise I made him and wherefore I think that business so necessary and profitable as for Germany in generall so particularly for securing our House from all attempts of Heretiques as his Holiness exhorts me not to be further delayed You shall understand as well by conference with Father Jacinthus whom his Holiness hath for that purpose addressed unto me his Majesty of Spain my Nephew and other Catholiqne Princes of Germany as by these ensuing reasons whereof the principall are That when I repeat from the beginning the whole course of my Reign and the difficulties through which I have attained my Kingdoms and Provinces I behold with reverence the admirable providence of God over me which makes me the more bound to repose my trust in him and not to omit any occasion which may tend to the advancement of his glory and the honor of so admirable tried providence and therfore that I should use that most notable victory to the honor of God and extirpation of all seditious factions which are nourished chiefly among the Galvinists and that I should withdraw my self from that judgement that the Prophet threatens to the King of Israel Because thou hast dismissed a man worthy of death thy Son shall be for his soule The Palatine keeps now in Holland exiled not onely from the Kingdom which he rashly attempted but despoiled almost of all his own Territories expecting as it were the last cast of Fortune whom if by an impious kind of commiseration and subtile Petitions I be perswaded to restore to his Electorall dignity and nourish in my bosome as a troden half living snake what can I expect less then a deadly stinging For it is in vain for me to think that he should be able to discern the greatness of such a benefit For the Polititians saying is true Vltionem quaesivi gratiam oneri habere especially since the injuries he did me are so heynous his projects so subtile that although I should overcome him with Christian charity yet I should never be able to take him from the guilt of his offences and make him soundly faithfull unto me but he will always gape at all occasions whereby he may free himself from fear of his ill deservings and cover his own prostituted honor with new attempt Add hereunto the Calvinists institution of whose Sect the proper genius is to hold nothing either fraud or wickedness which is undertaken for the Religion no sanctity of oath nor fear of dishonour hinders them From such an one what caution can either the house of Austria or other Catholique Princes with whom he is no less in enmity because for Religion as because they are interessed in the war receive The King of England will be engaged but of the same Religion nor is there any thing mere easie then when there is occasion of perpetrating any wickedness to palliate it with a pretext of a breach of the League Histories are fraughted with examples in some there are no
deal plainly with him I neither found in your Majesty or in the Councel any kind of thought or imagination of any possibility of having any such motion again revived But this I found not to grow from any particular dislike or want of affection in your Majesty to Spain or that many of the greatest or the principallest person in England judged not the neerness and alliance of Spain equally valuable with any other of Christendom but that out of a distastefulness of the former answer given from hence all expectation of any business of this nature was absolutely extinguished and therefore again to revive it there would need more then ordinary endeavours or ordinary assurances But in case that they might be given I know that this Match would neither want well-willers nor assistants and for my own part I would freely make profession that no man more desired it then my self nor would more willingly imploy his endeavours for the furthering thereof when by the descending to particulars I should see both in regard of the conditions and the assurances of sincere proceeding the motion worthy and fit by a discreet and good servant to be offered to his Master neither then should I be wholly out of hope of good success though I would not but esteem it a business of infinite difficulty The Duke replied That any discourse that I thought fit herein should be condescended unto for that all time was lost that was spent in generalities And therefore if I so liked he would move this King that one or two besides himself might be appointed to have conference with me for that if he should only retain it in his hands by reason of his many occupations it would have a slower progress then he wished but if I would by way of conference digest the difficulties into heads and particulars he would as often as he might be present at our meeting But for his own part he said he apprehended few but what would arise out of the difference of Religion I told the Duke that I very well approved of the descending into particulars neither should I refuse conference with any herein whom the King would appoint to speak with me But if his meaning were that these persons should be nominated or joyned by way of Commission I thought fit to let him understand that I neither had any time nor did at present speak of this business either by order or direction no nor so much as by your Majesties privity but as a Minister that desired to lay hold of all occasions for the increasing of further love neerness betwixt his Master and the Prince to whom he is imployed I should be glad to the uttermost of my power to advance and further this cause as that which I apprehended to be the greatest which the world now affordeth for the firm uniting of your Majesties and your estates The Duke told me that the King would make no scruple to declare his good inclination and desire to have this Match proceeded in and that for the accommodating of the difficulties he had already used divers diligences with the Pope as likewise with the greatest Divines of this Kingdom whereof he named some unto me whom he said he found very well inclined to the Match he told me also he would be glad they might speak with me to the end I might truly understand of them all kind of scruples that could be alleadged I answered I desired nothing more and that I could not but approve of those courses he prescribed as the most probable to produce a good effect and that I hoped God would give happy success unto the business But I should be bold in one thing to deliver my opinion which was No wayes to interess our Masters herein unless by the understanding and cleering the difficulties on both sides there should be great appearances and probabilities that the business would take effect For if their names should be herein used and after their Treaty should not be successfull it would but exasperate and breed a greater distaste betwixt your Majesties The Duke told me he himself misliked not my opinion though he said that howsoever that business succeeded yet your Majesty should have reason to accept kindly this Kings good intention for that if it miscarried it should appear not to be their default but that they had stretched as far as honor and conscience would give them leave And thus much he said I might write unto your Majesty if I thought fit or to my confident friends in England upon his word and assurance and so telling me that he would presently appoint those that should confer with me in this business we then parted Within two days after I went to the Duke and after that I had spoken with him about the business of Cleves according to my instruction whereof I gave an account unto Mr. Secretary in a dispatch directed unto him we fell again into the speech of the match The Duke told me had well considered of that which I had said unto him and much approved it not to interest our Masters in the business until we should see some likelihood of good success And for that he supposed the difference of Religion like to prove the onely difficulty of consideration he thought it fit that it should be first cleared and therefore he would break the matter with the Cardinall of Toledo the Kings Confessor and with them he joyned another learned man one Father Frederick who since I understand is a Jesuite but truly hath the report of a moderate man These the Duke said should have order to confer with me as far as might be reserving safe the grounds and sincerity of their Religion I answered the Duke that I was well satisfied herewith and that if their demands were such as might content any other Catholique Prince I should have hope of good success if otherwise I should judge it a happiness to be put out of doubt and suspence and so we passed from this subject I presume to set down to your Majesty all the passages of this business with so much length and fulness for that I no way dare adventure to offer unto your Majesty any opinion or belief of my own either for the fitness of the match or the sincerity of their intention or the possibility of accommodating differences of Religion But your Majesty seeing undisguised all that hath hitherto passed with every circumstance may be pleased out of the consideration and knowledg of those particulars to frame unto your self both such a beliefe of their direct meaning and such a resolution of the further proceeding herein as shall be most suitable to your Majesties wisdom onely I think it fit to set down further unto your Majesty the particular ends which may be conceived they aim at by setting this business afoot at this present in case they should not intend really to perform it The first may be to stagger and divert your Majesties Treaty
business of the Match and delivered him the contents thereof in writing which I have sent to Mr. Secretary I received from him the same answer in effect as from the Conde de Olivarez That he desired the Match no less then your Majesty That on his part there should be no time lost for the bringing of it to a speedy conclusion In the business of the Palatinate I spake unto the King with some length repeating many particulars of your Majesties proceedings and how much your honour was like to suffer that now whilst you were treating Heidelborgh defended by your Garrisons was like to be taken The King answered me He would effectually labour that your Majesty should have entire satisfaction and rather then your Majesty should fail thereof he would imploy his Arms to effect it for you My Lord Ambassador Sir Walter Ashton accompanied me at my audience and was a witness of all that passed as wel with the King as with the Conde de Olivarez Within few dayes after the newes of the taking of Heidelbergh came hither whereupon I dispatched again to the King in such sort as I have at large advertised Mr. Secretary Calvert The effect of my Negotiation was that they on the 13. of October dispatched Letters away of the Emperors and Duke of Bavaria's proceedings But pressing them further in regard their former Letters have wrought so little effect they have given me at present a second Dispatch which I have sent unto the Infanta and whereof Mr. Secretary will give your Majesty an account which I conceive will procure your Majesties better satisfaction then hitherto you have received from the Emperor and his party For the business of the match I have written to Mr. Secretary what is to be said at present and will only add that as I should not willingly give your Majesty hope upon uncertain grounds so I will not conceal what they profess which is That they will give your Majesty real and speedy satisfaction therein And if they intended it not they are falser then all the Devils in hell for deeper oaths and protestations of sincerity cannot be made It will only remain that I humbly cast my self at your Majesties feet for that addition of Title wherewith it hath pleased you to honour me and my posterity My gratitude and thankfulness wanteth expression and shall only say unto your Majesty That as all I have either of fortunes or honour I hold it meerly of your bounty and goodness so shall I ever cheerfully lay them down with my life into the bargain for the service of your Majesty and yours So with my humble prayers for the health and prosperity of your Majesty I humbly commend your Majesty to Gods holy protection and rest Your Majesties most humble servant and subject BRISTOL Madrid Octob. 21. 1622. King Philip the third of Spain to the Conde of Olivarez THe King my Father declared at his death that his intention never was to marry my sister the Infanta Donna Maria with the Prince of Wales which your Uncle Don Baltezer well understood and so treated this match ever with an intention to delay it notwithstanding it is now so far advanced that considering withall the aversness unto it of the Infanta as it is high time to seek some means to divert the treaty which I would have you find out and I will make it good whatsoever it be but in all other things procure the satisfaction of the King of Great Britain who hath deserved very much and it shall content me so that it be not the match Conde Olivarez his Answer to the King Sir COnsidering in what estate we find the Treaty of marriage between Spain and Emgland and knowing certainly how the Ministers did understand this business that treated it in the time of Philip the third who is now in heaven that their meaning was never to effect it but by enlarging the treaties and points of the said marriage to make use of the friendship of the King of Great Britain as well in the matter of Germany as those of Flanders and suspecting likewise that your Majesty is of the same opinion although the demonstrations do not shew so joyning to those suspitions that it is certain that the Infanta Donna Maria is resolved to put her self into the Monastery the same day that your Majesty shall press her to make the marriage I have thought fit to present to your Majesty that which my good zeal hath afforded me in this occasion thinking it a good time to acquaint your Majesty withall to the end you may resolve of that which you shall find most convenient with the advice of those Ministers that you shall think fit The King of Great Britain doth find himself at this time equally in the two businesses the one is the marriage to the which he is moved by the conveniences which he finds in your Majesties friendship with making an agreement with those Catholiques that he thinks are secretly in his Kingdom and by this to assure himself of them as likewise to marry his son to one of the house of Austria knowing that the Infanta Donna Maria is the best born Lady in the world Th' other businesse is the restitution of the Palatinate in which he is yet more ingaged For besides that his reputation is at stake there is added the love and interest of his Grandchildren sons of his onely daughter So that both by the law of Nature and reason of State he ought to put them before whatsoever conveniences might follow by dissembling what they suffer I do not dispute whether the King of Great Britainy be governed in this business of the Palatinate by Art or friendship I think a man may say he hath used both but as a thing not precisely necessary to this discourse I omit it I hold it for a maxime that these two Ingagements in which he finds himself are unseparable for although the marriage be made we must fail in that which in any way of understanding is most necessary which is the restitution of the Palatinate This being supposed having made the marriage in the form as it is treated your Majesty may find your self together with the King of Great Brirain engaged in a war against the Emperour and the Catholique league so that your Majesty shall be forced to delare your self with your Arms against the Emperour and the Catholique league a thing which to hear will offend your Majesties godly ears or declaring your self for the Emperour and the Catholique league as certainly you will your Majesty will find your self ingaged in a war against the King of England and your sister married with his son with the which all whatsoever conveniences that was thought upon with this marriage do cease if your Majesty shall shew your self Newtrall as it may be some will expound The first will cause very great scandall and with just reason since in matters of lesse opposition then of Catholiques against Heretiques the Armes
if he had been a man grown and had foreseene the danger he would not himself have carried the sticks upon his shoulders he was but the appearance of a sacrifice I pray God in these occasions keep you from the effect for when I see that men move the Authority of the Court when they will that men set to sale and dispose of the offices of the Crown without being once hindred by any the Princes of the blood having been some imprisoned and other Princes having retired themselves for the security of their persons when I see that among the great ones they that are made see some shadow of better fortunes are faine to lend their hands to bring themselves into bondage that they which have attained some settlednesse in this alteration maintain it only for fear of returning to the former miserie of their former condition Besides it seemes also that the people and the Provinces partake of this change after the example of the great ones seeing the help of the law is unprofitable every thing being out of order by canvasing by violences and by corruptions the Louvre it self hath put on a new face as well as the affaires of the Kingdome there remains nothing of the old Court but the walls and even of them the use hath been changed for they were wont to serve for the safeguard of Princes and now they serve for their prison and for yours it may be if it be lawfull to say so for it is not without some end that when you go abroad you have a company of light horse to attend you chosen by a suspected hand this is your Guard after the fashion of the Bastile this distrust counsels you enough what you ought to doe and you need no other advice I am hist at I am scoft at and my discourse so was Cassandra used when she foretold the destruction of Troy Sir I have nothing left but my tongue to serve you with If I were so happy to draw you out of the errour in which you are fed I would bless a thousand times my disgrace for having emboldned me to speake freely in a time wherein even words are punished The falseness of the Alcharan is only authorised by that it is forbidden under paine of death to speak of it The incroachment which is made upon your Authority takes footing only by the danger that is in telling it you freely consider if it please you that those which usurpe power over you are of a Country where every body would raigne thence it is that there is not a City on the other side the Alpes that hath not her republick or her petty King and if your Majesty had but a little tasted the History of your owne Kingdome you would have found that the most learned Tragedies that were ever seen in France have come from that side the last upon occasion of a lit-book which I published touching Constancy and Comfort in publick calamities I fear much that contrary to my designe this is a Work for your Reigne if the goodness of God take not pity on us Think not Sir that the grief to see my self removed from the State Affairs breeds so bold a discourse if I had felt any grief for that 't is but as new married Wives weep to leave the subjection of their Fathers to enter into the equality of Marriage Yet it is true that owing you my service I should with more contentment have imployed it in your Counsels of State then in your Parlaments where the matters are of lesse importance For I suppose that if the Carpenter which made the frame of the Admirall wherein Don John de Austria commanded at the Battell of Lepanto had known that she should have served in so important an occasion wherein depended the safety of the rest of Europe hee would have taken more pleasure in the making her then if he had made a vessell destined onely for Traffick Notwithstanding since your Majesty commands mee to retire my self in a good hour be it the lesser stars bear a part in the perfection of the Universe though they contribute lesse to it then the Sun or Moon In what condition soever I live I will ever bring all I shall be able to the good of your service and if there be any of those which are neer you that lament mine absence for my own sake I would willingly say to them Weep for your selves children of Jerusalem that for want of courage suffer your Majesty to be betrayed and not for me that have no other fault then that I am an honest man I take leave therefore of you Sir praying God to take pity of your Estate and care of your Breeding Mon r Richer forced recants his opinions against the Papal Supremacy over Kings EGo Librum quem composui Ecclesiasticae potestatis me ipsum measque omnes Propositiones subjicio Eccles Cathol Apost Roman sanctae sedi Apostolicae quam matrem omâ—ium Ecclesiarum esse agnosco in qua semper vigâ—it infallibile Judicium veritatis in rebus fidei decernendis Vehementerque doleo in praedicto meo Libro quasdam esse Propositiones quae scandalum genuerint quae sint veritati Catholicae ut sonant contraria Cardinal Richlieu to the Roman Catholicks of great Brittain Aug. 25. 1624. VIri praeclari longius differo ad vos scribere quia res vestrae facta non verba desiderant vota vestra nostra sunt studia utraque propitio Deo aliqua ex parte saltem optatos speramus exitus inventura spondet hoc nobis Rex Christianissimus qui aut nullas aut certe honorificias Religioni pro Regia sua indole conditiones foederis unquam admissurus est Ita a nobis formatus ita animo praeparatus est ut se rei divinae augendae non minus quam finibus propagandis natum vocatumque â—sse meminerit serenissima Regina ejus Mater sedulâ operâ intentâ curâ cavebit non modo ne quid detrementi Religio capiat sed etiam ut quà possit promoveri promoveatur adjuvetur Equidem ita me rerum vestrarum miseret ut si non dico consilio non fide non authoritate quae sentio quam sint exigua sed si vitâ ipsâ sanguine vos eripere vel levare etiam malis possem libentissimè facerem Ex animo dico testis est conscientia qua me vestrum omnium libertatisque vestrae semper et omni loco fore studiosissimum polliceor Vobis ex animo addictissimus Amandus Cardinalis Richlieu Apud Sanctum German 25 August 1624. Monsr. Balsac to the Cardinall dela Valette MY LORD I am retired here into Ciceroes house where I take the fresh aire and the shade of every houre of the day and laugh at those that broile themselves at Rome But although I be come hither as weâ— to untire my Spiriâ— as to recreate my body notwithstanding it is impossible that the first can rest
but must doe businesse where it findes none It crosses the Sea and passes over the Alpes without my consent and because there is nothing to doe at France it goes to seeke some at Constantinople at Madrid at Lâ—ndon and at Montauban Now to the end you may not thinke me a lyer and that under an honest pretext I would palliate a reproveable idlenesse I am going to write you the adventures of my yesterdaies walk and speak to you in the same stile and the same sort as I rave While the King is busied to make warre the King of Spaine passeth his time with Ladies and into places that may not honestly be named I will give no judgment upon the different inclination of these two Princes but I very well know that so long as they live in that fashion the King of Spaine shal take no Townes nor the King of France the Pox. You have surely heard it reported that the Polanders have defeated the Turks Army which was composed of two hundred thousand Combatants the halfe whereof lay dead upon the place It must necessarily be granted that but he only after such a losse could make such a second and that he hath a source of men that cannot be drawn dry either by warres by plagues or by any other ill disposition of the aire seeing that in the abundance of all things that his Empire produces there is nothing at so low a price as the lives of souldiers When I dream that the Duke of Bouillon is shut up in Sedan from whence he cannot come forth to goe and make his partie I imagine to my selfe a poore mother standing upon the brink of a River seeing her sonne slaine on the other side neither being able to help him or bid him farewel never was man so assaulted with such diversity of thoughts nor opprest with unprofitable cares one while it vexes him that sufficient resistance was not made at St. Jehan de Angeli and again I find that they made not use of the advantage which they might have taken At one and the same time I would have been at Montauban to defend and in England to get succour for it But why dwels so great a spirit in a body that hath no more heate in it then a feaver gives it and which is never removed but by Amber-Greece and Phisick It s known that the better part of it dwels in the history of troubles and that in this world it holds but the place of another In the mean time the affaires of the Rebels grow to ruine and if they make any small attempts it is not that their hopes increase nor their courage strengthens but it is Gods will that they shall not have either victory or peace The Duke of Bouillon sees all this not being able to remedy and if sometimes to divert his spirit from so vexing an object he thinks to seek some comfort out of the kingdome and amongst strangers affaires of one side he discovers a puissant Army under the conduct of Spinola which threatens all Germany and of the other side he sees his Nephew whom from having been Count Palatine and King of Bohemia is become pensioner to the Hollanders and a Gentleman of the Prince of Orange his traine as the beasts in time past were wont to be crowned which ought to be sacrificed so fortune presented a Kingdome to this poor man to the end he should lose his life but not to lie he hath shewed himselfe craftier then she and fled so we he could never be overtaken Notwithstanding to speak home the gaine which he got by not dying at the battaile of Prague is not so great as the reproach which shall be cast upon him for living by his owne fault and for having witnessed to all the people of the world that the end of his desires was only to attaine to be old and without doubt as it is a great advantage to be the Grand-child of an usurper so there is not a more miserable condition then to have been a King and now to be no more but the subject or tragedy to playes Let men then as much as they please praise the designes of this man and his good intention I for my part find nothing so easie as to fly and lose and posterity shall put him rather in the number of theeves that have been punished then of conquerours which have triumphed upon the earth Since it is true that the persecution ceases in England and that the King wearieth himself with giving us Martyrs it may be that within a short time he will altogether set soules at liberty that stil makes one step to his mother Church As for my part I despaire not of this great conversion that all honest men will with salt tears desire this from heaven knowing to the contrary that he hath a reasonable spirit and may be perswaded upon a thing that he determined on I assure my selfe that he studies every day the truth of the instructions the great Cardinall Peron left him See King James his Remonstrance against Cardi Peron and that that will be the strongest in his Kingdomes assoon as his Conscience authority better reestablished then his His predecessors knew not how to reigne in regard of him no not she that plaid with so many heads and who was more happy then needful for the Christian Common-wealth It is certain that heretofore England believed in God but this day it only believes in its Prince and Religion makes but a part of the obedience yeilded unto him in so much that if he would but set in the place of all the points of Faith all the fables of Poesie he should find in his subjects complying enough to bring them to his will and perswade himself that he may make all things just that he does and all things culpaple that he condemns his Authority came not so far at the first stroake and there must be time to make men lose * The way for Romish Conversion reason but at this time when all spâ—rits are vanquished and that the great beliefe that he hath given of his judgment takes away the liberty of theirs they can imagine nothing above the wisdome of thâ— King and without medling with any thing that passes between God and him they believe that if he command them to tread under foot all the Holy things and to violate all the Lawes all that was but for the safety of their Consciences But it is to be believed that this Divine providence which conducts things to their ends by means which in apparance are contrary will use the bloodinesse of this people to procure their salvation and cause them to come again into the Church by the same doore they went out of it And since the hearts of Kings are in the hands of God there wants nothing but a good motion sent unto him to build againe the Altars which he hath beaten downe and at one clap to turne to the true Religion the
implore your assistance having once laid down their weapons which the oppression of their enemies made so necessary because they knew such was your desire to take them up again so soon as they heard that your Majesty did oblige them thereunto by your Counsel and Promises they have upon this only assurance continued all dangers surmounted all oppositions accounted their estates as nothing and are still ready to spend their bloud till the very last drop they esteem your love and favour more precious then their own lives and whatsoever promises or threatnings have been used to shake their constant resolution they could never be brought to make any breach in that they had tyed themselves to never to hear of any Treaty without your consent This great zeal for the preservation of all the Churches of this Kingdome which is naturally knit to the preservation of these few we have left and that fidelity with our example are worthy and glorious subjects to exercise your Charity and Power You are Sir Defender of that Faith whereof they make profession suffer it not to be so unjustly oppressed you have stirred up their affection in this defence by your royal promises and those Sacred words that your Majesty would imploy all the power in your Dominions to warrant and protect all our Churches from the ruine that threatned them have been after Gods favour the onely foundation of all their hope so the Churches should thinke no greater a Crime could be committed by them then doubt of your Royal performance thereof if their miseries and Calamities have at the beginning moved your Compassion This wofull subject hath increased with such violence that nothing but your succor can prevent their utter undoing for at this day the greatest offence our Enemies lay to our Charge and proclaim nothing can expiate but our blood is to have implored your aid and hope for it for this cause our Lands and Possessions are taken away and destroyed our houses made desolate and reduced to ashes our heads exposed to sale to murtherers our families banished and wheresoever the cruelty of them that hate us can extend men and women are dragged and beaten to Mass with Bastinadoes To be short the horrour of the persecution we suffer is so great that our words are too weak to express it Moreover we see great and mighty Armies at our Gates that waite their onely fit time to fall with impetuosity upon the places of retreat that remain and after that to expel and banish the exercise of Religion and massacre all the faithfull ones throughout the whole kingdomes These things considered Sir I do beseech your Majesty not to forsake us I should feare by such words to offend so great so potent and so faithfull a king But because of urgent necessity that presseth us I have presumed importunately to intreat the hastening of your assistance to keep us from falling under the heavy burthen of our Enemies endeavors Your Majesty need not to draw but out of the source of your own profound wisedom for the fit meanes how to make your succor dreadfull and powerfull to those that contemne it and salutiferous to so many people that wait and long for it Your Majesty shall by this meanes acquire the greatest glory that can be desired pluck out from the fire and sword three hundred thousand families that continually pray to God for your prosperity preserve a people whom God hath purchased with his most pretious blood and which hath even in the middest of most eminent dangers and cruellest torments kept intire a sound and an upright faith both towards God and man you shall settle the fidelity of your word the reputation of your kingdomes and Armes to a pitch worthy of your grandeur and in repressing of the audaciousness of those that go about every day to blemish the same through their vile and unworthy reproches you shal add to your titles that of the Restorer of a people the most innocent and most barbarously persecuted that ever was In that which concerns me Sir I will not make mention to your Majesty of my owne Interest though I might doe it having as it seems the honor to be unto you what I am but I have so long since consecrated all things with my selfe to the publicke good that I shall esteeme my self happie enough so that the Church were not miserably distressed and that I may have this advantage that through my actions which your Majestie will not disavow I may make it known that I am Your Majesties most humble and most obedient servant Henry de Rohan Pope Gregory the 15 to the Inquisitor-General of Spain April 19. 1623. Venerable Brother THe protection of the Orthodox Religion in the most spacious Kingdoms of Spain we think to be happily committed to your Fraternity for we know with what watchful vigilancie in this renowned station you are careful that Monsters of wicked doctrine steal not into the bounds of the Church and Vine But at this time occasion from heaven is offered you by which you may extend the benefits of your piety beyond the bounds of those Kingdoms and extend them also to forraign Countries We understand that the Prince of Wales the King of Great Britains son is lately arrived there carried with a hope of Catholike Marriage Our desire is that he should not stay in vain in the Courts of those Kings to whom the defence of the Popes authority and care of advancing Religion hath procured the renowned name of Catholique Wherefore by Apostolike Lettets we exhort his Catholike Majestie that he would gently endeavour sweetly to reduce that Prince to the obedience of the Romane Church to which the ancient Kings of Great Britain have with heavens approbation submitted their Crowns and Scepters Now to the attaining of this victory which to the conquered promiseth triumphs and principalities of heavenly felicity we need not exhaust the Kings treasure nor levie Armies of furious souldiers but we must fetch from heaven the armour of Light whose divine splendor may allure that Princes eye and gently expel all errours from his minde Now in the managing of these businesses what power and art you have we have well known long ago wherefore we wish you to go like a religious Counsellor to the Catholike King and to try all ways which by this present occasion may benefit the Kingdoms of Britain and the Church of Rome The matter is of great weight and moment and therefore not to be amplified with words Whosoever shall enflame the minde of this Royal youth with the love of the Catholike Religion and breed a hate in him of Heretical impiety shall begin to open the Kingdom of heaven to the Prince of Britain and to gain the Kingdoms of Britain to the Apostolike See into the possession of so great glory I make no doubt but that your Fraternity armed with the sword of Verity will be desirous to come About which matter our venerable brother Innocent Bishop of
Contempts of sacred persons And having also observed that this so long continence of ours at so manifold injuries hath served to no other purpose but to make our enemies more audacious and insolent and that the compassion we have had of France hath drawn on the ruine of those whom God had put under the obedience of their Majesties For these considerations according to the power which we have received from his Imperiall Majestie we have commanded our Armies to enter into France with no other purpose then to oblige the King of France to come to a good secure Peace for removing those impediments which may hinder this so great a good And for as much as it principally concerneth France to give end to these disorders we are willing to believe that all the Estates of that Kingdome will contribute not only their remonstrances but also if need be their forces to dispose their King to Chastise those who have been the Authors of all these Warrs which these seven or eight years past have beene in Christendome and who after they have provoked and assayled all their neighbours have brought upon France all those evils which she doth now suffer and draw on her those other which do now threaten her And although we are well informed of the weaknesse and devisions into which these great disorders and evil counsels have cast her yet we declare that the intentions of their Mastjesties are not to serve themselves of this occasion to ruine her or to draw from thence any other profit then by that means to work a Peace in Christendom which may be stable and permanent For these reasons and withal to shew what Estimation their Majesties do make of the prayers of the Queene Mother of the most Christian King wee doe give to understand that we wil protect and treat as friends all those of the French Nation who either joyntly or severally shall second these our good designes and have given Order that Neutrality shal be held with those of the Nobility and with the Townes which shal desire it and which shal refuse to assist those who shal oppose the good of Christendome and their own safety against whom shall be used all manner of hostility without giving quarter to their persons or sparing either their houses or goods And our further wil is that all men take notice that it is the resolution of their Majesties not to lay down Arms til the Queene Mother of the most Christian King be satisfied and contented til the Princes unjustly driven out of their estates be restored til they see the assurances of peace more certain then to be disturbed by him who hath violated the treaties of Ratisbone others made before and sithence he hath had the managing of the affairs of France Neither do we pretend to draw any other advantage from the good successe which it shal please God to give unto our just prosecutions then to preserve augment the Catholick Religion to pacifie Europe to relieve the oppressed and to restore to every one that which of right belongeth unto him Given at Ments the fifth of July 1636. FINIS An Alphabeticall Table of the most Remarkable Things A AGnus Dei 38 Alchimie 75 Alchoran false because not to be disputed 194 Alfons d'Este turns Capuchin 243 Ancre Marquesse would get the Dutchy of Alanson and Constables Office into his hands in arere to the Crown of France for 80000 pounds 195 Anderson Edmund 73 Anne of Bullen Queen of England sues to King Henry that her enemies may not be her accusers and Judges protests her innocence declares the cause of the Kings change begs the lives of her brother and the other Gentlemen 9 10 Archbishop of Dublin affronted by the Friars 241 Ashton Sir Walter 130 132 138 139 Austria House 114 B. Bacon Sir Nicholas Lord Keeper 69. Antony Francis friends to the Earl of Essex 32. Francis after Lord Verulam Viscount St. Alban his discourses to the Earl concerning Ireland 42 43 c. concerning Tyrone 44. his huge opinion of the Earl of Essex 45 46 47. against the Subsidie in Parliament how 54 68. makes wayes to get into King James his favour 56 58. expostulates with and advises Sir Edward Cook 60 61. expostulates with Sir Vincent Skinner 66. would be Sollicitor 68 69 71. his good services to the Crown 72 See Bodley Sir Thomas Balsac impudently abuseth King James and Qu. Elizabeth 198 199. flatters the French King grosly 200 201 Barbarians of old placed justice and felicity in the sharpnesse of their swords 47 Bavaria Duke linked with the House of Austria 135. designed Elector of Rhine 113. seiseth part of the Palatinate 131 Bevayr Chancellour of France discharged complains to the King of the Government 193 194 195 196. Commanded to discharge an account for 80000 li. 195. has no other fault but that he is an honest man 196 Bishops in what manner parts of the Common-wealth 5. submitted to Kings 6. chief against the Mass 233. too remiss 185 Bodeley Sir Thomas against Sir Francis Bacons new Philosophie 74 75 76. For setled opinions and Theoremes 76 77 78 Bouillon Duke 37 198 Bristol Earl See Digby Lord. Brograve Atturney of the Dutchy 69 Broke George 79 80 Brunswic Christian Duke 148 Buckingham Duke chosen Chancellor of Cambridg 213. unkindness between him and Bristol 151. and Olivarez ibid. murthered 220. See Charles King Burleigh Lord for Kings and against usurpation 136 C Caecil Sir Robert after Earl of Salisbury in France 36. a friend to Sir Francis Bacon 69 70 Caesar d' Este Du. of Modena 243 Calvinists dangerous 112 Cambridg differences betwixt the Town and Vniversity 223 Car Earl of Somerset 86 Carlo Don Infant of Spain 126 Carlo Alessandro of Modena 243 Carlton Sir Dudley Embassadour in the Low Countries 145 Caron Sir Noel Embassadour in England from the Low Countries 92 93 Cassal S. Vas beleaguered by the Spaniard 239 Causes of conscience growing to be faction 38 Charles King of great Brittain ingagement of his person in Spain cause why things were not carryed on to the height 151 See Gregory Pope His piety and care toward the Hugonots of France 206. acknowledged by them after the losse of Rochel 208 209. his opinion of the Duke of Buckingham 214 215. A great lover of the Vniversity of Cambridg 220 223. will rule according to the Laws wil give the Judges leave to deliver and bail prisoners according to Magna Charta and the Statutes 231. forbids hearing of Mass 232. careful to root out Papistry in Ireland 242. commands the house in Dublin to be pulled down where the Friars appeared in their habits 241 Charles the Fifth 145 Church Orders by K. James 193 of England its service damnable by the Popes decree 40 Clergy where punished 6 Cleves and Juliers pretended to 123 124 Clifford Sir Coniers 42 Coeur Marquess 240 Coke Sir Edward disgraces Sir Francis Bacon 60. described 62 63 Colledg of Dublin 52 Colomma Don
England will do nothing 136 138 141 143 151. Dismembred 147 Parliaments tumultuous 229 230 Pastrana Duke 142 Patent for the Admiralty of Ireland 90 Perez Don Antonio Secretary to Philip the Second of Spain 100 Perrot Sir John Deputy of Ireland 13. His care of that Kingdome 17 Philip the Second of Spain transplants whole Families of the Portugese 51 Philip the Third of Spain upon his death-bed 125 c. Philips Sir Robert 155. Francis his brother ibid. Physick modern 75 Pius Quintus his Excommunication of the Queen because of the Rebellion in the North 39 Polander defeats the Turks 198 Pope not more holy then S. Peter 8 Tyranny of Popes 39 Powder plot 67 Pretence of conscience 38 Preachers Licences to preach 183 Directions for preaching 184 Presbytery as mischievous to private men as to Princes 41. See Puritans Priesthood how to be honoured 45 Princes to be obeyed and by whom ibid. by Christs Law 7. Supreme Heads 5. Driven out must not give their Vsurpers too long time to establish themselves 147 Privy Seal for transporting of Horse 217 Puritans in the time of Queen Elizabeth 40. Would bring Democracie into the Church promise impossible wonders of the Discipline 41. Fiery Rebellious contemn the Magistrate ibid. Feared not without cause by King James 193 Q Quadrivials 75 R Ranelagh in Ireland 237 Rawleigh Sir Walter 85 86 Ree Iland 203 Rich Baronness sister to Essex writes to the dishonour of the Queen and advantage of the Earl 32 Richardson Chief Justice of the Bench 228 Richer forced by Richlieu recants his opinions against the Papal Supremacy over Kings 196 Richlieu Cardinal greatly solicitous for the English Romane Catholicks 197 Rochel 200. in what condition at the surrender 202 â—03 Fifteen thousand dye of the famine ibid. Rohan Dutchess in Rochel during the siege 202. Dukâ— 204 206 208 210 Romish Priests seduce the subjects from their obidience their practices against the Queens sacred person 39 40 Roman Catholicks sue to King James at his entrance for toleration 82 83. great lovers of him the only g od subjects witness the Mine then plotted 82 their Religion upon their own words 83 84 Russel Sir William 237 Ruthuen after Lord Ruthuen unhandsomely used by the Earl of Northumberland 106 107 S St. John Oliver against Taxes contrary to Magna Charta c. would not have Oathes violated in which the divine Majesty is invocated fearful of the Arch-Bishops Excommunication 160 Saxonie Elector 114 Scandal what 97 Scriptures how to be expounded 23 Seminaries blossom 39 in Ireland seditious appear in their habits 240 241 Serita Don John 125 Sin immortal to respect any of the English Church 101 Southampton Earl 58 Spaniards designe upon Ireland 17 spoil base Bologne 37. lose their Apostles 47. wrong and oppress the English Merchants 97 98 99 102 103. suits in Spain immortal ibid. give pensions to the Irish renegadoes 100 101. unreasonable in the businesse of the Match 127 137 146. swear and damn themselves yet never intended it 132 c. their unworthy sleights to make K James jealous of the Prince and others 152 153 oppose the rights and successiâ—n of the Duke of Nevers to Maâ—tua and Mâ—ntferrat 234 lose their silver Fleet poor 240 Spencer Edmund see Fairy Queen his worth and Learning 245 252 Spinola Marquess 198 199 Spiritualia how to be taken 56 Stanley Sir William 18 Superstition worse the Atheisme 160 Supreme Head the Kings Title 1â—2 c. 39 T Tilly Count 131 Toirax Governor of the Fort in the I le of Ree 201 Toledo Cardinal 123 Toleration of Religion in Ireland necessary 52 Treason of the Papists in the clouds 40 cannot beget fâ—ir passions 86 Treaty with Tyrone 43 44. of Bruxels 127 128 Trimouille Duke 37 Turks against the Pander 198 Tyrone 43 44 101 V Valette Cardinal 197 Venetians side with the Mantouan 239 240 Villeroye Secretary of France 195 Urban the Eight encourages Louis the Thirteenth to fall upon the Hugonots 211 212. against the Spaniards 240 Usurpers exhalations 37 W Wallop Sir Henry has ill Offices done him to the Queen 19 Walsingham Sir Francis his reasons why the Queene sometimes restrains and punishes the Puritans 38 Warham Archbishop of Canterbury 98 Warrants of the Queen to the Lords of Ireland at the going over of Sir John Petot 14 15 Weston Sir Ridhard Chancellour of the Exchequer after L. Treasurer and Earl of Portland 128 Wilks Sir Thomas 36 37 Willoughby Lord 90 Winchester Bishop 189 Words are to be construed to make truth 8 Y. Yelverton Sir Henry censured in the Starchamber 107 108 109 Ynoiosa Marquesse 152. his base carriage to King James 153 Z. Zunige Don Balthazar 109 112 c. 130 FINIS
soules of three Kingdomes A while agoe he sent a Gentleman expresly to this Court that it might not be contrary with the Marriage which he treated with Spaine and to endeavour to make the Romans think well of it and that one of these daies it may be he will call his Holinesse and the sacred Colledge of Cardinals but hitherto these are terms of a tongue unknowne to him Furthermore in this Country we imagine that there will be no lack of warrs till Rochel be reâ—uced to extremity It is very true that the forces which the King hath left before it are not great but for how many men think you they count the Captaine into whose hands he hath put them It is not permitted to judg of that which he will doe by the ordinary course of the things of this world his actions cannot be drawn into example and though he be infinitely wise notwithstanding it is certaine that in what he undertakes it alwaies appears somewhat greater then mans wisdome Yet truly my Lord after having considered the motion of the Stars which are so just the order of the seasons whâ—ch are so governed the beauties of nature which are so divers I find in the end that there is nothing in the world where God sheweth himself so admirable as in the guiding of the life of my Lord your Father But to the purpose behold this that I added yesterday to the great discourse which I made by your Commandment and which you much praised the first time Monsr. Balsac to the King Louis SIR The late King your father hath not done more and neverthelesse not to speak of the Actions of his life your Majesty knowes that his last thoughts made all the Kings of the earth to tremble and his memorie untill this day is reverenced to the uttermost ends of the world Notwithstanding Sir be it that you are come in a better time then he be it that God hath destinated your Majesty for higher things the glory which you have gotten at the going out of your infancy is not lesse then that which that great Prince deserved when he was was growne old in Armes and in affaires as he so you make your selfe redoubted without tyranny as he so you governe your people But I am constrained to avow that your Majesty must needs yeild to him in one thing which is that you have not yet begot a Sonne that resembles you But certainly Sir wee cannot any longer time have this advantage over you All Europe requires Princes and princesses of you and it is certaine that the world ought not to end but when your race shall faile if you will then that the beauty of the things we see passe to another age If you wil that the publick tranquillity have an assured foundation and that your victories may be eternal you must talke no more of working powerfully nor of doing greate Acts of State but with the Queen Mons r Toyrax to the Duke of Buckingham MY Lord your curtesies are sufficiently known to all the world and you place them with so much judgment that those only may hope after them that make themselves worthy by their actions Now I know no action so worthy of that merit as for a man to imploy himself if in the defence of this place he vanquish not all difficulties so that no despair of succor nor fear of rigor in case of extreamity can ever make me quit a design so generous as also I shall esteeme my self unworthy of any your favours if in this action I omit the least point of my duty the issue whereof cannot be but honourable and by how much you adde to this glory by your valour and carriage by so much I am more bound to remaine during my life your Lordships humble and most obedient servant Toirax Ab ignoto concerning the estate of Rochel after the surrender SIR I presume you have long since heard the particulars of Roâ—hel and that by farre better relations then mine notwithstanding you may be pleased to know what I observed and learned there my selfe eight daies after the Kings entrance whither curiosity and some other causes drew me For the siege and Dike they prae caeteris excellens were in all parts most royall and farre more perfect and uniforme then relation could make me conceive The misery of the siege almost incredible but to such only as have seene it or some part thereof Corn was worth after the rate of 800 Franks the bushel an Oxe or Cow sold after the rate of 2000 Franks The host where I lay sold a Jade horse worth it may be four or five pounds for 800 Franks and for five and twenty weeks tasted no bread of twelve persons in his family only he and his wife are living who also within two daies had dyed if the Town had not been rendred He and his wife made a Collation the day before the Town was rendred which cost him about six or seven pound sterling their chear was a pound of bread made of Straw Sugar and other Spices halfe a pound of horse flesh three or foure ounces of Comfits and a pint of Wine which they imagin'd was the last good chear they should make together and in like case were all the rest of the Towne only two or three families of the better sort excepted by which you may conjecture what rates such kind of provision were at There were eaten between 3000 or 4000 Cow-hides all the dogs cats mice and rats they could get not a horse left alive which was food for the better sort only Madam Rohan after having eaten her Coach horse and her servants the Leather of her Coach removed though full sore against her will her lodging from Rochel to the Castle of Mooke or Nioeul where she is under guard and since it is said to the Bastile in Paris God send her and hers to heaven There died for want of food in Rochel 15000 and rested living when the King entred betweene three and four thousand of which there are since very many dead they dayly discover new miseries which when I was there were not spoken of the mother and the child at the brest both dead the child having eaten most part of the mothers brest a souldier was found dead with a piece of his fellows flesh in his mouth a Burger having a servant killed powdred her which fed him and his wife a long time and dainty meat too many languishing and finding themselves draw neer their ends caused their coffins to be carried into the Churches laid them down in them and so dyed these were of the better sort The common sort laid themselves down in Coffins in the Church yards and there dyed others in the streets others not able to go out of their houses dyed and remained there their friends being not able to remove them thence So that when the first Forces of the King entered there were in the Town of Corps unburied some in the
Carlo 152 Commission for the Deputies place of Ireland 13. for delivery of Vlushing Bril c. 9â— 93. of union of the Kingdoms 72 Conde Prince 204 254 Conscience not to be forced 51 Considerations touching the service in Ireland 49 50 Constable of France the Office intended to be taken away by Henry the Great 195 Cornwallis Sir Charles Embassadour in Spaine 95 Cottington Sir Francis after Lord 130 Critory Secretary of France 38 Custome of Spain to give notice of visits 120 D Danish King 95 148 149 Davers Lord 253 Davison Secretary in disgrace 22 See Essex Earl Defiance to the Emperour Maximilian from the Grand Seignieur 12 Deputy of Ireland his power 13 14 Desmond Earl dissembles dutifulnesse 18. his Rebellion 45 Digby Lord after Earl of Bristol in Spain treats concerning the Match 117 118 119 120 121 c. zealous for it 138 139 140 142 Sir Kenhelm 240 244. See Fairy Queen Directions for preaching 184 c. Discipline See Presbytery Disloyalty the doom of it seldome adjourned to the next world 46 E Egerton Sir Thomas Lord Ellesmere and Lord Chancellour a friend to the Earl of Essex 27 87 to Sir Francis Bacon 71 sues to be discharged 87 88 89 Elizabeth Queen of England comforts the Lady Norris 10 11 her care for Ireland 5 16 50. cast not off her creatures slightly 32. Questions the Earl of Essex in the Star Chamber unwillingly and forced 32 33. Her Government in things Ecclesiastical she will not force mens consciences 38 39 40. her dealing with Papists 39 See Walsingham Sir Francis Gives stipends to preachers 52 Essex Earle a lover of Secretary Davison 20 21 c. would bring him again into favour 22 25. writes to King James in his defence 23. to the Queen being lesse graced and discontented 25 26. will not approve the Chancellors advice 29. suddenly before his Rebellion Religious 35 F Fairy Queen the 22d Staffe of the ninth Canto of the second Booke discoursed of by Sir Kenhelm Digby 244 c. Faulkland Viscount Lord Deputy of Ireland 235 236. Petitions the King for his son imprisoned in the Fleet 242 Ferdinand the second wil not restore the Palatine 112 113 c. aims to settle the Empire perpetually in the house of Austria 113. abuses K. James 113 115 116 146 his Armies in Italy 234 235 Ferdinand Infanta of Spain 254 Feria Duke 102 Fitzwilliams Sir William 42 Frederic father 123 Frederic the 2d Palatine 146 147 Frederic the fifth driven out of his estates 112 113 116. will not quit the electoratâ— nor submit 145. see 198 French the estate of things in the minority of Lewis the thirteenth 195. authority of the French King ibid. French Kings reverence the exhortations of Popes as much as the Commands of God 213 G Gabor Bethlem Prince of Transylvania 113 146 Gage imployed at Rome 129 130 Giron Don Hernando 130 Gondomar Conde 130 Gregory the 15 puts the Inquisitor Generall of Spain upon it to gaine the Prince of Wales to the Church of Rome fearfull of his stay in the Spanish Court 210 unreasonable in the businesse of the dispensation 130 Groillart Claude President of the Parliament of Rhoan 36 Guise Duke 240 H Hereticks abuse Scripture 2 Hall Bishop of Exceter 229 Harrington Sir Henry 18 Heidelberg taken by the Spaniards 127 Henry the 8 writes to the Clergy of York in defence of his title Caput Ecclesiae 1 2 3 4 5 c. Henry the 4 of France 36 Hessen Landgrave Philip 145 Homily bookes 184 Hoskins Sir Thomas 59 Hugonots of France acknowledge many obligations to Charles King of great Britain 204 205 Persecuted 205 206 I Jacynthus father 109 112 Jagerndorf Brandenburg Marquesse John Georg 116 James King of great Britain described 59. will take care of London 81 yeelds up Vlushing c. 94 95 his fairenesse to the Spanish King 100 101. will not make Cambridge a City his care of the Vniversity 105. Indeavours to appease the Bohemian tumults 113 Offers Conditions to the Emperour on the behalfe of the Palatine 114. his Propositions to the Palatine 143 144. acknowledged Protectour of the Germane Protestants 149. his directions concerning Preachers 183. makes Romane Martyrs 199 Janin President of the Parliament of Paris 195 Infantasque Duke 98 Inquisition of Spaine 97 Instructions to Sir John Perot Deputy of Ireland 15 16 By King Charles for the Vniversity of Cambridg 227 Ireland in what condition in Sir John Perots time 16 17 18 In the beginning of King Charles 235 236 237 238 239 Irish delight in change 17. barbarous 46. murder theft c. legall with them 51. renegadoes in Spaine 100 101 Isabella Clara Eugenia Infanta of Spain 127 128 Isabella Infanta of Savoy 243 Isidore Spanish Saint 125 126 Italians dangerous to France 195 196 Justinian made Lawes concerning the Clergy 5 K Kings no man above them 6. like the Sun 36. of France and Spaine 198 L Lady of Antiochia 125 Lawes of England most jealous for the safety of her Kings 85 Leicester Earle out of favour turns religious 31 Lecturers dangerous 186 Lerma Duke in the life of Phil. the third moves the Spanish Match 117 c. 121 Lincoln Bishop Lord Keeper 190 Lisle Viscount after Earle of Leicester governour of Vlushing c. 93 Loanes denyed the King 182 London sometime the chamber of her Kings 81 Louis the thirteenth in his minority 123 c. enters Rochel 203. see Urbane Pope Louvre of France the prison of her King 194 Low Countries 149 Luenza Don John 126 M Mac Frogh Phelim 237 Magick 75 Magog a renegado Irishman guilty of thirteen murders 101 Manchester Earle 225 Manheim besieged 127 Mansfield Count 116 131 Maried men seven yeares older the first day 71 Mantua Duke 204 234. defended by the French and Venetians 239 Maria Donna Infanta of Spaine 126 133 134. deserved well of the Prince of Wales 140 Gives over learning English 151 Match with France 117 118. with Spaine 117 118 119 120 121 122 123. never intended by the Spaniards 133 Mathews Sir Toby 67 May Sir Humphrey 226 Merchants in Spaine see Spaniards Merit is worthier then fame 47 Monmorencie Duke 195 Monpensier Duke 36 Montauban in rebellion 204 Monteri Spanish Embassadour 210 Mountjoye Lord after Earle of Devon 35 36 Munster in Ireland marked for the Spanish invasions 17 N Nevers Duke see Mantua Duke Newburgh Duke 147 Norfolk Duke sues to the Queen for his life 11 Norris Sir Thomas 17. Sir John 42. Sir Francis 89 Northumberland Earl 58 59 Nottingham Countess 95 O Oath of Supremacy why urged 39 Odonnel 44 Ognate Spanish Embassadour at Rome 240 Oleron Iland 203 Olivarez Conde 130 131 139 Contrives to compose the Palatine differences without the Match 135 Order submitting the Town of Cambridge to the Vniversity 223 See Charles King Ordination of Priests c. how to be 187 Ormond Earl 42 44 45 Ossuna Duke 125 126 P Palatinate a motive of the Spanish match 129 134. Without which the Kings of