he doth daily bestow vpō vs as Almightie God saith by his Prophet He that giueth me praise and thankes the same is he that honoreth me And all that her Maiestie looketh for at our hands is to be true faithfull and thankefull to her Is there any thing that doth more open the gate to forrein inuasion then ciuill warres and dissention the Gospell saith Euery kingdome in it self deuided shal be desolate Did not William Duke of Normandie when ciuil warres diuision was in the realme cōquere the same and likewise in Henrie the third his dayes when the great warres were betwixt him and his Barons did not Philip the French king send hither Lewes his sonne with a great number of men of warre and got sundry Cities Castels Townes and holdes thinking to haue made a conquest of this land and so had done if the sayd Barons who conspired with the sayd Lewes had not reuolted frō the French and driuen them out of this countrey besides diuers other like examples to be found in our English Chronicles If there be any thing méete to be redressed do you thinke by this meanes though your number were far greater to haue your wils or to be reléeued No no assure your selues the nobilitie and thousands of thousands of the good and dutiful subiectes of this realme will ioyne together as they ought to destroy you and you shal be slaine as thicke as motes are in the sunne before you shall obtaine your purpose for it standeth not with the honour and name of a Prince to be forced by the subiect to do any thing against his will and such of you as shal escape the sword shal be sure to be executed by course of law that is you shal be drawne vpon hurdles to the places of execution and there hanged vntill you be halfe dead and then cut downe aliue your priuities shal be cut off your bowels taken out of your bellyes and being aliue they shal be burned before your faces then shall your heads be smitten off and your bodies deuided into foure quarters and as the vse is shal be set vpon stakes in the towers and highest places in good Cities and townes where it shall please the Prince to appoint Thus shall your carcases be meate for the fowles of the ayre and a spectacle ioyfull to your enemies and wofull to your parents kinsfolks and friends to behold besides you shall leaue to your posterities name of perpetual shame ignominy and reproch that is the names of rebels and false traitors yea rather monsters to your Prince and countrey you shall also vndo your wife and children in that you shal forfet to the Prince all your lands leases goods and chattels besides your blud shal be corrupted so as none of your ofspring shal be able to haue or claime by you any lands as heyres to your fathers mothers or other auncesters And this forfaiture and corruption of bloud shal be as well where you shal be slaine in field as condemned by course of law Where haue you euer heard or read that rebels whether they haue bene of nobilitie or others did euer preuaile but haue bin alwayes ouerthrowne and brought to confusion whatsoeuer their pretences haue bene And amongst many examples I will put you in minde of a tew Rebellion in Lincolnshyre Hol. 1567. when as the Lincolnshyre men to the number of 40000. rebelled about the 28. yeare of Henry the eight for religion was not Doctour Makerell and others of the ring leaders of that vnruly companie executed in such maner as is aboue remembred Abridgemēt of Grafton 140. West countrey Rebels in Norfolke as Ket and others Hol. 1734. Wiats rebellion and many of the rest of them slaine in the field and so subdued Was not Syr Humfrey Arundale Winslade Holins Burie and diuerse others of the chief of the rebellion in the West parts of this realme raised in Edward the sixt his dayes executed also as traitors Did it not likewise happen so to Ket and many others of the rebels in Norfolke in the same kings dayes which sought to haue layed Parkes and Commons inclosed open Was not Wiat Isley and diuers Knights Esquiers and Gentlemen of Kent who rebelled in the first yeare of Quéene Marie opposed themselues against the Prince in armes to stay the alteration of religion and her mariage with the king of Spaine executed for the same rebellion and were not aboue fifty of the common sort of these rebels hanged vp in London in diuerse places there Holin 1732. And were not sundrie other Esquires and Gentlemen condemned and should haue bene executed for that commotion had not Quéene Marie giuen them pardon Were not the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland and about fiftie knights Esquiers and Gentlemen attainted for the insurrection of the North parts of this realme Insurrection in the North in the eleuenth yeare of the Quéenes Maiesties raigne And was not the sayd Earle of Northumberland beheaded at Yorke And did not manie others of the said Esquires and Gentlemen suffer for that offence in other places Holin 1840. And did not the said Earle of Westmerland and diuerse other of the said attainted persons fly ouer the seas to saue their liues which other wise had tasted of that sauce And were not diuerse of the common sort executed by martiall law for the same rebellion The matter is yet fresh in memorie so that it néedeth no proofe of the end of rebels and such as beare traiterous harts against their Prince We haue diuerse examples also out of the holy Scriptures and among other a notable example of Absolon who conspired the death of his father king Dauid who rebelling against him riding vnder a trée was by Gods prouidence hanged vp on a bough thereof by the long haire of his head Ignatius Epist 2. Of whom Ignatius the anciēt father writeth Absolon parricida existens Dei iudicio arbori appensus cor eius quod malè cogitabat sagitta tansfixum est And so you may sée the vengeance of God on the heart which conceiued the treason and on the body that executed the same Achitophel likewise the mischieuous Counseller to Absolon in that wicked rebellion for lacke of an hangman hanged himselfe a worthie end of all false rebels who rather then they shold lacke due execution will by Gods iust iudgement become hangmen vnto themselues Thus it hapned to the Captaines of this rebellion 2. Reg. 187. besides fortie thousand of the common sort which were slaine in the field for that rebellion And as the holy Scriptures do shew so doth dayly experience proue that the counsels cōspiracies attēpts of rebels neuer tooke effect but came euer to a most horrible end Now concerning such as haue bin murmurers against their rulers you shall sée what hath hapned to thē some haue bene strickē with foule leprosie some burnt with fire sodainly frō heauen sometime they were consumed with the pestilēce sometime were
once to die and how when or where is most vncertaine and to giue our liues for our countrie hath alwayes among all nations and among the heathen bene reputed an honorable thing whereby euerlasting fame is attained and left to posteritie as the noble Orator Tully saith Hijs maiores nostri qui ob rem publicam obierunt pro breui vita diuturnam memoriam reddiderunt that is To them which haue lost their liues for the common wealth for a short life they haue yeelded euerlasting memorie There is no difference betwixt the greatest person the meanest man whē they are both dead if there be no vertues or deedes of fame done by them whereby to commend their name to posteritie Therefore euerie man that desireth to liue in name when he is dead ought to endeuour himselfe to leaue some memorie of his vertues or worthie acts that it may appeare that once he liued here else being laid in his graue he shall soone be forgotten Riches and beautie saith Salust do vanish soone away but vertues and deeds of fame are euerlasting which sith our liues are short momentanie we must by this meanes make perpetuall A glorious death is alwayes to be preferred afore a life stained with reproch and infamie If you will consider what miseries and calamities happen where the enemy preuaileth look backe into the hard dealing of William Duke of Normandie when he conquered this Lande it ought greatly to encourage you in this seruice against the enemy Did not he alter the whole state and gouernment of our Countrey Did he not make new Lawes altogither profitable for himselfe and his Normans and hurtfull to our Nation Did he not spoile sundry of the English Nobles and others of their lands and possessions contrary to promise yea euen to those English Lords who ayded him in that Conquest Did not hee lay greeuous taxes tallages and impositions vpon our Nation There was no cruelty no misery no seruitude or bondage which could be deuised but he afflicted them therewith as by our Chronicles euidently appeareth and shall we looke for any other if our enemies shoulde preuaile The wise Cato said Cato Foelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum Happy is he that can beware by others dāgers mishap Now therefore if euer you will shew your loyaltie to your Prince and loue to your Countrey your naturall affection to your old father and aged mother to your deer wiues and sweet children which cannot defend themselues if euer you will shew your selues careful to preserue your posterities that shall succeed if euer you desire to maintaine the Honour and Worship of the houses whereof you are descended if euer you will shewe your selues to come of the seed and generation of your valiant auncestors couragious forefathers if euer you will leaue Honor or fame to your posterities of your valour in Armes wherby your ofspring may be incouraged to follow your steps nowe is the time or neuer Plucke vppe therefore your hearts like men and set your rest vppon it determining with your selues rather to die in field in defence of your Prince and countrey then that these myseries shoulde happen vnto vs if you turne your faces which God defend then shall our Prince bee indangered the state of our Common-wealth ouerthrowne we shall be slaine as thicke as motes in the sunne our fathers mothers wiues and children shall be destroyed our wiues our daughters and kinswomen rauished and defloured afore our faces straungers shall possesse our lands and liuings and wee that now liue in honor worship and credit and as it were at our owne hearts ease shall then be made subiects bondmen slaues and pesaunts to Forreners and strangers and then shall al the myseries before remembred or which can be deuised be laide vpon vs. There is no cause my good friendes and fellowes in Armes why wee should stande in feare or doubt of these proud Spaniardes though they farre exceede vs in number nor of their hauty lookes or great bragges for they are of no greater force or strength now then they were in former times when vnder the conduct of that worthy couragious Prince of Wales eldest son to K. Edw. the 3. a small Army of Englishmen passed in despite of them through Nauarre into Spaine there euen in the midst and bowels of their own countrey ouerthrewe at Nadres the vsurping K. Henry the bastard with diuers of his Nobility and 60000. of the brauest fighting men in Spaine erected in his place Don Pedro their lawful Prince cōpelling the Nobility and citties to receiue him Besides the valorous conquest atchieued by Iohn Duke of Lanc. brother to the said Prince in Galicia against Don Iohn sonne of the said Henry the vsurping bastard What famous victorie the noble K. Rich. the first obtained against the Souldan of Egypt and the K. of Cypres in their owne territories and made the said K. of Cypres do homage for that kingdome to the crown of Engl. Besides other Nations which haue often receiued sundry great ouerthrowes at our hands thogh they were mighty in Armes such was the wil of God who giueth victory where he pleaseth And for that praise and rewards are due for iust deserts if you will shew your selues valiant Captains and couragious souldiors in this seruice of which I haue no doubt and wherof I wil God willing make true report vnto her Ma. you may be assuted that as she wil highly commend you so you shal be rewarded accordingly for she holds such as you to be the chiefe defenders of her state and Common-wealth against the enemy and regardeth not such as liue daintily at ease before men of your quality For they as Osorius affirmeth which prefer such before men of your condition are to be held subuerters of their countrey in laying it open to the enemy in defrauding the same of her necessary defence safeguard And for my part I assure you on my Honor that whatsoeuer persons you shall take prisoners whatsoeuer thing shall fal into your hāds of the spoile after the battel you shal enioy the same with good wil as the law of Armes requireth to the end ye may the rather be incouraged in this action now in hand for I hold it no reason that you should abide the brunt of battell and not retaine and enioy the same which you shall obtaine with the venturing of your liues and losse of your bloud And againe the rather to encourage you in this seruice see how gratiouslie and carefully her Ma. and the whole state of the Parliament haue prouided for the keeping and releefe of such of you which bee common souldiers which shal happen to be maimed in her wars which afore her daies was neuer done And now to the end we may the rather preuaile against our enemies I exhort and aduise you noble Captains valiant Gentlemen attempt nothing in your fury without due consideration first had for such
est When the Prince doth ordain punishment to any he is sad also where any is punished he taketh it as it were don to himself She is a most milde Prince not fearefull to behold or to be spoken vnto Ouid metamor li. 2. f 30. Nullae in fronte minae nec formidabile lumen But with most benign and gracious countenances receiueth and answereth the petitions supplications of her subiects she is of that honorable and princely disposition in all things that euen the greatest Princes do honor her And in that hir Ma. 4 cause of incoragemēt hath fortified the borders of this realme in places dāgerous for inuasion with such castels and strong holds with a mighty nauy of warlike ships Fortification of the realme and furnished her kingdome with such abundāce of armor all other things necessary for the wars and defence of her cuntry people as the like hath not bin seen in any Princes dayes before her time If we will consider the miserable conditions of such Nations as liue vnder Princes where the pleasure of the Prince standeth for law Miserable cōditions of other people and where the king saith Sic volo sic Iubeo stat pro ratione voluntas So I will Iuuenal so I command my will shall stand for reason And compare the same with our happy state we haue iust cause to thinke our selues much bound to God for our Princes not only make good and wholsome lawes Good lawes but are wel pleased also to be ordered by them in the day of their Coronation take a solemne Oath vpon the holy booke of God to indeuor themselues Othe that the same lawes shall be obserued and executed to all indifferently Osor fo 105. And therein is the difference saith Osorius betwixt a kind and a Tyrant Non mediocre discrimen est inter regematque tyrannum quòd Rex legibus s◠deuinctum profitetur Tyrannus vero in interitu legum omnem dignitatem suam collocandam existimet Among many other what an Honorable law was made in the 9. yeere of king Henry the third 9. Hen. 3. A most honorable Law as followeth No frée man shal be takē or imprisoned or be desseised of his freehold liberties or frée customes or be outlawed or exiled or anie waies destroyed nor we shall not passe vppon him nor deale with him but by lawfull iudgement of his peeres or by the Lawes of the land we shall sell to no man wee shall deny nor deferre no man 42. li. Ass either of iustice right or equitie By which statute a Commission granted out of the Chancerie to take I. N. and seize his goodes and chattels was iudged void for that it was done without iudgement or sute of the partie or other due processe How happie be we in respect of the Russes amongst whom there is a lawe Russes if any man die without issue male though he haue many daughters yet the Prince seizeth all his goods to his own vse except perhaps of his goods he giueth some part amongest the daughters to bestowe them in marriage And likewise if a man that is vnfit in his owne person for the warres hath such wealth that thereby many warriours might be maintained or that if any of the Courtiers hauing knowledge thereof doe present his name to the Emperour the vnhappie man by and by is sent for and in that instant depriued of all his riches which with great paines and trauaile all his life time he hath gotten togither except perchāce some small porcion thereof be left to maintaine himselfe his wife children and familie withall and then the Emperour bestoweth these goodes amongst his Courtiers according to their deserts Booke of Nauigation fol. 788. 417. as appeareth in the booke of Nauigation But no such vse lawe nor custome is amongst vs. For if a man haue no sonnes then his daughters or some other of his line possesse his landes and his Executor his goodes as pleaseth the owner to limit And when our Prince would haue ayde of her subiects towards the maintenance of her warres or for other necessarie respects she taketh not her subiects lands or goodes from them neither can so doe by her Highnesse lawes except they be first thereby condemned and so forfait them for some offence but vseth to call a Parliament and by the assent of all her Nobles and Commons hath Subsidies and other aydes of her subiects towards the defraying of som of these charges and the subsidie or ayde thus granted if it be of lande for the most part amounteth not to the thirtieth part of the yeerely rent of the same and if it be of goods reacheth not oftentimes to the fiftieth part thereof Againe whereas in France Tributes for meat drink in other countries Flanders and other Countries the people pay certain tribute to their princes for some sort of meat and drinke and for their dwellinges We are not charged with any such impositions Neither is such torment vsed heer in execution of offenders Torments in execution as breaking of their legs armes and backe and so laide on a whéele of a cart pitched on a pole and there to lie till hee be dead which is common in other Realmes by the Ciuill lawes but is executed here by hāging onely till he be dead except it be in case of high treason Therfore I say we are in these respects most happy in regarde of other Nations ¶ How much we are bound to God that doth assist her maiesty with such graue wise and most honourable Counsellers and also diuers and sundry perswasions in respect of the premisses and other things why we should all resolutely fight in the defiance of the enimy And of the miseries of warre where the enimy preuaileth Chap. 3. AS a further cause of this incouragment Fift cause of incoragemēt how much are we bound to God in that it hath pleased him alwaies to assist her Ma. with such honorable counsellers men of such grauity Wise Counsellers truth faithfulnesse and wisdome of such deep skil consideration policie forecast and experience as to speak it plainly simply no Prince vnder the sun is furnished with the like or at least with a better by whose great wisdome trauel and indeuour this common peace and quietnesse hath bin so long preserued and mantained If any thing hath bin intended to the perill of her maiesties person or danger of the state that hath been by them quickly espied deeply looked into and with greate wisdome pollicie in time preuented and auoided to their great honors immortall fame so as in the choise of them her maiesty hath most graciously wisely considered of the saying of Osorius Osor sol 292. Necesse est vt Regis consiliarij sint maximo ingenio praediti bonis artibus exculti longo rerum vsu per ti in historijs diligentissimè versati What men must be
s. which amounted to an inestimable sum Holinsh f. 11. Graft abridg An. 1085. when it came all together into his exchequer And did not he shortly after cause all mens goods and chattels to be valued and raised thereof also a maruelous great masse of mony to the great greife and impouerishment of our people who so sore lamented the miserable case wherein they were thrawled that they hated the Normans in their hartes with deadly mallice howbeit the more they spake and séemed to grudge against such sore touls tallages and cruell oppressions as were daily deuised to their vtter vndoings the more they were burdened after the manner of the bondage which the children of Israel sometime suffered in Egipt for on the other side the Normans perceiuing the hatred which the Englishmen did beare towardes them were sore offended in their mindes and therefore sought by all manner of waies how to kéepe them vnder In like sort did not Wil. Rufus ouerthrow diuers and sundry townes Holinsh 313. parishes villages and buildings for the space of thrée miles together to make thereof a Forrest which to this day is called the new Forrest for wilde beasts and deare whereby no small member of the poore lost their houses their lands and liuings for the maintenance of sauage beasts Nevv forrest Camden 188. of whose hard dealing in this case Doctor White Bishop of Winchester hath these verses written as Camden affirmeth fo 198. B. of Win. Templa adimit diuis fora ciuibus arua colonis Rufus instituit Beanlensi in rure forestam Rex ceruum insequitur Regem vindicta Tirellus Non bene praeuisum transfixit acumine ferri Did not he cause a greiuous paine to be ordained insomuch that who so euer did kill any of the same deare he should haue his eies put out Eies put out for hunting wherevpon many refusing to sustaine such an intollerable yoke of thrauldome as was dayly laid vpon them by the Normans choose rather to leaue both lands and goods and after the manner of outlawes got them to the woods with their wiues children and seruants meaning from thenceforth wholy to liue vppon the spoyle of the Countries adioyning and to take what so euer came first to hand wherevpon shortlie it came to passe that no man might in safetie trauel from his owne house or towne to his neighbours and euery quiet and honest mans house became as it were a hould or fortresse and was furnished for defence with Bowes Arrowes Billes Pollaxes Swordes Clubbes and Staues the dores kept locked and strongly boulted and namely in the night season for feare to be surprised as it had bin in time of war and amongst publique enimies Prayers were made also to almighty God by the maister of the house to saue and defend them as though they had bin in the middest of the seas in some stormy tempest by meanes of these hard dealing towards the English nation The people in the North parts of this Realme did rebell whome the Normans suppressed Hands cut off for rebelling and caused some of their hands to be cut of in token of their rebellious dealings and others by death to be punished and tooke so great a displeasure with the inhabitants of those parts that he wasted all the land betwixt Yorke and Durham so that for the space of 90. miles there was left in manner no habitation for the people by reason whereof it laie waste and deserte by the space of nine or tenne yeares so that no greater misery in the earth could happen then that into the which our nation was now falne Likewise did not he take from the Towns and Citties from the Bishops and Abbies all their ancient priuiledges and frée Customes to the end they should not onely be cut short and made weaker but also that they might redéeme the same of him for such somes of money as it pleased him to appointe to obtaine their quietnesse and made protestation that as he came to the gouernance of this Realme by plaine conquest so he would and did seize into his hands the most parte of euerie mans possessions causing them to redéeme the same at his handes againe and yet retained a parte in the most parte of them so that they that shoulde afterwardes inioy them shoulde acknowledge themselues to hold them of him in yéelding a yearely rent to him and his successors for euer In like manner when the Spaniards by violence possesthe sed Crowne of Portingall Booke of the estate of Fugitiues did not the king of Spaine vse the authoritie of a Conqueror and the tyrannicall cruelty of an vsurper altring their Lawes confounding their priuiledges ouerturning the whole estate of their gouernment strangling some of their Nobilitie and other of them beheading imprisoning and banishing some other of them with many other horrible and pittifull actions These are also other miseries which followe where the enemy doth get the vpper hand and shall we looke for any other dealing if they should ouercome vs ¶ That we shal preuaile against our enimies by faithful praiers to God wherof diuers examples are here set down out of the Bible also diuers other good perswasions to withstād the enimy and how that euery man is bound so to do whereby great fame is attained and left to posterities Chap. 4. IF we wil consider how valiantly our forefathers haue alwaies resisted forren forces prepared against our countrey 6. cause of incorragemēt and what great renowne and same they haue gotten for their valour in Armes which is spread amongest all Christian Nations of whom it is written Anglia Bistonio semper gens inclita marte England a Nation euer famous in battell Bysto is a coūtrey of valiāt people in warres in thrace Camd. fol. 7. Of whome Iohn Wheathamsted sometime the Abbot of S. Albons in his Granario writeth Sufficiat igitur Britannis pro nobilitatis suae orgine quod sint fortes potentes in praelijs quodque vndique debellent aduersarios nullumque penitus patiantur iugum seruitutis It is sufficient for the Britaine 's of whom we are descended for the beginning of their Nobility that they are strong mightie in battell and that they doe euery where beate downe their enimies and cannot suffer by any meanes the yoke of any bondage If we will remember that no Nation sithence the Conquest of this lande which is about 529. yeares past coulde yet ouercome vs praised be God therfore notwithstanding sundry attempts made to that end if we will call to mind the notable ouerthrowes which king Richard the first gaue the Infidels with a few Englishmen Foxe 245. Hol. 1191. and made the king of Cypres to doe him homage for his kingdome and besides him diuers other valiant kings and people haue we brought into subiection and made them stoope to the Crown of England as by our Chronicles is euident we haue nowe then great cause to be mightily incouraged in
presented her selfe before him in his chamber and promised him faire vntill she had lulled him asleepe with drinke and then making her praiers to Almighty God to assist her against the proud Assyrian Holofernes she tooke out his sword and stroke of his head and passed through his host with her maid hauing Holofernes head in a bagge and so came to her castle in the night and the next day fixed his head vpon a powle for the view of all his army wherevpon they remoued and so she deliuered her Citie by the great mercy and fauor of God towards her What shall I say of Curtius that noble Romaine and Assurus the kings sonne of Phrigia either of which seeing in their country a dangerous breach of cliffe in the earth which they were perswaded would not be closed vp againe vntill the best thing in the citie which they tooke to be a man were cast into it willingly threw themselues into the same for the safety of the people But forraine examples are innumerable and not so well knowne vnto vs as our owne ¶ This Chapter sheweth sundrie examples of diuerse Noblemen of this land who haue aduentured their liues in defence of their countrey and how that euerie man ought to indeuour him selfe to follow their steps and most valiantly and resolutely to fight in defence of his Prince and countrey against all foreine enemies CHAP. 5. IT is not vnknowne vnto you Aduentures of the Nobilitie how valiantly the Kings Princes and Nobles of this our Nation haue in diuerse and sundrie warres ventured their owne persons and with their owne handes incountred their enemies As for example Did not Henrie the first in a battell in France Holinsh 356. smite downe to the ground Crispio Earle of Eureux by meanes wherof he was taken prisoner at the kings féet Ibidē 1181. 1170. Was not king Henrie the fifth in person in the battell at Agincourt in Fraunce and there likewise fought in his owne person Battell of Agincourt in Frāce fought by K. Henrie the 5. and caried away the stroke of the enemie vpon his helmet and man of the French at that time a glorious victorie And concerning the valiant seruice in field of a great number of the Nobilitie and others of this realme how they haue also endaungered them selues in the defence of their Prince and countrey against the enemie performed most famous actes of chiualrie therein to their great honors immortal fames which obliuion the cankred enemie to fame shall neuer be able to blemish but they shall remaine as spectacles to posterities for euer to behold and to encourage them to ensue their martiall actes and enterprises Among other what valiant and faithfull seruice hath the noble house of the Lord Talbot done from time to time to their Princes and countrey The valiant seruice of the noble house of the Lord Talbot Hall 596. Mauns in Fraunce when the Earle of Suffolke hauing the charge of Mauns in France and the magistrates specially the cleargy of the same citie conspired with the French assuring them that if they would come to surprise the citie they should find them ready to receiue them and so they did by meanes whereof the said Earle with the rest of the said English men were forced to take the castle there and keepe it and in all hast sent to the Lord Talbot who then lay at Alaunson certifying him in what state they stood hauing neither victuall nor munition and their castle almost vndermined so that yeelding now must follow for resistance would not helpe if they were not aided with speed Did not the said Lord Talbot hearing this newes with all hast assemble his Captaines and souldiers to the number of seauen hundred men of warre and in the euening departed from Alaunson and that night entred into the said castle of Mans at a posterne gate secretly Whereupon about sixe of the clocke in the morning the English men issued out of the Castle crying aloud S. George Talbot The Frenchmen within thinking nothing lesse then of this sudden approchment rose out of their beds and fled leauing all their horses armour and riches behind them at which time there was slaine and taken foure hundred gentlemen of the French And thus was the Citie of Mans reduced againe vnto English Mauns takē by the Lord Talbot Holins 1262. Awians Ibid. 1262. mens possessions by this most noble seruice and bold enterprises of this Lord Talbot Did not the Lord Talbot likewise with a companie raise the siege of the French at Awrans then being in the allegiance of the king of England Did not he the Lord Scales and others hearing the Frenchmen to be come within foure leagues of Rone which then was then also Rone vnder the subiection of the king of England by night issue out of that citie and in the morning by day came to the place where the Frenchmen were and then set vpon them where many of them were slaine and taken prisoners Also did not the Duke of Burgundie when he beseeged the towne of Cretoy with ten thousand men Ibidem 1263 Cretoy hearing of the comming of the Lord Talbot raise his siege the sayd Lord Talbot sending him word that he would giue him battell if he would not that the said Earle would wast and destroy his countrey in Picardy and according to his promise so he did Was not Iohn Lord Talbot for his approued prowesse and tried valiancy performed in the warres of France Ibidem 1276 Camden 462. Iohn first Earle of Shrewsburie Normandy Hall 31 h. 6. Aquitaine Burdeux taken Diuers other cities and townes taken created Earle of Shrewsburie about the ninteenth yeare of Henrie the sixt and after sent againe with 3000. men into Normandie for the better defence thereof who neither forgot his duty nor forslowed his businesse but daily labored and hourely studied how to molest and indanger his enemies Did not the kings Counsell then send the said Earle with an army into Aquitaine at the earnest sute of the Magistrates and inhabitants of the citie of Burdeaux who receiued him and his power into that citie by a posterne gate where they siue many of the Captaines and others of the Frenchmen and so was Burdeaux taken by the said Earle which he fortified and after rode into the countrey thereabout and obtained diuers cities and townes without dint of sword And among others did not he take the strong towne of Castillon in Perigot Castillon in Perigot where the French king whē he vnderstood thereof assembled twenty thousand men and entred into Aquitaine Aquitaine Castillon befieged by the french where Castillon is and besieged the said towne of Castillon with a strong siege where vpon the Earle of Shrewsbury assembled 800. horsmen and 5000. footmen and went to the rescue of the said towne in which battell very valiantly he behaued himselfe Earle of Shrewsbury slaine Anno 1453. Camden 462. and there
a ring with a diamond therein as I haue heard valued at xv hundreth pounds a thing meet to remaine as an heire loome to that house for euer for a remembrance thereof And now to returne to the valiant seruice of diuerse others to their Prince and countrey let me tell you of Iohn late Duke of Northumberland Iohn Duke of Northūberland of whose fall by his disloyalty to his Prince though there be great pitie yet his courage valiancy and hardinesse in wars and his great aduenture therein I trust without offence may here be remembred as an incouragement to others to follow his steps therein who being in king Edward the sixt his time sent as Generall to suppresse the rebellion of Ket in Norfolke Holinsh 1672. his number being but small by reason his whole power was not yet come to him and the rebels were many was by some of his army aduised to regard his owne safety and to leaue the City of Norwich for that it was thought he was not able with his small company to defend the same against the sayd rebels to whom with noble courage shewing an inuincible hart he sayd that so long as any life was in him he would not consent to such dishonor but rather would suffer whatsoeuer either fire or sword should worke against him and thereupon did draw out his sword as other of the honourable and worshipfull then there present likewise did and commaunded that each one should kisse the others sword according to an auncient custome vsed amongst mē of war in time of great danger wherupon they all made a vow binding it with a solemne oath that they would not depart from thence vntill they had either vanquished the rebels or lost their liues in manfull fight for defence of the kings honour Ambrose Earle of Warwicke Ibid. 1532. How valiantly did Ambrose Earle of VVarwicke in the fourth yeare of the Raigne of our Soueraigne Lady the Queenes Maiestie that now is defend the towne of Newhauen in Fraunce notwithstanding they died in great numbers of the plague so as they wanted men and other things necessarie for defence yet would not yéeld the towne by force but manfully stood ready in the breaches to receiue the assault whē the Frenchmen had with their Cannon made great breaches verie easie for the enemie to enter wherupon the Frenchmen perceiuing the resolutenesse of the Englishmen sounded their Trumpet of parley and so vpon honorable agréement then concluded vpon the towne was yéelded vp to the Frenchmen Besides how valiantly did Sir Iames Wilford and other Captaines with their souldiers defend the towne of Haddington in Scotland against the French and Scots being about eightéene thousand in king Edward the sixt his dayes and would not yéeld it although they had scarsitie of men and munition and were also greatly visited with the plague so as manie died thereof dayly but most valiantly and with inuincible courages defended the same Holinsh 1638. so as it was not surprised by the enemie How valiantly resolutely did the Lord Gray of Wilton Lord Iohn Gray the Lord Ed. Seymer Edward Shelley Preston and others to the number of seuen and twentie all Gentlemen set vpon the foreward of the battell of the Scots at Musclebrough in Scotland Expedition paten folio in king Edward the sixt his time meaning to haue broken their array but the Scots had so strongly fortified themselues that they could not enter and so in their retiring they were all slaine sauing the Lord Gray of Wilton and the Lord Iohn Gray and Lord Ed. Seymer who not without wounds and marks vpon their bodies of their being there escaped By these examples it appeareth that those Noblemen and others respected not their liues nor any painfull seruice or extremities in the seruice of their Prince and countrey for which they shall liue in fame for euer Mē may not respect any trauell or pain to serue their Prince and country He that hath desire to liue in name when he is dead in bodie must indeuour himselfe according to his calling as God hath indowed him to leaue some memorie whereby it may appeare that once hee liued as these verses following shew 1 THough Death the fatal threed of ech man cuts in twaine Yet vertues ay shall liue and worthie acts remaine 2 For others to ensue their painefull steps therein Whereby they may attaine like lasting praise to winne 3 But such as not regard to leaue some deed of fame When they are dead shall lie without regard or name 4 And soone shall be forgot as they had neuer bin And shall not be thought of no scarce amongst their kinne 5 What difference shall be then twixt great and meanest man When of their worthie acts no booke record ought can 6 What booteth titles great of honour for to haue Or Croesus golden store when men lie in the graue 7 More worth a thousand fold t is famous for to be For vertues and noble acts then all the rest to thee 8 That moued mightie kings and great States of this land And manie others mo great things to take in hand 9 Some kingdomes to subdue by sword both farre and neare Their persons ventred haue and dangers did not feare 10 And manie worthy Peeres their Prince to serue in field And countrey to defend great acts with speare and shield 11 Performed haue which fame with blast of trumpe hath spread Whereby they liue in name though they in graue ly dead 12 And some haue Churches built in honor of our Lord Where they did giue him thanks and praise with one accord 13 Some Colledges for such as learning list embrace Their countrey and their Prince to serue in euerie place 14 Some Schooles to traine vp youth in skill and vertues lore While tender yeares do last in age to haue in store 15 Some Hospitals for poore where they may be relieued When crooked age of strength to worke hath them bereaued 16 And these they haue endow'd with liuing and with land To their immortall fame for euermore to stand 17 These for their Founders pray and benefactors all And for their off-spring eke on God cease not to call 18 For their prosperitie and foes eke to withstand That all things prosper may which they do take in hand 19 And when they are gone hence that in the latter day They may rise vp with Christ in ioyes to dwell alway 20 None only for himselfe but for his countrey too Is borne and bound for her the best he can to do 21 The Brutish kings that long did beare the scepter here Faire temples to their gods and Castles strong that were 22 And cities large and townes erected manie one The enemie to defend they walled them with stone 23 And manie famous men the founders of our skill Their learned works haue left to studie on that will 24 Before that Christ was borne whose glorie liues this day And while the
whereby you may see the miseries of warre that though they had yéelded and thought themselues sure of their liues paying their ransome according to the lawes of armes yet vppon such necessary occasion to kill them was a thing by all reason allowed for otherwise the king hauing lost diuerse valiant Captaines and souldiers in this battell and being also but a small number in comparison of the French kings army in a strong countrey where he could not supply his neede vpon the sudden it might haue bene much daungerous to haue againe ioyned with the enemy and kept his prisoners aliue as in our Chronicles largely appeareth ¶ Diuerse and sundry practises and deuices heretofore deuised and made with many of our owne nation both by the King of Spaine and the Pope to inuade our countrey and also what preparation hath bene made by her Maiestie to preuent the same CHAP. 7. NOw for as much as the continual plots practises of the Pope Practises of the Pope against vs. the vowed enemy to this Realme to the intent to sow discord and deuision within the same to make an easie way for the enemy to inuade our coūtrey haue bin strange I haue thought good to make mention here of some part of her Maiesties proclamation published in the 33 yeare of her most gracious raigne Proclamatiō 33. Eliz. by which it appeareth that the Pope hath practised with certaine principall seditious heads being vnnaturall subiects of her Maiesties kingdome but yet very base of birth together with great labour vpon his charge a multitude of dissolute yong men who haue partly for lacke of liuing partly for crimes committed become fugitiues rebels and traytors and for whom there are in Rome Spaine and other places certaine receptacles made to liue in and there to be instructed in schoole points of sedition and from thence to be secretly by stealth conueyed into her highnesse countries and dominions and with ample authority from the Pope to moue stirre vp and perswade as many of her highnesse subiects as they dare deale withall to renounce their allegeance due to her Maiestie and her Crowne vpon hope by forreyn inuasion to be inriched endowed with the possessions dignities of her other good subiects These sorts of traitors rebels and fugitiues do bind her highnesse subiects with whom they practise by oathes yea by Sacraments Renounce allegeance to forsweare their naturall allegeance to her Maiestie and yeeld obedience with all their powers to to a forreyn Prince and to assist forreyn forces and for the more forcible attraction of these vnnaturall people This is treason by 13. El. cap. 1. Buls being weake of vnderstanding to this they bend these seedemen of treason to bring certaine Bals from the Pope some of indulgences pretending to promise heauen to such as wil yeeld and some of cursings threatnings damnation and hell to such as shall not yéeld to their perswasion And it is certainely knowne It is high treason to practise with any forreyners to inuade this Realme 13. El. cap. 1. that these heads of these dennes and receptacles which are by the traytors called Seminaries and Colledges of Iesuits haue heretofore assured the king of Spaine who is lately deceased that though heretofore he had no good successe with his great forces against this Realme yet if now he would renew his war there should be found ready secretly within her highnesse dominions many thousands as they make their accompt for their purpose of able people that will be ready to assist such power as he shall set on land and by their vaunting they do tempt the sayd king hereunto who otherwise wold not peraduenture hope of any safe landing here considering what successe he had in the yeare of our Lord 1588 when he made so great preparation to conquer this land that one named Parsons and one Allen haue shewed to the sayd king of Spaine certaine schroles or beadrolles of names of men dwelling in sundry parts of her Maiesties countries as they haue imagined them but specially neare the sea coasts with assurance that these their seedmen named Seminaries Priestes and Iesuits are in sundry parts of this Realme secretly harbored which shall be ready to continue their reconciled people in their lewd constancy to serue their purposes both in their forces and with their trayterous enterprises when the Spanish power shall be ready to land Besides this vpon their impudent assertion to the Pope and king of Spaine though they knew a great part thereof to be false they had lately afore this proclamation aduertised into diuerse parts of this Realme by their secret messengers wherof some haue bene taken and confessed the same that the king vpon their informations and requests promised to employ all his forces that he could make by sea in the yeare of our Lord God 1592 to attempt once againe the inuasion of this Realme but because some of his wisest Counsellers doubted that he should not preuaile he altred his purpose besides many other leud practises treasonable cōspiracies by the sayd fugitiues But her Maiesty doubteth not but Almighty God the defender of all iust causes will as he alwayes hither to hath make all their deuices voyd and by the helpe of her faithfull subiects to increase her their forces and by execution of her lawes by other politicke ordinances to impeach the aforesayd seditious practises and treasons and doth exhort all the Ecclesiasticall State by their example of good life and by their diligent teaching to retaine the people stedfastly in the profession of the Gospell and in their duties to Almighty God and her Maiestie and also she hopeth to haue such sufficient forces in readinesse by sea as by Gods goodnesse and with the helpe of her good subiects shall be as great or greater then her highnesse hath had in any time heretofore to withstand all her enemies and that her subiects will consider of all things requisite to performe for horsemen armor footemen to be fully furnished as time shall require for seruice to defend their countrey And further her Maiestie doth most earnestly require and charge all manner of her subiects with their hands purses aduices yea all persons of euery estate with their prayers to God to moue him to assist this so naturall honourable and profitable a seruice being only for defence of their naturall countrey against straungers and such wilfull destroyers of their natiue countrey and monstrous traytors And moreouer to prouide speedy remedy against other fraudulent attempts of these Seminaries Iesuites and traitors without the which it appeareth these forces should not be continually vsed the same being wrought onely by falshood by hypocrisie and by vndermining of her good subiects vnder a false colour face of holinesse to make breaches in men womens consciences It is fellony to receiue aid or maintaine any lesuit c. 27. F. l. cap. 1. so to traine them to their
Ireland to the vse of his Lord Thomas Fitzgerauld and being dealt withall by the king of England his Lieutenant there to yéeld to him to the vse of the king the sayd Castle for a certaine summe of money agréed in the end so to do and deliuered vp the hold accordingly and receiued his money After the Lieutenant considering the vniustnesse of this man to his Lord which had put him in trust with the safe kéeping of his Castle and to whom he was déepely beholden meaning to make an exāple of such treacherie caused this Captaine presently to be executed declaring thereby though for the time he imbraced the benefite of his treasōs yet after he could not disgest the vnfaithfull dealing of this traitor to his Maister that had trusted him with a place of such great credence and defence Christian van de Veque betrayed for a great pension the the Castle of S. Christiā van de Veque Iohn being one of the most importāt fortresses of Portugall to king Philip who in the end was rewarded with such as a traitor deserueth for being a while entertained with hope was at last banished to the wars of Affrica for ten yeares The like vsage in maner receiued all his fellowes which betrayed the king of Portugall their lawfull king by deliueries of such places as they had in gouernement or by doing the king of Spaine any other seruice to the preiudice of Don Anthonio king of Portugall Haue we not séene the vnnaturall practises of Shelley Charles Paget and others with the Spaniards to inuade our countrey and to haue ouerthrowne this happy state and gouernement thereof looke into a litle treatise published 1585 where it is set downe at large Esay 22. Sobna The Prophet Esay speaketh of one Sobna whom the king Hesekiah had greatly aduaunced who outwardly shewed that he would liue and dye with him but he had a false hart to his Prince and more fauoured the Assirians the kings enemies who sought to inuade his countrey but he was caried captiue into a forreine countrey farre off according to Gods ordinance and there dyed in confusion Such as are traitors to their owne countrey may be well compared to the viper Rhetorik Wilso fo 64. Plinie whose nature and propertie is as Pliny writeth that when by course of time he is to come foorth of the belly of his damme he eateth a hole through the same by meanes whereof she dyeth and so is he the cause and the destruction of her that did breed nourish and preserue him It is a commō saying He is an euill bird that defileth his owne neast and so is he a monster and no man that conspireth or intendeth any perill or daunger to his natiue country Who that desireth to know what hath bene the end of traitors and false conspirators against their Prince and countrey in old time may reade M. Renegers booke Reneger wherein they are disclosed at large As ciuill warres Ciuill wars and dissentions are perillous to all states so are all occasions to be preuented which may bréed the same amongst which there is no one thing that sooner ingēdreth such discord Contention for religion breedeth oftentimes ciuil dissentiō then contention for religion which carieth away men with such vehement passions that they will fight for the same more willingly then for their wiues or children lands or goods in respect of it they regard nothing through the diuersitie thereof French Academie ca. 63 the father is against the son and the son against the father they which are nearest of kinne loose their naturall loue they which are of the same country and linage persecute one another as mortal enemies sundry nations abhorre one another for the same cause To raise seditiō tumults in a Citie Bodinus li. 4. fo 486. nothing is more daungerous saith Bodinus then to be diuided in opiniō whether it be in matters of state or of lawes and customes or for religion therefore the causes whereof such mischiefes may ensue by all pollicies in the beginning are to be looked vnto He is not counted a good Phisition onely that cureth the disease but that preserueth health and preuenteth sicknesse to come A small sparke raiseth great flames of fire as the saying is Concitat ingentes flammas scintilla minuta In the beginning a fire with litle water may be suppressed Nota. which if it increase to great flames without much ado will not be quenched Ouid. as the Poet Ouid verie well saith Ignis ab exigua nascens extinguitur vnda Sed postquam creuit volitantque ad sydera flammae Vix putei fontes fluuij succurrere possunt And the same Poet writeth also De arte amandi Principijs obstat serò medicina paratur Cùm mala per longas conualuêre moras Withstād the beginning for the medicine is too late prouiuided when the disease by ouerlong tarying is increased Afore religion is established Not meet to argue against religion setled by authority Bodinus li. 4. fo 481. Paradox fo 1 to argue of religiō to try the truth is allowable but when it is set downe by common authoritie it is not after to be disputed vpon or brought in question as Bodinus affirmeth for there is nothing so firme or stable which by force of argument can not be peruerted and to that effect Tullie writeth Nihil est tam incredibile quod non dicendo fiat probabile nihil tam horridum aut incultum quod non splendescat oratione tāquam excolatur And Plutarke affirmeth Quod extat Licurgi lex antiquissima Plutarke 5. quam Florentini disputatores omnium acutissimi in populari statu inferunt nec scilicet de legibus semel receptis ac probatis disserere liceret Bodinus li. 4. fo 48. intelligit leges disputatas in dubium reuocari dubitationem verò iniusticiae opinionem afferre ex quo legum ac magistratuum contemptum reip interitum sequi necesse est Quod si Philosophi Mathematici suarum disciplinarum principia in dubitationem reuocari non patiuntur quae demētia est de religione non modo priuatim sed etiam publicè disputare velle There is an ancient law saith he amongst the Ligurians which the Florentines most quicke in disputation did commaund to be holden that of lawes once receiued and allowed to dispute it should not be lawfull for to call in questiō lawes afore determined vpon doth bring in doubt the thing afore agréed vnto as though it were not right and iust whereupon contempt of the lawes and gouernement and the ouerthrow of the common wealth doth consequently ensue If the Philosophers Mathematikes will not suffer the grounds of their learning to be brought in question what madnesse is it then priuately or publikely to dispute of religion once set downe and allowed Fo. 5. Doctour Smith in his booke de Repub. Angl. saith Certaine it is
often exceeded vs in number although they were and be right valiant Princes mighty people in armes to all which haue trauelled in our Chronicles that is euident whereby the inuincible courages and valour of our nation in martiall acts hath appeared which ought exceedingly to incourage vs in this seruice of defence for that we are descended of them and not to doubt or dispayre any whit if we be true amongst our selues though the force of our enemies be great and their number exceede vs farre for God neuer fayleth them which put their trust in him and walke in his wayes as by diuerse examples out of the Scriptures of God afore remembred appeareth most euidently Did not the English fleete in the yeare of our Lord 1350 which was in the foure and twentieth yeare of Edward the third meete with the Spaniards comming out of Flaunders loden with Marchandize Holinsh 946. and slue a great number and drowned also many of them and tooke sixe and twentie of their ships vpon the coast of Sussex Did not the great army of the king of Spaine at the siege of Barke when it was bruted that the Earle of Lecester her Maiesties Lieutenant generall with the English forces came to relieue the towne and yet they retired without so doing did not they come to remoue the siege which we made against Dusborow and the great Sconce of Sutfen where that most renowmed Knight S. Philip Sidney was slaine neither could they haue euer won those things againe from vs had not treason more preuailed then force and valiant courage Haue not we seene a few yeares sithens the mighty preparation by sea of the king of Spaine and his Allies appointed with such number of huge ships souldiers armour weapon shot powder and other things incident to the warres sent to conquer our countrey as the like was neuer seene on the seas in so much that they called the same the inuincible nauy they trusted in their forces but yet God confounded their purpose and deuises for did not we with a few ships and furniture of men and munition litle in respect of theirs send some of their mightiest vessels to the bottome of the Sea with great numbers of their men in them Did not we with our shot and artillerie slay many of them Did not we chase diuerse of them into Irish coastes where about xvij of their greatest ships perished so that Lucans verse Lucan which in those dayes he did write to the glory of our nation against the Romaines may be verified in this seruice Territa quaesitis ostendunt terga Britannis And were not numbers of their souldiers which entred into Ireland with the sword destroyed Spaniards slaine in Ireland Did not we also in the Low countries kéepe diuerse other of their ships in their hauen so as they could not come foorth into the seas to ioyne with the rest of the Spanish Nauy This was done without hand-fight and is to be taken as the only worke of God and to him therefore we ought to yeeld our most humble thankes and say with the Prophet Dauid A Domino factum est istud est mirabile This is the Lord his doing and is maruellous in our sight and therfore Non nobis Domine non nobis sed nomini tuo da gloriam Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but to thy name be all glory and thankes And we may further say as the Prophet Dauid sayth If the Lord himselfe had not bene on our side now may Israell say if the Lord himselfe had not bin on our side when men rose vp against vs they had swallowed vs vp quicke when they were so wrathfully displeased at vs yea the waters had drowned vs and the streame had gone ouer our soules The deepe waters of the proud had gone ouer our soules But praysed be the Lord which hath not giuen vs ouer for a pray vnto their teeth our soule is escaped euen as a bird out of the snare of the fowler the snare is broken and we are deliuered Our helpe standeth in the name of the Lord which hath made both heauen and earth Neither did they though they were as the report went thirtie thousand strong at that time land a man And did not the noble Earle of Essex Sir Iohn Norris and Sir Frauncis Drake the next yeare following with a little Nauy Landing in Spaine contayning not aboue eleuen thousand men land in Spaine burned their ships and put their people to the sworde and their townes to the fire and so coasted thence along into Portugall Portugall and there landing marched vp into the countrey euen to the gates of Lisbone with drums sounding and with Ensignes displayed from whence they returned vnfought withall by any of his forces either by sea or laud Did not the Duke of Lancaster with a compaine of souldiers saile into Spaine The Duke of Lancasters voyage into Spaine Stow. 1390. 14 R. 2. Gallicia Indies to claime the realme of Castile for that he had maried the eldest daughter of Peter king of Spaine that was expelled by Henrie his bastard brother he conquered the Countrie of Gallicia against Don Iohn sonne of the said Henrie And some doings we haue had at the Iudies where our couragious English Captaines and souldiers conquered manie Cities and townes How valiantly did they likewise behaue themselnes at S. Domingo Carthagena Cales and in manie other places where the Englishmen were few in number and the enemies infinite and in their owne countrie whose valiant actions there haue deserued such fame as lenght of time shall neuer take away for that the like hath neuer bene performed or read of in any age before our dayes In the yeare of our Lord God 1365 Hol. 971. and in the 39 yeare of Edward the third was not Peter king of Castile chased out of his realme by his bastard brother Henrie by reason wherof the said Peter was constrained to flie and came to Burdeaux to sue for ayde at the hands of the Prince of Wales the said king Edward his sonne who thereof aduertised his father by aduise from whom The Prince of Wales his voyage into Spaine the said Prince determined to bring home the said king Peter and to restore him againe to his kingdom by force of armes maugre his enemies The Prince indéed was verie desirous to take this enterprise vpon him both of a certaine pitifull affection mouing him to relieue this miserable state of king Peter and also of an ardent desire which he had to purchase a glorious fame through martial déeds noble acts of chiualrie Therefore hauing this occasion to imploy his time in such exercises and now commaunded thereto of his Father he was excéeding glad in his mind and with all the spéed that might be made his prouision both of a sufficient armie of men of warre and also of all other things necessarie for the furniture of such an enterprise but first he