establish Religion and abolish Mass but in that particular to be further discussed at Saint Iohnstons And forthwith was Darly created Earl of Ross and withall the Queen called for the Super-Intendents pleasing them with some Court-Holy-water but referred the business of Religion to a publique Dispute for Peace to the Kingdom This was not satisfactory to them but they advise upon six Articles for the next Assembly And then they presented them to the Queen at Saint Iohnstons by Commissioners from the Church National at Edenburgh as they now stile themselves First For abolishing all manner of Popery universally to be suppressed not onely in each Subject but also in the Quâ—ens own Person Secondly Provision of Maintenance for the Ministry and dissposing of Livings Thirdly For Tryal of Sufficiency of Super-Intendents and Ministers Fourthly For all lands of Popish Foundation to be restored for maintenance of the poor and Scholars preferment Fiftly Against all horrid Crimes Ecclesiastick and Temporal be appointed two Iudges Sixthly For ease and support of poor Hâ—â—sbandmen c. The Queen receives these Articles but refers answer till she comes to Edenburgh in eight daies which displeased the Assembly who therefore have private meetings and elect eight persons to see the Brethren well armed and after a longer time of attendance get answer in Writing To the first The Queen is not perswaded to Presbytery and believes no impiety in the Mass and so not to be prest against Her Conscience nor will she forsake hers and having no assured consideration to countervail the same she may not loose thereby her Allies of France the maried Ally of this Realm and other her Confederates That seeing they plead for Freedome of Conscience she lists not to be bound up That for the Establishment thereof in the body of the Realm she refers to the consent of Parliament and in the mean time assures that for Religion on her part none shall be disturbed Secondly She thinks it unreasonable to be defrauded of so great a part of the Crowns Patrimony as to put the Patronage of Benefices out of her own hands and want Support but allows consideration of her own Necessity and the Ministers Support The rest in effect she refers to Parliament By the way from Saint Iohnstâ—n to shew her inclination to the Kirk being to Witness the Christening of the Lord Levinstons child She gave her presence to the Protestant Sermon which she never did before And yet had she notice of some Conspiracy of the Kirk upon which divers were committed at Edenburgh And being minded to mary she prorogues the Parliament till September and summons by Letters such Lords and Gentlemen that were neer with Arms and Forces for fifteen daies to attend her person at Edenburgh the 23. of Iuly and proclamation also for Free-holders in like manner then Ross was made Duke of Roâ—hsay and the same day the Banes and Mariage was concluded Murray both privately and publickly was advised to attend but refusing an Herald is sent and after eight and forty hours he was denounced Rebell and put to the Horn and Arguile also And now begins Parties to stir Athole against Arguile Lindsey against Rothess the Lord Gourdon after three years imprisonment in Dunbar was released and restored to be a Bar in the North to ballance with Murray In the evening the Mariage was proclamed By name Henry and Mary King and Queen of Scotland and solemnized the next Morning 27. Iuly 1565. Not without Divine providence for the more certain conjunction of both Kingdomes in their right of Descension from Margarite the eldest Daughter to Henry 7. of England who had but two children Iames the fifth by Iames the fourth and Margarite Dowglas by Earl Angus her second Husband This Iames the fift had but one Child Mary sole Heir to the Crown Margarite Dowglas brought up with her Uncle Henry 8. maried Stuart Earl of Lennox who was banished into England by them came Henry Lord Darly and Charles father to Arabella So that the whole right of Q. Margarite all other issue of H. 8. failing was united in these The Earl Rothess the Laird Grange and Pilcar with others of Fife were put to the Horn for not appearing and immediately the Drums beat for men of War to take pay for the King and Queen which alteration begat several fears The Lords disperse to Arguile and send Elphinston into England for support who brought ten thousand pound Sterling And in August the Lords meet at Ayre Hamilton Arguile Murray Glencarn Rothess Boyd Uchiltry and Others conclude to be in force the 24. of August which the King prevented by hasty proclamation of their rebellion and commanding all men to appear at Lithgow the same day Upon the ninth of August being Sunday the King comes to the High Kirk at Edenburgh and hears Knox preach who speaks against Government of wicked Princes and for the sins of the people God gives them Boyes and Women Iustly punishing Ahab for not ordering the Harlot Jezabell Immediately Knox was summoned before the Council and silenced for twenty daies and Cragg to supply his place The 25. of August the King and Queen journied to Glasgow and the next day the Lords met at Paisley with a thousand Horse and march to Hamilton keeping the passes in sight of the King and Queen and so to Edenburgh entering the Town notwithstanding the Canon-shot of the Castle and immediately beat their Drum and offered pay for Defence of God as they called it but to Men or Arms came to their Support and that was strange for all the chief Lords were there the Duke Murray Arguile Glencarn Rothess Boyd Uchiltry and other Barons They write expostulatory Letters to the King and Queen without answer who martch with five thousand men Lenox had the Van Morton the Battel and the King and Queen the Rere and come immediately towards Edenburgh In the mean time the Castle makes six shot of Canon and the next day the Lords depart to Hamilton The King Queen pass to Sterlin and command all to return to Glasgow where remaining four daies the Lords being gone to Dunfres they return again to Sterlin their Army increasing both Horse and Foot and so to Fife where the Lords subscribe to defend the King and Queen against the English and Rebells and so come to Saint Andrews where the King summons the Lords by Name to appear within six daies which they refusing are put to the Horn and being come to Edenburgh they proclame The design of the Lords under pretence of Religion to suppress the present Government or to appoint Counsel of their own In October the Super-Intendent of Lothian with the whole Ministery under his Charge meet at Edenburgh present a supplication to their Majesties by their Super-Intendents Spotswood and Lindsay for payment of their Stipends which is promised to be paid The Lords removed to Carlisle the King and Queen march from
to be rather for Conquest than Countenance and so was it time for the English to strike in for a share if not to prevent such Neighbour-hood upon that Rule Let the French be thy Friend but not thy Neighbour and indeed were afraid of an invasion as was threatned upon several Pretences And first the English Counsellors wisely considered not to provoke nor to give bad Examples for Princes to lend Protection to rebellious Subjects For so all Potentates esteemed the Scots against their Sovereign And on the other side it might be accounted little Piety to forsake a Protestant Party for so the Religion would have them But concluded it reasonable to be in Arms and to expect occasions It being alwaies the English fore-sight to prevent invasion at home On the sudden it was hastened to send forces to Scotland upon pretence however to assist Religion and so drive out the French from thence ere they should take firm footing there This Result might be grounded on former Examples by the English neglect lost Ambleteul and the Fortifications neer Bologn taken suddenly which necessitated the loss of Bologn it self presently after And the same carelessness rendered Calice to the French Upon which score lest Berwick and the Borders should be surprized forces are sent by Land thither and by Sea into Edenburgh Fryth with a Fleet that suddenly set upon the French Ships riding neer the Shore and their Garrisons in the Isle of Inchketh The Duke of Norfolk comes to Berwick with forces assisted with Commissioners Sir William Caecil Secretary and Doctor Wootton a Civilian And who must come to kiss their hands but the Prior of St. Andrews Iames the Bastard Son of Iames the fifth the Lord Ruthen and others Commissioned from Hamilton Duke of Castle-herault and the Confederates and there enter league with England In May 1560. For preservation of the Kingdom of Scotland against the French during their Mariage with the French King and a year after and for expelling the French provided that they preserve obedience to the Queen of Scotland The Governours of that State Who had imped their Wings with Eagles Feathers liked no game now but what was raked out of the ashes of Monarchy making head against Soveraignty And to make it the better called in to their aid the English Forces inviting their antient Enemy the English against the French and by that means turned her own Sword into her own bowells to the funeral of her own Liberty and so it was no wonder Scotland at that tiuse to pass under Foreign Servitude Evermore crying Liberty which they most avoided as they came neerer to the End and Event And hereupon an English Army of 10000. was sent under Command of the Lord Gray and were received by the Duke Arguile Ruthen and Others the Queen Regent with her faction took security in the Castle of Edenburgh The French inclosed within the Town issued out upon the Besiegers and put them to flight But rallying again forced the French into the Town and stormed it with great loss And now the Ministers make the fourth and last Covenant To expulse the French out of the Kingdome when in Iune 1560. the Queen Regent dies and forthwith came Commissioners Randan with a Bishop Deputies from the King and Queen in France Sir William Caecil and Doctor Whitton from England treat and conclude a Peace at Edenburgh in Iuly That the English and French should depart the Kingdom and 24. elect shall govern whereof the King and Queen in France shall nominate seven and the States five as one Council and six of those to be of the Quorum And Deputies of the Congregation to be sent into France by Petition to the King and Queen for granting privileges concerning the Reformed Ministers and their Religion Which Treaty Queen Elizabeth endeavored evermore hereafter to press Queen Mary to ratifie which she alwaies refused or excused And thus being rid of two devowring Armies some hopes remained to recover that poor Nation into reasonable quiet But the Strangets gone the Ministers pulpit their Design prescribing certain Diocesses to several Men. We shall use their Names hereafter Knox to Edenburgh Goodman to Saint Andrews Heriot to Aberdeen Row to Saint Iohnstons Meossen to Iedbrough Christoson to Dundee Forgeson to Dumfermling Lindsey to Lieth Afterwards they had their Super-Intendents Spotswood for Lothian Woram for Fife Willock for Glasco Canswell for Arguile and the Isles Dun for Angus and Mearors And then the next Parliament they supplicate for Liberty of Conscience with Invectives against Papistry but not Episcopacy as yet And presented 25. Articles of the Confession of their Faith ratified by the three Estates called Lords of the Articles viz. eight Lords eight Church-men eight Commons these are first to consider Articles and Heads and then to present them to the Parlament to pass and are called in the Latine Authores Apolecti And two Acts were published against the Mass the Popes Supremacy and Jurisdiction which were sent to the King and Queen in France for ratification but by them refused however Knox Winram Spotswood Willock Dowglas and Row devised a Policy of Church-Government which they called Discipline And fearing the future they send Commissioners into England to supplicate Queen Elizabeths assistance and support against fresh Forces out of France when in December 1560. Francis King of France and Scotland dies and therefore to his Queen Widow was sent the Lord Iames afterwards E. of Murray as her Counsel In this Interim the Ministers bethink of some Orderly Form in the Kirk The Manner of electing Super-Intendents was to summon the Churches about Edenburgh by publick Edict Iohn Knox presented Iohn Spotswood Super-Intendent of Lothian whom the multitude accepted and promise obedience as to their Pastor He by questions professes and answers That he accepts of this office without any respect of worldly Commodity Riches or Glory but since these daies of pluralties they leave out this Article without answering concluding to be subject and obedient to the late Discipline of their Kirk And thus he becomes a Minister of the Multitudes making which with the blessing of some one of them he is dismissed At this time comes over an Ambassadour from France to restore Bishops and Church-men He was answered Negative and so departed And presently after they fall to pulling down Abbies and Monuments of the Church And now begins Jealousies between the two Queens of England and Scotland For the Scots had sent into England for the Queens ratification of the Treaty at Edenburgh which she signed but the Queen of Scotland in France refused it with excuse until she comes home and consult with her Council which the other took ill Although she had endeavoured with reasonable Arguments to satisfie her Ambassadour Throgmorton therein But the Widow Queen arrived in Scotland out of France in August 1561. in most tempestuous weather Triste
et lugubre Caelum And no sooner come but hath Mass in her Chapel and breeding disquiet she proclaims it death to oppose it against which the Earl of Arran protests by Proclamation and Knox by preaching with whom the Queen vouchsafes conference concerning the Mass which she wisely sought to maintain and rebuked him for his insolent Book against Government by Women and Knox gave it for his opinion of Her That she had a proud mind a crafty Wit and indurate heart And the sooner to put Her to it the Provost and Bayliffs upon their Election at Edenburgh customarily proclaim the general Ordinances and Orders of the Town In which they inserted against the Mass and for which they were punished and proclamation for freedome of Papists The Ministers oppose and in private Conventicles dispute Obedience to Soveraigns in that case and conclude to be absolved whereat the Council were offended and Knox and Row urge it the more and resolve to put the question forsooth to the Church of Geneva which Knox undertakes to mannage The Queen being thus busied to quiet her own discontents Queen Elizabeth sends Sir Peter Mewtes to require the Ratification of the Peace at Edenburgh as upon all Scotish distractions she evermore urged who was answered as heretofore that She would advise The General Assembly of the Kirk was now wherein the Ministers could not be ruled with any reason but rashly offered their Book of Discipline which the Lords even of their own Congregation wisely thought fit not so suddenly to prescribe till the affairs of the Estate were settled and the Ministers as madly would have it now drawing with all their â—unning the Gentry to their side and to assemble without the Lords so that it was visible to wisemen Excessit medicina modum or rather excessit medicina malum It was now conceived opportune for the Queen and the peace of all that this assembling at the Will of the Ministery should be questioned and if possible to make them void unless by publick allowance of the Prince for under colour of rectifying some disorders in the Ministery or other petty occasions they took opportunity by this means to convene and so to plot and vent all their devices against Government and this being expresly conceived dangerous and mutinous as they managed the matter it was stopt Then they propose the ratification of their Discipline Book subsigned with hands enough of their Nobles when it was devised they durst then do no other for fear of the Multitude which the Queen refused protesting merâ—ily she was well assured The Lords that subscribed never ment to submit being tâ—â— severe for their wilde tempers to obey who under Writ as children are baptized fide Parentum Then they supplicate for maintenance being as yet only at the Will of the people To begin their work a reasonable pittance was sufficient contribution which afterwards they inordinately sought means to increase And therefore for the present to please them the Council Ordered That the Bishops should have two parts of their Livings and the other two parts should be gathered by appointment for uses of the Ministers and the common affairs of State The Queen being served the Ministery should have the Remainder Which Knox interpreted in his Pulpit to be Two parts to the Devil The third between God and the Devil And the fourth for his Dam. And by compute of their own Lords of the Congregation a hundred Marks a year was then sufficient for a single Minister viz. five Old Pieces and three hundred Marks to the highest with Wife and Children the Super-Intendents excepted The Lords fearing the Pride of the Ministers appointed Modificators as they stiled themselvs left they should be over wanton which truly with this pittance could not be much feared But indeed for what they had as the Queen observed they never prayed for any blessing upon Her to which Knox replied That she had no more interest in that Revenue than the Souldiers had to divide Christs Garments Nay she not so good title as they for they parted not them untill Christ was crucified But she shares whilst Christ is preaching These words were accounted insolent which he boasted of That thus Truth will triumph At this time a Riot was committed by the Marquess D' Albuef the Earl Bothwell and some others upon the House of one Ramsey for his Daughter-in-law Allisson Grage in malice against the Earl of Arran who bore affection to her The Ministers were great Sticklers herein evermore siding in all quarrels as might make for themselves and supplicate the Queen for publick Justice She execused her Uncle D' Albuef being a Stranger to the Customes of the Country but she would order his obedience and civility for the future This not sufficient the Duke and Hamilton fomented by Knox take Arms against Bothwell to appease them the Queen sent Murray lately made an Earl Huntley to command Peace But Bothwell having private conference with Knox gained unto them the E. of Arran Not many daies after Arran discovers to Knox and others but falsely that Bothwell should conspire to take the Queen and deliver her to him that Murray and Lethingâ—n the Secretary should be murthered and so he and Bothwell to govern all which he resolved to discover to the Queen and did immediately tetyring to his Father the Duke of Castle-Herault at Kennel who it seems suspected his false Design and restrained him But he getting loose meets his Brother the Earl of Murray who brought him to the Queen at Faulkland Upon his Accusation Hamilton and Bothwell were secured not without some appearance that Arrans tale was disjointed and therefore he was thereupon cunningly advised by Knox to pretend a little whimsey of distraction in the brain to colour their Knavery However the Queen commits them all to Saint Andrews Castle and takes from the Duke his Command of the Castle Dunbarton She returns to Edenburgh where according to the season some Court pastimes were exercised by the Queen her self against which Knox openly preached and which begat a conference with him the Lord Iames Morton and Lethington being present accusing him to have irreverently and dishonestly spoken of her Majesty endeavoring to draw the peoples affections from their duty much besides his Text but upon his better behaviour there might be hope of the Queens Grace and Pardon which was as yet deferred But she no sooner progressed to the North her absence giving occasion as at all such times for the Ministers to assemble and evermore to whisper some dangerous designs against them on purpose the better to linck themselves in power for any plot and to busie themselves in all State-affairs which now began to be in difference amongst the Lords especially Huntleys party against Murrays power and the family of the Gourdons and which gave occasion to Knox and his Party to preach fears and jealousies and to
supervivor to eight of her children thrice imprisoned for affecting mariages with Thomas Howard son to the Duke of Norfolk then for her sons match with Queen Mary and the last was for her younger son Charles with Elizabeth Candish daughter to the Countess of Shrewsbury and mother to the Lady Arabella She was Nobly intombed at Westminster an elaborate Sepulture and then left living King Iames the sixth and this Arabella who was thus neer to the Crowns And therefore imprisoned hereafter by King Iames for intermariage with Seymor the now Earl of Hartford but she died without issue and so without 〈◊〉 of future interest to these Kingdomes See anno 1616. Amongst other of Mortons plots and processes raysing the Revenues of the Crown one was for recovery of some lands which was given by the Queen to Mary Levingston whilst she was her maid of honour and now maried to Iohn Simple who made his best defence in his sute but fearing the Regents rigour had passionately avowed That if he lost his land the other should lose his life This and other discourse that he was countenanced by Lord Iohn Hamilton and his brother Lord Claud instigating also Adam Whiteford of Milton Nephew to Simple to kill the Regent in the street with an Harquebus Simple upon Torture confessed all and more also his cowardize not affording him courage to hold out Whiteford did better his constancie was not terrified with the wrack and therefore gave suspition that the others confession was extorted by the pain of punishment yet to make out the matter Simple was arraigned condemned and brought to the Scaffold but pardoned the like had the other and both of them the favour of the people to blame the Regent for his rigour whose main intention was thereby to invalue these Lords and their estates to his griping gain One Allester Dow Macallan a notorious thief was apprehended by Earl Athol who was prohibited by the council and charges directed against him for exhibition of the man the fellow being set at liberty by Arguile falls to his old profession and robd Athol who in revenge invades Arguile and so the countrey take uprore thereat until an Herauld discharges those convocations and cites them both before the Council but were reconciled Arguile goes on and arms against Claudonald seizes the Regents Messenger tears his Letters missive and swears him and his Train not to return to tell tales This insolencie fires the Regent to revenge and for the present did no more than proclaim him Rebel But these and other tumults shewed an Ecclipse of Ministerial Government and gave means to private mens discontents to open a way of complaint against the Regent Alexander Arskin attending on the King takes advantage of Arguile and Athols reconcilement plots with them to open their Causes to the King which they must countenance and did but so craftily as that the one Athols counsel was called upon the others complaint And advise to summon the Lords mostly enemies to the Regent to meet at Sterlin Mortons avarice and lust subjects him from his strength and Power that ruled all to become weak in Authority over any His enormities of several natures numberless which brought him sodainly to sinck Besides his fins the Hamiltons were his Enemies made so by his own malice upon that Noble Family as also upon the Earls Athol Montross and Arguile whose kinsmen he proclaimed Traytors for not appearing at his Call Arguile invites these Lords and others to accompany him to the King at Sterlin with remonstrance of such grievances as the State groaned under and were seconded by fit Instruments such as evermore reside at Court He is sent for by the King and Council but delaies time to make Friends their opinions various it was yet concluded as the safest way to piece Friendship with Arguile who refused unless he would also quit the Regency To this he demurs and retires from his Enemies power And this gave good occasion to the boisterous Praecisians whose pursute was after such prey as might innovate Authority which they hated because it was Regal though Mortons interest had been ever to preserve them the Arch-bishops only being lately commanded not to obey the Synods Decretalls against which they complain in the Pulpit and having there the liberty of the tongue for that time they tell all to the people and of more than he could be guilty The Earl of Angus was his Ally in blood and the chief of the Dowglasses who with Carmichel a Commander of War advise him to Arms But Morton rather submitted to a Parliament at Sterlin Thither he sends his Friends but withdrew himself and with them his Papers and Notes expostulatory of his good Services which were not liked because not Petitionary And thus they seemed to signify and first He craves leave of publique Iustice upon his Accusers If otherwise that his Majesty thought fit to oversee their disobedience to authority then to be pleased to disburthen him of his Office and not to suffer his Royall Name and Authority to be despised in the Person of his Servant for as he had oft times made offer to demit his Regency to his Majesty so now the more willing if a Substantial course might be assured for preservation of his Highness person the ordering of his Majesties Houshold and dispensing of the Revenues of the Crown And herewith he recommended the keeping of the peace contracted with England as a security to his Majesties Right and Title to Succession And so recounting his former Services from the Kings birth to this present His assistance at the Kings Coronation His and his Friends hazard at Lanside field the siege 〈◊〉 Brichen His legations undertaken into England the recovery of the Castle of Edenburgh the Pacification of the Realm all on fire a◠his first entrance the redeeming of Iewels and Plate of the Crown and restoring of the Royall Patrimony to some reasonable condition And in regard of all he craved no more than allowance of his expence and a discharge of his Intromissions by the Estates of Parliament These not sufficient to prevail and his friends having littl◠Power and his bad Cause to plead he was voted non-Regent And accordingly into the hands of Angus Claim Ruthen and Harris he delivers the Crown Scepter and other Regalities which were presented by them in a great Convention of Lords and Angus invests them on the King with the univocal acclamation of all He having not yet attained to the years of youth yet in this turbulent time took upon him the Scepter which was celebrated at Edenburgh and the affairs of State rendered to the King now at twelve years old but with assistance of twelve Noblemen three of them by turns alwaies about him and Morton of the number as to bring him to reason not to cast him quite off to ruin whose wit and experience was useful to the State which he soon imployed to master
assured in short space that he was truly turned to their faith yea all men should have reason to forsake him who had thus dissembled and forsaken his God And whereas it was given out that divers do insinuate into your Sovereign that his Honor and Reputation is so deeply interessed herein as it must necessarily turn to his perpetual ignominy and reproach if he give not some notable testimomy to the world of the affection and dutifull love he bare to his Mother your King being of that singular judgment that he is thought to have cannot be ignorant how far true honour ought to possess a Christian Prince that is not whither Passion or fury useth to carry men but whither Reason or Wisdom have laid the bounds that is within the compass of Possibility Decency and Iustice. If the late Queen had been innocent Revenge had been necessary just and honourable but being culpable contrary in all reasonable mens judgments he hath sufficiently discharged the duty of a Son in mediating for his Mother so long as she was alive and so far as he was able to prevail they which require more at his Highness hands may be presumed not to regard what beseemeth his Place and Dignity but to seek the satisfaction of their own particular passions and desires And whoever perswadeth his Majesty that the mediation used by him for his Mother contrary to the humble pursute of the whole Parliament hath already given that offence to the Nobility and People of this Land as it behoveth him of force to have recourse to forein supports doth greatly abuse both his Highness and this Realm for as they were not ignorant what Nature might and ought to move his Majesty unto so long as there were any hope of her life so they do not doubt but that reason will induce him to leave sorrowing and thinking of her in due time Thus have I troubled you with a long Discourse whereunto the desire I have of the continuance of amity between the two Crowns hath carried me unawares further than I purposed all which I refer to your consideration not doubting that you will afford most readily and willingly all good offices that shall lie in your power to the end that a happy conclusion may ensue hereof which shall tend to the common good of the whole Island And so I commit you to God From the Court at Greenwich Martii 4. 1686. Your Lordships assured Friend FR WALSINGHAM Here was good Counsel for the King but for the present in great discontent he calls home his Ambassadors out of England the States of Scotland urge him to a revenge to seek aid of forein Princes and a Navy from the King of Denmark whose daughter then was in treaty of Marriage with him The Catholicks suggested rather to joyn with the Pope Spain and France and to desert the Puritans who they said would murther him as his Mother Some willed him to be Neuter to take time to bethink and by that means whilst his distempered condition gave excuse for his Acting he might piece himself to that party where he should be sure of best support Alwaies he resolved to keep peace with England and constancy to his Protestant Religion And thus whilst his wisdom beyond his age twenty two yeers sate still the Queen feared the more not knowing what Counsel might provoke him to her prejudice and so stayed some time till the length thereof might mitigate her sorrow being indeed to big to be cured till it should lye down and rest with its own weight and weariness Therefore knowing how mightily the French wrought in their mine to provoke both Nations to publike defiance she maturely sends several Messengers and afterwards the Lord Hunsdon her Ambassador with studied arguments to take off his adhering to foreign friendships and the danger thereby to both Kingdoms where his interest in succession was most of all concerned being his just right to which his Mothers sufferings could be no prejudice But the next yeer Philip King of Spain sends to the Duke of Parma his Governor in the Low Countries in his Name to promise to King Iames mony and Amunition sufficient to attempt revenge for his mothers death Parma sends over to Scotland Robert Bruce a Scot by birth and noble family with money to quicken his purpose The Pope also Pius Quintus dispatches thither his Bishop of Dublin to promise to the King the Infanta of Spain in marriage if he would turn Romane Catholike but faithfull Metallan the Chancellor frustrates those hopes and returns him home with a flea in his ear But ere he departs he designs on William Creyton a Scot also and sometime Rector of the College of Iesuits in Leyden to stay behind and this man treats with Bruce to murther Metallan Bruce refuses that Assassination and then he is urged to hire with Parmas mony some needy noble man there at a banquet to poyson the King his invited guest and was denyed in that also Then he quarels with him to part with fifteen hundred Crowns to distribute them to three other Lords to effect it but being refused in all these he stayes the time to work out other mischiefs hereafter and Parma dying he accuseth Bruce of Treason for not willing to be a Traytor and for which he indures long imprisonment ere he got liberty The Earl of Angus to make him quiet was sent the Kings Lieutenant on the Borders this was done to rid hm out of the way of disordering the Court where he was ever factious and to his own liking also for he was contented with the condition of those people with whom he spent much of his former time of treachery and trouble But his disease there increasing he dies He was of a swart complexion tall and slender well proportioned and strait of a weak and tender constitution His death was ascribed to witchcraft frequent profession with them by one Barbery Nepair in Edenburgh wiâ—e to Dowglass of Castogle who was condemned but execution deferred she being with child and for the present reprieved and after neglected and so saved from the Gallows Annia Simson also a famous Witch confessed That a picture of wax was brought unto her having the letters A. D. written on it which she was told signified Archiball Davidson and which she execrated after her form but it seems it proved Archiball Dowglass or Davidson for his father was named David He dyed the nineth Earl and the last of his race If it were not natural to the Scots to be contrivers of mischief in their own Bowels yet now it was not policy for England to let them need their helping hands therein and therefore new troubles are stirred up in the Scots Court The Master of Gray conspiring with the Lord Maxwell to kill the Lord Thirlston Sir Iames Hume and Robert Dowglas reveale it to Sir William Stewart who was returned to Court and assure him that Thirlston Gray Blantine
and himself brought in the Lords at Sterlin and put his brother Captain Iames Stewart from Court which now he repented and would this way assist him to revenge Stewart not confident in the man discovers all to the King and Thirlston complains to the Councel which Gray denies and Sir William justifies and more accuses him of abuse in his late Ambassie into England and treacherously consenting to the death of the Kings Mother But these accusations referring to truth and a leasurely Tryal they were both committed Which came again to examination and further accusation of Gray for letters to the French King and Duke of Guise not to assist Scotland in revenge of Queen Maries death unless the King would tollerate Catholiks which Gray could not deny but begged mercy ingenuously confessing that he finding Queen Elizabeths resolution advised to put her to death rather in private than in forms of Justice and acknowledged those words mortui non mordent to be his and so meant and not as they were detorted And so craving the Kings gracious favour was condemned and banished A rule of the Kings clemency never to ruine whom he had affected The King now twenty one yeers compleat and more calls a Parliament in Iuly at Edenburgh and for preparation summons the Noblemens whom he reconciled from all controversie and feasts them all at Court And being the better whittled they went hand in hand by couples to the Market-cross A rare sight to the people if it would last He hoped to do as much with the Churchmen Ministers and Prelates But soft they are not in charity with the King himself for the committing of their brethren Gibson and Cooper which was an offence to the Godly and for the admitting Montgomery by the Kings desire who was excommunicate It must not be but by sparing some of his punishments in case the King release Cooper so nothing done for either And being now up in spiritual Arms they petition the Parliament That the Prelates might be removed from sitting among the Estates as having no authority from the Church no function nor charge at all But the Abbot of Kinlass made answer That the Ministers had disorderly shut them out of their Churches and now would turn them out of their places in Parliament And indeed do what the King could to the contrary there passed an Act for annexing the Temporality of Benefices to the Crown upon pretext of bettring the patrimony and to leav the honor of Estate without Taxe on the people but to the utter decay of the spiritual Priors and Abotts being turned temporal Lords which the King afterwards finding inconvenient advises his son in his Basilicon Doron to anull That vile and pernicious Act as he calls it The Borderers were up taking advantage of any quarrel now make incursions upon England with fire and sword beginning the revenge for their Queen Mother as they termed it Hereupon Hunsdon Governor of Barwick gets audience of the King all others before being refused urging the most of Walsinghams reasons before mentioned as a hazard to his succession to raise war with England and satisfies the King with a Declaration of the Judges and the sentence of Davison in Star-Chamber as if all had been done without Queen Elizabeths knowledge and so the Borderers were commanded to be qniet An Ambassadour Patrick Vaus of Barnborough from Denmark accompanied Peter Yong the Kings Almoner who had been sent to Treat of the Marriage in May last return now in August with the conclusion and that in the spring a Nobleman should be directed to accomplish the Ceremony in Denmark and bring home the Bride But the death of King Frederick her father in Aprill delayed the business for certain moneths after To end this yeer comes over divers Jesuits and Priests to deal with the Catholicke Lords in Scotland to assist the next yeers invasion of England in hope to find friendship if they should be forced on their Coast and outwardly made it their business of revenge for his Mothers death promising to conquer the Crown for his sake that was sure otherwise to wear it but the King hastely returns them home again and proclaims against them and their Abetters And the Church-men taking fire though all fear was quenched they Assemble Lords and Laicks and in a confused multitude beset the Kings resolutions to do of himself what they so earnestly desired And therefore in great choler sends them word That they meant to boast him with their power and force the execution of their demands and admitting some of the number they confer with the Kings Councel and so a good course was concluded against the Catholicks and the Ministers bidden to depart Nay now they are up allay them who can for ere they disband the grievances of the Church must be rectified Iames Gibson heretofore censured for his misdemeanour against the King and had liberty upon promise of his Recantation and Submission in the Pulpit but the man had a new Light and told the People that out of infirmity he had confessed a Fault but his conscience now was otherwise revealed that his actions heretofore were innocent The Chancellour hath the opinion of the Assembly whether To call the King Persecutor of the Church and threaten him to be the last of his Race were well done and this to the People out of the Pulpit Much ado in dispute to finde error in so godly a man the major Votes made it offensive and in the afternoon he was to appear for defining the Censure but in the mean time Gibson gets away and was excused being in fear of the King so great an Adversary and this endured a long debate in behalf of him ere the Kings Advocates could plead a distinction between his Majesty and their Ministery and all that could be gotten for the King was the man to be suspended during the pleasure of the Assembly which lasted but the next meeting in August where Gibson gives his Reasons of not appearing before for fear that the affairs of the Church might be hindered by disturbance if his person had then suffered in presence of the People Upon this deep Declaration without asking leave of the King he is purged of his contumacy which so incensed the King who taking upon him to be some-body the Fellow was forced to fly to the factious Brethren in England who were labouring to bring in the holy Discipline into that Church also For the infection of Schisms had spread abroad in England greater Injuries and more impudent Contempts than had been known before upon the Temporal and Ecclesiastical Magistrates by the Puritans as one calls them of those days and Queen Elizabeth Semper eadem not enduring Innovation as impugning directly or obliquely the Royal Prerogative The Zealots for the Geneve Discipline railing at the English Hierarchy with scurrilous non-sense Libells by names of Martin-Mar-Prelate The
Bothwels eager pursuit stumbled his Horse and in the fall bruises him into some perâ—â— that he took the readiest way to Dalkieth for that night and the next morrow dissolves his Troopâ— Arrol has tidings and does so too the Captains at â—ife take ship and faâ—l away And this gave end to his three â—quadrons and leasure to the King by his Ambassadour Lord Colvil to complain to Queen Elizabeth of her Ambassadour Zouch and her harbouring of Bothwel He writes plainly Though she had recommended his Person wise religious and honest yet his â—arriage was more like an Herauld than to be a Messenger in Commission of Peaâ—e between two neighbour Princes and therefore meeting with his pride and wilfulness he chose his own Emissary to carry this Errand whom he prays the Queen to credit He marvelled the more having received her many Princely promises and Letters not to countenance Bothwel nor his Receivers whilest some of her own Palaces had given him harbour being assisted with English Moneys to levy Scots and English in this his another very late treacherous Attempt To challenge her Princely Honour he did not nor could be confident of her priviâ—y therein yet considering her prudence and policies he was troubled to finde the insolency of her Subjects to hazard a breach with her nearest Kinsman and therefore leaving it to her self to resolve those doubts he put her in mind of his delivery of Orork the Irish Rebell to her and prays her not to put him in ballance with such a trayterous counterpoise least he be constrained to speak like the Poet Flectere si nequeo superos c. Thus much the letter said the Ambassadour in private assured her Majesty the particular prosecution against the Popish Lords to proscribe their persons and confiscate their Lands And to go through with the work against them and other Romists he craved a supply of monies The Queen had no excuse but to ballance her favour to Bothwell by the slow pursuit the King made against those Papists Henceforth she would cease and for effecting his purpose against them He should not want what was in her power to afford The first she really perâ—â—â—rmed and speedily proclamed against Bothwell and no assistance to him through her Borders which the King hartily resented And by his Ambassadors invites the Queen to the Baptism of the Prince his Son and others were sent of the same errand To the King of Denmark the Dukes of Brunswick and Megleburgh and to the general Estates Men enough to one Woman The King so far affected with the Queens Publication against Bothwell that the next Parliament the Scotish Papists are banished by plurality of voices Clergy and Commons whom the Nobles would have spared And Arguile is sent with forces against such as would not submit The Assembly of the Church coâ—nvene at Edenburgh and direct Commissioners of their own to represent to his Majesty at Sterlin the dangers of the State and to propound the remedies in eleven Articles They lay the ground from the late design of the Spaniard in eighty eight against the whole Island and his correspondence since with the Popish Lords argues his intention the same still and their continuance in Treasonable attempts ever since doth evidence their obstinacy to prosecute the Conspiracy Then the Church layes open how their counsel from time to time was neglected and the enemy incouraged and none greater favourites in Court than Papists naming principal families infected therewith And reckoâ—s up the Popish Lords neglect and scorn of the Act of Oblivion their disobedience not entring their persons to Ward The arriving of the late Spanish Bark at Montross shews that their Practises continue and their open Conventions assure themselves safety besides their preparations of Arms in the North parts And conclude that the cause not being removed the dangerous effects are like to follow The Remedies they propound in eight conclusions That the Popish Lords be forfeited the next Sessions of Parliament And no Papists elected shall sit That they shall be pursued their rents and lands annexed to the Crown without favour That seizure be made of several notorious persons named That none shall relieve them with any Supply or Intelligence That the people should put themselves into arms as a posture of Defence Somwhat was said against the Lord Hume but he appearing was absolved These remedies were well accepted of the King only misliking Subjects to arm without his Warrant And well he might reminding the last years insurrections at the peoples pleasure The King granting theirs offers some conditions for himself hy his Messinger Melvil That the Assembly should inhibit their Ministers irreverent speeches in Pulpit against his Majesty and Council under pain of deprivation And to censure Iohn Ross for his insolency therein The like against Hunter another of theirsâ— for his open consortship with the late Traytors he being a Minister of Religion against his King of the same faith to the great scandal of the Church The third was to admonâ—sh their Congregations against Bothwell his treasonable attempts or any other such insurrections against his Majesties person This last was enacted but Ross was only admonished to do so no more and Hunter was pretended to be deposed from his function but they juggled him in again The Parliament adjudged the three Earls and Achindown guilty of the Crimes of Treason their estates forfeited their Escocheons torn by the Herauld as their manner of degrading and excellent Statutes passed for the good of Country and Commons And now begins the Solemnity of Baptism for the Prince in August from England the Earl of Sussex the King of Denmark and Duke of Brunswick and Megleburgh with the free Estates of the Provinces had their Ambassadours there present from the French King came none The manner of Ceremony was thus handsom The Infant was brought into the Queens chamber of Presence laid in a Bed of State The Ambassadours came in and were presented with the Prince first from the Arms of the Countess of Mar to the Duke of Lennox who delivered him to the Earl of Sussex having the principal place of Dignity who bore him to the Chappel being followed with a Noble Train of Lords and Ladies Before them all the Lord Hume carried the Ducall Coronet the Lord Levingston bore the Towell the Lord Seaton the Fontall Bason and the Lord Simple the Laver. Over the English Ambassadour â— Rich Majesterial Canopie supported by four Lairds The Childs Train bore up by the Lords Sinclare and Urquart and a Guâ—rd or Lane on each side of the young Noblemen and Gentry of the Nation Being entred the Chappel the King already set and ariâ—â—ing from his Throne receives and salutes the Ambassadours and then the Infant was delivered again to Lenox who reached him to the Nurse and the Estates take their Seats Upon the Kings Right hand a Chair was placed for the French Ambassadour who was not
insurrections for this hurried nation often to assemble so in truth little effects followed as at this time for the Ministers to colour their intentions would seem to enact against Self-Interest and begin with themselves and fast pray and preach daies of Humiliation that was all that they would do as to their reforming But then there was sure to followcomplaint of the corruption of Courtiers in the Kings Palace and justice Seats and fear of the banished Lords and left not till the faults were found such as are common even to the best Estates Then would they ravel into Counsel of the Remedies to which the King usually would afford consent but by experience finding out their aim and danger of them to be too severe and earnest which they called zeal the King wisely chekt the bit Telling them That unless there were any evident proofs that the Popish Lords since their departure beyond Seas had conspired with Strangers to the prejudice of the Realm in Religion or State their cautions cannot in honor or justice be convict nor would he change the course of charity and conditions to their wives and children And indeed in prudence the King held himself unsafe whilst such potent Lords were abroad for much mischief they might do underhand unheard and unseen And reasoning one day with Mr. Robert Bruce a leading Minister How much it concerned him to have them recalled That Queen Elizabeth grown old if deâ—th should seize her he might need assistance of his own Interest of State and honour would ballance these Lords even against Catholique or Spanish Titles or other Designs and by such interest may be sooner drawn to the reformed Religion than by compulsory extremity Mr. Bruce yielded to the Reasons to call home Angus and Arroll but not Huntley being so much hated The Kings opinion seemed further to oversway Because Huntley saies he hath maried my Cosin one that I esteem a man of Power to do good or evil and so to be made accordingly In the end Bruce was so bold as to tell the King in plain terms I see Sir said he your affection to Huntley whom I must oppose and you either loose him or me for both you cannot keep This insolency lost him the King This for one example of many which their own Historians record of their Ministers good behaviours and certainly this mans ambition and popularity out-vied the Kings who espying his Trayn that conducted him by the Court into Edenburgh By my Sal said the King Bruce puts me down in his Attendants The exiled Lords of themselves resolved to return but withall possible submission and to avoid the least suspition of jealousie they separate Arroll through Holland Huntley came before and out of the North sends Supplication to the King and Convention at Faulkland in August to reside where his Majesty would appoint upon caution of good behaviour The King concluded aright Either to ruin them and their race or to receive them all into favour and hope of reforming into Religion The first course saith he hath its own difficulties and trouble for me if I could effect it The other is more consonant to my humour and mine honor I desire not destruction errors of conscience are not of matters of the mind I like not to receive conditions from Huntley rather to advise of commands to them all with clemency and favour which was submitted unto And the publick joy of the Queens second Birth of a Daughter made up the common reception of these Lords to community and fellowship with the Congregations She was born in August the 16. day 1596. and to be baptized in November But now the Ministry make work their Commissioners assembling at Edenburgh send Post to all their Presbyteries the State of affairs for so is the Commission That the forfeited Earls were come home without Warrant are like to be received to mercy without submission for their offences of Treason or reconcilement to the Church and conditions confirmed unto them The Preachers Pulpit these tidings to their flocks publick and private to provoke into Tumult and to be in readiness to resist the dangers of Church and State The first Sunday of December held forth for Humiliation and then the power in the Minister to tell all to the people and to inlarge as the zeal of the Spirit shall promp them They assume power to call to account all manner of men Entertainers Receivers or communicate with them to be canvased with the censures of the Church Una citatione quia periclitatur salus Ecclesiae Reipublica And with such busteling with several Commissioners from all parts of the Nation to make Residence at Edenburgh and daily to convene to receive intelligence from all parts and return Edicts and Ordinances to prevent if possible the eminent ruin to Gods People And this daily Convention being a New Modell so must it be stiled The Council of the Church And instantly they find oâ— make work the Lord Seaâ—on President of the Session was 〈◊〉 to account by the Synod of Lothian Not that he was guilty but that their power and pride might strike terror in the people for as they had no proof at all and so as by President of the Popes inquisition his Oath purges himself assures him to their Conclave and so gets home again This monstrous manner of muteny makes the Men of State to foresee mischief and not being powerful to remedie nor was it politick to publish their errors to the people or scorn upon the face of the Church The President Secretary Advocate and Laird of Colluthrie were commanded by the King to confer with as many of theirs To whom they move the question whether if these Lords satisfie the Church otherwise his Majesty desires not that then they might be pardoned and restored to their Estates But receive a Court Answer They came only to hear Prepositions and to remit them to their Brethren And so they did with Apostolick Conclusion Their acceptance of the Kings behaviour and respect to the Church not to resolve of any favour to them Rebells till the Church were satisfied But their censure by Gods Law condemned them to death and being also sentenced to lose their estates they cannot be legally pardoned nor restored or if the King or his Council should take upon them to do otherwise they were to answer it to God and the Country themselves make protestation to be free before God and man I shall not comment upon this Text. The Popish Sanadrin does so An Historian of theirs calls it Passionate zeal under which all impudence may be maintained should they be ignorant of the tender bosome of the Mother Church parent to Babes and to repentant sinners Mark their distinction The Church hath power to do as she pleaseth but the King must not he must do justice The King is wroth against them all common resentment private and publick And wise men advise the
opposed by any cunning whatsoever if understood by Her he might not so easily have come to this Crown And truly whether his virtue and goodness more remark in Him than usual in Princes guided him in that to depend onely upon the providence of God for his Birth-right or that his policy under hand wrought him any advantage certainly the Success must crown the Work to admiration For though he might not despise honest and honourable advice in such correspondence as was necessary under hand with the Counsellours of Queen Elizabeth to secure himself for the time to come yet we reade not of any that came to light or so much in her days as private suspition The Reign and Death OF KING IAMES OF Great Britain France and Ireland the First c. SO then in a seasonable conjunction of things and time he succeeded Queen Elizabeth who departted this life on Thursday the 24th of March 1602. at her Manour-house of Richmond early in the morning that day being fatal to Henry 8. and to all his Children dying on Thursdays and her Funerals sumptuously solemnized with all speed in April following The same day the Lords Spiritual and Temporal assembled and having proclamed her Death and the Right and Title of King Iames to succeed her being lineally expressed from Margaret eldest Daughter to Henry 7th and Elizabeth his Wife who was eldest Daughter to Edward 4th and married to James 4th King of Scotland in the year 1503. just a hundred years since who had issue James 5th Father to Mary the First and Mother to this King James the Sixth now 36. years of age and so long King of Scotland Then they poast Letters to the King by the hands of Sir Charls Percy Brother to the Earl of Northumberland and Thomas Somerset Son to the Earl of Worcester signifying the Death of their late Sovereign betwixt two and three of the clock that morning And knowing his Right of Succession they have made Proclamation thereof at Westminster White-hall and Cheapside Cross and seeing they remain a Body without a Head they humbly desire his Mâ—jesty to hasten how soon and in what manner he pleaseth And therein complain as in publick that Sir Robert Cary poasted from hence towards your Majesty contrary to their consent and command thereby as much as in him lay to prevent and anticipate their duty and respect They acquaint the King of a fleet of ten ships royall ready furnished for the Coast of Spain under Command of Sir Richard Lawson whose Commission noâ— ceasing by the Queens death they desire his Majesties pleasure whether they shall guard the Narrow Seas or be câ—lled to the Coast of Scotland as a Convey for the Kings use Dated in London And therefore Robert Leigh Maior Signed first But as in this letter so it goes in Common report that Cary let out by his father Hunsdon Lord Chamberlain came first to the King upon his own score But secretary Cecills secret Packquets went before him or these letters or else he had little credit in his own Commands The King communicates these letters to his Lords and returns them his acknowledgment of their dutifull affections He confirms for the present all Offices Civil Martial as at the Queens death til his farther pleasure Dated the 28. and 31. of March which the Lords heer proclaim the 5. of April after And though the King sets forth his interest of succession commanding both Nations in unity of duty to him and brotherly affection to each other yet did the Scots Borderers make Inrodes into England which was severely punished and all for Example executed to death The King orders his Journey the 5. of April the Queen to follow 20. daâ—es after Prince Henry Duke Charles and Princess Elizabeth at further pleasure Brings with him those of the greatest birth and most interest in the blood royall who though farr enough off to follow after his Numerous issue of a teeming fruitfull Consort yet too neer to be trusted at home And each one of them begat trouble and charge upon him ever after to reward or to raise them up beyond any desert in both he was wisely regarding Those were Lenox Hamelton Arguile Mar Kinloss and Lord Hewm and a couple of Knights Sir George Hewâ— and Sir Iohn Ramsey of neer affection with the King So it became his future security advantage to caress those that ushered him in and had underhand merited somewhat from former very late advise and Intelligence how to correspond with his jealous Predecessor we may conceive those then in being for most of the old Ones out-liv'd not that their policie were the Howards and Percies and Caecils The first of them of high birth and former merit the Linage of the late Duke of Norfolk who suffered under the Axe for his affection to this Kings Mother as aforesaid anno 1569. And his brother Henry Howard with the Lord Cobham were the first of Eminencie that met the King at Barwick The last of great wisdom and experience for the Kings urgent affairs to make proper use of And at York Thomas Cecil Lord Burghley President of the North receives him who comes on with his Train and needed no other Guard than the affections of the People that hurried him forward with Excessive Acclamations soon forgetting as the manner of the Multitude their late Sovereign in the hope of a likelyer change in a King with which for many years this Nation had been really unacquainted And so was He feasted by the way freely at each Residence of his Person where he lodged untill he came unto Godmanchester in the Country of Northampton where they presented him with 70. Teem of Horses fairly traced unto as many new Ploughs in honor of Tillage A Custome very antient when their Sovereigns pass that Town being his Tenants and holding their land by that Tenure The King told them He liked their ayre so well and took their gift so kindly as but for undoing such good people in their bounty to visit them often which afterwards he performed that Custome being but for the first time to the comfort of that Town and County At Broxborn his next Gest there met him the gravity of the greatest Officers Egerton Lord Chancellor Buckhurst Lord Treasurer Howard Lord Admiral with the most of the Council and Nobility At Ware the King came to Wiggen heretofore so base a Cottage as begat a saying If a Man would answer the Asker as in despair That it should be granted when as the King comes to Wiggen And at Theobalds the seat of Sir Robert Cecil Secretary of State he stayes for four dayes Entertainment where were made of his Council these Scotish Lords Lenox Mar Hewâ— Elphington and Kinloss And of English Henry Howard and his Nephew Thomas Howard brother and sonne to the late Duke of Norfolk and 28. Knights-Bachelors dubbed The Name Knight is from
Knecht a German word an Institution of dignity by that Noble and ancient Nation Tacitus saies the manner was not for any to take Arms before the State allowed him sufficient and then some one of the Princes or the father of the young-man termed Knecht furnished him with a Shield and a Javeline as the Romans did virili toga the first honor done to youth and afterwards members of the Common-weal This being the first and simple manner of Creation they were afterwards styled Bachelour Knights Baccalarius quia olim coronabantur lauro cum baccis Vel potius quia Bedellus ipsis aureum baculum exâ—ibebat cum ad concilia irent Vnde primus gradus in professione scientiarum est Baccalauri secundus Licentiati ultimus doctores Indeed as he is so Baccalaureus or Batalareus dicitur is Miles qui jam semel praelio sive Bataliae interfuit collatis signis et manum cum hoste conseruit And thus for the Name Their dignity was from serving on Horse-back so the Italian call them Cavaileiri the French chivalier the Germanes Roisters all of riding the Latines equites aurati for properly being created with sword and girdle guilt spurs were added for more necessary Ornament The original dignity was given to Marshall men but since in all Nations it is bestowed on men of peace and merit the better in civile policie to level the service at home with that abroad Tullie sayes Parva sunt foris arma nisi est consilium domi And of late his dignity is called dubbed because the man kneels down and the Sovereign lightly layes a sword upon his shoulder saying sois chevalier nome de dieu and afterwards he sayes Avances chevalier It seems to be done as it were upon the sodain in the field and thereupon are called in our Law Miles a militia But the King may do it by Patent And though the first in Title by Institution yet are they the last in degree of honor which dies with them There had been anciently another degree of Knight-hood made by the General under the Kings standard in the field called Banneret but he was â—eacefull and so none of them were made in his time See after Knights Baronets and Knights of the Garter Being come to London his first Reception was at the Charter-house the then Habitation of Thomas Howard lately made Lord Chamberlain for four dayes where 80. Gentlemen were Knighted from thence in private to White-Hall and then by water to the Tower of London the 11. of May 1603. During his Journey hither prisoners were set at liberty out of the Tower and amongst others Accessaries to Essex Treason was Henry Wriothsly the third Earl of Southampton made Barons by Henry the eighth and Earls by Edward the sixth And this man by King Iames made afterwards Knight of the Garter a Privy Counsellor and Captain of the Isle of Wight Thomas his son now Earl of Southampton 1654. Heer at the Tower He creates divers Barons Sir Robert Caecil Baron of Essenden Sidny of Peshnurst Lord Knowles of Grayes Lord Wotton of Morley And dubbs eleven Knights The King had knowledg of the death of Iames Beaton in France Arch-Bishop of Glascow he had been consecrate Bishop at Rome 1552. and not induring the reformation of the Church forsook Scotland and conveyed with him to France all the evidences of that See of Glascow the Ornaments and Reliques of that Church the Image of Christ in beaten gold and of the Apostles in silver not over large you may believe And being there Queen Mary setled her Lieger Ambassadour when she returned to Scotland And so continued untill the Government of the Regents who deprived him whom the King afterwards restores and imployes him in Ambassies to France being wise and faithfull to his Mother He by Will leaves all to pious uses for benefit of Scotish-men Scholars and consigned the Utensils of Glasgow into the hands of the Carthusians of Paris untill Glasgow becomes Romish Iohn Spotswood at the Kings elbow was soon preferred thither and sent with the Lords to fetch the Queen But she resolved to bring the Prince along with her self and being refused by the friends of the Earl of Mar til order from the King incensed her into a sickness and to recover her the King humoured her willfulness and sent home the Earl of Mar from England to present her with her son but continues her anger to be debarred her desire by such a subject whom mortally she hated as you have heard heretofore and though the King sought to sweeten her with his letters That he ascribed his peacable reception in England unto his wisdom and late Negotiation The Queen in fury replyed That she had rather never see England than be beholding to him Whether in Malice or other defign It was remarkable Her studious intent to seize the Prince to her self And so she set forward with him and the Princess Elizabeth who by the way was left to the Government of the Lord Harrington But Charles Duke of York an Infant and sickly came not til next year after The Earl of Rutland was sent in Commission to the King of Denmark to present him with the honor of the Garter and to Baptize his first son And Sir Henry Wootton Lieger to Venice He was called from his private travels at Venice formerly known to the King an Emissary from the Duke of Tuscane into Scotland to forwarn him of a Treason against his Person And was now sent again thither Leonardo Donato being then Duke with whom and the Pope Paul the first hapened two Contests For restraint of Lay Persons donatives unto Church-men of lands or goods without License for so becoming Ecclesiastick they were exempt from taxes The other was The imprisoning an unchast Abbot and a Canon being conceived a diminution of the Papal Power who therefore excommunicates the whole Republick They fly to King Iames by their own Ambassadour here and by Messengers and Letters disputing their priviledges with the Popes power which was thus weakened by exceeding it and so they obtained Absolution with much adoe but not untill the report was that the whole Senate would turn Protestants Wootton continued at Venice near twenty years with some Returns and Messages extraordinary this Donato being the fourscore and eleventh Duke of Venice successively from Anno 697. having been a Republick long before and governed by Tribunes In Iuly was solemnly performed the Rites of St George at Windsor where were installed these Knights of the Garter the Prince Henry Duke of Lenox Earl of Southampton Earl of Mar Earl of Pembroke This most honourable Order of the Garter was instituted by Edward the third after he had obtained many great Victories K. Iohn of France K. Iames of Scotland being then Prisoners in the Tower of London and King Henry of Castile the Bastard expulst and Don Piedro restored by the Prince of Wales called The black
to be meant sudden and quick danger as the blaze of Paper by fire This was the most happy construction of burning the Letter which in truth was onely as the ordinary advice in Letters of secrecy to burn them lest they should tell Tales or bring danger to the person receiving them However at the next Meeting with the other Lords it was determined to search and view the Rooms of the Parliament-Houses by my Lord Chamberlain to whose place it belongs where the Vault under the Lords House was stuft with Wood and Coals hired by Master Thomas Piercy Kinsman to the Earl of Northumberland for his private use lodging in the Keepers house one Whineyard Piercy was a violent Papist and Mounteagles Friend who presently made judgment that the Letter might come from him so that the care and further search was committed unto Sir Thomas Knevet a Iustice of the Peace for Westmiâ—ster who the night before the Parliament at twelve of the clock with competent assistance at the very entrance without the Door of the Lodgings they seize in safety one Guido Fauks calling himself Iâ—hn Iohnson and Piercie's man booted and drest so late Then searching the Vault and removing some Billets they found six and thirty Barrels of Pouder and after in Fauks his Pocket three Matches a Dark Lanthorn and other Implements nay the Watch therewith to tell the Minutes for Execution All which he soon confessed and that had he been within they should all together have found the effects of sudden destruction About four of the clock Knevet presently acquaints the former Lords who arise and tell the King that all was discovered and one man in custody Instantly the Council convene examine Fauks who of a Roman resolution refuses to discover any Complices owns the Plot himself moved onely for Religion and Conscience being a Papist denying the King to be his lawfull Sovereign but an Heretick But the next day carried to the Tower and threatned with the Rack his Roman guise visibly slackened and by degrees he appeared relenting and so confessed all That a Practice in general against the King for relif of the Catholicks was propounded to him about Easter was Twelve-moneth beyond Sea in Flanders by Thomas Winter and after in England was imparted to Robert Catesby Thomas Piercy and Iohn Wright and Catesby designed the way to blow up the Parliament because he said as Religion was suppressed there Iustice and Punishment should be there executed Piercy hires a House near the Parliament House and began our Mine December 11. 1604. The Work-men were these five and after that another Christophor Wright the Mine wrought to the very Wall was so thick that we took in another Labourer Robertâ—Winter and whilest these work Fauks watcht Sentinel always with Muskets and Arms rather to die than be taken But being half way through the thick Wall they heard a noise on the other side removing Sea-coals in the Cellar adjoyning which so pat for their purpose Piercy hired Coals and Cellar for a Twelve-moneth and so saved their other labor and fitted the Cellar with Wood and Pouder That about Easter the Parliament prorogued till October they all dispersed and Fauks retired to the Low Countreys to acquaint Owen with the Plot and returned about September and with-drew into the Countrey till October 30. That the same day of Execution some other Confederates should have surprized the Princess Elizabeth at the Lord Harington's in Warwickshire and proclamed her Queen He confessed that others were privy to this Conspiracy Sir Everard Digby Ambrose Rockwood Francis Tresham Iohn Graunt and Robert Keys The next apprehended was Thomas Winter who in some seeming compunction and sorrow wrote his voluntary Confession That in the first year of King Iames to this Crown 1603. I was sent for to come up to London to Iohn Wright at Lambeth called Faux Hall where he first informed me of this Pouder-Treason to blow up the Parliament that the nature of the Disease required sharp Remedy and so we agreed and my Design was to go over to Bergen-op-Zome to petition the Constable of Castile ready there to come over Ambassadour for his Catholick Majesty by whose means here the Catholicks might have favor and there I met Guido Fauks and brings him over to Catesby about Easter Term and met also behinde St. Clements Strand with Piercy and Wright where we take Oath of secrecy hear Mass and receive the Sacrament and so sorth as Fauks hath confessed onely we resolved to convey their Pouder by degrees unto Catesby's house at Lambeth and so to be brought over by Boat when the Mine was ready and received one Keys as a trusty man for our purpose In the time of their Mining they framed their Plot into some fashion what to do for the Duke as next Heir the King and Prince Henry blown up Piercy undertakes with his Confederates to seize the Duke at St. Iames whilest most of his Servants might be about Westminster and with Horses ready at the Court-gate to horse him away into the Countrey whilest most men amazed at the Blow the Duke might easily be mastered And for the Princess Elizabeth in the Countrey some Friends gathered together under colour of Hunting near my Lord Harington's might seize her to Catesby's house which was not far off at Ashby and he undertakes for that They provide for Money and Horses and to save as many Catholick Lords as could be advised to forbear the Parliament Next that forein Princes could not be enjoyned secrecy nor oblig'd by Oath nor were they sure that such would approve their Plot if they did yet to prepare so long before might beget suspition the same Letter that carried the News of the Execution might intreat for assistance and aid That Spain his motion like a large Body was too slow in his preparations in the first of Extremities France too near and dangerous who with Holland shipping they feared most And because the charge of the work hitherto lay hard upon Catesby they called in Sir Everard Digby who frankly lent fifteen hundred pounds to the business and Mr. Francis Tresham two thousand pounds and Piercy promised all the Earl of Northumberland's Rents which he would seize near forty thousand pounds and ten Horses And because they were informed that the Prince would be absent from the Parliament they resolved of more company to seize him and to horse him away on the other side of the Thames and let the Duke alone Two days after this discourse being Sunday comes news to Thomas Winter of a Letter to Mounteagle to advise him to absent from the Parliament which Letter was carried to the Earl of Salisbury Winter tells this to Catesby and Tresham whom they suspected but all forswear the Letter and resolve to see the issue which they feared would fail of their purpose but on Munday Catesby resolves to go to Ashby and Piercy to follow Tuesday early comes the younger Wright and tells Winter that he
Feaver And was Interred at Westminster 1612. His Motto's Pax mentis Honestae gloria Iuvat Ire per altum Hee was comely tall five foot eight Inches high strong and well made broad shouldred a small wast amiable with Majesty Aborn Hair long faced broad forehead a peircing grave Eye a gracious smile but with a frown daunting Courteous and affable naturally shamefast and modest patient and slow to anger mercifull and judicious secret of any trust even from his youth His courage Princelike fearless noble and undaunted Saying that nothing should be impossible to him which had been done by another Religious and Christian He was never heard to swear an Oath and it was remembred at his funeral Sermon by the Arch-bishop that he being commended by one for not replying with passion in play or swearing to the truth he should answer that he knew no game or value to be wonne or lost could be worth an Oath To say no more such and so many were his virtues that they covered the semblance of sin But think what we will one that sucks venome says he was anatomized to amuse the world and to clear the impoyson as a Court trick to dawb it over We are like to have much truth from such a prejudicate Pen-Man The Prince Palatine and Maurice Prince of Orange by a Deputy were installed Knights of the Garter this Christmass And in February following the Marriage with the Princess Elizabeth was solemnized with all pomp and glory together with the peoples hearty affections expressed in their Ayd-mony Contribution he calls it for her Marriage which is a due debt or ancient Custome and no absolute thing whether or no that the obedience of the subject had been ripe or rotten thereto and it came to twenty thousand and five hundred pounds And in Aprill after he returnes with his Bride through the Netherlands to his own principall City Heidelbergh in the Palatinate from whence his finite miserable banishment took begining in Anno 1613. A Scotish Baron one Sanquair having wasted his own pieced up his Patrimony by mariage with another an heir in England and having worn out hers also with the death of his Lady He seekes to save the poor remain by sparing it abroad a Custome of Gallants taken up to salve their credit which they say Parsimony disparages unless from home in forein soil and ere he went over His fate was to try mastery with Turner a Master of defence in his own Art wherein Sanquair had much of knowledg but more of opinion Turner was the most of skill in that Profession whom the Baron challenges at three hits and inforced upon him the first of three with over-much conceipt and clamour of his Scots companions to over-Master the best in England and him in his own Schoole too in the face of some Schollars an affront to all The man sensible of his credit more than conscience in Malice to do mischief opened his Body to the advantage of his Adversary who too neer pressing it home Turner takes it on his Brest being sure thereby to pop Sanquire in the eye so deadly that he dasht it out The Baron guessed at this evil hap by his own Intention to have done worse himself But by Turners regret of this mischance they parted patience perforce At Paris the King pittyed his loss a great defect to a handsome gallant and asked him why the man dyed not that did it This Item the Divell so drove into his fancie that hastily brings him home again where he hired two of his own kindred Grey and Carliel to kill him which they did basely by a brace of Bullets in his own House White-Fryers And all three got time to fly The one taken in Scotland the other on Ship-board and the Barons head praysed at a thousand pounds he fearing thereby to be forced into Justice thought it safer to throw himself into the hands of Mercy by presenting it and so represented by the Bishop of Canterbury he might appear an obiect of pitty But the wound was universall and the blood-shed not to be wiped off but by his death ignoble as his Act the Halter equall guilt had even punnishment all the three Gallows Some difficulty there was how to proceed with the Baron who first came in for Carlile and Grey being Principals and not as yet convict the Law could not proceed to the Tryall of Sanquair being but Accessary But then the other two flying they were out-lawed and so attainted of felony and then the Accessary was tryed for there are but three kinds of Attainder by Outlary Verdict or Confession See after in the case of Weston for impoysoning of Overbury who stood Mute sometime that while the Accessaries could not be convict Anno 1615. The next Moneth brings to the Grave that excellent States-Man Treasurer Cecil Earl of Salisbury He was descended from the Sitsâ—lts in Hartfordshire Vorstegan saâ—es from Cecilii the Romanes they suffered some persecutions in the time of Henry the eight and Queen Mary His father William came into favour by Edward the sixth who gave him Knighthood and took him to his Counsell and in the Office of Secretary of State but in some obscurity afterwards under his Sister Mary was restored again by Queen Elizabeth in the same trust so soon as she was setled in her Crown and by degrees increases him to honour First Baron of Burleigh Then Lord Treasurer and Knight of the Garter he died Chancelor of the University of Cambridge Anno 1598. and was intombed at Stanford Leaving two sonnes The Elder Thomas then Lord President of the North and by King Iames created Earl of Excester and privy Counsellor of State He died some years after discreet and honourable whom the world could never tax with any taint This other sonne Robert was a true inheritor of his fathers wisdome and by him trained up to the future perfections of a judicious States-man After his Knighthood by Queen Elizabeth the first imployment from Court for he was not at all bred out of it sent him Assistant with the Earl of Derby Ambassadour to the French King At his return she took him second Secretary with Sir Francis Walsingham after whose disease he continued principal and so kept it to his death Not relâ—nquishing any preferment for the addition of a greater A remarkable note which few men of the Gown could boast off His father liv'd to see him thus far setled in these preferments and afterwards Master of the Wards and Liveries These he held to the Queens death being in all her time used amongst the men of weight as having great sufficiencies from his father who begat them also Those offices here in publick with perpetual Correspondence by Emissaries of his own made him capable of reception with King Iames who was advised by him how to be received of his people His merits certainly appeared to his Master that added to
his former preferments even to the day of his death as first Baron Essenden Viscount Cranburn and after Earl of Salisbury Knight of the Garter and Lord Treasurer of England It behooved the King to bestow on him the weight of that staff the Coffer then in some want which was not likely soon to recover but to increase debt by the charge of a treble Court of King Queen and Children and therefore many ways were devised to advance the Revenue particularly in that of honor for Knights Baronets which was not this Earls onely design as some will have it Nor of Somerset hereafter as another saies But it was began a little before this Lords death as will follow hereafter I know what some have surmized to prejudice his Memory if it were possible who with little pains may be sufficiently vindicated and his Merits amply related being of somewhat concernment to me to speak my own knowledg again to enlighten the dark shadows that always wait on shining merit But all his care and pains not able to fill the Coffers so much exhausted and the Estate in a Retrograde consumption He did before his death not usual with Courtiers present his Patent of Master of Wards at the Kings feet and so the whole benefit became the profit of the Crown By former constitutions of this Realm all the Lands of this Nation held by two Tenures by soccage or by Knights service by the Plough to free us or by the sword to defend us and who so died leaving an Heir within age unable to do this Service his Heir and Lands fell both to the protection of the Sovereign And this in antient time was promiscuously carried in the Court of Chancery untill the middle of Henry 8. when this Court of Wards was first erected Since which time the Masters thereof by favour of the Sovereign did accustome as a bounty of State to grant unto Noblemen the Kings Servants and their own followers both the marriage of the body and the Lease of the Lands for a third penny of their true value which also in several relations by frequent Orders and Declarations of that Court in print have been altered and changed till now of late the whole Court and quality thereof is absolutely dissolved as a grievance too burthensome for a free State and people anno 1648. He indured some time of sickness and died in his return from the Bath at Saint Margarets at Master Daniels house in May 1612. and was entombed at his Mannour of Hatfield a princely seat in Hertfordshire His death opened the doors for the King to dispose his Place of profit the Treasurership upon the E. of Suffolk whose office of Lord Chamberlain fell to the Favourite Viscount Rochester the Wards to Sir Walter Cope who lived not long to enjoy it being of weak constitution carefull and painfull in his duty of great experience in the affairs of Court and State bred up first under Burlegh and at his death delivered up to his son Sir Robert Ceâ—il with whom he continued the most exact Confident and counsellour to the end of his days And the Favorite also was made Seâ—retary of State belike for some suddain improvement of his Latine Tongue which his Master is said to teach him His Confident was one Thomas Overbury a man of good parts a Student of Lincolns Inn lately returned from Travell besides it was Carr's first principle and no mean one to please the English by entertaining them his Domesticks for having not many Kindred or Friends to lean upon he might be forced to stand upon his own strength and the kindness of strangers This Overbury had most strickt friendships with Carr lately created Viscount Rochester and therefore soon knighted and if we may credit his own vaunt being indeed insolent he would brag that the Viscounts advance in business of Court and Secrecies of State proceeded from him which he managed and made common And the knowledg of this coming to the King he tenderly blamed his Favourite for such freedom in his Masters affairs This advice made him less communicable in those Mysteries which Overbury took ill and with scornfull resentment told Rochester that indeed he deserved to be better imployed than to attend as his Tutor And therfore he desired to have the Honour and Preferment of an Ambassy Leiger then intended abroad as best fitting his good parts and greater pride of which he had sufficient to present the Kings person conceiting perhaps that the power which he usurped in the Viscoâ—nts affection would work some regret upon him which Overbury knew how to master for a better advantage But when Rochester had wisely considered that there would be no great loss of so loose a Friend and that Overbury though an Osier of his own planting would not be wrought in any purpose but to his own self-pride hastily put the Design forward drew up his Instructions with some Additionals of Overburies for I copied them and this being in earnest then Overbury would not go for which high Contempt the King and Council sent him to the Tower 'T is true some Moneths before Rochester made Court to the Countess of Essex who did not that loved a Lady which Overbury misliked upon no score of Religion or Virtue but to ballance with his ambition and vanity and to obtrude any Copartnership in his friends affection especially of the House of Howards whom mortally he hated upon private malice for to some mens knowledg he would scornfully report not long before that she was won by Letters of his inditing which I have read and by that means endeavoured to bring them to Bawdery the beginning of all their future ruines as you shall hear the next year The Kings expence brings him to account with his Exchequer where his Exits increasing the In-comes he intends better husbandry to piece out his Expences and having taken into his Houshold Sir Arthur Ingram a Merchant bred who by his wit and wealth came to be his Cofferer the vast expence of the state keeping the Treasury dry his abilities discover the cunning craft of the Merchant for the Customers had cozened the King engrossing by that means the wealth of Trading which was therefore raised to an higher Farm The same use was made at Court which he taught the Green-cloath by Retrench and he is called by Sir A. W. therefore an evil Bird that defiles his Nest what is he then who defiled the Court that gave him breeding defam'd the King that gave him bread The King put this course in practice at Court somewhat differing I confess in the Line of Ascent to the Houshold preferment which rises by order succession and this man a stranger in Court stept in to discover the concealments of the Green-cloath also and when this Tide had its Ebb it returned again to his wonted channel and 't is true the King shifted the fault upon his Favourite
direct honesty to purchace large possessions And now the place of Secretary was joyned in two Principals Sir Ralph Winwood and him and so he continued with honourable esteem untill malice and revenge two violent passions over-ruling the weaker sex concerning his Wife and Daughter involved him into their quarrel the chief and onely cause of his ruine He had by his Wife Sons and Daughters his eldest married unto Baron Rosse in right of a Grand-mother the Son of Thomas Earl of Exeter by a former venter this Baron therefore and upon Lake's credit was sent Ambassadour Extraordinary into Spain Anno 1611. in a very gallant equipage with hopes of his own to continue Lieger to save charges of transmitting any other In his absence here fell out a a deadly feud 't is no matter for what between the Lady Lake and her Daughters Step-mother the Countess of Exeter which was particularly described in a Letter and sent from England to me at Madrid in Spain and because of my near relations in that Ambassie I shewed the same to my Lord Ambassadour A youthfull Widow this Countess had been and virtuous the relict of Sir Thomas Smith Clerk of the Council and Register of the Parliament and so she became Bed-fellow to this aged gouty diseased but noble Earl and that preferment had made her subject to envy and malice Home comes the Lord Rosse from his Ambassie when he fell into some neglect of his Wife and her kindred upon refusing to increase allowance to her senttlement of Jointure which was promised to be compleated at his Return Not long he stays in England but away he gets into Italy turn'd a professed Roman Catholick being cozened into that Religion here by his publick confident Gondamore In this his last absence never to return the Mother and Daughter accuse the Countess of former incontinency with the Lord Rosse whilest he was here and that therefore upon his Wifes discovery he was fled from hence and from her Marriage-bed with other devised Calumnies by several Designs and Contrivement to have impoysoned the Mother and Daughter This quarrel blazened at Court to the Kings ear who as privately as could be singly examines each party The Countess with tears and imprecations professes her innocency which to oppose the Mother and Daughter counterfeit her hand to a whole sheet of paper wherein they make her with much contrition to acknowledg her self guilty craves pardon for attempting to impoyson them and desires friendship for ever with them all The King gets fight of this as in favour to them and demands the time place and occasion when this should be writ They tell him that all the parties met in a Visit at Wimbleton the Earl of Exeter's house where in dispute of their differences she confessed her guilt desirous of absolution and friendship consents to set down all under her own hand which presently she writ at the Window in the upper end of the great Chamber at Wimbleton in presence of the Mother and Daughter the Lord Rosse and one Diego a Spaniard his conâ—iding Servant But now they being gone and at Rome the King forthwith sends Master Dendy one of his Serjeants at Arms sometime a Domestick of the Earl of Exeter an honest and worthy Gentleman post to Rome who speedily returns with Rosse and Diego's hands and other Testimonials That all the said accusation confession suspitions and Papers concerning the Countess were notorious false and scandalous and confirm it by receiving their Eucharist in assurance of her honour and his innocency Besides several Letters of her hand compared with this writing concluded it counterfeit Then the King tells the Mother and Daughter that this writing being denied by her their testimonies as parties would not prevail without additional witness They then adjoyn one Sarah Wharton their Chamberess who they affirm stood behinde the Hangings at the entrance of the Room and heard the Countess reade over what she had writ And to this she swears before the King But after a Hunting at New Park the King entertained at Wimbleton and in that Room he observes the great distance from the Window to the lower end and placing himself behinde the Hanging and so other Lords in turn they could not hear a loud voice from the Window besides the Hangings wanted two foot of the ground and might discover the Woman if hidden behinde The King saying Oaths cannot deceive my sight And the Hangings had not been removed that Room in thirty years before Nay more than all these the Mother and Daughter counterfeit a Confession in writing of one Luke Hotton that for fourty pounds the Countess should hire him to poyson them which man with wonderfull providence was found out and privately denies it to the King And thus prepared the King sends for Lake whom in truth he valued tells him the danger to imbarque himself in this quarrel advising him to leave them to the Law being ready for a Star-chamber business He humbly thanked his Majesty but could not refuse to be a Father and a Husband and so puts his Name with theirs in a Crossâ—Bill which at the Hearing took up five several Days the King sitting in Iudgmâ—nt But the former Testimonies and some private confessions of the Lady Rosse and Sarah Wharton which the King kept in secret made the Cause for some Days of Triall appear doubtfull to the Court untill the Kings discovery which coâ—cluded the Sentence pronounced upon several Censures Lake and his Lady fined ten thousand pounds to the King five thousand pounds to the Countess fifty pounds to Hutton Sarah Wharton to be whipt at a Carts-tail about the streets and to do Penance at St. Martin's Church The Lady Rosse for confessing the truth and Plot in the midst of the Trial was pardoned by the most voices from penal Sentence The King I remember compar'd their Crimes to the first Plot of the first sin in Paradise the Lady to the Serpent her Daughter to Eve and Sir Thomas to poor Adam whole love to his Wife the old sin of our Father had beguiled him I am sure he paid for all which as he told me cost him thirty thousand pounds the loss of his Master's favour and Offices of honour and gain but truly with much pity and compassion at Court he being held an honest man Discontent among the Roman Prelates put the Ach-bishop of Spalato Mark Antonio de Dominis to seek his peace against that Sea by sundry overtures unto several Princes in Italy and otherwhere Spanish and French at last he becomes tainted with some opinions heretical to them which either he believed or took up such Tenents for the present time to prepare him a fitter Prosâ—lyte hereafter and finding no safe footing from the fury of the Pope and Conclave he steals over into England and to please the King pretends Conversion by his Majesties Works of Controversie and quarrels with Bellarmine however it was though fit to bid him welcome and to
The largest was Duke of Buckingham sent unto him by Patent into Spain and last of all Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports And so have we sommoned him at once with all these Titles which came to him in time heretofore and after These accumilations might no doubt astonish the Kitchen stuff conceipt of Sir A. W. Benefits imbroydered without the least vacancy or emptiness to any others workmanship The hearts of Princes once dilated with affection cannot be satiable in the exercise of any narrow bounty or little affection choice and love begets the Gift which act becomes fomented even to be in Love with their own giving and so to excesse And thus have we put together this great Man who was pieced up by degrees and time He had many kindred for his Family was ancient Heraldry might blaze as large fields of his Pedigree as need concern any subject to prove were a Man preferred to pensil his life which I take boldness but to touch with shadows These were dispersed by time into several Matches with the Gentry and what strange or new device was it in him to raise them that were neer in blood by Noble and worthy waies as he did He made his two Brothers Peers his Mother Sister Countesses the one by Patent the other by Mariage the rest of the kindred by his countenance got means to live like their Births being a race handsom and beautiful Imeâ—n the females descending of Villiers or Beaumont either matched with Peers or with the Sons and heirs of Earls or with Knights of plentiful condition for he did not much strengthen his subsistence in Court but stood there on his own feet the most of his Allies rather leaned on him than he sholdered up by any of them And thus much as a Preface to the History of him hereafter during this Kings raign wherein his actions are successively remembred But concerning his Mother made a Countess There are in England three sorts of honourable women by Creation Descent or Mariage 1. H. 8. created Ann Bullen Marchiones of Pembroke before he maried her So was Susan Widow the Sole Daughter of the Baron of Abergaveny created Baroness de le Spencer Cambden 63. 6. So also was the Lady Compton wife of Sir Thomas Compton brother to the Lord Compton made Countess of Buckingham with the see of twenty pound per annum 18. Iac. And also the Lady Finch a Widow created Viscountess of Maidstone 21. Iacobi 2. Noble women by descent or to whom dignities descend as heirs are said to be honourable by Tenure or those Heirs whose Ancestors were seized of an estate descendable to them in their titles of Dukedome Earldome or Baronies or Heirs to Ancestours summoned to the Parliament 3. And lastly Noble Women are these married to a Lord or Peer of the Realm though themselves but in the State of Gentry Knights Wives are not of the Nobility They are stiled Ladies by the courtesie of England but not in Courts of Judicature So much for Noble Women In the Kings return out of Scotland the people took occasion to complain in common and to petition in particular That the freedom of Servants and Laborers was extremely enslaved by their Masters pretended zeal and sanction against Idolizing as was pretended of such days as ancient custome from General Councils and the Church of England reformed even to that time had appointed to be kept Holy Whereby after the â—olemnizing of Divine service the Servants and Workmen were not usual to discompany from their accustomed moderate Pastimes such as the most rigid heretofore could not justly but admit The King not so over-affected to his own sports that the sense of the peoples sufferings might take advantage by his Example and so of Liberty in the like for much of his most serious affairs were shadowed from the vulgar nay from the observing Politicque by his own publick Pastimes But in truth it came to be a business of consequence to consider how the intemperate zeal of our then rigid Reformers to countenance their own design of deforming strook at higher powers through the peoples sides in many matters so in this also For at first these pure conceited Men quarrelled at the name of the Holy seventh day called then as of old Sunday which they would have named Sabbath and thereafter would have it observed levitically so strickt as not to gather sticks This being discussed in some Counties the people forbore their Recreations Then the Reformers took the like exceptions against the peoples lawful pleasures on Saints and Holy-daies and at last against all sports and publick Pastimes exercises innocent and harmless such were Leaping Dancing Running or any Mastery for the Gaol or Prize May-pole or Church-ale as debauched Idols In some of these Pastimes several Counties excelled and to entertain community with their Mirth the Court Progresses took delight to judge of their wagers in their journey to Scotland which the people observing took occasion to themselves to petition the King in his return for freedome and leave to be merry And thus by this means this Mans Monstrum Horrendum the Church-mans Maskarado was begotten and brought to allowance by command in print to justifie the people in their lawful pleasures though upon the Sunday after service This year died Edw. Talbot the 8. Earl of Shrewsbury without issue and therfore it descended upon George Talbot son of Iohn Talbot of Grafton Esq by Katherine his wife Daughter of Sir William Peters heir male of Sir Gilbert Talbot of Grafton second Son of Iohn Lord Talbot second Earls of Shrewsbury after the death of Gilbert and Edward Earls of Shrewsbury without issue male who was this next year 1618. admitted by King Iames the ninth Earl But this man dying also without issue the inheritance descended upon the children of Iohn Talbot brother to this George which Iohn dyed and left issue Iohn now the eleventh Earl 1652. He bears Gules a Lion rampant and a border engraled Or. Sir Walter Raleigh wearied with long imprisonment and having there spent his time well in the History of the World made his petition more passable to the King whose love to learning granted him now at last his Liberty and not long after gave him leave to wander after a design to the Western world where he had been in several Climates before The common World wondering at this mans wit who had a way to break Jests though to hazard his head again for in a jear he said That his whole History had not the like President Of a Kings chief Prisoner to purchase freedom and his bosome Favourite to have the Halter but in Scripture Mordecai and Haman meaning Himself and Somerset To which he was told that the King replyed He might dy in this deceipt which he did and Somerset saved But in truth he had a reaching and roving mind from his first rise and thereafter but a mean fortune which he meant now
to him and acknowledged the kindness and his young Lady was presented with a Noble and valuable Reward 30001. besides a pension of one thousand pound per annum during his life and this was done with so much love and liking that I have often observed Buckinghams great Civility ever after at meetings to call him Father and bend his knee without the least regret of that Lord that gained more by the bargain And because Sir Robert Mansel a dependant of Nottingham had the place of Vice-Admiral at pleasure only Buckingham for his Lords sake continued him so by Patent during his life for which courtesy the good old man came himself to give thanks as I remember the last Complyment his age gave him leave to present And thus was this office of honour and safety to the Kingdom ordered from the command of a decrepit old man to a proper young and active Lord strengthened with the abilities oâ— an experienced Assistant without deserving quâ—râ—el of our carping Pamphleter Aâ—ter Suffolk the weight and charge of the Treasurers Staff was conferred upon the Lord Chief Justice Sir Henry Mountague Viscount Mandevile Son of Sir Edward Mountague of Bolton in the County of Northampton Son of another Sir Edward likewise Chief Justice who had three Sons Edward the eldest Knight of the Bath bred up in the Wars a faithful Noble stout Commander Iames that reverend eloquent and learned Bishop of Winchester a man so highly in favour and esteem with this King his Master that he had the honour of the Bed-chamber which no Prelate ever enjoyed from any King This Henry was created Baron of Kimbolton Viscount Mandevile and Lord Treasurer in 1620 Afterwards Preâ—ident of the Council and the first year of King Charles Earl of Manchester and Lord Privy Seal and dyed after the entrance of the long Parliament 1643. A man of singular learning in the Laws his Wisdome and experience deserving those high places of Trust and honour He married three wives Katherine the Daughter of Sir William Spencer in Oxon by whom he had five sons and four daughters Edward the eldest Viscount Mandevile Knight of the Bath Walter Iames Charls and Henry His second Wife Ann Wincol of Suffolk Widow to Alderman Holyday Lord Major of London by whom he had issue His third Wife was Daughter of Iohn Crowch of Cornbury in the County of Hartford Widow of Iohn Hare of the Court of Wards by whom he had issue George and Sydney men of eminent vertues now living 1655. Our Historian tells us of the swarming of Jesuits That our Counsellors of State and Secretaries were Counselors to the Pope and of a Divelish Sermon before the King which he the Lyar saw and heard if the King did not for Bishop Neal would always ingrosse the Kings ears with baudy Tales This his Discourse smells too rank he saies and craves excuse having had hammerings and conflicts within himself to leave it out and yet goes on with his baseness and tells us that this Bishops hand closed up the Countess of Essex's virginity and that such like practices as these gave an after period to that Hierarchy Then follows a Tale of the female Iesuitrices in England an Order he says first framed in Flanders by two women Mrs. Ward and Mrs. Twily clothed in Ignatian habit supported by three Fathers Gerard Flack and Moor to preach their Gospel to their Sect in England and two hundred English Damosels of great Birth and quality sent of the Errand and for the truth of all produces a Proselyte Turn-coat of any Religion and every Trade that tells this story in the Spanish Pilgrime which our Adversary recites to grace his History The Iesuits indeed are bad enough but to cope them with our Counsellours of State and other Tales with no better Authority we may herein minde our Authour Not to bely the Devil Sir Francis Cottington Resident in Spain had the conveniency three years before to discover the affairs of those parts and gave intelligence hither of the increase of Pirates in the Mediterranean Sea their whole Fleet then consisting of fourty tall Ships of two hundred and four hundred Tuns in two Squadrons the one remaining before Malago the other about the Cape St Maria between Lisbone and Sevile That within the Streights they entered the Road of Mostil a Town by Malago beat down the Castle and had taken the Town but for succour of Souldiers that came from Granado yet they took divers Ships and four of the West of England two other of ours that ran on shore they burnt also and absolâ—tely perverting our Trade into Spain These at Cape St. Maria met with seven Sail of London five they took and two eâ—caped They are usually manned with Turks and Spanish Moriscoes and attend the coming of the West India Fleet then commanded by Don Iohn Faxardo Upon this occasion the State of Spain moved King Iames to joyn some Sea-forces for their suppression as the common Enemy of Christendom And indeed those courses of the Pirates do but exercise the Forces of Spain by Sea without any great hurt the most dammage falls upon the Trade of Merchants thither of which the English will be the greatest number and so of Sufferers The last year the Hollander having leave of Spain for certain of their Ships armed against the Pirates to have safe recourse thither but instead of offending them sold to Algier as much Powder and Ammunition as ever since hath furnished the Pirates Fleets By which means now grown formidable few Merchant-men escaping them thâ— strong Town of Algier upon the Coast of Barbary countenancing their Thievery and depending on the Turks Protection yet so cunningly contrived as not to be seen to protect them that all Christian Ambassadours concerned herein and complaining at Constantinople could have no redress And therefore it was now concluded to conjoyn Forces of Christendom to free that Sea In so much that they in some fear eighteen of the chieâ—est Pirates in the Levant authorized the Viscount L' Orme and one De la Pomeray Frenchmen to search for their pardon and to come in with all their Shipping offering to the English mostly concerned therein for retribution of this grace fourty and five thousand pound sterling but this was negotiated onely by their Emissary La Forest at Bruxels unto our Agent there Sir William Tromâ—all on purpose to tempt us and the French unto whom the like was offered from joyning with others to ruine them but was therefore attempted by all And for the English was sent Sir Robert Mansâ—â— Vice-Admiral of the Narrow Seas with a Fleet this year And arriving in May with expectation of other Assistants they all failing to any purpose his noble heart disdaining to return without Attempts He first furnished two Prizes which he took by the way three Brigandines and a Boat with Fire-locks and combustible materials for buâ—ning the Pirates Ships in the Harbâ—r who were all come home
the Romans but they differ Servus with them was of Servando saving not of Serviendo of serving Our Apprentice comes of Apprenti the French Word a Raw Souldier or to learn or of the Latine apprehendo So then sir Tho. Smiths Repub. Angl. does them injury terming them Bondslaves Bondmens bodies were vested in the Lord interminable but only by Manumission and that by the Will of the Lord without any condition in behalf of the slave Servus with the Romans Nullum caput habuit and were reputed civiliter mortui servi pro nullis habiti There was a voluntary bondage de jure gentium as by the Romans a Man might sell himself ad participandum pretium And also de jure divino positivo So the Hebrews Bondmen Yet they had not jus in corpus they could not violate her chastity By our Law only two sorts of Bondmen villains in gross and vilains reguardant to Mannor A Master in London hath not despoticum imperium over his Apprentice but only quasi curaturam a Teacher ut Pater non Tyrannus immoderate Correction looses his Apprentice who is by Statute to be free from him 5. Eliz. But of late our City discipline had more need to be reduced to antient severity than to be abduced from it The final Cause of every Ordination quallifies the course and determines the Means and action tending to it though abstracting from that consideration the work wrought in the proper nature be servile as for a Souldier to dig or carry earth to a Rampire a Student to be bare or a Novice to do servile Offices and so an Apprentice to do does not extinguish Gentry and what ever he does as not sui juris yet he does nothing Servile but propter finem nobilem to God Country and Calling But Apprentices are so far from being bondmen that then they begin habere caput to be aliqui and by degrees to be free then of the Livery and by after degrees become Wardens Masters Common Council Aldermens Deputies Aldermen Sheriffs Lord Maiors And by further merit Counsellours to the King and Lord Treasurers of England and so if it be rashness to cast a scorn upon a renowned Corporation unjustly let it be iniquity to lay it upon London which in the Empire of Great Brittain amongst their other Cities Velut inter ignes Luna Minores And though the Schools and Camp are most proper for Honour and Arms yet the antient wisdome and bounty of Sovereigns left the Gates of honour open to City Arts and honest gain as fundamentals to common-wealths by example of rising Rome under her first Dictators and Consuls By which they avoided Tyrannical appropriation of Gentry to some certain old families as in Germany and the Confusion of allowing hereditary Nobleness or Gentry to none at all as in Turky c. And with us Cotes of Arms and Title of Gentlemen being the most familiar part of Honour Our Adversaries would overturn and tax our policies in that point which being once gotten and given by Merit or Favour cannot be lost or extinguished No man in England looseth his right to bearing Arms or Title of Gentleman unless attainted in Law Jura Sanguinum nullo jure civili devinci possunt Not to be aliened to another no more than to pass away any habit or quality of the Mind Virtue or Learning Queen Elizabeth was descended lineally from Sir Godfrey Bullen Lord Maior of London by Queen Anne Bullen her Mother Sir Martin Calthrope her Kinsman also and Lord Maior of London Citizens of London have been called Barons Hen. 3. Londinenses Quos propter Civitatis Dignitatem civium antiquitatem Barones consueuimus appelare London sends Kinghts and Citizens to the Parliament not Burgesses And sundry of our Sovereigns have daigned to be of their Freedome But the opinion of bondage and extinguishing birth-right of Gentry hath filled England with more Vices and sacrificed more bodies to odious ends and more souls to sinful life than perhaps any other uncivil opinion whatsoever Holding it better to rob than to labour though they dayly see that out of Our Apprenticeships rise such Ministers of Iustice as sit upon Malefactors when they a shame and sorrow to their Kindred undergo a fortune too unworthy the basest of Bondmen May not his Sons fall into the same fate by the Fathers prejudicate opinion So much in honour of truth not interest The Hollanders in these times rich and proud at home increased so mighty in power also in the East Indies that by insenseable Incroachments at first they went on to quarrel particular rights and interests in several places there for sole trading from the English And complaint being sent hither by the Governours of our Factories there A Treaty was demanded by the King and accordingly Commissioners appointed to dispute their differences in London 1613. The next Treaty was at the Hague 1615. The last was at London 1619. And by Amnesty then a Solemn Composition of all differences and Orders were concluded for the future between us and them And in regard of their bloodshed and vast expence in reducing the Trade of the Islands Molucca Banda and Amboyna from the Spaniards and Portugals and their buildings and Forts therefore the Hollanders should enjoy two thirds and the English the other third and the charge of the Forts to be levyed by Taxes and Impositions upon the Merchandize and so were settled in those places The Island of Amboyna lies neer Seran about fourty Leagues in compass and hath relation to other Factories the chief Town called also as the Island Amboyna the Rendevouz for the gatheing and buying of Cloves the chief Commodity the smaller Factories are Hâ—â—â—o Larica Loho and Cambello The Hollanders Forts there are four strong and well manned with two hundred Dutch Souldiers and a Company of free Burgers four hundred Mardikers or free Natives so called And here the English lived in the Town and under protection of the Castle in an House of their own During two years the Dutch very cunningly wasted too much upon their Fortifications and Garrisons and yet drew their Account so chargeable to the English that instead of the third part they contributed two thirds and their complaints were examined by the Counsel of Defence of both Nations residing in Jaccatra in the Island Java Major and they disagreeing the differences were to be sent home to be decided herein by both Companies or by the King and their States according to an Article 1619. But disputes breed delay here and increased jealousies there and in February One thousand six hundred and twenty two A Japoner Souldier discoursing with a Dutch Centinel of the Strength of the Castle was suspected and tortured and confessed sundry of his Countrey-men contrivers with him of surprizing the Castle who were also tortured and one Price an Englishman and Prisoner with them who also accused others of the Factories Captain Towerson Tomson Beomont Collins Webber Ramsey Johnson Farde and Brown and these
stand upon their Guard doubting very much to be questioned for those and other his offences They assemble at Ayre where to secure himself and to make his particular Crimes past to be justified by them all They enter a new and strange kind of Covenant That whosoever shall molest trouble or hurt any of their Members the fact shall be reputed hainous against the whole body of them all And this was made an Act and confirmed with Subscriptions Sept. 1562. Amongst whom in this rabble they had got to side with them such unruly Lords as were like to make notable use of this their Doctrine as Glencarn Boyd Uchiltry and others Then travels Knox to Neisdall and Galloway keeps correspondency with Bothwell who had lately broke Prison writes to the Duke to beware of Huntley bruiting abroad that the Queen was surprized Murray and all his Friends slain in this his journey he challenges the Abbot of Cosranel to dispute opposes his preaching and puts Hay into his Pulpit In this progress of the Queens the Castle of Innerness was maintained against her entrance by Gourdons Command which by force was fain to be rendred and his Kinsman the Captain hanged and diverse other Confederates whereupon Earl Huntley takes Arms and threatens Murray Lethington and Pittarro to the hazard of the Queens person who calls to her aid all the Counties to Aberdeen summons the Castle of Finlator which was denied her and the Castle of Ashdown also by Huntley Gourdon seizes a Guard of sixty men slew some and disarmed all for which fact and Huntley also refusing to come in they were proclamed Rebells who raise a thousand men the Queen as many and to her aid comes the Duke the Earls of Arguile Murray and Glencarn and neer Aberdeen Huntley was beaten his two Sons slain and himself a Corpulent Man with the heat in Summer time died without any wound and was carried to Aberdeen that night which fulfilled his Wifes prophecy affected to Witchcraft that he should be in the Town that night without any hurt Gourdon was presently executed who in fear but more hope of life revealed the Treason of his Father and Family as also of the E. of Sutherland In those times the French were much imbroyled with Civil Dissention at home which gave occasion that the Intelligence and outward Friendship of both Queen of England and Scotland increased and Lethington was sent express to England first and then to the Guisians in France concerning the Scots affairs and the Queens Mariage of which now began much talk with the Infant of Spain or with the Emperors Brother or with the Duke d' Neveurs but the most guessed aright which after happened with the Lord Darly son to the Earl of Lenox The Court came to Winter at Edenburgh where the season commonly admits more plenty of Diet and Entertainments and so had been usually observed at Christmas time but now no more such Idolatrous mirth and prophaness the Ministers rail against it which had like to have brought much mischief but that their business was somewhat interrupted by the slip of of a Chip of their own Block for Panl Messans Super-Intendent and maried was questioned for getting Barn upon his Maid Bessy he boldly denied her accusation and much cunning there was to hide this Sin from the general slander of the Ministery Especially by the Papists Priests whose Brotherhoods had been often canvased by the Congregation for such Crimes And at the instant when the opinion of his Sanctity and some juggling helps of his Brethren to boot inclined the Judges to cleer him notwithstanding ears and eyes of several Witnesses afforded more than suspition of his guilt then on the sudden comes home the Wenches Brother from Far being heretofore intrusted by Messans with Bribes and Tokens for them both with such other particulars as at last condemned him who in the end confessed all though he was Knox great Companion and Ring-leader into much mischief At this merry Christmas one Chattelet a French Gentleman having had the honour to dance with the Queen the usual grace of all Princes at such Balls by which occasion he imboldened himself so far into disorder that she caused him to be questioned arraigned and executed Indeed he had placed himself so suspitious for Mischief or Treason as he acknowledged his guilt and died penitent and desirous in an humble intention to satisfy any jealousie of dishonour to the Queen he said at this time of his suffering that he was no otherwaies guilty but pour estre trouve in lieu trop suspect The Ministers commented at pleasure on these his last words trouve in lieu trop suspect In Easter following the Mass was more publique by permission of the Bishop of Saint Andrews and the Abbot of Quitholm which had been forbidden under pain of Death yet underhand permitted but divers persons Priests were apprehended by the Kirkmen who take upon them to prosecute examine condemn and execute without authority of the Queen or Council They pretending That the Spirit of God did to their consciences justifie their actions And to the Court comes Knox bold and busie preaching it into a further practice who was willed by the Queen to preach Jesus Christ and him crucified and peace to the People to leave the affairs of State and proceedings of Laws to her Execution He answered That the Sword was trusted to Princes whilest they execute true Iudgement If otherwise those that fear God may perform that duty and justifie it He had his Text for it Samuel slew Agag whom Saul saved Elias spared not Jezabel nor Baals Priests in the presence of the King Achab Phiâ—eas was no Magistrate yet strook Zimri and Cosbi to the Death There was an Election of Super-Intendency at Dunfres and the Bishop of Caithness stood for it which the Queen opposed against whom she had good reason to except having been false to her private Items concerning the Ministery and underhand revealed all to Knox who had gotten interest with him his great Confident and therefore the Queen advised Knox to be just in their choice of good men for the Bishop was now cut out a chip of their Block But he is to be chosen upon this Score That the free Spirit electing they cannot err And so being confident to carry it by his power left the voting to the Commissioners His back being turned they take Robert Punt for now was Knox progressing his Itinerate Circuit to Glasco his visitation and to get assistance of voices against those of the Mass who were summoned to Assemble in May following at Edenburgh where the Bishops Priors and Parsons appeared and to please the People divers Papists were committed the first that ever suffered imprisonment for their Religion by publique Authority Which yet was ill construed by the Kirk-men as done say they by deceit to avoid further quarrelling in Parliament which began two daies after And the Queen attended
the Lords Meeting of their Parliament in Augnst after and so with increase of men makes up eight thousand Ranges the Country and spoils his Adversaries with Marshal law hangs them up by Scores and returns to Sterlin The King of Spain not with much affection to the Cause but for his own interest and malice to Queen Elizabeth secretly sends money and ammunition to Huntley in the North. The Duke of Castle-herault and Arguile send Seaton to Duke D' Alva in Flanders for aid and to restore the Captive Queen He promised fair but did nothing having much to do for his Master against Holland Nay the Pope fell to work with his Bulls excommunicates Queen Elizabeth and absolves her Subjects and some fears of a Rebellion in Norfolk to deliver the Duke exceedingly beloved and pitâ—yed And therefore upon his humble petition and penitency abjuring the Mariage was released the Tower and restrained only to his own House but with a Keeper Sir Henry Nevel whether in favour or to beget in him more Guilt for Henry the Eight's Statute of Treason to mary the Blood Royall without leave was repealed by Queen Elizabeth and his Misdemeanours were not yet come up to Felony But she in much trouble and fear of Forein Forces and Domestique Insurrections dayly put in practice in Darby-shire Sent Caecil and Mildmay with 16. Articles to Queen Mary at Chatsworth in Darby-shire not unreasonable unless those concerning the Scots interest with France of antient League and Security which therefore she wittily argued as not in her power without their consent For her Dowry was from thence the Scots Guard of Gens D' arms in France of one hundred Horse and 124. Archers the interest of some Clergy in pension and immunities from their Scots Merchants and Students in France All which except the English would recompence she could not remove their Amity and some Castles also required in Scotland which she could not render and so these Overtures were quite declined The Scots Incendiaries at home fearing that Queen Elizabeths good Inclination or other Forein assistance should release their imprisoned Queen and so revenge would follow Morton with others from Scotland are sent to prevent it and present a tedious insolent memorial the gall of the pen came from Knox and his Kirkmen with authorities of ipse dixit Calvin too hateful for president to others in justification of themselves and against Royalty which the Queen read and disdained as a Libel Yet she ordered Commissioners to treat with Queen Maries Commissioners and them concerning her Release but they excused themselves by a frivolous restraint of their Authority therein But certainly They that came impowred to deprive had powers to restore And indeed what needed Authoritie from others at home when wicked facts had made all equals Facinus quos inquinat aequat and so all return home Herein nothing to the poor captivated Queens Release her Friends in Scotland worsted in all their actions of Arms or Treaties strong places surprized and many executed for being but suspected of her Party Arch-Bishop Hamilton Brother to the Duke Castle-herault hanged as privy to the late Kings Murther without any Arraignment or Tryal and she here deprived of all her Friends and Domestiques but ten persons She then bethinks her self of the last remedy sends secretly to the Duke of Norfolk renues her affection and conjures his Assistance with other Letters to the Pope and King of Spain by Higford the Dukes Secretary a fiery Fellow even such another Creature as might be a President afterwards unto Cuff Secretary to his unfortunate Master the Earl of Essex who besides his Errand insinuates to the Duke fair hopes of Confederacy and assistance from all the Catholique Princes and the Pope also And with this Plot of impossibilities not without suspition of Treachery to his Master for before these letters were burnt he secretly stole the Minutes of all their private missions and lodged them purposely where they soon came to light The poor Duke easy enough to be cosened but not into the villany of Treason detested and disliked his Motions And yet afterwards but for meddling with money in behalf of that Queen to be sent to her Friends which was misconstrued perhaps in the worst sence for Support of Enemies against Queen Elizabeth he fell into this mischief and Treason which Higford confessed and discovered all the former Matters to boot The Duke not dreaming what was acknowledged denyed all at his Examination and so was again committed to the Tower and presently after him the Earls Arundel and Southampton the Lords Lumley and Cobham with others his Friends but these scaped with life and in hope of pardon told all they knew and more than truth And thus was he betrayed not knowing whom to trust where he lodged till he lost his head the next year after Bishop Ross Queen Maries Lieger Ambassadour of long time ago and so now here A witty and well-experienced Man he was in his Craft and up to the ears in all Designs and Plots for her Relief and Advantage through his Letters intercepted and all their confessions produced was sent for and examined the most guilty Crimes of them all either the Contriver or deeply Acceâ—â—ary some he confessed those which concerned others he constantly concealed and cunningly answered unto all There being sufficient evidence to make him guilty he stood upon his Privilege which he wittily defended and yet were qualified from any punishment The Tribunes of the People in Rome were free from question in their Annual Office Particular Mischief submits to the conveniency of the Publique Leges de Jure Gentium inductum est ut eorum Corpora salva sint propter necessitatem Legationis acâ—ne confundant jura comercii inter Principes Let us come to latter Customes of our own kind Henry 2. Restrained the Popes Legat until he swore not to act in prejudicium Regis vel Regni Henry the third did so likewise to another of the Popes Legates Another fled of himself timens pelli sui Edw. 1. Complained to the Pope and had satisfaction ere his Legate was released Henry 8. Restrained the Ambassadour of Charls 5. one Lewis de Prat for but falsely traducing Cardinal Wolsey to his Master Charles the ninth of France did so to Sir Nicholas Throgmorton for Counselling the Prince of Conde against the King In Spain was Doctor Man Ambassadour from England imprisoned for using his own Religion and yet Gusman de Sylva at that instant here in England had Mass with freedom But then the Inquisition mastered that State 1567. We restrained Don Guerman de Aspes in London for Libelling this State to the Duke D'Alva 1568. The French Ambassadour Alpin and Maluset were so used also The Venetian Ambassadour at Madrid protected an Offendor that came into his House the usual Sanctuary who by force was taken out from thence and that State justified that Action condemning the Ambassadors Servants that opposed Some to death
and some to the Gallies but were only all banished The King of Spain sends the whole Process to Venice and by His Ambassadour Lieger there one Mendoza declares publickly to all the World That in case his Minisâ—ers should so offend He remits them to punishment where they resiâ—e And another Mendoza for abusing our Ministers of Staâ—e here was first restrained and after banished 1586. See Another hereafter in this Kings Reign the Marquess Inojosa for scandâ—lizing the Prince and Duke of Buckingham 1624. And our Bookmen say that a Forein King though admitted here by safe Conduct for without Licence he cannot come may be impleaded for Debt or Trespass and condemned for Treason for iâ— is a general Law of Nations That in what place an offence is committed according to the Law of that place they shall be judged without regard of any Privilege For a King out of his proper Kingdom hath 〈◊〉 merum Imperium but only retains Honoris Titulos Dignitatis and per omnia distringitur etiam quoad personam And the same assuredly is of their Ambassadours Nâ— occasio daretur delinquendi He hath protection of His pâ—rson Like as a Sanctuary will save a Mans life from Manslaughter but not when Manslaughter is committed within the Sanctuary for then he does willfully wave the benefit Indeed their Persons as their Masters are sacred from violation of private men but not from punishment of offences against the publike State See Cook 7. part c. Here are Presidents but it hath been more nicely disputed let others conclude This year gave end of daies to that antient Noble Lord William Pawlet Marquess of Winchester and Lord Treasurer of England twenty years having lived 97. years whilst he saw the Children of his Childrens Children to the number of one hundred and three persons 〈…〉 bishop in spite of Adamson a Minister preaching against that Order which he divided in three sorts 1. The Lords Bishop to wit Christ and such was every Pastor 2. My Lord Bishop such who sit and vote in Parliament exercising Iurisdiction over his Brethren 3. The third sort was my Lords Bishop one whom some Lord in Coâ—â—â—substitutes hiâ— Receiver without means or Power Episcopal whom he called a Tulchan Bishop because the Tulchan which is a Calves skin stuffed with straw is set up to make the Cow give down her Milk Mr. Knox he preached more and pronounced Anathema dantâ— anathema accipienti Whilest the Estates were busie at Parliament far off from Edenburgh and thereby secure an attempt was made upon them There was one George Bell in Edenburgh Ensign to a Foot Company born in Sterlin well acquainted with each Corner there and each Lords Lodgings possibly to be surprized in their careless watch He marches from Edenburgh with two hundred Horse and three hundred foot Earl Huntley and others their Leaders thither and undiscovered till they had planted the Market place and set Guards in the Lanes entered the Lords Lodgings and surprize them Prisoners the Regent Glencarn and others Morton only defends himself with his Servants and the Enemy in hast set the House on fire some of his Men slain he yielded to Balclough who had married his Neece Margaret Dowglas The Souldiers careless fall to plunder the Houses whilst Mar and his men in the Castle force the Market place but in vain Then he sends sixteen pieces of Brass called Founds to his own new House a building and so not reguarded for plundering got up to the upper Rooms and shot out at the Windows into the very street when the Enemy was thickest who thus amazed fled without order and Mar pursues them with such other that crept out of their Hidings and make a sufficient number to be again Masters of their own both Prisoners and Spoil Morton and Glencarn seizing their Keepers the Regent was taken by David Spency who to save him at 〈◊〉 from the Souldier lost his own life and His also So both sides were vanguished and both victorious in a few hours Of such advantage is diligence and expedition and mischievous is negligencâ— and security Multum in utramque partem fortuna potest as Caesar saies The Kings Grandfather Lenox thus dead and presently buried there were three listed for Election Arguile Mar and Morton the first but lately reconciled to the Kings part the last was best beloved but Mar had the charge of the Kings person and so caried the vote to be Regent Sept. 1571. Much he could not do in his small time of Government he convend the Country and sate down against Edenburgh but wanting Artillery returns to Liâ—th parts the Kingdom â—â—to quarters and sends for their Divisions by turns Those in Edenburgh issue oâ—t and set fire on Dalkieth with Spoil and Pillage return but were so close beset that wanting victual they pâ—ocure the Ambassadors from France and England to mediate the reconcilemeâ—t And for a Preaâ—ble to future peace the Ambassâ—â—ours obtain a Truce in Iuly beginning the first of August 1572. until Ianuary following The Conditions were that Edenburgh should be free for all the Kings Subjects which was to say that the Enemy could keep it no longer And before the end of this Truce Mar takes leave of this life in a desperate Feavour at Sterlin October 1572. and without dispute Morton was elected to succeed him And now let us to return to England where in November 1572. appeared a blazing star alwaies portending ill fate to great persons It was placed Northwards in the Constellation of Cassiopeia making a Geometrical figure with three chief fixed Stars lozing-wise called Rombus It appeared bigger than Iupiter and less than Venus It never changed place but carried about by motion of the Heavens as other fixed Stars and so continued six moneths The Sphere far above the Moon where no other Comet was ever seen or indeed Natural can appear so strange to Astronomers as since the Creation was never the like and had onely reference to Caelestial or rather super-Câ—lestial consideration And therefore forthwith followed in Ianuary that Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk was arraigned in Westminster Hall before Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury High Steward and 25. Earls and Barons His Commission being read Garter King of Arms delivers to him the White Rod which he receives and delivers to a Serjeant at Arms standing by and holds it up all the time The Duke was brought in between two Knights and the Ax held besides him by the Executioner with the edge from the Duke but after sentence it was immediately turned to him His Tryal lasted till night and all the matters before remembred were urged against him together with his own Letters as also those of the Queen of Scots and Bishop Rosses besides evidence by Witnesses whereof he was condemned as in Case of High Treason and after 4 moneths delay he was executed upon the Tower-Hill where he acknowledged and confessed all Aboâ—t ten daies after Commissioners were sent
indured with horrid reluctancy even of their Tormentors with great constancy and therefore they had a form of Iustice and were executed with the Halter and so was the man of Straw the Admiralls Image hanged with them for a ridiculous example first murthered and then by a mute arraignment sentenced and executed Such as fled from slaughter or were hidden in the woods were by fair words in a Proclamation promised mercy but returning home were sure of the slaughter And so throughout the whole Realm of France for thirty dayes together were so many thousands massacred that besides the unmaried there remained above an hundred thousand widâ—â—s and children well born begging their bread When all was done and wearied with slaughter The Edicts came out that the former Treaties of Pacification should cease And a form of abjuration for such as were terrified by others sufferings to renounce thâ— Religion and none to be suffered to profess other than the Romish faith Whilst these sparks of former feud lay raked up in embers by pacification at home in Scotland Bishop Ross in England and but imprisoned in the Tower as you have heard though a man full of plots and policies yet his privileges of Ambassador affording him protection for his life It being too much suspicious to send him under hand to his grave and legally they could not He was therefore released after 2 years imprisonment and packt away over seas into France in whose time of imployment here as a faithfull servant to his Queen many Co-actors were put to death others detected and imprisoned yet even with his parting he left not unattempting and was for many years following beyond seas with all the Catholick Princes in Christendome a most pestilent disturber of Queen Elizabeths quiet for not long after he delt with Henry 3. of France to turn Morton out of his Regencie and to steal the young King thither whose faction in Scotland might weaken thereby and as he grew in years with the French Tutorage his affections might decay towards the English the ancient league with the French strengthned and with England dissolved In this small time of cessation from War the Scots without cause to implore England for any ayd or relief The Governours of each Borders assign a meeting to compose differences for eithers quiet against the usuall rapines of Robbers where disputes began and quarrells followed the English were worsted and taking the neerer way fled from the fury into Scotland and so for justice to Morton whose censure being much too partiall not onely in not doing right to punish his countrey men but dismisses the English with much adoâ— by Subscription and Pledges This behaviour of the Scots soon incensed the Queen who being presently upon the posture of a Bordering War Morton prudently layes blame on the Scots Commanders beseechetâ— her Majesty not to raise a War with them whose maintenance must be with much blood the common cause necessarily begging defence of peace betwixt the two Kingdoms and if civil War should follow upon Scotland it might introduce a necessity in them to call in the French whom she in her Princely affection and great wisdome had but lately afforded them the means to ridd away And that before time should grow elder his endeavours should be with such good offices and service for her Majesty as might countervail the inconveniences already happened And for questioning of the Governour he remembred a president under Henry 7. for expiation of Sir Robert Carrs death then Governour of the middle borders which was then referred to a meeting in Scotland to enquire This gray-hair-instance incensed her the more untill the Scots Governour Carmichell was sent to answer it in England and then indeed his Present of Hawkes to the Courtiers became a saying He gave them live Hauks for dead Herons Two Brothers of that Name Herons killed in the fray This petty disturbance gave time and leasure for the Praecisians now so stiled not to forget their ministerial ragings who evermore upon such occasions put in a spoke for themselves because their stipend was not redressed And herein were so presumptuous as to utter their fancies and to act what ere they thought best for their advantage But herein the Regent stopt them in their Career remembring them of the Treaty of Lieth which forbad all Innovation in Religion during the Kings Minority This year took away James Hamilton Earl of Arran and Duke of Castle-herauld at Poictures a Province in France He was Grandchild to James 2. And after the death of James the 5. In the vigour of youth and Mary his daughter succeeding in the Crown she had this Hamilton a while for her Protector and then declared her Heir apparent A mild man and tractable he was though her birth and quality drew on turbulent spirits to bring him on the stage and sent him into France with her where he was caressed for their party and created Duke and Captain of a troop of Horse Somewhat he medled in state after his return home but soon retired into privacie for which the mad-headed Ministers and Buchanan blamed him of sloth From him proceeds 4. branches James Earl of Arran John Claud and David three of them infected with the Mothers disease became frantick or rather bewitched At this time was Iohn Ormston commonly called black Ormston because of his Iron colour apprehended and had his tryal and executed for being guilty of the late Kings Murther Likely enough to have discovered more particulars than he did confess being Intimate with Bothwell who communicated the purpose to him and shewed him the subscriptions of the Earls of Argaile Huntly Secretary Lethington and Balfore testifying their consents to that horrid Act. Nevertheless the Regent permitted Balfore to enjoy the benefit of the Pacification passing an Act thereof in counsel to the regret of many for though it was doubted whether the subscription of Arguile and Huntly were not counterfeit but of the other the hate to their persons made the sensure of their guilt easie of beliefe to all but Arguile dying soon after his office of Chancellor was conferd on the Lord Glams Adam Heriot Minister of Aberdeeâ— dyed this year and of their Church is accompted worthy Record he had been a Fryer of the order of St. Austin living in the Abbey of St. Andrews learned and eloquent in the Pulpit subtile also in school divinity The Queen Mother heretofore hearing him preach was so affected to his wit and judgment and integrity that in reasoning with some Lords upon the Article of Real presence she offered to be concluded by Heriots opinion who was required to preach thereupon before her and a numerous Auditory But there he flaggd so prevaricate as most men were unsatisâ—ied of which being sharply censured by some his worthy friends he fell into sadness and regret of soul till he did openly recant and renounce Popery and forthwith joyned
papers of Creighton a Scotish Jesuite intercepted and discovering fresh plots of invasion by the Pope Spain and the Guisâ—s the State of England began more narrowly to look about and to begin with the Queen of Scots miserable Tragedy herein Leicester and other Lords associate by oath to persecute to the death the obstacles of Queen Elizabeths peace and safety Mary fearing the effects made the most humble and satisfactory propositions and concessions to what Queen Elizabeth could possibly urge and to which she indeed inclined but the Scots opposed especially to hear of her return home And to assist the hight of evils the Presbyters in Scotland are alwaies at hand railing at her and the King in the Pulpits and being summoned to answer their contempts absolutely refuse saying That Ecclesiastick persons were exempt the Kings authority Althought to suppresse their insolencie very lately even this year and last Assembly of States it was enacted The Kings authority over all persons Ecclesiastick and Layick and confirmed for ever Their Assemblies as well general as particular were condemned as arrogating boundlesse authority when they list to meet and to prescribe lawes even to the King and Kingdome And here the popular equality of Ministers were abrogate and the dignity of Bishops restored whose vocations the Presbyters had condemned as Antichristian The scandalous books of Buchanans Chronicles and his Dialogue De jure regni apud Scotos and other such were condemned So you see in this Parliament the King had Royally and Religiously confirmed the Articles of true Religion and had united to his Crown the supream Authority Ecclesiastick and Civil heretofore usurped by Papists and lately by Prebyters Hereupon they declare the King inclin'd to Popery and nothing to be left of ancient from but the shadow and not being suffered to vent their spleen they fly into England under pretence of persecution Yet the King delt with them by hopes and fear Appoints their appearance in November from all parts And were then pressed to subscribe obedience to their ordinary To obey and acknowledge Bish. according to the Word of God which words they construed to be a restriction or limitation for say they The Word of God commands no obedience Thus either deceived or deceiving to redeem their ease with yeilding cover it with equivocation some subscribed others refused preaching against them And evermore Praying for the banished rebellious Lords as the best Subjects who fled from â—yranny Amongst sundry of such men that suffered trial and others executed Daglith the chief Minister of St. Cuthberts upon that score and for corresponding by letters with Walter Balcanqual he was sentenced for Treason but upon his humble supplication was pardoned David Hume and his brother executed and indeed divers grand designes of Treason put the State to necessary jealousies and fears Robert Hamilton accuses Douglas of Mains and Iohn Cunningham of Drumhosel for conspiring to intercept the King at hunting and to detain him till the banished should return and receive him Upon which they were found guilty and executed at Edenburgh And indeed Angus and others lay lurking at Barwick who were removed therefore further into England to New Castle lest the Lord Hunsdon Governour of Barwick should suffer suspition in their designes against all reason of State which now in England seems to side with King Iames And at New Castle they lodge Iohn and Claud Hamilton retire and take up by the way to settle all here The Scots Ministers wanderers were all found out and called to the Juncto Lowson Carmichel Erskin And Mr. Iohn Colvil sent away to Secretary Walsingham at Court Who led them with hopes that the Queens fleet usual rigging was intentional for their interest this encouraged them and gave occasion to the Scots Ambassadour to draw up Criminations against them and so they were removed to Norwich and after to London and lodge at Long ditch beyond Tuttle street against the Park-wall to whom all their Ministers resort a petty corporation preach pray keep fasting more than private and were so bold as to expect leave to be allotted a Church of their own as French Italian Dutch and other strangers but the conformity of language with us and the deformity in discipline made their request insolent of which they complain in their preachings and therefore are all silenced which they say brake the heart of Lawson their Malapert minister or rather the letter from Edenburgh aforesaid renouncing him their Pastor who deserting his cure upon pretence of conscience not to subscribe yet takes part the Rebells against his Soveraign But the particular manner and occasion in Scotland was as followeth In civill affairs the Earl Arran comanded all keeper of the Castle of Sterlin Edenburgh and Provost there lately made Chancelor upon the death of the Eaâ—l Arguile The office of secretary he conferred upon Iohn Metallan Lethingtons son having banished the Abott of Dumferlin who possessed that place and made himself Lieutenant of Scotland which greatness procured private envy of others at Court ploting his ruine To conserve him self he endeavoured to gain Queen Elizabeth to be his friend and after he had privately conferred with the Lord Hunsdon Governour of Barwick several legations were sent to England by the Arch-bishop of St. Andrews to confirm the Kings constancy in Religion much suspected by the cunning informations of the banished abroad and Kirkmen at home And after him the Master of Gray came to remand the fugitive Rebells and Lewis Ballandine Justice Clark was sent to accuse them as guilty of the conspiracy of Mains and Drumhosell but indeed Ballendines interest conniving his accusations were so slenderly urged that the very ground was laid to work their restitution and Arrans destruction the Queen and her counsel under hand giving ayme to all Arran abused with hopes of the Queens friendship continues his greatness into terms of Tyranny against Athol Hume and Casils With frivolous arbitrary justice It fell more particular upon the Lord Maxwell for refusing exchange of Lands the Barrony of Kinnell fallen by attainder with the Barrony of Mernis and other Lands of Maxwell Heath And to work out the mischief the Lord Iohnston is made Provost thereby being warden of the West Marches might curb the power of Maxwell whose right it was to the Provostry and therefore rayses forces of his friends and apposed Iohnston for which and other Insolencies he is denounced Rebell and commission to Iohnston with power to pursue him Maxwell sends his two brothers to intercept Lamby and Cranston ere they should joyn head in the fray the first is killed the other made prisoner which encouraged Iohnston to incurse upon Maxwells lands by fire and sword with great spoyl booty the same were answered upon return of the like against Iohnston who is taken prisoner and the regret therof gâ—eived him to his grave shortly after The Quarel now engages the
others But then let me tell them who were the other worser learned men as he will have them that fled Queen Maries persecution to Franckford Zurick and Basill declining Geneva those were Scory Barlow Cox Beacon Bale Parkhurst Grindall Sands Nowell Wisdom and Iewell and very many more that maintained the Reformation of King Edwards time and therefore Knox said That the English at Geneva were separated from that superstitious company at Franckford Notwithstanding these quarrellers heretofore at the first yet in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths dayes they pretended to agree in Harmonical Confessions though in several disciplines till Cartwright and Travers in his Disciplina Ecclesiastica makes their own tenents so positive as that If every hair of their heads were a life they would lose them all to defend their Discipline Then came in to their Gang Udall and Penry and call that discipline onely pure perfect righteous full of goodness peace and honor ordained for the joy and happiness of all Nations Therein followed them Martin and his two sons and Gilbie and so like very apt scholars in evil they out-went their masters to the Devil for joyning with Copinger Hackett and others they fell into a desperare designe of Treason for which Hacket was hanged At last increasing in very bold wayes and desperate tenents dispersed in Pamphlets Rithmes and Ballads It was thought fit to open their eyes and understandings by some grave and learned declaration for setling their mad brains which was effected by that most reverend and learned Divine Hooker in his Ecclesiast Policie which for a long time during the time of times silenced all their Railings and so satisfied the wiser sort that the Church of God got quiet from such disturbers till of late daies But to return to our History In Iune was compleated the League with England hammered out for defence of both Nations against the Holy League as the Papists would have it the Commissioners meeting at Barwick concluded these Aritcles upon the former reasons 1. To joyn and unite in a more strict League than ever had been before 2. To draw other Princes Reformed into their society 3. To be offensive and defensive against any Contractors with their enemies 4. Not to assist any Invader of either Kingdom 5. That the Scots to assist England against any Invasion with two thousand horse and five thousand foot at the Queens charge from the borders The Queen the like to Scotland but with three thousand horse and six thousand foot 6. If the North of England there the Scots to assist with all their force for thirty dayes the usual time of attending their own King 7. The King not to suffer Scots to be transported into Ireland but by leave of the Queen 8. Not to countenance either Rebels or Revolters 9. That all the controversies of the Borderers be civilly reconciled 10. Neither Princes to enter League with any other without the consent of both 11. All by-gone Treaties of either with other Princes shall stand in full force the cause of Religion excepted 12. These Articles to be confirmed by Oath and Hands and Seals 13. Lastly That the King at twenty five yeers old shall confirm these by the States of Scotland as the Queen will then do by her Parliament of England This was the begining of Q. Eliz. design which she presumed would in time be considerable with other reformed States confederate though in earnest the whole intention of the Papists had reference to the Church of England the absolute orthodox Conserver of the true ancient Apostolick faith though by observation of succeeding times in some relations it appears of late wonderfully indangered But besides that of Religion and strengthening her affairs in policie with other Princes upon that score she had a further aâ—m to confirm amity with the King whom she was assured forthwith mightily to offend and to endanger her safety and honour with all the Christian world For now with leave of the Reader having been led somewhat too long in the Church affairs let us remind the poor Captive Queen Mary upon whom all the former suspitions reflected and so hâ—stened to her ruin for Queen Elizabeth casting about to make things safer than fast resolved upon the way most desperate which if it took not well was yet the onely way by taking Mary out of the way and so give end to Elizabeths jealousies to secure her Person from Treasons to joynt her power now divided and to settle her people from imbroiles and diviâ—â—ons But soft and fair the wily wits of Walsingham and Burleigh must be busied about it For now she is removed from her fifteen yeers custody under the good Earl of Shrewsbury unto Sir Amias Pawlet and Sir Drew Drury on purpose to put her upon extremity of redress against their extream imprisoning And so she endeavors and deals with the Pope and Spain by Englefeild to hasten their designs however which designs indeed is so peeced and patcht together by those that writ of them as if each mans fancy in reference to the publick must needs take effect of Rebellious interpretation And what ere was whispered in that sence was sure to be put upon the poor Queens account by which she smarted for in this Parliament of England the former Association of the Lords was confirmed by both Houses and strict Acts against Catholicks and abetters in Treason which occasioned Philip Howard Earl of Arundel eldest son of the late Duke of Norfolk three yeers since restored in blood to complain of his enemies pursuing him to the death as others had done to his Great Grandfather condemned and never came to tryal his Grandfather beheaded for trifles and his father likewise for concernments of lesser moment Himself thus afflicted endeavoring to retire out of the Kingdom but was taken and sent to the Tower where he found Henry Percy Earl of Northumberland as accessory to Thorgmortons design who Pistolled himself some dayes after but Arundel was onely fined in Star-Chamber The Catholicks desparate to do something were animated thereto by Ballard a Priest who from hence goes into France and there layes his designs with the Old Plotters Pope Guises the Spaniard and Parma to invade England and free Queen Mary and returning home confederates with Babington and six more principal gentlemen to kill Queen Elizabeth All which their plottings were daily discovered to Secretary Walsingham by one Pooley their companion and so confident were they of success that Babington had his own picture and those about him all to the life with this verse circumscribed Hi mihi sunt comites quos ipsa pericula ducunt But this verse too plain they inserted in the place Quorsum haec aliò properantibus The Queen being shewed these faces knew â—one but Barnwell Babington to hasten this design resolves to go over himself And by Pooley's means insinuates with Walsingham and ingages to discover
unless she interposed her Seâ—â—â—nd Son would be excluded from inheritance to this Crown for that the King of Spain clamed a Right and would give place to none except to her self It was insisted upon the Letters of Nave and Curl She answered Curl was an honest man but no sufficient Witness and Nave was sometime Secretary to the Cardinal of Lorain and commended to her by the King of France and might be drawn by hope fear and reward to bear false witness and had a hand over Curl either of them might insert into Letters more than she dictated oft times she not examining them before she signed that all Princes may this way fall into mischief if their Servants and Secretaries may falsly accuse them I desire their presence face to face to reply to my Exceptions The Treasurer objected that she purposed to send her Son into Spain and to transfer her Right and Title to England upon that King She answered that she had no Kingdom to bestow however what was her own she might dispose as she pleased and not render accompt to any It was urged her Assistance and Pension to Morgan who sent Parry into England to assassinate the Queen She said Morgan for her sake had lost his Estate and therefore she was obliged in honour to relieve him nor was she bound to revenge an injury done to the Queen by a Friend that had deserved well of her yet that she did always deterr him from any bloudy Enterprizes However Pensions were allowed out of England to Sir Patrick Grey and other Scots my adversaries and to my Son also The heads of her several Letters to Paget Inglefield and Mendoza were read She said they made nothing to the Queens destruction but if any forein Prince would endeavour her enlargment it ought not be a crime in them or her having often intimated her self to the Queen that she would endeavour her own freedom She complained of her Servants and Secretaries perjury and treachery and very unfaithfull unto her that being a distressed Prisoner and grown in years there could be no hope to perfect those things which were expected from her and therefore she was advised to confirm the Succession of England to the King of Spain or to some English Catholick Nobleman And said that a Book was tendered to her for that purpose which because she not admitting incurred the displeasure of some eminent persons for being no hope from England she was to entertain forein help She desired to be heard in a full Parliament or before the Queen and her Council And now rising out of her Chair in great Majesty and confidence she exchanged some words with Burghley Hatton Walsingham and Warwick apart And so the meeting again was prorogued till the 25. day of October next at the 〈◊〉 chamber at Westminster before all the Commissioners where Nave and Curl constantly affirmed viva voce all those particulars which concerned them to aver and which she had denied So then Sentence was pronounced against her and ratified under their hands and seals in these words recorded By their unanimous consent at the Day and Place abovesaid they do pronounce and declare this judicial Verdict and say That after the end of the said Parliament specified in the Commission viz. after the first of June in the seven and twentieth Year of the Queen divers matters were compassed and imagined in England by Anthony Babington and others with the privity of Mary Queen of Scots pretending Title to the Crown of England tending to the hurt death and destruction of the Royal Person of our said Sovereign Lady the Queen And furthermore that after the said Day and Year and before the Date of our Commission the said Mary hath compassed and imagined in this Kingdom of England divers matters tending to the hurt death and destruction of the Royal Person of our said Sovereign against the form of the Statute specified in the said Commission All the Commissioners declaring that this Sentence did no way derogate to Iames King of Scots in right or honour but that he continued in the same right and honour as if that Sentence had never been passed This Sentence you see depended upon Nave and Curl and not face to face according to the first Statute 13. Elizabeth divers opinions passed whether credulous or incompetent Nave's Apology to King Iames afterwards 1605. purges him with deep Protestations neither Author nor Abetter nor remiss in his duty by negligence or otherwise but opposed the heads of her Accusation to the death But this appears not by Records his guilt shewed somewhat that needed an apology Not many days after a Parliament is called the which was begun by authority from the Queen derived to the Archbishop of Canterbury the Lord Treasurer and the Earl of Derby and the same it seems not without former Presidents A kinde of modesty perhaps that if a Virgin Queen must look upon her horrid act it must be seen through her fingers and Maries Sentence accompanied with the Proscriptions of the Lord Paget Inglefield Throgmorton Babington Salisbury Iones Tichburn Tilves and others confirmed and their Goods and Estates confiscate And the House of Peers by the Chancellor petitioned the Queen that the Sentence might be promulgated and besought her Majesty for safety of her Person and Kingdoms to execute justice on the Queen of Scots The Queen was not to be â—aught her Answer She acknowledged Gods protection and their love and circumspection for preservation of Her and her People against the many and mighty Plots of Hers and their Enemies How sorry she was that the Scots Queen notwithstanding her forewarnings should be thus entangled and guilty whom she protests as a Princess as her Kinswoman and Sister she had reluctancy to spare and to forgive were not the security of her People involved for their Peace she values before her own life Concludes her thanks for their care and advice But in a cause of so great consequence she will not be rash but consider Twelve days after she desires the Parliament to consult some other way of safety and to spare the Queen of Scots but they answer with no other satisfaction To which the Queen in an excellent method requests them to be answered without an Answer For if I should say said she I will not do what you desire I shall then say what I do not think and if I shall say I will do it I may precipitate my self to danger whom I know you wish to be conserved Then was Queen Maries Sentence proclamed throughout London and all the Kingdom which she apprehends chearfully and resolute and writes to the Queen for her Body to be allowed Christian â—urial in France where her Mother 's rested since violence was offered to the Ashes of her forefathers by the Puritans in Scotland nor could she hope for burial with the Kings of England that she might take her Death not in secret
the manner It hath been conceived over-long saith he to defer my Mariage being alone without Father Mother Brother or Sister and yet a King of this Realm and heir to another which nakedness made him weak and his Enemies strong For one is no number and where no succession contempt follows And my delay thus long may beget a suspition of impotency nor am â— over rash or passionate without reason to direct me but the treaty made perfect I resolved of a Bridegrooms honor to make it possible on my part which was not on hers to perform to me For the manner I first intended the voyage to the Admiral Bothwell which miscarried upon his Miscarriage Then I commended it to the Chancellour who in truth and prudence made some difficulty for the State to furnish a Fleet seeing the Queen was there provided but zealous of my service offered his duty and obedience which I made publick reserving my resolution only to my self not that I varied from his Counsel as in my weightier affairs heretofore I valued but to cleer him from advising me this way with hazard of my person and which indeed had not become any Counsellor to have done And because his wisdom enabled me in my youth to what I did it might still reflect also on my weakness to be wanting to my self and suffer him to act all to the Malice and envy of others and so in pitty to heap no more slanders on him I made this work my own without injury to any Besides what I have said the short passage and safety from Seas and Sands without Peril of Pyrates for other enemies I have uone conclude that it is my pleasure that all conform to my directions in my absence God willing not twenty daies Farewel Iames Rex This Declaration was the next day after he was shipt presented by Hay Clerk of Register to the Council together with the directions hereafter Seeing it hath pleased God to bring Us to the age of Manhood and that nothing hath been more earnestly desired by our good subjects than to have Us honourably matched that the Crown might descend to our Suâ—cession after so many worthy Progenitours And so setting down the course of his Treaties with Frederick King of Denmark lately deceased and contracted by Proxie with his Daughter who in her voyage to Scotland was by storms driven to Norway willing rather to winter there than to return back This hazard so far adventured it becomes him in Kingly honour and affection to relieve so great a Princess from so long time of sadness and to associate her Consortship with his presence and God willing to return back in twenty daies We hope no man will seem to regret upon our pleasure and purpose seeing the Kingdom hath wanted a Governour longer than we now intend by our absence from the Death of our Grand-mother the Queen Regent unto the arrival of our Dearest Mother out of France fourteen Moneths and the State in that time more happy in Peace and Quietness than before or since and yet we have and do Ordain That our Council remain at Edenburgh and the Duke of Lenox our Nephew Preâ—ident thereof assisted by our Cosin Francis Earl of Bothwel together with our Treasurer Controwler Master of Requests Privy Seal the Captain of the Castle of Edenburgh Advocate and Clark Register or five at the least of them Then he ordains several Noblemen in their Courses to attend at Edenburgh for fifteen daies Anguss Athol Fleming and Innerness to begin The next course to be by the Earl Mar and Morton Seaton and Yester the Barons of Lothian Fiâ—e Shrivelingshire and Strathern The South to be commanded by the Lord Hamilton Lieutenant General to be assisted by the Lords Maxwel Boyd Herris Hume Cesford and to reside at Dunfres or Jedbrough Finally he recommended the Church to peace and quietness and to discharge all Conventions and other Assemblies till his return and not to fail to remember him in their dayly prayers for his safety and happy return And thus having settled affairs at home he imbarks with Maitland the Chancelour Ballendine Iustice Clark Dowglas and the Gentlemen of his Bed-chamber and honshold Servants and Lindsey his Minister and â—rrived neer Upsto in Norway within five daies after The Sunday following he did solemnize the Mariage and the ceremony was performed by Lindsey in French and because of the Winter season he was invited by Ambassadours to visit the Queen Mother and her Son Christern King of Denmark elect The King Queen and Train set forward the two and twenty December from Upsto and came to Bahouse a Castle bordering Norway and Sweden the 1. of Ianuary where he staied seven daies for a Convoy from that King then at Stockholm and was met with a Troop of four hundred horse upon the Frozen River and so to Denmark the next day to Westbury five daies thence to Falhenburgh Holmstade Cowhalm Elsingburgh and the 21. of Ianuary received by Queen Mother at Crownenburgh the young King the Duke of Holstat his Brother and the four Regents of the Realm with all possible magnificence There he remained till the end of February and being to give honour to the Nuptials of his Queens eldest Sister with Duke Brunswick to be in April next he advertiseth his Council the reason of his stay and sends for shipping to return which were six arriving at Elsenore in the middle of April and landed the King Queen and Company at Lieth the twentieth day of May. Not without the general opinion that the Witches in the blind Light of the Gospel usually trading for Devilish Money had his help to hinder the meeting before which now notwithstanding prospered well by the Kings presence so it was ascribed It being confirmed also afterwards That Bothwell had inquired of them the Kings fortune which by Law was made Treason Queen Elizabeth congratulates the Nuptials by her Emissary Edward Seymor Earl of Worcester with the honor of the Garter as she had done to the French King In whose absence a wonder to all that no insurrection or feud had been in publique or private unless two petty Riots by Wachop and Clangregore nay Bothwell so reclaimed that in true sense of his former debaucheries does voluntary penance and confession in the publique Church But this resolution lasted not long for he returns to the vomit to his utter undoing hereafter The Bishops absent Bruce performs the Ceremony of the Queens Coronation a Iewish rite sayes the Ministers abolished at Christs comming and introduced by the Pope and not to be used Certainly that ceremony had not been used by the Jews only and being mentioned in Iudges by Parable shews it was a custome in creating Kings and frequent with other Nations Hasael of Aram was annointed by Elias and Esay calls Cyrus of Persia Gods annointed Nor was every rite if introduced by Papists to be rejected Seeing therefore all free Monarchs use the same their
whom adjoyn the Clanchattons and Dunbars Huntley advertised that Murray and Athol were to confederate with those Glamis in Forres intends to dissolve that knot ere it were hard bound but before he came they fever themselves and Murray returns to Huntley's way lay by the House and some of his men braving thereabout they within discharge some Shot which killed Gordon and for which Huntley invades the other with Forces and Murray assisted by Arroll his Cosin prepare to defend These tidings came to the King whose command separates each one to his own home which served the turn for a time but brake out in disorder after Another of the same nature an antient emulation of the Kers the one of Cesfords Family the other of Farnherst for the Wardenry of the Middle Marches and the Provostry of Iedbury which the Heir of Farnherst William Ker a young Spark maintains to the death and in a Trial of Theft before the Council for English Goods stollen it was taken as done in spleen and derogate to the honour of Sir Robert Ker of Cesford the Fellow being his follower The lady Cesford of an haughty heart never ceased peuling until her Son had basely murthered the other These were men of good repute wise and of great courage and of much loss to the Borders the one dead the other undone who fled for his life until he made a large satisfaction for maintenance of the fatherless children and by Marriage with the Chancellours Niece came again to his Family and into favour We have hinted heretofore of the Northern Nations much inclining to Witchcraft and in Scotland those of great Families this Winter produced many Examinations Agnes Simson the wife of Kieth a Matron of a grave and settled behaviour she declared that her Familiar appeared in a visible form and resolved her doubts concerning the Life or Death of any she used to call him Holla Master Ho la in Spanish Who is there as he directed her and confessed that Bothwell bid her inquire of the Kings Reign Life and Death whom the Devil undertook to destroy but failing confessed to her not to be in his power speaking words in French which she understood not but could repeat them Il est homme de Dieu Another one Richard Graham confessed the like against Bothwell which was the cause of his Commitment out of which he escapes by corrupting his Keeper and so far guilty hath his Doom of Forfeiture and is denounced Traitor the Proclamation speaks That he being tender in bloud to the King and further advanced in Honors and Offices above his Birth having heretofore in an unnatural humor committed Slaughters raised Arms against his Majesty and practised with strangers against the Religion and whereof his Conviction in May 1589. was superseded in hope of amendment but since heaping Treasons he concluded with the consult of Witches against the Kings Life as by confession of sundry persons appears and for all being committed he hath broken Prison and thereby taken these Crimes upon him which concludes him a Traitor But he enters band with the Lord Hume and others and being forsaken flies into England his secret Harbours till next year The Archbishop of St. Andrews lies Bed-rid and fallen into some wants by mis-government the Presbyters like Crows about Carrion the common way of the Romish Catholicks to procure Proselytes labour him to leave some Lines under hand his opinion of matters of Discipline they form his words That he did not trouble himself then with thoughts of that nature and had never allowed of any other Bishop of the Church but St. Paul ' s Bishop to which he would sign And so Articles were drawn framed to their Design which he subscribed but whether in truth he did so or some for him or that their charity seldom upon better terms wrought upon his necessity or weakness of his spirits the Recantation came forth in publick of which injury he complained and committing his cause to Gods justice died the end of this year and accounted a man of some scale in Learning as they seldom want to account of themselves one commending another if he dies a Proselyte to them But presently that Church falls into Schism several Assemblies to compose Dissentions set up several Superintendents in one Presbytery or Popedom the Lay Parishioners siding with each Faction and coming to the question most Voyces pretended best interest but the other had gotten a new Paradox Quod suffragia essent ponder anda non numeranda and yet to end strife they part stakes and divide the Presbytery the one to sit at Cowper the other at St. Andrews I mention this for a Note That of all men none could worse endure parity and loved more to command than these which introduced it into the Church We have had to do with Secretary Walsingham of England and may not forget to take our leave of him also that lived not out this year He was industrious wise and religious a searcher in the secrets and mysteries of all States he had an art in past imitation to dive into mens dispositions and something for polite service screw simple Proselytes beyond common danger his Preferment no higher than Secretary and Chancellour of the Duchy of Lancaster and with Honour of the Garter his profuse expence for Intelligence abroad and at home kept him under compass during life and dying so poor that they buried him by dark in Paul's Quier Another of the same Sir Thomas Randolph so near in time that Death might do it with one Dart He was bred a Civilian and taken from Pembroke College in Oxford to Court from thence his Imployments were forein Embassies thrice to the Peers in Scotland and thrice to the Queen seven times to King James and thrice to Basilides Emperour of Russia once to Charls the Ninth of France and again to Henry the Third he was advanced to the Office of Chamberlain in the Exchequer and to be Master of the Ports the first formerly of great profit the later not so till these last times of ours which we make of immense gain but he was rich of children and therefore in my Lord Bacons opinion poor in Purse he had leave to retire some time before his Death to which his advice to Walsingham to leave the Tricks of a Secretary as himself would the deceis of an Ambassadour Sir Henry Wootton afterwards observed as much who could example with the most Hoc tandem didici says he animas sapientiores â—ieri quiescendo To accompany these of the Gown died that gallant man at Arms George Talbot created Earls by Henry the Sixth and he the sixth Earl of Shrewsbury who in Queen Maries Reign with three thousand Foot in the Scotish Wars rescued the Earl of Northumberland at Lowick he was of the appointed Guard of that Queen whilest here in Prison and succeeded the Duke of Norfolk and Marshal of England and in much honour
unbury the dead saies one and raise the coffined corps of Murray and the Sheriff against Lieth Church door their friends refusing them other funeral until revenge were taken of their slaughter and who more earnest in this resentment than the Lord Uchiltry who ignorant of any ill meaning was put upon the errand to perswade Murray to come to reconcilement which by this means was turned to murther and in regret of his Dishonour the rather sought out Bothwell to bare stakes at all hazards with him And in earnest they are But the Church interrupt the story who when the State was mostly in mischief then were they busiest for themselves the Ministery Intermixing pious Articles in their petition to the Parliament but evermore interfeering with Soveraignty The first of their demands being willingly confirmed against Papists Idolatry and crimes of blood with which the Land indeed was then much poluted But for abrogating the former acts of Anno 1584. against discipline of the Church and their liberty and in place thereof a Ratification now of the practice then The Kings wisdom foresaw the inconveniences which the Ministers assume from that term of liberty But Bothwells Business interrupting the Kings quiet a time of advance to their demands the Act was warily passed and as for the Statute of Regal power Supremacy in the King which they mostly aimed to abrogate It was only declared It should be no waies derogatory to the spiritual Office-bearer in the Church concerning heads of Religion Heresie Excommunication Collation or deprivation of Ministers or any such having ground and warrant of Gods word The King removes to Faulkland where Bothwell attempts a fresh Conspiracy being assisted by the Earls of Angus and Arroll the Master of Gray Collonel Stuart and the Lairds of Iohnston and Balmery they had their several Postures the latter met him with four hundred horse Angus kept watch without and Arrol was alwaies with the King Stuart must be the Porter to let the others in Somwhat they attempted which gave suspition sufficient so that Arrol was committed to Edenburgh Castle and the Collonel to Blackness But why these at Court were so hasty without the power of Bothwell fell out upon a false Spie that gave warning ere the Forces were nigh For Bothwell with no more than six score the Rascallity pickt up upon the Borders English and Scotish marching two daies and nights with slender diet and faint watchings arrived at Faulkland at midnight where he found the Court at their Sentries by which he feared the discovery But the day soon opened the midst of Iune and he encamped on the Hill side His Followers fall upon any booty break open the Queens stables and take out the Horses and what other baggage came to hand more regarding present plunder than the hazard of their Chief who thus at loss and the County coming in He was forced to flie but how or whether in martial Order he knew not and therefore by the next Midnight he stole away The King with his company followed by the Ferry mistaking the way hastened his course by Sterlin-bridge where Bothwells men in disorder separate to all parts and were soon seized some in the Moors of Calder and Carnwath the Horses unman'd their Riders falling from their Saddles for want of sleep Others taken napping not able to stand were committed to several Holds and some knockt on the heads by poor Plow-boys and all of them so weak that a few women mastered the most of them and Bothwell got into England And the King by experience and his own clemency found it the best way to proclaim pardon to all that would forsake the grand Traytor and come in knowing that some others might be interessed in that plot and too many of note for him to meddle with For whether in affection to Bothwell or malice to the Master of Glammis the Treasurer his Enemy Alexander Lindsey Lord of Spinie in great favour works secret attempts to reconcile him to the King Collonel Stuart still Prisoner in Blackness in hope of nope of liberty discovers it to the King at Dunfres by Sir Iames Sandilands the keeper of that house who justified before the Council That Spinie had harboured Bothwel at Aberdowre The other denies all and claims the combate which Sandilands not making good Spinie recovers into favour and yet infected with treasonable intents the next year he openly takes part with Bothwell and is denounced Rebel Others also Weymis of Logie of the Kings Bed-chamber was more than suspected and committed to Guard until his Mistress the Queens Dutch Maid in the Kings name after bed time brought the Prisoner to be questioned by the King himself the Keepers waiting without he was let in to the Chamber and out at a Window by a Rope and this being a Love-trick for her to hazard the halter the Ladies liking the conceipt and upon mariage with her Paramour procured the Queens favour and pardon for them both And with these aforesaid and divers others the faction of Bothwel increased with men of all rancks Barons and Burgesses intertaining him openly in several parts of the Country and in Tweedale the most part of those people whether the King was fain to take journey as far as Iedbury to pacifie them and settle their fidelity No sooner returned but new factions at home against the Chancellor and by the greatest Lenox Arguile Morton Glammis and Lord Hume with whom Angus Arrol and but lately released prison adjoin occasioned by the Chancellours refusing the Queens claim to some Lands of his which set the wheel in going and which forced him in wisdome to withdraw from Court into the Country for this year In the North also the Clanhattons conducted by Angus Williamson in pretence of revenge of Earl Murrays death make havock of all that belongs to Huntley with fire and Sword and fell foul upon an aged Man Gordon of Barckley for no crime but his honesty and kindred to Huntley who in revenge commits cruelties upon his Enemies encountring a great party sixty of them were slain and some of his own side And not satisfied with this he summons all the High-landers and with their help devastates all that Country and kills many until a Commission to Angus Lord Lieutenant with power of the Counties forced a cessation on both sides and returning in Triumph was seized as a Traytor and committed to the Castle of Edenburgh upon some Letters intercepted and signed by him Huntley Arrol and others to the King of Spain and sent by George Ker whose confession was That upon the receipt of Letters from Creighton the Iesuit in Spain unto Gordon and Abercrombie for alteration of Religion those return answer of the Scots concurrence and for more secrecy these three Earls undertake for all and blanks signed by them to be filled in Spain and intrusted to the Bearers in October last And he avowed
also That Angus and Arroll assured him that the King of Spain would send thirty thousand men into Scotland part of this Army to force Toleration of their Romistry here and the other part to be convayed by them into England for the same design and this Army to land in Kirkud-bright in Galloway or in the mouth of Cluydo River These manifest plots of Papists drew the consideration necessary for the whole Nation and meetings of the Ministery and all men to propose their advice and aid to pursue the Rebells already risen and to raise a Guard of three hundred Horse constant with the King and the Conspirators to be called to Justice and the first example fell upon Graham of Fintre and executed in February And in this hurry Angus escapes out of Prison and flies to the North unto Huntley and Arroll But the King in great perplexity of Murthers rapine and slaughters publick and private upon their submission are received to mercy favour and preferment all means used to bring peace to these miserable people The French King in great distress and overwhelmed in his affairs craves more aid out of England and is assisted again with four thousand men more and ordinance But not to make peace with the Leaguers until the Spanish forces were driven out of France So necessary it was for England by these means to stop their career and to keep off revenge from home These Forces intrusted with General Norris land in Bretaign but find no French and so being hurried up and down Normandy Lamain and elsewhere the Spaniard increase number in Bretaign Norris returns home and the French King in distress upon some fear of his fewds and hopes of advantage turns Papist Whilest the Duke of Parma also prepared fresh forces to assault Picardy but being in readiness he fights a private combate with Death and is overcome after fourteen years Government in Flanders a man of excellent honour and virtue as Queen Elizabeth always acknowledged who to amaze and busie the Spaniard and to divert him from hence sends several Expeditions by Sea into his Territories of America with singular succession And to prevent his practices in Scotland of as great concernments to both Nations she keeps watchfull correspondence with King Iames who indeed wary of the Papists encroachments at home began to exercise his Regal power over his Nobility and other seditious Subjects having scattered the last Rebells into their Holds and Bothwel into England These Insurrections thus far happily suppressed contrary to the imagination of the English policies Queen Elizabeth to colour suspition sends the Lord Burrough to congratulate the discoveries and the succeâ—s offering her aid to bring the Malignants to Trial and wished him if he could not apprehend their persons to confiscate their Estates and seeing his case concerned all Princes of the Religion she desired his resolution therein for her to satisfie all others her Confederates against Spain The King gives her thanks and that he was assured Bowes her Ambassadour had certified her of all proceedings in particular as aforesaid wherein he had begun and was fully resolved to prosecute the guilty but advised with her how dangerous it might be for him to have such potent Rebells without her help to hunt such fugitives their Design being more dangerous to assist the Spaniards attempts upon England than either upon France or Holland to whom she had liberally already afforded supply with men and moneys and therefore what he desired on his particular his own Ambassadour should declare The next Audience furnished the Ambassadour with Arguments from his Mistris to advise the King to wise and well-affected Counsellours help to disarm and suppress such Rebells and withall intimating the Queens punishment upon those that harboured Bothwel in England and so by circumstances to draw out of the King what resolution he intended towards him in so troublesom time and if it were for his Majesties quiet to receive him upon submission The King seeming not to countenance Bothwel nor believing the Queens resentment of his Receivers said That if his Mistris meant honourably to her self or him she would rather deliver him to justice according to their League than to support him in her Dominion whose Crimes were unpardonable and her further favours to him would induce a necessity for the King to joyn with her Enemies for his own safety And so Burroughs returned and Bowes remained In an Assembly of the Church in April the King resolving to give them Items sends them Articles That hâ— would not suffer diminution of the Privileges of his Crown nor Assemblies without his order That an Act pass to inhidit Ministers to declame in the Pulpit against the King and his Council That some of every Presbytery should inform his Majesty of the Papists practices and Bothwels receivers That some of theirs should cause the Magistrates of Burghs at Sea-ports to examine Passengers and Plotters against the Reâ—ligion To the first they would follow former Acts. The scond they prohibit without just and necessary causes which the King esteeming no restraint was as causless to answer theirs against Papists his necessities enforcing civilities to the Papists to ballance with the rigid Reformers But the Mundays Market stuck in their stomacks against which their Act passed to alter for Tuesday their Reason was religious to prevent the Trades-men violating the Sabbaths Evening with too much care and travail against the next Morning The Shoomakers whom it most concern'd gathering tumult menaced the Ministers if they urged their consents to drive them out of Edenburgh which begat that saying Rascals and Sowters obtain from the Ministers what the King could not do in matters more reasonable The King sends Melvil to satisfie Queen Elizabeth of the affairs of Scotland and to desire aid of money for levying six hundred Souldiers for some Moneths and to renew the former complaint against Bothwels entertainment in England whilest he steals into Scotland and surprizes the King The Chancellour as you have heard retired from Court upon displeasure of Queen Ann requests the King by Letter that seeing his service was useless and his solitary life irksom he craves leave to depart out of the Kingdom untill his Majesties pleasure command his return The King being earnest with the Queen upon his resign of Muskleburgh which she clamed and his coming to Court resolved Lenox Athol and Ochiltry plot to prevent him and bring in Bothwel under disguise of attending the the Lady Athol by the Postern-gate with another his Companion armed into the very Bed-chamber The King at â—ight of them cried out Treason Treason Strike Traitor strike said he make an end of thy Villany I desire to die He answered with Oaths that he came for mercy And the King replied that Mercy extorted was Insolency and not the form of Suppliants and suddenly rushed in the Earl Mar with numbers of that Faction having possession of the Court
to trouble the Church with thorny questions nor yet to claim to himself any tirany over the same Only to have these doubts solved to prevent debate to him or his Successors and to settle the policie of the Church that so the corruption being removed a pure Harmony might be fixed between him and the Ministers to Gods glory c. The Articles were at first drawn up to fifty five and to be supposed that those questions were never decided but effectually they were in use to the prejudice of the King and people which no man till now durst dispute being left loose for the Ministers mental reservation Many of them were much troubled to submit their discipline to dispute which they had assured the people to be part of the Gospel and therefore mightily endevoured to prevent examining but the business so far forward the King had his party to press it on A note of observation what packing there was of voices for eithers advantage the policie of some the late Generall Counsels of Christendome having taught the way and these are apt 〈◊〉 to learn And therefore the Northern Conscientious Ministers not as yet tainted with the Iesuitical tenents were delt with by a Message from the King to be distinguished from the Mutineers of Edenburgh not esteeming them guilty of reproach with such evil subjects How well the King intended to them in particular and so hopes that their behaviour would evidence their resentment of his Majesties favour and affection They are desired to subscribe to the bond in acknowledgment of the Kings royal power and to accept the E. Huntleys offers to absolve him from excommunication and reasons enow given for these And lastly they receive the Copy of the fiftie five questions and are desired to send Commissioners to the Assembly appointed at Perth They with reverence make answer That as they were ignorant of the Tumult and the Ministers flight so they were silent in their judgment and censure This though in the general The Authors of that insurrection were Traytors and if Ministers to be double punished They had sworn to his Majesties power and regallity when they were admitted Ministers and would never decline it The bond mentioning Master Blakes speeches in Pulpit concerning application of doctrine which his Majesty had pronounced as a question to be decided in the next Assembly they humbly reserved themselves til that time And for the Earl Huntley his repentance should be most acceptable and they were content to conferr with him and use all means for his resolution fearing they should not find him earnest for absolution And least the Ministers should have cause to hank upon jealousies of the Kings favour and affection to the Popish Lords especially to Huntley for whom in truth he had earnestly endeavoured reconciliation He therefore writes to him peremptorily either to make faith and satisfie the Church or be banished for ever The day come the Assembly meet But not to trouble them with all those fifty five Queries formerly printed the King remits them to the future contenting himself for the present with a dozen Articles to be determined possitive 1. That it be lawfull to the Prince or any pastor to move doubts and crave reformation of any points in external policie and discipline of the Church not concerning salvation nor defined in scripture and to be done decenter animo aedeficanti non tentandi 2. That the civil and politick goverment of the Realm belongs properly to the Kings office and his Counsellors and not pertinent to the spiritual Ministry of the word nor to meddle in matters of state nor his Majesties Laws Statutes or Ordinances in the Pulpit 3. That Ministers shall not name particular men in Pulpit except upon notorious crimes as of fugitive or excommunication 4. That in application the Minister have respect to his flock without extravagant discourses impertinent 5. That every Presbytery take diligent accompt of the doctrine of their ministry 6. That Summary excommunication be utterly discharged and the sentence to follow three Citations at eight days distance 7. That no sentence or censure proceed from any Assembled but of those within their bounds 8. That all summons containe speciall cause and crime and not super inquirendis quod est mere tiranicorum 9. That no meeting be without the Kings consent except the ordinary session Presbyteries and Synods 10. That in principal Burghs no Minister be placed without the consent of the King and the flock 11. That seven or eight discreet Ministers be authorized to reason upon the rest of his Majesties Questions till time serve 12. That the Northern Ministers absolve the Earl Huntley fromexcommunication if he satisfie the Church Their answers to each were not received satisfactory and therefore they attend the King and Counsel where his Majesty reasons with them the justness of his desires and after serious consideration they conclude to the Kings liking A commission was granted to some of them to reconcile the Popish Lords to the Church And Articles ordained for Huntley Angus And Arrol to subscribe which they did The Ministers taken into protection and grace and all Papists in general except the Lords to depart the Realm before Iune And all the former offenders and Mutineers remitted to pardon which hapily concluded the end of this year And to shut up all with the time let us take leave of Iohn Lesly Bishop of Ross who took leave of this life at Bruxells in Flanders his constant abode since the execution of his Excellent Princess Queen Mary of Scotland a man memorable with reverence for his faith and constant service to his Sovereign and his extraordinary care and trouble travelling to most Princes in Câ—ristendom to interpose their credit with Queen Elizabeth for her relief induring all hardships for her sake examinations disputes imprisonings and at last banishment out of England as you have heard leaving his Mistriss without hope of redemption from her Captivity And therefore administers his last and best service spiritual consolations which he purposely writ to her in a Treatise printed and published full of piety and learning those no doubt composed his own mind with patience and comfort after her sad and miserable death which he bore off for some time till sorrow seized him into a languishing sickness He composed the Gests of his Native Countrey into Latine from the beginning of that Nation to his last time He was servent in his faith zealous and charitable and died as he alwaies professed a Juditious learned Romish Catholick And so let us see the affairs in England The Queen to divert the growing greatness of the Spaniard had assisted the Netherlands ten years in their rebellion as some stile it against him and now considered that whilst she established their tottering territories her self became poor and they had plenty And therefore by Bodly her Ambassadour she demands to be eased of her charge in her
first into the Suburbs and there falling into mean company was known by a Banditto whom he had relieved at Bononia who gratefully assisted him with money for the journey thither where finding friends to fail he took his course to Millan Ere he got there an accident befell him his own relation and a Bishops record for declining the common Road in fear of discovery he fell into a Forrest weary out of the way and want of food brought him to rest under a Birch and near a Brook when in much amuze what to do a Dog comes fawning with a Purse of money in his mouth which he lays down in his lap and whining as to invite him to rise and follow him brought him not far off to a poor Village and into company that conducted him to Vienna in Austria There he preaches before Maximilian the second the fame of the man and his good manners to boot brought him a Preferment when by Letters from Pope Pius the third he was demanded to Rome as a condemned Heretick but was dimitted to shift for himself under conduct from the Pâ—pes reach Through Germany he journeys homewards to England where he was informed of the Scots Reformation and so comes home an effectual Convert and instantly was made a Minister Disuse of his native speech four and twenty years made him trip with his tongue but being understood by the learned in his Latine and not long after speaking Scotch he steps into the Ministery at Holyrood-house and so in several years to seven sundry places he came at last to serve the King his Houshold Chaplain full of age even eighty eight he ended his days the last of December for so of late they end their year We left the Earl of Essex designed against the Rebells of Ireland where soon he learned to practice Treason at home His story is thus This Earl was eldest son to Walter Devereâ—x of a Nâ—rman family Viscount Hereford and Bouchier Lord Ferrers of Chartley and by Queen Elizabeth created Earl of Essex and Ewe Anno 1572. and Knight of the Garter and was sent into Ireland Lord Marshall against the Rebells and as if but sent of an Errand he presently falls sick and dies at Dublin 1576. His body brought over and entombed at Carmarthen in Wales This Robert succeeded his fathers honour and was looked upon in Court by all with pity through the sacrifice of his father but by the Queen with more affection whom she advanced his fortunes low with many gifts of grace and bounty At his Arraignment accounted by the Lord Treasurer Buckhurst to be twenty thousand pounds in pure gift besides the fees of his Offices and the dispose of the Treasure of the Army His entrance into Court was let in by the Earl of Leicester his supporter though he never neither lived nor died by his discipline who though he deserved it was yet a better Master of Art than to die by the Ax. He called him to Court from his House near Carmarthen settled there to his book in contemplation belike of his fathers fate who had spent all and died when fortune turned him up Trump Leicester did this upon design not by affection the honest mans principle for having let in Sir Walter Ralegh a little before he soon neglected his Patron and set up for himself Essex came in to allay him And Anno 1585. receives Knighthood in 1588. the Garter in 89. command in chief in an Expâ—dition into Portugal which was his forwardest piece of service In 95. sworn Counselour of State The next year sent with a Navy to the Spanish Island Cadiz his most fortunate and therefore presently after made Lord Marshall of England In 97. he commanded in another Fleet to the Islands Tercera which was his best and this last into Ireland his worst being the Sepulcher of his Father as we have said and the Gulf of this Lords fortune So that in twelve years he had no rest from additions of Honours or profit which he supposed his own Metall but indeed it was the Queens Mint His Contemporaries who stood in competition with him were Sir Charls Blunt after Earl of Devonshire who succeeded him in Ireland and General Norris both his near Friends and yet whom he envied the last to his ruine But after the destruction of Norris he takes upon him the Expedition into Ireland the place of exercise for the best of the Militia and who durst oppose him Though Blunt stood in favour whom she foretold should discharge the cares of Ireland as he did though after her death in this Kings time where we shall remember him hereafter This Blunt was a gallant Gentleman and learned with whom Essex must needs challenge the Duel for wearing of the Queens favour for his success in a Tilting and ran him also through the arm But Essex got the Imployment from all and over he goes Deputy of Ireland and General of all the Forces there with Commission strickt enough to imbound his popularity with the Souldiery and his own family which followed him in Troops indeed the flickering of his friends like so many Vice-kings foretold his Funeral That Town is easily undermined whose foundation is hollow Besides he left not a Friend behinde him being fain to disperse his own Apology for some airy objections which it seems he durst not leave unsatisfied having never a Friend to do it for him either of them a weak way to manage a mans fame and does but multiply the discourse which a wise man should shun And being landed there 1599. not long after he received the Sword as Deputy and General He declines his intended Northern journey and engaged a fruitless Expedition into Munster not so counseled there nor commanded here nor so much as advertised home from him By which tedious Marches his Army harazed and tired out four Moneâ—hs of Summer spent three parts of the Forces wasted he plots a Peace with the Arch Rebell Tyrone He imploys one Lee a man familiar with Tyrone and one that immediatly upon Essex his Rebellion after at London attempted violence on the Queen confessed his Design for which he was hanged Blunt Marshall of the Army had order to licence Lee to treat with Tyrone at pleasure as also Lee's Messenger one Knowd who brings word from Tyrone That if Essex would follow Tyrones plot he would make the Earl the best man of England desiring conference with Essex herein and Tyrones eldest son offered for Pledge This Message was delivered by Knowd to Lee and by him to Essex And though my Lord was charged herewith afterwards by my Lord Keeper in England his Lordship flatly denied it till all their confessions condemned him and pretended their justification by general pardon from Essex in Ireland for all Treasons And accordingly to shadow the odious overture and to agree with so arch a Rebell under colour of a Treaty he designes an Interview with Tyrone alone
when as by waiting the seasonable time he may be sure to finde the Gates of the Orchard open and with freedom to enter take and tast at liberty Sure it were a weakness and unworthiness in me to come in as an Usurper with offence and scandal to the Laws and present Estate of Government when I may in the right time clame the Crown as nearest Heir to the Prince deceased and possess it with equity Should I out of untimely ambition break the long continued and faithfully preserved Amity that by the proof of many mutual kinde offices hath taken root amongst us were an error inexcusable And though I do acknowledg your kindâ— affection in the offers you make of assistance I must tell you freely That no Prince can presume of any Subjects loyalty to himself that hath been unfaithfull and unsound to his own Sovereign nor could I ever look to be secure in a Kingdom so traiterously disposed And adviseth the Earl To forbear such Letters and when he did write which he wished but rarely and not but in great occasion to beware of any thing justly to offend the Queen lest by interception or other misadventure he might be disabled to serve him hereafter The Spaniards driven out of Ireland Ter Oen retires to his Fastness in Ulster the Deputy pursues him with a great Army burn kill and take all that come in their way of enmity divers of the chief Rebells submit whom the Deputy receives to favour and preferment somewhat the common sense before others of that Nation always loyal It was his wisdom so to do to quiet the Kingdom and quench the issue of Bloud by forgeting rather injuries past than for the present to reward the merits of others much deserving And it took effect also in the person of Ter Oen who tired with treachery his best defence and weared with a world of miseries in this time of Rebellion having leisure whilest he lurked to meditate and bring all together to the sadness of his soul he humbly offers his submission to the Queen and prays for pardon which she in distemper of health authorized the Deputy to promise and to receive his subjection which was done at Dublin in that State of Vicegerency the Deputy sitting in his Throne incircled with the most of his Militia Ter Oen whose wicked life had brought him to misery despicable to himself humbled him at the very threshold of the chamber prostrates his knees for pardon of his many offences of God and his Sovereign to whose princely clemency he flies as to Anchor-hold submits his life and fortune having heretofore found her goodness as he hath felt her power now seeks for mercy as an Example to everlasting memory of her present clemency assuring his years not so many nor his body so weak in power nor courage so cold but that by valiant and loyal service he may live to expiate his Rebellion Upon this score he was taken to favour and pleasure of the Queen now eight years after his first Rebellion brought to an happy issue under the Lord Mountjoy the Deputy the long destraction whereof added to the Queens age often distempers of the minde which settled into a sickness of her climaterick seventieth year and with a fatal longing to remove from London to Richmond in a foul day to talk of death and divorce between Her and her Kingdoms to whom she wedded her self she said When first she put on a remarkable Ring on her finger and never removed till now it was cut off And thus sadness increasing no wonder at what cause for she had many most men the multitude will have one to be forsooth the want of Essex such also were his admirers and none other of honesty or discretion Indeed the French King to curry favour had sent her Letters of suspition That the Nobility neglected her too much affecting the King of Scots that the dawning of her day should Sâ—n-set when too timely they endeavoured to adore the morning-rise And this was true her Ladies weary of waiting wish for a change and all together long for a Successor whom they advise to be sent for The Queen not so sick but to see this and complain'd That being yoaked she could trust to none and her Estate turned top-side turvey She was told also the frequent poasting to Scotland at which she did not repine having settled her affection on the Kings succession though not necessary for her heretofore to declare In March she hastens with some symptoms of deaths approach very froward and pettish evermore declining Physick and now onely took Medicines for the souls health communicated to her by the Arch-bishop of Canterbury in Discourse and Prayer The Lord Admiral Lord Keeper and Secretary Cecil came from the Council to know her pleasure for her Successour She said My Throne is for a King none other shall succeed me Ceâ—il asked her What King She said What other King than my Kinsman the King of Scots She was frequent in Prayer till her tongue was weakned into silence hands weary with heaving up or eys able to look out then after some time not stirring she leisurely turned her head with ratling in the throat and gave up the ghost to God Almighty on that day of her Birth from whom she had â—t seventy years since on a Thursday night this four and twentieth of March the last day of the year 1602. and in the five and fortieth of her Reign an Age and Reign not to be numbered by any one King of England before Her Successour said as much in his Preface to his son The like had not been seen or heard of since the days of Augustus And one speaking of her days We have lived says he in a timâ— of miracles Was it not a miraculous mercy that Queen Elizabeth that mâ—tâ—hlâ—ss Princess and Pearl of the World should in in these 〈◊〉 times be preserved in safety as a sweet harmless Lamb amidst so many merciless Romish Wolves who implacably thirsted for her pretious life Was it not a wonder that the sacred hand of that self-same crowned blessed Lady next under Gods Almighty one should in despite of all the Pâ—â—ers of Darkness and popish rage raise our trâ—e Religion as it were by miracâ—e from the dead a thing which the World hoped little to see that â—ven they which beheld it done scarcely believed their own senses that after the silver line of her most hououred life should be hid in the endless maze of Gods bottomless mercies from the fiery assaults of so many popish Bulls such a prodigious variety of murderous complotments against her sacred person and all these desperate Assassines of Rome who all her life long hunted full greedily after her virgin bloud And was not our Deliverance in Eighty Eight a miracle when the Sea fought for us There was a Day which as many of us remember the Papists called The long lookâ— for Day the
Prince did upon some weightier occasion no doubt than a Ladies Garter erect this Order Anno 1350. The Emblems are a Blue Garter to be worn daily buckled on the left Leg set with Gold or Pearl in these words Honi soit qui mal y pense Shame take him that evil thinketh This Order is inferiour to none in the World consisting of six and twenty Martial and Heroical Nobles the King of England the chief the rest are either Nobles of this Nation or Princes of other Countreys Friends and Confederates Emperours and Kings have desired and received that Honour Theâ—e are depending this Order six and twenty poor Knights with sufficient maintenance The Officers were the Prelate of the Garter which is inherent to the Bishop of Winchester for the time being the Chancellour the Register always the Dean of Windsor the principal King at Arms called Garter and the Usher called the Black Rod The site of this College is the Castle of Windsor with the Chapel of St George erected by Edward the third and the Chapter-house there also The Protector-Saint olim tam nobilis is St George whose Picture on horse-back killing the Dragon doth always hang at a Blue Silk Ribband about each Knights neck And the outward Vestment or Cloak hath a Star embroidered in Silver encompassing a Shield bearing the Red Cross of England with the Garter about it This I mention lest it be forgotten to after ages Amongst sundry men of valour in antient days was George born at Coventry in England his Mother with childe of him dreamed that she conceived with a Dragon which should be the cause of her death but the Wizards Witches assured her to die in childe-bed of a Son whose life and fortune shall be a mirrour to posterity and therefore he was brought up with a Person of Honour with great observance which made him capable of mighty deeds in Arms and being famous for several Adventures travelled to a place infested with wilde beasts chiefly a ravenous Dragon whom the Sorcerers pretended so far to inchant as to be for ever satisfied with a virgin Salve fastened to a Rock and fitted for Sacrifice In whose defence George fights on horse-back with his Lance and Sword and by his skill and force kills him this service done he missed not the Merit of his Reward Mariage with the Maid instructed her in Christianity with whom he lived honourably and died sainted for his virtues and valiant acts and by the Kings of England assumed for many Ages in warlike Atchivements of Honour to be their Patron This story not difficult for the Moral which served those times to instruct the ignorant with such Tales to be told to posterity that the Christian Souldier in the warfare of the World meets with Satans temptations which by the grace of God sanctifying are overcome and in particular â—escues his own soul bound under the chains of sin to be devoured of the Devil and which being redeemed by the merits of Christ is maried to Him in faith and becomes an eternal Saint in Heaven Whether this Saint and his story with others were invented to cousen men these Tales wrought much with valiant men at Arms Valour swels when set out by Examples of Extremes and oft times goes beyond her self in her atchivements conceit sometimes does things above conceit especially when the imagination apprehends them founded in Religion It is said by Matthew Paris in Gulielmo secundo pag. 57. that St George appeared in the air with an Army of white Horses fighting for the English at Antioch against the Turk But to say there was no such Saint and to change all literal sense into an Allegory of Christ and his Church yet it may seem more improbable that our English Nation amongst so many Saints that were would chuse one to be their Patron that was not at all especially seeing the World in that Age had rather a glut than a famine of Saints The intent of those times was pious to gain credit and to convert to Christianity but then so to prosecute it as the Papists still continue to do must be condemned thinking to grace the Gospel by such absurdities for Heaven has a Pillory to punish fraus pia her self and indeed better to leave Religion to her native plainness than to deck her with counterfeit dress And there were created at Windsor these Earls Thomas Howard Earl of Suffolk Montjoy Earl of Devonshire and of Barons Egerton Baron Elsmore Russel Baron Thornhall Danvers Lord Danvers Grey Baron Grooby Peters Baron Writtle Harington Baron Eaton which so troubles an Historian as a wonderfull weakness in a King and concludes against his own Argument Nothing more destruction says he to Monarchy than lessening the Nobility But he means increase of number lessens their value and hath not enlarged his reading by knowledg of their condition in other Monarchies Spain France and yet poor enough in those places where Anarchy as yet is not come in Originally within this Kingdom Earldoms of Countreys in the antient English-Saxon Government were Dignities of Honour and Offices of Justice they had Officers under them as Vice-comes or Sheriffs The Earls therefore received Sallary the third penny of the profits of the County of long time after the Conquest and were inserted in their Patents of Creation which afterwards were turned into Pensions Of the single Earls not Palatine there were two kindes subdivided into several Branches either take name of a place or without place those of a place are of two kindes either of a County as the Earl of Devonshire Cornwall Kent c. or else of some place not being a County as of a Town Castle Honour c. of which later sort as antient as the Conquest those of Richmond in Yorkshire Clarence in Suffolk Arundel in Sussex Earldoms without any place are likewise of two kindes either in respect of Office as Earl Marshal of England or by Birth and so are all the Kings Sons and therefore it is a mistake to say They are born but Gentlemen Earls are adorned with a Cap of Honour and a Coronet and the Body with a Robe in resemblance of Counsellours and are girt with a Sword to defend their King and Countrey Cook 17. Part. And are called by the King his Cosins and his Title is afterwards become parcel of his Name and so they sign T. Suffolk Not to speak of Barons by Prescription or Tenure These Barons were made by Patent as others are by Writ to Parliament and these by Writ were devised not before 49. Henry 3. for want of Peers the most of them slain in the Barons Wars Those Barons by Patent began by Richard 2. John Beauchamp being the first and is now limited in descent according to the Habendum for Life or for term of others as Estates in Tail They being thus entered into Nobility have large Privileges as Peers of the Realm Note that there be Lords in Reputation onely by
Brethren in Scotland that they should be enforced also to conform to the utter destruction of their Sion there To qualifie this News another Proclamation comes out in September after against such calumnious surmises That the King will not alter that Form of Government proper for their constitution without Counsel there and so refers mens â—xpectation to the general Assembly to meet at Dundee in Scotland in July after It was usual with the Presbyters in Scotland to have a general Assembly once a year and oftner pro re nata upon any urgent occasion The last was a little before the Kings coming hither 1602. And the next this appointed at Aberdene this year and therefore then adjourns that Meeting unto which he especially had an eye as mistrusting their ill humors to this Summer 1604. And now also prorogues it to a longer day by Proclamation in Scotland Notwithstanding thirteen of them convene at Aberdene and in spite of the Council Authority they formallized their Judicature by constituting a Moderator a Clerk and other essential Members The Privy Council there send a Messenger accompanied with a Herald of Arms to discharge and dissolve their Meeting These holy Fathers in this Sanhedrim protested They would not nor could give way to the Kings sacrilegious power usurped which properly belonged to the Church virtual the Assembly and so sat still till they pleased and after appointed a day for the next Assembly The King hears of this and commands them to be cited and punished These men undanted appear with a Protestation a Declination from the Kings Council and appeal to their own next General Assembly as the sole and competent Judg and were therefore pursued criminally before their Lord Iustice General upon the Act of Parliament 1584. for Treason Some of them acknowledged their fault the rest Zelots were convict ad terrorem and banished and after upon submission were restored to better Benefices The excellent Acts and Laws in this Session prorogâ—ed to the fifth of November I finde our voluminous Historian passes over excepting against their number too tedious for his brevity being unwilling to mention any thing of so much honour to the King though he can waste time and paper to tell you that the blessing of his Initiation Peace and Plenty brought idle people to Luxury Roaring-boys Bravadoes Roisters and makes it a fault in the King that he breeds his People no better The Parliament began the 19. of March 1603. and continued untill the 7. of Iuly 1604. and then prorogued unto the 7. of February In this Parliament they made a Recognition of the lawfull descending of the Crown to the King his Progeny and Posterity Commissioners of England and Scotland for to treat of the Union That no Bishop should assure Lands to the King Former Statutes against Recusants to be executed Divers other Statutes concerning the City and several Towns Corporate as also other Statutes for the good of the Land And conclude with a Subsidy of Tunnage and Poundage of Wools c. The Kings second Son Charls heretofore in Scotland created Duke of Albany Marquess of Ormond Count Ross and Lord of Ardmannoth is now this year created Duke of York by the girding of the Sword Cap and Circlet of Gold put upon his Head and golden Verge into his Hand to him and his Heirs males for ever with the Fee of fourty pounds per annum out of the issue and profits of that County He is made by Patent and witnessed by all the Lords of the Privy Council and other Peers of the Realm at Westminster the 6. of Ianuary 2. Iac. 1604. K. Edw. 3. by his Charter created Edward his eldest Son the black Prince Duke of Cornwall cum feodo to him and his Heirs the first begotten Sons and Dukes of the same place so that he that is hereditable Duke of Cornwall is Dux natus non creatus and the first day of his birth is in Law presumed to be of full age and may sue out his Livery as at one and twenty years and this was the first Duke in England the reason may be because the Norman Kings themselves were Dukes of Normandy for a long time they adorned none with this Honour of Duke The Papists had very evil success in all their Designs heretofore against Queen Elizabeth and her Religion and were somewhat quieted in hopes that the Kings reception hither might prove troublesom and so proper for them to work in such waters but the Kings late Speech was desperately understood for they being denied Toleration plot his and the whole States destruction by blowing up all in the House of Parliament A story so horrid and therefore so necessary to be communicated to the memorial of our Childrens Children The Parliament having been twice prorogued already in regard of the Seasons of the year and the Terms The time drawing near their Sitting upon Saturday ten days before about seven of the clock at night a Letter sealed was delivered by an unknown Fellow unto a Foot-man of the Lord Mounteagle Son and Heir to the Lord Morley charging him to give it to his Lords own hands who opening the same found it without Date or Subscription and in Letters not easily legible and the matter to him less intelligible but as God would have it he in this doubt repairs herewith to the Earl of Salisbury principal Secretary of State who also in some doubt of the construction the King being absent in his return from Roiston they acquainted the Lord Chamberlain the Earl of Suâ—folk herewith and after consultation they joyned the Lord Admiral the Earls of Worcester and Northampton but stayed all manner of proceeding untill the Kings coming Thursday night next after Salisbury shews it him The Letter was MY Lord out of the love I bear to some of your Friends I have a care of your preservation therefore I would advise you as you tender your Life to devise some Excuse to shift off your attendance this Parliament for God and Man have concurred to punish the wickedness of this Time And think not slightly of this Advertisement but retire your self into your Countrey where you may expect the event in safety for though there be no appearance of any sâ—ir yet I say they shall receive a terrible Blow this Parliament and yet they shall not see who hurts them This counsel is not to be contemned because it may do you good and can do you no harm for the danger is past so soon as you have burnt the Letter and I hope God will give you the grace to make good use of it to whose holy protection I commend you The King conceived the Letter not to be contemned the stile quick and pithy not usual with Libells and judged the words terrible Blow this Parliament and not see who hurts them to be meant by Gun-pouder joyning thereto the other words For the danger is past so soon as you have burnt the Letter
of my life Such stuff as this makes up the matter as they would make us believe but in truth he threatened Somerset with some discovery which was construed to be secrets of Love or State or both Not without monstrous defaming her honour by Message and writing filthy base woman they were best look to stand fast which begat fury in her and subtilty in Somerset least Overburies Malice should break forth to both their sufferings and so trouble their whole fortunes To prevent mischief to the One and continual defame to the other combining with the rest It was resolved by her to destroy him which she first intended by assassination and dealt with one Sir David Wood an ill-looked red-bearded Scot whom Overbury had prevented of a suit valued 2000l But his cowardice not conscience fearing to ingage she and they plotted the impoisoining of him in prison as the story intends to discover in particular This Spring seizes Northampton for death He was brother unto the late Duke of Norfolk who suffered for his Attempts of Marriage with the Queen of Scots as before remembred then a Prisoner here in England which might be some motive for the King to consider the advance of this Man and that Family which he did by preferring the Dukes second Son to be Earl of Suffolk 1603. and by restoring the Dukes Graâ—dchild Thomas Earl of Arundel 1604. as aforesaid and by particular preferments of this Henry who was more wedded to his book than to the Bed for he dyed a Bachelour He was accompted wise and learned a cunning States-man and for all these abilities out of the Kings great affection to Letters especially being concentured in a Noble person at his first accession hether he the rather advanced him in succeeding Creations as Baron of Marnhill Earl of Northampton then Privy Councellour Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports Lord Privy Seal and Knight of the Garter and elected Chancelour of the University of Cambridge He had plentiful for his single Life and to spare for his friends In his expence not over frugal maintaining his Port the most remarkable like the antient Nobility in his family and dependents of any Lord then or since his time He assisted his Nephew the Earl of Suffolk by his designning and large contribution to that excellent Fabrick Awdleend He built that Noble Structure at Charing-Cross Northamp House presented it a New years gift to his Cosin German the â— Walden Suffolks eldest Son And yet left his other Cosin the E. of Arundel the rest of his estate so to appear to the World his equal distribution to such even kindred He was pious and gave good testimony thereof in his life built that handsome Covent at Greenwich and indued it with Revenue for ever for maintenance of decayed Gentlemen Bachelours a competent number and for Widdows also considerable He died in April Anno 1614. full of years and honour and suspected more Catholick than some will think reasonable though in the form of a Church Papist as some lately do publish and to be a Setter in the monstrous Murther of Sir Thomas Overbury though the Lieutenant of the Tower Yelvis in his Examinations and Confessions cleered him which suspition is since grounded upon the interpretation of his Familiar Epistles to the Earl of Somerset and indeed but bruited since his death And where no proofs precede we may be sparing to not him so Noble a Person with that or any other Infamy About these times the humours of young Gallants not brooking the peaceable conditions of our Kingdomes and neighbour Nations took upon themselves to quarrel with each other and to fight it out in Duels upon slight occasions and very frequent which induced his Majesty to publish a severe Edict against private Combates and Combatants their Seconds Accomplices and Adherents for prevention of those heavy events whereto worthy familics become obnoxious by the odious and enormous impieties inevitably subsequent thereupon Intending by that time that the most proper Remedies have qualified the distemper of il-disposed minds and that audacious spirits have smarted for incompetent desires the false colours and pretences of erring Custome have both been counterpleaded and corrected by reforming severity By that time I say that Passion hath been put into the right course of submitting to discretion and caution hath wrought it self at leasure into as constant a form and habit of conforming to obedience as self-will took in former times to plant false principles the greater part will easily discern That there is greater reason to reprove those that offer Challenges of madness than to tax those of Cowardice that abstain out of duty And therefore those that should conceive themselves to be behind in the least respect of point of honour should repair to the Marshalls Court who were instructed and prepared as well for the cleansing of all green wounds as the healing of old Ulcers that shall appear to them Hereupon occassion was soon given and taken in a Duel of Priest and Wright for writing and carrying the challenge and an information against them in Star Chamber by a charge of Sir Francis Bacon Atturney General and though the persons were but mean yet they served for example to the great the Dog to be beaten before the Lion the one a Barber Surgeon the other a Butcher This eloquent Oratour divided his charge into four branches 1. The nature and greatness of the Mischief 2. The Causes and Remedies 3. The Iustice of the Law of England which saies he some think defective herein 4. The capacity of this Court where the Remedy is best to be found 1. For the first when Revenge is extorted out of the Magistrates hands into private men presuming to give Laws to themselves It may grow from quarrels to banding so to trooping then to tumult and commotion from private persons to families and alliances and so to national quarrel and subject the State to inflamations and convulsions and herein Offences of presumption are the greatest and this to be done by the aurorae filii sons of the morning young men full of hope and towardness 2. The Causes no doubt a false imagination of honour and credit bewitching Duels Species falsa against Religion Law and virtue That men now adaies had lost the true Notion of fortitude and valor the one Fortitude distinguishing the grounds of quarrels whether they be just and worthy a mans life being to be sacrificed to honourable services good causes and Noble Adventures Expence of blood is as the expence of money not to be profuse in either upon vain occasion For the Remedies Four things may be effectual for repressing the depraved custome of Combates First The State to abolish it for then every particular person thinks himself thereby acquitted his reputation when he sees it an insult against Sovereign power Like unto the Edict of Charls the ninth of France against Duels That the King himself took upon him the honour of all
that were grieved or interessed for not having performed the combate when he shall see the rule of State dis-interest him of a vain and unnecessary hazard Secondly This evil must not be cockered The compounding of quarrels is grown so punctual by private Noblemen and Gentlemen who is before hand and wholly behind hand It countenances Duels as if therein somewhat of right The most prudent and best Remedy may be learned out of the Kings Proclamation The false conceated humour must be punished in the same kind In eo quis rectissime plectitur in quo peâ—cat such men to be banished the Kings presence and excluded the Court for certain years to be cast into that darkness not to behold his Sovereigns face Lastly We see the Root of this offence is stubborn for it despiseth death the utmost of punishments and therefore these men to be executed by Law without all remission The severity of France had been more where by a kind of Marshal Law established by the King the party surviving was instantly hanged their wounds though bleeding least a natural death should prevent the example of Justice Or if not so to do but with greater lenity yet of no less efficacy which is to punish by fines in Star Chamber the middle acts and proceedings which tend to the Duel 3. Now for the Law of England It is excepted against in two points Not to difference between an infidious and foul murther and killing upon fair terms as they term it The other Not providing sufficient punishment for contumely of words as thely and the like These novelties are thus answered The Law of God makes no difference but between Homicide voluntary and involuntary which we term Misadventure and for which there were Cities of Refuge Our Law hath a more subtil distinction The Will inflamed and the Will advised Man-slaughter in heat and Murther upon Malice or cold blood The Romans had restrained this privilege of passion but onely where the Husband took the Adulterer in the manner Yet Cain inticed his Brother into the Field and slew him treacherously but Lamech vaunted of his Murther To kill a young man and if it were but in his hurt So as the difference is between Insidious and Presumptâ—oâ—s Murther these of Cain and Lamech Greece and Rome had not this practice of Duells It is said fas est ab hoste doceri There was a Duel between two eminent persons of the Turks and one slain the Council of Bashaes reprehended the Other How durst you undertake to fight one with the other are there not Christians enow to kill Did you not know that whether of you were slain the loss would be the great Seigniours T is true we find Combates before an Army amongst the Romans which they called Pugna per provocationem between Generals themselves or by their license to others So David asked leave when he fought with Goliah And Ioab when the Armies met gave leave Let the young Men play before us And of this kind was that famous example in the Warres of Naples between the Spaniards and Italians where Italians prevailed The second combate is a Iudicial Tryal of Right introduced by the Gothes and the Northern Nations and more antient in Spain But yet a wise Writer saies Taliter pugnantes videntur tentare Deum quia hoc volunt ut Deus ostendat faciat Miraculum ut justam causam habens Victor efficiatur quod saepe â—ontra accidit Nay the French folly in this kind had it in Toleration never authorized by Law but of late punished with severe rigour As for the supposed defect in our Law for Lies and fillips words of denyal and flea bites to murther a man Solon's Answer satisfies That he had not ordained Punishments for it not imaging the world so phantastical to take it so highly The Civillians say that an action of injury does not ly for it Indeed Francis the first of France gave the ly to the Emperour and in a Solemn Assembly said That he was no honest man that would bear the ly The Laws of England had onely these degrees of injury Slander Battery Maime and Death But as for a fillip Consalvo said A Gentlemans honour should be De tela crassiore of a strong warp Now for the power of this Court to censure Presidents have been in the Minor Whartons case P lt where Acklam Defendant servant to Elleckars was fined for carrying his Masters challenge but by Word of Mouth And it was concluded to prosecute in these cases against such As shall appoint the field though the sight be not acted Send challenge in writing or message Shall deliver either of them To accept or return them To be a second To depart beyond Seas to combat To revive a quarrel by sâ—andalous bruits or Pasquils Counsellers of Quarrellers And that a Man may in those cases be as well fur de se as felo de se if he steal out of the Realm to fight he doth Machinari contro Coronaâ— But let us remember Scotland We have forewarned the Earl of Orkneys mis-behaviour in Scotland which of late so increased as he was again sent for and committed Having rioted most of his Estate the remainder was mortgaged to Sir Iohn Arnots of whom the King purchases his Interest by which means he might the better give relief to the distressed Tenants from oppression The Earl now in Dunbarton Castle with a Noble a Day pension for his Maintenance had information how his Estate with his Castles Kirkwall Birsay and other his Houses and Lands in the Isles were rendered to the Kings Sheriffs He endeavouring first to escape but not effecting sends his base Son to get forces and to expulse the Possessors He does so with some loose people assaults Birsay and takes it wherein he puts a Garrison of thirty men and hastens to Kirkwall seizes that also This Insurrection comes to the Kings knowledge and hastens Commission to the Earl of Caithness Lieutenant of those bounds who with his Canon recovers the Castles in 6 weeks and those within made Prisoners Robert Steward the Earls base son and four more principal Actors were arraigned at Edenburgh convâ—ct and hanged The Earl as Accessary came to Tryal being indicted for causing his base son to surprize Kirkwall and Birsay inciting the people to Rebellion and detaining the Castles treasonably against the Kings forces He was allowed Prolocutours Lawyers of the best esteem who deny the Libel as they call it but the confession of his base Son and Others with his missive Letters written to one Iohn Sharp for detaining those Castles and a charter of certain Lands assigned by him to one Patrick Haloro for assisting the Rebels the Assize of Iury being his Peers Earls and Lords found him guilty of Treason and he presently executed at Edenburgh The end of Patrick Earl of Orkney Son to Robert Stewart one of the base Sons of King Iames the fifth for he had others
Cradle we shall find him as it were begotten to an inheritance of true Nobleness and Courtlike grace in more real splendour than others that seemed to appear compatible with him they being onely made so by hand His life indeed was intricate sometime struggling with the by-paths-of Sovereign-favour and afterwards of State-affairs Which at last and at worst infected him with the disease of the times more malignant in his Counsellors and other his Confidents then in his own conscience or inclination and so drew him on by various disguises of subtilty with the composition of his good nature till the remain of his life was involved into Ingagements unstable the effects whereof smothered him in the uncouth deluge of destruction I have no adverse aim or end on either side of these two Lords to embase the freedom of my Opinion or Judgement being tryed into some purity of truth by my own knowledge of the former and of this other by more exact account than by most men or by any other pen may be expected But I am not delighted to urge out this story of the Lord Haies as not willing to speak evilly of any person of his Honour unlike Our Adversaries that spare none For we should know that virtue and vice are inherent in Man And as it becomes us to tell truth when we speak of their virtues so with modesty and compassion to discover their vices Either of them being examples for the future that to imitate this to shun And I cannot but with compunction remind that the monstrous excess of the Belly and the Back by his first President became then the mode of those Times for great Persons the most part to follow and for ordinary people to put in practice even to this day and may be feared for ever hereafter The Sword being sheathed up in the Scabberd Peace and Plenty brought the Law into esteem the onely over-ruling power to set men even by the ears and make them the more quiet ever after But then Cases increased so common that Conscience was troubled to reconcile them and made a Quarrel of Justice it self between Sir Edward Cook Chief Justice of Law and the Lord Elsmore Keeper of the Conscience who had the better of the Cause to the others ruine The Case was thus Sundry Citizens got Judgment in the Court of Common-Pleas by a juggling Trick that staved off an opposite Witness the Plaintiff nevertheless exhibits his Bill in Chancery against the Defendants who sit out Process of Contempt and refusing to answer are committed to the Fleet. And for their Relief exhibit their Bill in Star-chamber against the Lord Chancellour Elsemore grounded upon the Statute of 4 Henry 4 ca. 23. That the Iudgment given in the Kings Court â—hall not be examined in Chancery Parliament or elsewhere untill it be undone by Attaint or Errour c. and so thereby he had incurred Praemunire and the Chief Justice Cook interposed and encouraged the Complainants The Chancellour acquaints the King who sends to Bacon Attourney General Sir Henry Montague and Sir Randal Crue Serjeants at Law and Sir Henry Yelverton Solicitor these men report back That there hath been a strong current of practice and proceeding in Chancery after Iudgment at Common Law and many times after Execution continued since Henry the Seventh's time to this day in Cases where there is no other Remedy at Common Law unto which the Iudges are peremptorily sworn And with this Sentence on Elsmore's side the aged Statesman leaves the Seat of deciding and sits down himself to his devotions leaving the Seal to be born by Bacon But the manner of the dispose is mis-told by the Pamphlet who makes it the Chancellour's heart-break to be rid of the charge when in ttuth the Term come and Elsmore sick the King sent for the Seal by Secretary Winwood with a gracious Message That himself would be his Deputy and not dispose it whilest Elsmore lived to bear the Title of Chancellour nor did any one receive it out of the King's sight till he was dead nor long after And because we may be assured of the Kings gratious favour to that grave Chancelour see what he saies to him in two Letters following writ every word with the Kings own hand My Lord These shall first congratulate and thank God with you for your recoverie and growing to health again for which I protest to God I praied everie Morn and Eve since you was at the worst as oft as I praied for mie self And next you shall be herebie informed how senseable I am of that disgrace offered to that Court of mine wherein you sit especially at a time so unseasonable It cannot but be a comfort to you to know how every Man censured the pertiallity and barbarity of that action and for my part you maie assure your self it shall onelie be in your default of not informing me if I do not upon this occasion free my self from fascherie of any such inconvenients hereafter I mean of such jarring betwixt my Courts of Iustice for I will whollie upon your information and advice what course to take in the handling of this business assuring my self that your conscience and care for my honour and service will set me in a course for making such an example in this case as may settle good Government in like Cases hereafter and so I bid you heartilie farewell Febr. 25. 1615. New-market James Rex Thus the King writes then and continued unto this grave Statesman such gracious Favours and esteem to the last of his daies for a twelvemonth after this letter and not long before his death he writes again To the Right Trusty and Right Well-beloved Our Chancelour of England My Lord The Letter I wrote the last year from this same Town unto you proved so good a Cordial for your health as I am thereby incouraged to do the like at this time and as I both hope and praie for with the like success I cannot but be eztremelie sorrie for your want of health but I confess I am more sorry for the evil conceit you have of your own strength which makes me the more to presume upon the good Operation of this Physick of mine since I am sure it can work more upon your mind than anie other worldlie thing The Greatness of your place and the abilitie which God hath given you to discharge it to the honour of God and the great benefit of the Common-wealth is a cause sufficient to stir you up to be careful of your own health and even to fight against disease as far as you can but when you shall remember how evil I maie want you and what miss your Master shall have of you I hope that reason will be predominant to make you not strive but conquer your disease not for your own sake but for his of whom you maie promise your self as much love and heartie affection as might be expected from so thankful and kind a Master to
course but it fell out more fatal to him which lasted to the end and thereby wrought its best use In the midst of sufferings the bread of sorrow tastes better than the Banquet of fools for afflictions brings such mens souls to be Saints at the Mark which otherwise would be overgrown with too much Greatnesse His memorable abilities remain but in few and his compassionate infirmities common to all To expiate which he did as became him to do to the House of Peers prostrate himself and sins which ingenuously he acknowledged promising amendment of his life and made it good to the Worlds eye Those excellent works contrived in his retirement do evidently manifest his wit and worth with much regret to many good men that such an one should be fallen off from the face of State In Bacons place comes Doctor Williams Dean of Westminster by the Title of Keeper of the Great Seal of England the same power and Jurisdiction as the Chancelour see Statute quinto Elizab which was not so besore At first but as Vice-Chancelour Matthew Paris saith Custodiam â—igilli Regii accepit Cancelarii Vices Acturus Officium c. He was also then made Bishop of Lincoln together to make him more capable of the Office brought in sayes one to serve turns which no Lay-Man was bad enough to undertake Former ages held it more consonant to reason to trust the Conscience of the Clergy with the case of the Lay-man they best knowing a Case of Conscience and antiently the Civil Laws were adjudged by the Ministers of the Church and the Chancery and other Courts of Equity then in the charge of a Divine Minister And therefore a mistake in the Record that sets it down as a Wonder for an Arch-bishop of Saint Andrews to be made Chancelour of Scotland by King Charles a thing he saies not known in that Kingdom for three hundred years before for a Clergy man to bear that office But we find Iames Seaton and David Seaton both Arch-bishops of Saint Andrews and Chancelours of Scotland within one hundred years space And many other Arch-bishops and Bishops within three hundred years not only Chancelours but Judges of the Law Master of the Robes and other Offices of Judicature By which means their onely Bishopricks too poor they advanced to degrees of wealth enabling them to erect most of those sumptuous Fabricks of piety and Honour in that Nation and so in England by our Clergy by this man also in some measure So ran the Channel till Bacons father had it from a Bishop and now a Bishop has it again and had King Iames lived to have effected his Desires the Clergy had fixed firm footing in Courts of Judicature out of the rode of the Common-Law and this was the true cause of Williams initiation thither his quality thus fitted for the Kings intention He was in truth Chaplain to Buckinghams Mother and let into Court parallel in some degree with Cardinal Richlieus entrance by Queen Mother of France a Man may take view of these conformities not few if you consider proportions what is allowed to the Jesuit must rebate of the Reformed and what this man could not do in competition as the other his aim shewed his will but not the effect But at his entrance into this Trust comes two Bills signed from the King to be made Patents by the Seal the one for a Pension of two thousand pound per annum and the other for the Office of Earl Marshal of England both of them to be conferred upon the Earl of Arundel The first though with some regret in those unseasonable times to receive such large pensions which yet he sealed but took upon him to trench upon the Lord Treasurer Middlesex who willingly gave way to it for which they both had enmity ever after The later he refused upon these Queries 1. Whether in the Delivery of the Staff to the Earl his Majesty did not declare it to him for ease of the other Commissioners that executed it before with him and so to imply no inlargement of power which this Patent doth 2. Whether his Majesty means that this Patent leaping over the powers of the three last Earls Essex Shrewsbury and Somerset should refer only to Arundels own Ancesters Howards and Mowbrays Dukes of Norfolk who claimed that place by Inheritance the usual way and reference of Patents being unto the last and immediate Predecessor and not to the remote whose powers heretofore in these troublesome times were vage uncertain and impossible to be limitted 3. Whether that this Lord should bestow those Offices settled in the Crown as Sir Edward Zouches in Court Sir George Reynolds in the Kings Bench and divers others all which this Great Patent sweeps away being Places of Worth and Dignity 4. Whether my Lord Stewards place shall be for all his power of Judicature is in the Verge either altogether extinguished or at least subordinate to the Office A point considerable because of the Duke of Lenox who was Steward his greatness of Person and neerness of blood to the King And here he claws him 5. Lastly whether that the Offices of the Earl Marshall of England and the Marshall of the Kings house in former times distinct shall be now united to this great Lord A power limitted by no Law or Record but to be searched out from Heralds Chronicles Antiquaries and such absolute Monuments and thereupon this sixty years for Essex his power was cleerly limitted only as Marshall unfit to be revived by the Policy of this State And by these queries the Patent was pared which increased malice to the end of their Days Certainly there is a difference between the Earl Marshal of England and the Marshal of the Kings House See Lambert Archiron or of the High Courts of Justice in England The Marshall of England and the Constable are united in a Court which handleth only Duells out of the Realm and matters within as Combats Blazon Armory but may not meddle with any difference tryable by the Laws of the Land The Marshal of the Kings Houshold is united in a Court with the Steward which holds Plea of Trespass Contracts and Covenants made within the Verge and that by the Laws Articl super Cart. cap. 3 4 5. The honour of Lord Marshal is so antient as Thomas Lord Mowbray by Richard 2. was created Duke of Norfolk and the first Earl Marshal of England anno 1397. And so successively unto Iohn Lord Mowbray who dyed the 15. of Edward 4. anno 1475. and had issue one only Daughter married unto Richard Duke of York second son of Edward the fourth and was by his Father created Duke of Norfolk and Earl Marshall of England murthered in the Tower anno 1483 without issue Then comes Iohn Howard Son of the Daughter and coheir of Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolk and was by Richard the third created Duke of Norfolk but not Earl Marshall Nor was his Son Thomas
is met in your Majesty a rare conjunction as well of Divine and Sacred Literature as of Prophane and Humane So as your Majesty stands invested of that Triplicity which in great Veneration was ascribed to the antient Hermes The power and fortune of a King the knowledge and illumiâ—ation of a Priest and the Learning and Universality of a Philosopher This propriety inherent and individual Attribute in your Majesty deserveth to be expressed not only in the fame and admiration of the present time nor in the History or Tradition of the Ages succeeding but also in some solid work fixed memorial and immortal Monument bearing a Character or Signature both of the power of a King and the difference and persection of such a King So he Memoria Iusti cum laudibus Et Impiorum Nomen putrescit An EPITAPH ON King Iames the sixth THose that have Eyes awake and weep For He whose waking wrought Our sleep Is fallen asleep and never Shall awake till wak'd for Ever Death's Iron hand hath clos'd those Eyes Which were at once Three Kingdomes Spyes Both to foresee and to prevent Dangers so soon as they were meant That Head whose working Brain alone Wrought all mens quiet But His own Now lies at Rest. Oh let Him have The Peace He purchasd in His Grave If that no Naboth all His Reign Was for his fruitful Vineyard slain If no Uriah lost his Life For having had so fair a Wife Then let no Shemei's curses wound His Honour or profane His Ground Let no Black-Mouth no Rank-breath Cur Peaceful James His Ashes stir Kings are as Gods O! do not then Rake in Their Graves to prove Them Men. For His daies toyl and Night watches For His craz'd sleep stol'n by Snatches For Two fair Kingdomes join'd in One For all He did or meant t' have done Do this for Him write on His Dust King IAMES the Peaceful and the Just. Sit Gloria DEO FINIS The Conclusion HItherto having pursued the Descent following the Union of the two Roses by Marriage of Henry 7. of England and the re-union of both Kingdoms Sovereignty by succesfull inheritance of King James and then left to a son and Heir and also to the numerous issue of a Daughter and her Descendents and suddenly into the present possession of King Charls of Great Britain France and Ireland the first who though affianced forthwith in Marriage with the Princess Maria Sister to the French King Louis the 13. Blessed also afterward with a numerous Issue Sons and Daughters as a full Period in shew of all former Mutation and change through them and their posterity perpetual So indeed it appeared to a State-observer but not seemed good to the Eye of Providence whose powerfull Hand hath ordered it otherwise for He is taken away in the strength of his years and perfections and none of his in possibility of Reason to succeed to any part or portion of his Inheritance But to proceed in the continuation of this History to these Times and to branch into such particulars as to draw down to discover Truth to after-Ages may seem to some very difficult the common Excuse of such as cannot or will not undertake it and therefore preâ—end that by following the heels of Truth too near a man may endanger his Teeth A defect of Reason so to conceive when an even and unbiassed Narrative of Men and Matters may well become the judicious Historian For first that King Charls was lawfully possessed and crowned Monarch of his Fathers Inheritance his Peers and People obediently submitting to his Scepter That He being necessarily imbroiled into some forrein Ingagements against Spain and France was enforced to summon the assistance of several succeeding Parliaments unsuccesfull and by too hasty Regulation of Ecclesiastick Discipline upon the Scots Kirk moved them to an unnatural Insurrection which caused Expeditions against their Armies already descended into the heart of England which enforced him to assemble another long-lasting Parliament wherein he lost himself and his Life also What were the true and different Reasons Grounds and Manâ—agements of the late Differences between Him and Them the Proâ—ocations on either side to the first entrance into the miserable War Their several Battels Sieges Policies and different Successes of that so long uncivil-civil Dissension His nâ—â—â—ssities enforcing Him to leave his own Party and to resign up himself unto his natural Countreymen unfaithfull Scots Their Sale of his Person back again to his English subjects Their several Passages Declarations Narratives Treaties Overtures and Disputes between Them both before and during his Restraint in order to a firm and lasting Agreement with his Parliament and People for Reconciling Important Affairs of Church and State with the Presbyâ—erian future destruction of the Hierarâ—hy of Ecclesiaâ—tick Discipline Their Policies thereupon to be rid of the Bishops Deans and Chapters The Dismission of the Lords House in Parliament and Impeachment and Execution of Ecclesiastick and Lay persons Bishops and Beers And after all they brought his Head to the Block a sacrifice for the sins of the whole Nations The different Disâ—ositions in their eleven years long domination of a pretended Triennial Parliament necessitates another Power to purge them with several Doses and afterwards to put them down Sundry Expedients to prove them by a fresh Assembly Representatiues of the People Their time and debates wasted to no good purpose they are broken up and in fine dissipated And then the last little Assembly rise of themselves leaving all in Anarchy and desperate confusion Untill it pleased the Almighty to raise a Power which resumed the Peoples protection in monstrous danger of utter destruction The necessity of the national Affairs introducing were put under the power of single Sovereignty How that power hath managed the Government against divers desperate Designs Forrein and Domestick The prosperous effects and issue now settled into an assurance of the Nations future subsistance And all these in reference to our neighbour States War with some Amity with others All these particulars faithfully put together without captious and presâ—mptuous opinions of partial observers not to descant private conceits upon the necessity of State But barely to represent the Narrative and to leave the 〈◊〉 the Readers sentence And this way God willing is thus intended and in part pursued the matter and manner of this monarchical succession and final conclusion to be faithfully performed unto these Times our last Days By W. SANDERSON Nec magna desiderantur Henry 7. James 4. James 5. Of King Iames parents to his Birth Their descent H. 8. turns Lutheran And makes war with Scotland And defeats them K. of Scots dies And his Daughter Mary born His Burial And Character Q. Maries entrance into heâ— Crown and Troubles By Factions of Hamilton and Lenox Earl of Arran Her Guide Her breeding in Fran. And there married the Dolphin And as heirs to England quarter the Arms. Which offended Qu. Elizabeth The French King and Dolphin die
aids Navaâ— Spain interessed Asâ—iâ—ts France with more money 101560 071165 020000 033333. 226058. Crowns And the Dutch 125000. 260000. 385000. Florins See after She raises her Custom-Farm She ballancâ—â—h her neighbour interests The Assembly petition the King His Answer and advice to suppress â—eâ—dâ— Huntley and Murray quarrel Another of the Kers Witches accuse Bothwel who is committed to Prison and escapes Archbish. of St. Andrews dieâ— and abused by the Ministery Secretary Walsingham dies his Character And so does Randolph 18. times Embassadour abroad And the â— of Shrewsburyâ—dies An Epitaph Irish Rebells Essex expedition into France with 4000. Hackets horrible Tenents and Treasons Mad-headed Hypocrites Anno 1591. His disciples apprehended his blaspemy and execution puny Jesuits Their Seminaries Confirmed by the Pope Botâ—wels Treason to seize the King and Court The manner theâ—eof Fire the Qâ— lodgingâ— and 〈◊〉 Huntley and Murray fall into the mischief The Sheriff killed Anno 1592. Murray miserably slain The cause of Murrays death put upon others Murry lamented Huntley is at Liberty Uchiltry abused The Chuâ—ch interfeers the State Affairs And Articles agreed Bothwells other attempts at Faulkland is defeated and flies to England Lindsey Lord Spinie is susspected and becomes a companion of Bothwells A love trick of a Woman Faction against the Chancellour Clanhattons against Huntly Angus committed Ker his Comâ—mission to Spain Plots of Papists The French King relieved by Q. Eliz. Turns Papist Duke of Parma dies The Queens message by L. Burroughs The Kings Answer the Ambassadours reply Anno 1593. Church Assembly Munday Market to be altered Bothwel seises the King at Holy rood-house And enforces Articles The King complains of Bothwels insolencies The Lords râ—sent it and send to him Denounced Rebell Proceedings against Popish Lords by the Ministers The King displeased with the Assembly Their farther proceedings in Tumult Commissioners to try the Popish Lords and conclude these Articles Maxwells and Johnstons fewds The Kinds sad condition Popish Lords come not in Pr. Henry born in Feb. Lord Zowch Ambassadour from England and Ministers assist Bothwels attempt and so do Arguile and Arrol Anno 1594. The King pleads to the people after Sermon for assistance Bothwel dissipated Colvil Ambassadour to England complains of Zowch The Queens â—nswer Papists banished Remonstrance of the Assembly against Papists And the Remedies The Solemnities of the Princes Baptism named Henry Fredâ—rick At the Chaple The King sends to England for money Bothwel and the Popish Lords join in Rebellion Arguile and Athol against Huntley and Arrol Arguile discomfited The K. comes to the Good-speed they are banished Bothwel flies into France and dies at Naples some years after Assemblie of the Church in Scotland Answer the K. Articles Anno 1595. Q. Anns Design to seize the Prince The Kings letter to Mar. The Chancelor sick and why The Kings letter to him full of grace Chancellour dies his character The King assigns Commissioners of his Treasury Papists private plots Devising sundry other Titles to both Crowns of E. of Essex Of Spains Pâ—actice to impoyson Q. Eliz. by Loper Cullen York and Willians and other fugitive trayâ—ors Ant Perez infected Essex Spanish deâ—ignes invasion of Scotland or England Spaniards pooâ— successe upon England Sr. W. Raleghs Guiana voyage and other attempts in the weâ—â— Indies Anno 1596. Armstrong taken prisoner in a treaty of the Borderers Backlugh complains to the Lo. Scroop Backlughs designe to take the Castle of Carlile And frees Armstrong Bows the Ambassador complains hereof the Qâ—een offended Backlugh commiâ—â—ed â—â—bellion in the Orcades Assemblies make things worse Policie to call home the Popish Lords Mr. Bruce an enemy to Huntley The Popish Lords return home upon Conditions Princess Elizabeth born August 16. 1596. Ministers make work The Counâ—il of the Church and the Kings Councel confer The King is offended with them Their complaints Which the K. answers The Minister Blake his muteny and story Blakes râ—monstance Blake brought to his Answer The Ministsters factious courses The King by proclamation dissolves their Assembly The Ministers Counterappose the King The Commissioners of the Church petition the K. Is rejected Articles against Blake His answer The King treats witâ— them Both partâ—eâ— bandie A Dangerous tumult The King and Council retire from danger Proclaim Mad preaching Their letter to Lord Hamelton to be Their head Hamelton comes to the King proceedings against those disorders Citizens brought to submit Is rejected And humbly propose Queen Elizabeths letter to the King The Kingâ— mercâ— The Octavians yield up their office The Northern Ministers are Courted Their answer The King writes to Huntley Twelve Articles from the King to the Assembly Submitted unto in effect And all ends in content Bishop 〈◊〉 death and â—haracter The Netherlands called to account 400001 per annum in ten years 4000001 dept Irisâ—â— rebells increasing Norris goes over assistant Callis taken by the Spaniard the English Navy Publick form of prayer for success of the Navy Take Cadiz Called Cales voyage Digression how farr foreign titles preceed at home In England At Rome Genoa Venice and Scots The Popish Lords submit to the Church Proclamation against Gaurdon a Jesuite Barcklayes de sign discovered he drownes himself Blake the Minister 〈◊〉 out of all Excellent reformation in the Vniversity Witches discovered Margaret Atkin 〈◊〉 Digresses concerning witches and witchcraft Maintainers Several Authors in this subject Expedition of Earl of Essex to the Isles of Azores Essex and Ralagh differ Come home and quarel at Court A Parliament at Edenburgh Ministers voice in Parliament Bruce refuseth imposition of hands but at last is so admitted The King sends Ambassadors to the German Princes Their Answer France craves aid of England against Spain and comes to a Treaty France and Spain dispute precedency and make peace Disputes of peace or war with England Queen Elizabeth strikes Essex His angry letters 〈…〉 King of 〈◊〉 dies One Squire impoysons the Queens saddle Tomas falsâ—accusation of K. James to Q. Elizabeth K. James his prudence to suppress false rumours Ashfield surprized Prisoner to Barwick Colvil Recants his treatise against the Kings title The Kings Basilicon doron the occasion of it in publick The new year altered from 25. of March to 18. Ianuary The state of Bishopricks at that time Irish Rebellion with Tirone Essex and Caecils Intelligence with King Iames. Caecil Essex Gowries conspiracie See anno 1608. Court and châ— of King James paâ— 8 Hist Gr Br Pa 12. Vide ante 1568. et 1582. Earl Gowry retires home The manner of the conspiracie 4. of August Hendersons Examination and confession Alexander treats with the King The King takes to Henderson Alexander 〈◊〉 with the King The King cries Treason John Ramsey comes up and Sir Thomas Erskin follows Ramsey wounds Alexander Henderson slips away Earl Gowry comes up to the fray Gowry astonished is killed by Ramsey Others hurt The Lords and company come in Gowries Spels of Enchantment Two other brothers William and Patrick beyond
This Robert was at first Abbot of Holy-rood-house for divers years After the forfeiture of Hepburn Earl of Bothwell and the obtaining those Isles he exchanged the Abbacy with the Bishoprick of Orkney and so became sole Lord of the County Patrick succeeding to an elder Brother and grown a Courtier involved himself in great debts which inforced him the more tyrannous over the people to recover his wants At Glasgow was apprehended Oglevy a Jesuite lately come from Gratts by command of his Superior in that College He answered peremptory to the Commissioners questions professing not to prejudice others by any Confession Their torture to inforce him to impeach others was to debar him sleep for some time until he was forced falsely to accuse any body which he after repose would deny again The King was displeased with such forms to men of his profession and if no crime could be proved but his Calling and saying Mass they should banish him not to return on pain of Death but if his practice had been to induce the people to rebellion and maintained the Popes power transcendent over Kings and resused the Oath of Allegiance they should leave him to the Law But with all they were to urge his Answer to these Questions 1. Whether the Pope be Iudge in Spiritualibus over his Majesty and whether in Temporalibus if it be in Spiritualia 2. Whether the Pope hath power to excommunicate Kings such as are not of his Church as his Majesty 3. Whether he hath power to depose Kings after his excommunication and in particular his Majesty 4. Whether it be no Murther to kill the King so deposed 5. Whether He hath power to assoil subjects from the Oath of their native Allegiance to his Majesty He answers in writing To the first Affirmative in Spiritualibus But whether in Temporalibus he is not obliged to answer to any but a Iudge of Controversyes of Religion the Pope or one by his Authority To the second affirmative and that all persons baptized are under the Popes power To the third He will not declare but to a lawful Iudge of Religion To the rest ut supra He could not be moved by threats but rather railed at the Oath of Allegiance as damnable and treasonable against God and so came to Tryal of Life but was told over night That he was not to be tryed concerning his profession but for his former Answers to the Questions which he may recal and crave mercy but this he utterly refused And so was impannell'd grounded upon the Acts of Parliament against such as declined the Kings authority or maintained other Jurisdiction and upon his former answers He protests not to acknowledge the Iudges nor Iudgement Lawfull for if it be Treason here it should be so in all other Kingdoms which is not Your Acts of Parliament are made by partial men and of Matter not subject to their forum for which I will not give a fig. The King hath no Authority but derivative from his Predecessors who acknowledged the Popes Iurisdiction if the King will be to me as they were to minâ— he shall be my King if otherwise I value him not And for the reverence I do to you bare-headed It is ad redemptionem vexationis not ad agnitionem Judicii That the Iury were either his Enemies or his Friends if Enemies they could not sit upon his Tryal if Friends they ought to assist him at the Bar That what he suffered was injurious and not Iustice he had not offended nor would crave Mercy My Commission said he was by command of my Superiour and if I were abroad I would return hether again and repent only that I have not been so busie as I should in that which you call Perverting of Subjects and I call Saving of souls I do decline the Kings authority and will do it still in matter of Religion the most of your Ministers maintain it and if they be wise will continue in that mind As for that Question Whether the King being deposed by the Pope may be lawfully killed Doctors of the Church hold the Affirmative not improbably and as it is not yet determined so if it should be concluded I will dy in the defence And now to say It were unlawful I will not to save my life His insolent speech was shortned by the Jurors quick return who found him guilty and had Sentence of Treason and to stop his rayling was after Noon the same day hanged at Glasgow He was a desperate second Ravilliack and ready in that devilish doctrine of deposing and disthroning Kings which he urged the more he said as consonant to the Kirk Ministers tenents And that nothing troubled him but to be taken away ere he had done that which all Scotland and England should not have prevented and had it been performed no torments would have been by him refused So then we see the cause of his Execution For the King professed Never to hang a Priest for his Religion The opening of the Spring gave opportunity to sundry families of England to prepare themselves for planting in America Upon no great incouragement of profit or pleasure by any former Voyages of the English into those parts but people and trade increasing here they would unburthen this State with forein adventures The Design was for New England a part of America in the Ocean Sea opposite to that part of America in the South Sea which Sir Francis Drake discovered in his voyage about the world and named it Nova Albion But he was never imployed thither as a Discoverer or Planter upon this part of America taking the coast from Cape Florida in twenty degrees North Latitude North-East-ward to Cape Brittain Between the Degrees of Latitude from 20. to 45. King Iames granted Letters Patents being about fifteen hundred miles but to follow it aboard near two thousand miles And all this Coast from Cape Florida of twenty Degrees to five and forty was first discovered by Iohn Cabot with six sail of ships who had his Patent from Henry 7. Anno 1442. about the time that Columbus discovered the middle part of America for Ferdinand and Isabel of Spain and is called the West-Indies The first Colony from England was with Sir Walter Ralegh assisted in company of Sir Ralph Lane and Thomas Heriot that learned Mathematician Anno 1584. who in honour of Queen Elizabeth named it Virginia leaving there sixteen men which were brought home by Sir Francis Drake in his return from his West-India Voyage a year after and this part is contained from Florida to the Chesiopech Bay The next Northward is a part of Land to which Sir Iohn Popham Lord Chief Justice sent for Discovery and Trade 1606. but no success returned and since it is called New England Then the Land adjoyning Northward was discovered by Captain Gosnold all that coast being studded with broken Lands and called by him Elizabeths Isles Then you come to Cape Cod
name and set the Lieutenant of the Tower is called and brings his Prisoner into the Court to the Bar the High Steward then declares to the People the cause why the King hath assembled those Lords and the Prisoner and perswades him to answer without fear freely and commands the Clerk of the Crown to reade the Indictment unto him and to ask him if he be guilty or not to which he usually answers Not guilty and to be tried by God and his Peers Then the Kings Attorney and Serjeants at Law give Evidence against him whereto when he hath given answer the Lieutenant of the Tower is commanded to return with the Prisoner from the Bar whilest the Lords do secretly confer in the Court together and then the Lords rise out of their places and consult among themselves and what they affirm shall be done upon their Honour without Oath And being so agreed or the greatest number they return and take their places again in Court and the High Steward demands of the youngest Lord first if he that is arreigned be guilty or not and so the next in order and the rest each one answering I or No. Then the Prisoner is sent for to the Bar to whom the High Steward recites the Verdict of the Peers and doth give Iudgment accordingly Stanford Pleas del Coronae lib. 3. Poult 188. The antiquity of this kinde of Trial by their opinion is grounded from Magna Charta but others take it to be more ancient though there inserted Henry 3. but was brought in by the Conquerour being answerable to the Norman and French Laws and agreeable with the Customes Feudal where almost all controversies arising between the Sovereign and his Vassals are tried per judicium parvum suorum And if a Peer upon his Arreignment of Treason do stand mute Iudgment shall be given upon his Indictment and yet shall not be pressed to death but saves the forfeiture of his Lands Statut. Westm. Edw. 4. Dier 205. But if upon Indictment of Felony he may be mute The reason of Magna Charta aforesaid is there expressed where he is indicted at the Kings Suit of Treason or Felony the words being Nec super eum ibimus we will not pass or sit in judgment upon him but by his Peers but if an Appeal of Murther or other Felony be sued by any common person against a Peer he shall be tried by common persons and not by Peers Stan. Pleas lib. 3. Brook Trial 142. But yet this Privilege hath some restraint For an Arch-bishop or Bishop though Lords of Parliament in such cases shall be tried by a Iury of Knights and other substantial persons upon their Oaths because Ecclesiasticks cannot pass in like cases upon Trial of other Peers for they are forbidden by the Common and Ecclesiastick Laws to be Iudges of Life and Death You see the great regard the Law hath to the word of a Peer heretofore upon his honour and yet how many ordinarily break their Oaths in common And thus premised we come to the case of Somerset and his Countess First therefore Sir Thomas Overbury for a time was known to have great interest and strait friendship with the Earl of Somerset both in his meaner fortunes and after in so much that he was in a kinde of oracle of direction unto him and if you will believe his own vaunt being indeed of an insolent and Thrasonical disposition he took upon him that the fortunes reputation and understanding of this Gentleman who is well known to have an able Teacher proceeded from his company and counsel and this friendship rested not onely in conversation and business at Court but likewise in communication of business of State for my Lord of Somerset exercising at that time by his Majesties special favour and trust the Office of Secretary did not forbear to acquaint Overbury with the Kings Packets and Dispatches from all parts of Spain France and the Low-countreys and this not by glympses or now and then rounding in the ear for a favour but in a settled manner Packets were sent sometimes opened by my Lord sometimes unbrokened unto Overbury who perused them copied them registred them made Table-talk of them as he thought good so the time was when Overbury knew more of the secrets of State than the Council-table did nay they were grown to such inwardness as they made a play of all the world besides themselves so as they had cyphers and Iurgons for the King and Queen and great men of the Realm things seldom used but either by Princes or their confederates or at the Court or at the least by such as practice and work against or at least upon Princes But as it is a Principle in Nature that the best things are in their corruption the worst and the sweetest Wine makes the sowrest Vineger so it fell out with them that this excess as I may say of friendship ended in mortal hatred on my Lord of Somerset's part It hath been said that Frost and Fraud ends foul and I may add a third and that is the frienâ—ship of ill men which is truly said to be conspiracy and not friendship for it happened that the Earl of Somerset fell into an unlawfull love towards that unfortunate Lady the Countess of Essex and to proceed to a Marriage with her this Marriage and purpose did Overbury mainly impugn under pretence to do the true part of a Friend for that he accounted her an unworthy woman but the truth is Overbury who to speak plainly had little that was solid for Religion or moral virtue but was wholly possest with ambition and vain-glory was loath to have any partners in the favour of my Lord of Somerset and especially not any of the House of Howards against whom he had professed hatred and opposition And that this is no sinister construction will appear when you shall hear that Overbury made his brags that he had won him the love of the Lady by his Letters and industry so far was he from cases of conscience in this point And certainly howsoever the tragical misery of that poor Gentleman Overbury might somewhat obliterate his faults yet because we are not upon point of civility but to discover the face of Truth for that it is material to the true understanding of the state of this cause Overbury was naught and corrupt in his commendation the Ballads must be mended for that point which paint him out other and partiality must be blamed which now a days favour him in malice to the memory of the ministers of these Times But to proceed when Overbury saw that he was like to be dispossessed of my Lords grace which he had possessed so long and by whose greatness he had promised himself to do wonders and being a man of an unbounded and impudent spirit he began not onely to disswade but to deter him from the love of that Lady and finding him fixed thought to finde a strong Remedy and supposing that
he had my Lord's head under his Girdle in respect of communication of secrets of State as he calls them himself secrets of Nature and therefore dealt violently with him to make him desist with menaces of discovery and the like hereupon grew two streams of hatred upon Overbury the one from the Lady in respect that he crossed her love and abused her Name which are Furies in women the other of a more deep nature from my Lord of Somerset himself who was afraid of Overbury's nature and if he did break from him and fly out he would winde into him and trouble his whole fortunes so as certainly it was resolved that Overbury must dy That was too weak and they were so far from giving way to it as they crossed it there rested but two ways of quarrel Assault and Poyson For that of Assault after some proposition and attempt they passed from it as a thing too open and subject to more variety of shame That of Poyson likewise was an hazardous thing and subject to many preventions and caution especially to such a working and jealous brain as Overbury had except he was first in their hands therefore the way was first to get him sent over Seas or into a Trap and lay him up and then they could not miss the mark and therefore in execution of this Plot it was concluded that his pride should be designed to some honourable imployment in forein parts and should under-hand by himself my Lord of Somerset be encouraged to refuse it and so upon contempt he should be laid Prisoner in the Tower and then they thought he should be close and Death should be his Bail Yet were they not at their end for they considered that if there were not a fit Lieutenant of the Tower for that purpose and likewise a fit Under-keeper of Overbury First they should meet with many impediments in the giving and exhibiting of the Poyson Secondly they should be exposed to note and observation that might discover them And thirdly Overbury in the mean time might write clamorous and furious Letters to his Friends and so all might be disappointed And therefore the next Link of the Chain was to displace the then Lieutenant Wade and to place Yelvis a principal abetter in the impoysonment to displace Carew that was under-keeper in Wade's time and to place Weston that was the Actor in the impoysonment And this was done in such a while that it may appear to be done as it were in a breath Then when they had this poor Gentleman in the Tower where he could not escape nor stir where he could not feed but by their hands where he could not speak or write but through their trunks then was the time to act the last Day of his Tragedy Then must Franklin the Purveyor of the Poyson in May 1613. procure five six seven several Poysons to be sure to hit his complexion then must Mistris Turner the lay-mistris of the Poysons advise what works at present and what at distance Then must Weston be the Tormentor and chace him with Poyson after Poyson Poyson in salt meats Poyson in sweet meats Poyson in Medicines and Vomits untill at last his body was almost come by use of Poysons to the state of Mithridates body by the use of Treacle and preservatives that the force of the Poysons was blunted upon him Weston confessing That when he was child for not dispatching that he had given him enough to poyson twenty men And because all this asked time impoysoning from March 9. to September 14. courses were taken by Somerset both to divert all the true means of Overbury's delivery and to entertain him with continual Letters partly with hopes and protestations for his delivery and partly with other fables and negotiations somewhat like some kinde of persons which keep in a Tale of fortune-telling when they have a fellonious intent to pick their Pockets and Purses Untill at last they hastened his destruction by an impoysoned Glyster which wrought into his intrails and soon dispatch him And this is the Narration of this Art which I have summarily recited Then comes his Countess to her Trial guilty of too much contrivance and practice though in Murder it be crime enough yet she confessed that which could not be proved and at her Trial she seemed drown'd in a deluge of grief being therein beholden to Nature that she could vent her self in tears seeing that sorrow which cannot bleed in the eys does often festor in the heart and so it appeared in her excess women can hardly do any thing without over-doing feminine passions must either not be full or overflow and indeed she could not utter one word in her own defence which begat relenting even in the Council that pleaded against her who otherwise take pride to force Arguments making their Tongues their Ware and Eloquence their Trade But her sorrowfull silence needed the less Rhetorick in them to urge her guilt or in her Judges to consult the weight of her crime These considerations moved the Lord Steward and Peers joyntly to move his Majesty for mercy and for the present procured their Reprieve back to the Tower but indeed she was dead whilest living being almost drown'd in despair to work out her Repenâ—ance for which cause principally her life and his were enlarged as conceiving it the worst of Iustice to kill both body and soul and after long imprisonment and true and hearty penance nine or ten years together and no doubt Repentance also they had liberty out of the Tower in Ianuary 1621. and confined to the Country and at last their Pardons were procured which in â—â—uth notwithstanding her great Family and deserving Friends was to my knowledg got but by inches four moneths before the Kings death which was Anno 1624. But in the whole Execution where so many suffered let the Prefacer to the Pamphlet of Fables The Court and Character of King Iames pick out a greater President in any History more remarkable for exquisite justice than this of the King wherein by the way he may be allowed his own even Conscience for justice and mercy both which no doubt hath found acceptance at God his Tribunal in his behalf and his Posterity in due time by our Saviours merit shall be gathered together in the mystery of man's Redemption And for the other Historian let his memory be blamed for recounting so many untruths and yet hypocritically closes with this Gloss Pardon says he the sharpness of these expressions for they are for the glory of God I could say more in this and other unfortunate stories of backward times but I delight not ambitious pains in an useless description of miseries I had rather shew you what Somerset could say for himself concerning his Land much more in doubt for his life it being a piece of charity to the distressed and to the memory of the deceased I shall not therefore conceal it and the length thereof