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A62145 A compleat history of the lives and reigns of, Mary Queen of Scotland, and of her son and successor, James the Sixth, King of Scotland, and (after Queen Elizabeth) King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, the First ... reconciling several opinions in testimony of her, and confuting others, in vindication of him, against two scandalous authors, 1. The court and character of King James, 2. The history of Great Britain ... / by William Sanderson, Esq. Sanderson, William, Sir, 1586?-1676. 1656 (1656) Wing S647; ESTC R5456 573,319 644

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Sir William Hart then Lord chief Iustice in Scotland and principal in all the Acts of Judicature herein And first Sprot confesseth that Robert Logane late of R●stalrig was privy and foreknowing of Iohn late Earl of Gowry's treasonable conspiracy That divers Letters were interchanged betwixt them therein Iuly 1600. which Letter Iames Bour called Laird Bour Servitour to Restalrig imployed by them and privy to all had in keeping and shewed them to Sprot in Fast-castle That Sprot was present when Bour after five days absence returned with answers by Letters from Gowry and staid all night with Restalrig at Gunnesgreen and rode the next morn to Lothian where he staid six days then to Fast-castle where he abode a short space That Sprot saw and heard Restalrig reade those Letters to Bour and all their conference there annent who said Though he should lose all in the world yet he would pass through with Gowry for that would as well content him as the Kingdom That Sprot himself entered into conference with Bo●r therein who feared that it would be dear to him and prayed Sprot for Gods sake not to intermeddle for he feared within few days the Laird would be landless and liveless That he had these Letters of Restalrig and Gowry which Bour had in keeping and were copied out by Sprot and that the original Letters were in his Chest when he was taken into Custody These and other depositions written by Iames Primrose Clerk of the Kings Council and subscribed George Sprot Present Earl Dunbar Earl Lothian Bishop of Ro●s Lord Schone Lord Hallyrood-house Lord Blantire Sir William Hart Lord chief Justice Iohn Hall Patrick Gallow ay Peter Hewet Minister of Edenburgh and subscribed with all their hands Several other Examinations are attested under his hand with this Protestation That being resolved to die and hopes to be participant of Heaven upon Salvation or Damnation of his Soul that all that he had deposed were true in every point and circumstance and no untruth in them August 12. Sprot was presented in Iudgment upon Pannel in the Talboth of Edenburgh before Sir William Hart Lord chief Justice assisted with these persons Alexander Earl of Dunferling Lord Chancellour George Earl of Dunbar Lord Treasurer Iohn Arch-Bishop of Glasco David Bishop of Rosse Bishop of Galloway Bishop of Brechin Earl of Crawford Earl of Lotharine Lord Abernethe Lord Balmerinoth Lord Blantire Lord Burly Sir Richard Cowburn Iohn Preston Colonel General Sir Iohn Skew Register He was pursued by Sir Thomas Hamilton Knight Advocate to the King for Enteries of the Crimes contained in his Indictments as followeth George Sprot Notary in Aymouth You are indicted and accused for as much as Iohn sometime Earl of Gowry having most treasonably conspired in the moneth of Iuly 1600. to murder our gracious Sovereign the Kings most Excellent Majesty and having imparted that devilish purpose to Robert Logame of Restalrig who allowed of the same and most willingly to be partaker thereof the same coming to your knowledg at the times and in the manner particularly after mentioned you most maliciously and treasonably concealed the same and was art and part thereof And first in the moneth of Iuly 1600. after you had perceived and known that divers Letters and Messages had past betwixt the said Iohn Earl Gowry and the said Robert Logame of Restalrig you being in the house of Fast-castle you saw and read a Letter written by the said Restalrig with his own hand to the said Earl Gowry MY Lord c. At the receit of your Letter I am so confuted that I can neither utter my joy nor finde my self able to requite your Lordship with due thanks and be your Lordship assured that in that matter I shall be as forward for your Honour as if it were my own cause and I think there is no Christian that would not revenge that Machiavilian Massacring of our dear Friends though with hazard of Life and Lands and all My heart can binde me to take part in that matter as your Lordship shall finde proof But one thing your Lordship must be circumspect and earnest with your Brother that he be not rash in any Speeches touching the purpose of Padua And a certain space after the execution of the said Treason the said Logame having desired the Laird of Bour to deliver to him the said Letter or else to burn it and Bour having delivered to you all Tickets and Letters which he then had either concerning Restalrig or others to sue them because he could not reade you abstracted them and retain'd the said Writings in your own hands and divers times read them containing further viz. MY Lord you may easily understand that such a purpose cannot be done as your Lordship intendeth rashly but with deliberation And for my self it were meet to have the men your Lordship spake of ready in a Boat or Bark and address them as if they were taking pleasure on the Sea in such fair Summer time And for your Lordship either to come to my house Fast-castle by Sea or to send your Brother I shall have the House very quiet and well provided after your Lordships advertisement and none shall have access to haunt the place during your abode here And if your Lordship doubt of safe landing I shall provide all such necessaries as may serve for your arrival within a flight-shoot of the House and perswade your self to be as quiet here while we have settled our Plot as if in your Chamber for I trust and am assured we shall have word from them your Lordship knows of within few days for I have a care to see what Ships come by Your Lordship knows I have kept up Lord Bothwell in my house quietly in his greatest extremities in spite of King and Council I hope if all things come to pass as I trust they shall to have both your Lordships at a good Dinner ere I die Haec jocose To animate your Lordship I doubt not all will be well for I am resolved thereof doubt nothing on my part Peril of Life Lands Honour and Goods yea the hazard of Hell shall not affray me from that yea though the Scaffold were already set up The sooner the matter were done the better for the Kings Buck-hunting will be shortly and I hope it will prepare some dainty chear for us to live the next year I remember well that merry sport which your Lordships Brother told me of a Noble-man at Padua for I think that a Parasceue to this purpose My Lord think nothing that I comm●t that secret hereof to this Bearer for I dare not onely venture my Life Lands Honour and all upon his credit but I durst hazard my Soul in his keeping I am so perswaded of his fidelity And I trow ask him if it be not true he will go to Hell gates for me and he is not beg●iled on my part to him and therefore I am perswaded this will give him
for fifteen yeas together to his Death at Burdeaux his Predecessour in the time of Henry the Sixth hath on his Tomb this large Title Iohn Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury Washford Waterford and Valence Lord Talbot of Goodrich and Orchinfield Lord Strange of Blackmore Lord Verdon of Acton Lord Cromwell of Wingfield Lord Lovetoft of Warsop Lord Franifall of Sheffield Lord Falconbridg Knight of the Noble Order of the St. George St. Michael and the Golden Fleece great Marshal to King Henry the Sixth of France and died in the Battail of Burdeaux 1453. These he had and deserved more by the French Chronicle Orock Roe of noble birth in Ireland and by the Sir-name Mack-Mahon being purchased by might or right seem'd to privilege him in any tyranny over the People for which he was hanged his next Neighbour Brian Orock in Brenny for fear of the like turned Traitor and being pursued by Bingham President of Connaught flies into Scotland but was delivered to Queen Elizabeths command and executed for the ease of the King esteeming her Enemies his and caused Mack-Conel to give caution not to nourish Sedition by correspondence of the Hebrides and Orcades The Spaniard nourished Rebellions in Ireland the Queen protected the French against him who by the Duke of Parma was got into Picardy and his other Forces in Brittany wherefore she sends over four thousand covenanted at her cost but for two moneths under conduct of the Earl of Essex and land at Diepe expecting to joyn with the Kings Forces who came not in any reasonable time when they did it was too late to do much service yet they besiege Roan to no effect the English wasted the Queen displeased she sends for Essex but leaves the remain of his men to the command of Sir Roger Williams The Reformed Churches of Christendom increased number and repute by pious Doctrine and Discipline much to the prejudice of the Romish Catholicks that mightily opposed the publick peace of the Church and certainly had Satans help to boot to undermine the mindes of some more fiery zealous Professours that took the poor peoples affections with their seeming devout carriage and this way the Devil in●inuates to heighten their pride and self-conceited holiness with some pricks in the flesh and buffetings of Satan every day producing Examples of divers kindes in several places At this time more remarkable in the person of one Hacket in London illiterate and insolent seldom separate and poor who becomes suddenly seemingly holy and by degrees into that cheating way to be inspired with the evil spirit of Revelations He used says an Author a strange and monstrous form and manner of praying falling upon his face sometimes as if in an exta●ie otherwhile expostulating with God himself another kinde of prayer he used ordinary and familiar for as other mens devotions and ejaculations aim at the obtaining the sweet comfort of Gods heavenly presence he would in his hottest zeal intreat and as it were force upon God to depart from him and not assist such sinfull creatures which manner of prayer most of his own Disciples construed the effect of his rare and excessive humility and so as a rare Example might finde charitable censure yet it was to be adjudged in him as in truth it falls out frequent with some in these our last times the voice not of man but Satan dictated onely to him from that evil spirit that possest him for so his end discovered it in him He confederates the Devil goes by Legions with Wiginton a Genevan Minister Copinger a Gentleman and Arthington like the Fool in the Comedy a Lay admirer to be called by God to prophesie to the people and alter the English to the Genevan Discipline printing in Prose and Dog-rythm what was fit to seduce others and Hacket as the most proper person must be Arch Prophet But see how Satan brings it on Copinger and Arthington Knave and Fool tell Wiginton of Christ's appearing to them spiritually by Dreams and by Visions that Hacket was that Angel with his Fan and Hook to separate Sheep from the Goats overcome Satan and Antichrist and then follows the Day of Iudgment These prostrate themselves before Hacket in earnest prayer and he skips out of his Bed joyns his devotion with acknowledgment of his own divine nature and so seems in a Trance whilest Arthington bids Copinger in the name of Christ to annoint Hacket with the Holy Ghost and make him King kissing the Ground with bended knee and other reverence but he with careless gesture refuses being as he said already anointed by the Holy Ghost Go forth says he preach of me that Iesus Christ is come with his Fan to judg the World if they believe not let them come and kill me At the instant the Devil driving they all in fury fly abroad and cry out Christ is come repent repent that Hacket had a body truly glorified to constitute a new Discipline and Common-wealth that they were his Prophets of mercy and others of judgment for perfecting his work And this they declared by Vows Protestations of salvation to be all true that he was sole Monarch of Europe and all Kings his Vassals and the Queen to be deposed and so with a preass of people they return home to Hacket who were apprehended and are insolent before the Privy Council Hackets Crimes were condemned as Treason for the Devil prompt him to confess so much with such horrid Blasphemies as I tremble to relate He seems not as distracted but with settled gravity and temper and in the way to Execution he cries out fearfully Iehova Messias Iehova Messias behold the Heavens open Thou Son of God come down and deliver me And at the Gallows he roars out Thou God I●hova Iehova Alpha and Omega c. Thou knowest that I am the true c. whom thou hast sent c. Shew some Miracle from the Clouds to deliver me from these accursed if thou wilt not then will I c. horrid Fire the Heavens and with these hands pull c. from thy Throne nay worse than can be imagined then turns to the Hangman who hastned the Halter Thou Bastard says he wilt thou hang the King of Kings and facing Heaven cried out Is this my reward for my Kingdom bestowed c. Behold I come and will revenge c. the rest Throttled with the Rope he was immediately cut down fresh alive and quartered Copinger stervs himself to death in Prison the others repent and are pardoned On the other side the Iesuits were lurking in every corner Emissaries from several Seminaries Rome France and especially from Spain against them therefore Proclamations forbid any man to be entertained as a Lodger unless his Hoast examine his condition his abode before and whether he will go to Church and Delegates in every Shire to receive the Accounts accordingly The Spaniard having very lately erected a Seminary at Valledolid in
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
come The next to him the Ambassador of Denmark on the left Hand the English Extraordinary and Lieger sat together and then the Ambassadours of Brunswick Megleburgh and the States before each Seat a small T●ble covered with Velvet and officers only about the English to wait his pleasure The Service ending Sussex presented the Prince to David Cunningham Bishop of Aberaeen the action of Baptism administred by David Lindsey Minister of Lieth and in French because of Strangers and naming him Henry Frederick And so returning in former Order And the Prince being laid upon a Bed of Honour Lion Herauld proclaims his Titles Henry Frederick Knight and Baron of Kenfrew Lord of the Isles Earl of Karrick Duke of Rothsay Prince and Stewa●d of Scotland Meddals of Gold and Silver cast to the people sundry Knights made with feastings and comedies for a whole moneth The King amidst these Ceremonies of joy minds his serious affairs For the Popish Lords in Rebellion an Ambassadour is sent to Queen Elizabeth to remember her promise to support his levies after many shifts and delayes some small sums were advanced as a loan which in truth were due otherwise upon account and that very unwillingly too for one Lock was now resident at Court the only agent for Bothwells business and Mr. Calvil the Minister his Copes-mate there also And again Bothwell is got up and keeping intelligence with the Popish Lords in the North against whom the King intends an Expedition resolves so to incumber his affairs in the South as to prevent his journey and having received some Gold from his Foreign friends corrupts the Keeper of the Castle Blackness to seize the King into hold till the Conspirators should come and force conditions To this they all are obliged by bond assigned by Huntley Arroll Angus Bothwell and Achindown and in custody of Sir Iames Scot. By which and others papers discovered from Allan Orm Bothwells Man the whole plot came to light and was published to undeceive the Comm●nalty upon what score of Religion Bothwells Treasons were confirmed And the Jayler and Orm were both executed to assure the visible truth to the people And without more circumstance Commission was given to Arguile Ath●l and others who besiege the Castle of Ruthen but was beaten back and meets with a Supply of more strength nowadvanced to a thousand horse and foot Huntley hastens to fight ere Arguile get more men And being less in number but made desperate by necessity Arroll leads the Van with three hundred a●d Huntley hath the Battel No sooner in sight but Arguile in some misdoubt yet commands Ma●k●an who led his Van to advance Himself lodges in the fast grounds full of Moss and boggs with the main of his men Huntley had some Field pieces which plaid upon Macklans Highlanders and they as their manner was then though since they have appeared stout fellowes and to stand to it fell down on their bellies not willing to look up so long as the Guns did thunder which incouraged Arroll to give the charge but being forced to wheel aside the Fellowes got up on their feet and by that time they incounter showring such a storm of arrows upon Arroll that the first flight a quarter of an hower darkned the day into night and at the fall of their Arrows came in with their darts that killed Achindown and dangerously wounded Arroll many hurt and the most fled Huntley sees this and hastily spurs his Horse into the succour and now encountring for the day continued a cruel fight for two hours which routed Arg●ile not able to rally them again yet Macklan stood it out with courage and skil till he retired in order and honour with loss of many men of note be●ides seven hundred Soldiers and but a dozen on Huntleys part though divers desperately wounded And it s called the Battell of Clenlivat a mile off And so the Lords for the Kings side separate and go home But ere the Conquerors could relish their wellfare the King was got into the North and demolishes Strathbolgy Slains and Newton principal holds of Huntleys and though themselves withdrew to his Aunt the Countess of Sutherland they were so beset by the Duke of Lenox Lieutenant of the North that they capitulate with Sureties to depart the Realm without prejudice abroad to the State at Home nor to return ●ill the Kings pleasure Huntley into France and the rest into several So●ls This condiscention to such notorious Rebells lodged sometime upon the Kings account as in favour to the Romists but if we examine the charge of the War uncertainty of his Nobles faction of other fewds and a ticklish jealousie in the Ministery not to suffer Bothwell to sinck whose pretences till now they alwaies incouraged these exigents may excuse the King Indeed in this publick Rebellion with Papists Colwell his Chaplain refused his devotion forsook his company and came home again yet to make himself welcome betrayed Bothwells Brother Hercules Stewart to publick execution at Edenburgh This frighted the grand Traytor into fears and forsaken or all but his guilty self flies into France and lands at New-haven where in disquise he lodges but tidings of him came to the King who sends a Gentleman to France to demand so reprobate a Rebell The French King professed not to afford him countenance but being come for refuge he could not in honour debar him the free air of France And so wearied with the insupportable weigh of his sinful soul and quarrelling with any man to kill him against the Edict of France He was thereupon banished from thence wanders into Spain and so to Naples in Italy where he lived and died woundrous poor and unpittied of all men about the year 1624. And thus the Hydra's Heads of this Conspiracy removed out of the way the Members came in discovering one another to procure pardon and the very Bond was brought in which did assotiate these Confederates by which the Ministers eyes were opened and by this new light they could see Bothwells guilt which heretofore they could hardly believe And so ended this Rebellion with the last of the year The next Assembly of the Church occasioneth the King then at Montross to send Commissioners to them to urge these Articles That any subj●●t found guilty of Treason should also be excommunicate that so the Swords of Iustice Spiritual and Temporal should make inseparable Union one with another That no Excommunication should be valid by private men without major votes in publick Assemblyes of the Members of other Churches That no Excommunication should fall upon any for slight causes and suspected crimes in Civil cases lest the censure should come into contem●● like the Popes Cursings and when they do to give lawful citation A man would judge of these Articles without difficult Answer Yet they shake their heads at all At the f●rst with this clause Legitima cognitione Ecclesiastica preaeunte To
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 M●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 no● ceasing by the Queens death they desire his Majesties pleasure whether they shall guard the Narrow Seas or be c●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. da●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 Hew● 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 Hew● 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
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 Ime●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 ●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
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 ●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
if the Aunt had married the Nephew it had been a greater sin because the Au●t being in loco Parent is to the Nephew he by such marriage being Husband to the Aunt became by that Relation Superiour to his Parent which did aggravate the offence So then that which is to be insisted upon is the law Moral which is the constant and permanent will of God both in the Church Triumphant and Militant So that Adam could never marry any if he had lived until this time being the common Parent of Mankind in the Old World and Noah in the New And thus much concerning the Divorce and Elizabeths Title But to conclude it comes to be our Task to enter upon this work of Mother and Son and to enliven their Memories with their ●ives and Actions not singly neither but contemporary too with such Affairs of State as intermixes with others of Europe As also the State Militant of the Scots Kirk in Persecution Motion and at Peace in relation to the Arks upon the Water in the Wilderness and in the Temple The Materials of All need no Ornament but adjustment Bona fama propria possessio Defunctorum And if ever to any of old stiles and additions were allowed properly and truly they may challenge Piae Memoriae Bonae Memoriae Felices Memoriae as due to them I dare not appropriate to my self abilit● in these as to a Compile I rather wish it compleat in another endeavouring onely to set down such particular Actions Memorative as may hereafter enlighten abler pens to consummate Those Collections hereby commended to posterity for that purpose To raise a better Structure out of this imperfect Rubish Index of the first Part to the entrance of King JAMES to the Crown of England THe Introduction of K. James 5. and his Wife and of their Daughter Queen Mary their story in brief to the Birth of King James 6. from page 1. to 8. A. Acts concerning Episcopacy 110 Ambassadours privilege discussed 74 abused 97 Ambassadours about Marriage with Denmark 137 Ambassadours sent by the King to forrein Princes concerning succession to the Crown of England 219 Angus and other fugitives in England their insolence 105 dies bewitched 135 Queen Ann's design to seize the Prince 183 Army of the English and Scots slain 13 Armies of the Queen against the Lords 38 Armstrong a prisoner in England set free by force of Arms with a trick 191 difference hereupon 192 Arch-bishop of St Andrews dies and is abused by the Ministery 160 Earl of Arran's plot 27 dies his character and issue 84 Earl of Arran his power in state 105 Earl of Arundel arreigned 154 Six Articles of the Church 36 Ministers assemble at pleasure 26 Assembly petition and are answered 158 Assembly make work 194 Blake his mutiny and story 196 the Assembly assist him 199 dangerous tumult 202 Qu Elizabeth interposes her Letter to the King 204 Lord Aubigny in favour with King James 93 displeases Queen Elizabeth ib. B. BAbington's treason 114 Basilicon Do●on the occasion of it in publick 223 Beaton Cardinal murthered 11 Beza and Calvin at Geneva 16 Bishops restored 104 Bishopricks the state thereof in Scotland 224 Blake his mutiny and story 196 turn'd out of all 213 Blunt sent into Ireland 242 Borders of Scotland how bounded 44 Borderers confer and quarrel 83 Borderers in feud 137 Bothwel flies into France 35 advanced in favour of the Queen 42 visited of the Queen 44 is divorced 47 marrieth the Queen 49 desires the single combat and flies with the Queen 50 flies into Denmark 59 Bothwel accused of Witchcraft 159 is committed and escapes 160 Bothwel's treason to seize the King 164 Bothwel's attempts at Faulkland defeated 167 Bothwel steals into Scotland and surprizes the King 171 inforces Articles 172 Bothwel arms and is defeated 177 Bothwel and Popish Lords rebell 180 are defeated 181 Bothwel flies and dies at Naples 182 Burleigh's Speech to the Scots Ambassadours 94 Lord Burrough Ambassadour to the King 170 C. CAles Voyage 210 Articles at Calice 19 Calvin and Beza their Discipline at Geneva 16 that Confession 44 Catholick Lords of Scotland dismayed plot rebell 145 146 their designs 147 Cecil's Letter to Knox 22 Cecil writes to King James and his Answer 258 Chancellour of Scotland dies his character 184 Chatelet executed 39 Colvil Ambassadour to England complains of Zouch 177 Of single Combats and Duels 53 C●mmissioners treat about 〈◊〉 Scots Queen 63 and again 78 Commissioners meet to treat of Peace with France and Spain dispute about Precedency 143 Conspiratours executed 104 Coin over-valued 91 Crag a Minister his Life and Death 132 D. LOrd Darley returns out of banishment 34 marries the Queen 37 is debarred bearing of Royal Arms 40 turns Protestant 41 is discontented 43 and murthered 46 his character 47 Davison's Letter to the Ministers 251 Designs in England for Queen Mary 103 Discipline framed 25 and subscribed 26 Duke of Tuscany fore-warns King James of Poyson 231 E. EDenburgh Castle besi●●ed and won 80 Queen Elizabeth expostulates the Rebellion of Scots Lords moderates the Scots differences 76 Qu Elicabeth aids Navar 156 and the Dutch ib. raises her Custom 157 Queen Elizabeth strikes Essex 221 Queen Elizabeth dies 261 Lady Elizabeth born 194 Christned 199 English confederate with Scots reformed and how 22 English expedition to Portugal 154 English take Cales 210 Acts concerning Episcopacy 110 Essex his expedition into France 162 his Voyage to the Azores 215 Essex and Cecil's intelligence with King James 2●4 Essex his Treason 233 F. FActions and Feuds 168 The first Fast general of the Kirks 40 Forrein Titles their precedency at home disputed 21 French aid the Scots 13 quarter the Arms of England●9 ●9 King of France killed at a Tilting 20 King Francis of France dies 25 French break the League with England 25 French King relieved by Queen Elizabeth turns Papist 169 France hath aid of England against Spain 220 Fr●●●h Ambassadour and Cecil discourse about the Kings succesion 258 G. OF Geneva their Government Church and State 15 the promulgation of that Discipline 18 Geneva besieged 225 Earl Gowry created 95 surpri●es the King at Ruthen 96 his Imprisonment Arreignment and Execution 100 Gowry's conspiracy ●●● Lord Gray's design to kill 〈◊〉 he is banished H. HAcket's horrible Tenets Disciples Blasphemy Execution 162 163 Prince Henry born 176 his Baptism 179 Huntley rescues Colonel Semple 141 writes to Parma and the King of Spain 146 rebells 147 committed and adjudged guilty 149 150 Huntley and Murray quarrel 159 Huntley cause of Murray's death 165 166 I. KIng James born 42 baptized 45 King James and his Mother in faction and feud 80 is crowned 90 his appearance in Parliament his Speech 92 King James surprized 96 makes a Feast and the Kirk makes a Fast 98 frees himself 98 Proclamation against Iesuits 148 Iesuits their Seminaries confirmed by the Pope 164 Interests of Fa●●ions discussed 68 I●ish Rebells 161 209 Don Juan de Austria his design against
England blasted 87 K. KIng's design to meet his Bride in Norway disposes his Government 150 marries the Queen and goes into Denmark 152 his Queen arrives in Scot●and and is crowned 153 Kirk have what they desire manner of their Excommunication 45 ingratefull prescribe behaviour to the Church of England 46 stiled Precisians 84 Kirk stirs the State being troubled 166 Kirkmen in Scotland mutiny 137 138 John Knox Minister the prime Incondiary of Reformation 12 his Travels and Faction accused of Treason 15 arrives in Scotland and begins Troubles 20 insolency towards Morton and con●ers with the Queen 31 his Breves to his Brethren he is questioned 33 his insolency 34 preaches against Government 38 L. ANtient League between the Scots and French 12 Holy League 106 Holy Leaguers 155 League offensive and defensive between England and Scotland 112 Lenox and Darly return from banishment 34 Lenox elected Regent 69 is slain 77 his old Countess dies her Descent and Issve 87 Lewis Isle reduced in the North and the effect 256 Lords take Arms and are defeated fly into England and get aid and submit 39 banished and return 42 Lords conspire declare seize the King at Sterlin and treat 107 Love-trick of a Woman 168 M. MArriage proposed between England and Scotland 10 Marriage of King James with a Sister of Denmark propounded 107 Ambassadours about that Marriage 137 Earl of Mar Regent 77 dies 78 Northern Martyrs 9 Queen Mary sent into France 14 returns out of France 25 Queen Mary affects the Lord Darly 34 and proposes to marry him 36 she answers the six Articles of the Kirk and marries Darly 37 takes Arms against the Lord 38 is brought to bed of King James 42 Summary of the Lord Darley's murther and of the Queens hasty Marriage 48 Queen Mary resigns the Government to her Son King James 52 is defeated flies into England and writes to Queen Elizabeth 62 Queen Mary imprisoned her Commissioners treat in England 63 Queen Mary designed to dy 86 writes to Queen Elizabeth 95 Queen Maries story returned to 113 Queen Mary comes to her Trial 115 the manner thereof ib. her Sentence of Death 116 the sequel 117 King James perplexed sends to Queen Elizabeth Letters Ambassadours who reason with her 118 120 false Tales Scotland in disorder the Kirk refuseth to pray for Queen Mary ib. Mandate for her Execution the manner thereof 121 her Epitaph 126 Queen Elizabeths Letter to King James 126 Davison sentenced about Qu Maries Death his Apology to Walsingham 127 Walsingham's Letters to the King and the Lord Thirlstan 128 the Kings Deportment on his Mothers Death 134 is caressed by Queen Elizabeth 134 Designs of several Nations to revenge her Death 135 Massacre of Protestants 〈◊〉 France 83 Mass opposed 26 Melvil a Disciplinarian his railings 82 a fiery spirit 85 his evil manners 100 Insolency against the Mass 32 Maxwel arms against Johnstone 106 rebells and is taken Prisoner 138 Messam the Minister hath a Bastard 29 his penance 42 Ministers assemble at pleasure 26 allowed maintenance by Modificators 27 vote themselves exempt 〈◊〉 justice 28 Ministers denounced Rebells fly into England 102 Ordinance of Parliament against them and for what reasons 102 their impudent Reply sharply answered 103 Ministers and their insolence 109 cause of good Acts ib. Ministers in tumult 174 Blake a Minister his mutiny and story 196 Welch a Minister his preaching 202 Ministers refuse to give God thanks for the Kings Deliverance and are silenced ib. Earl Morton Regent 78 basely betrays the Earl of Northumberland 80 besieges Edenburgh 80 his Coin 82 Misgoverns the Lords conspire against him 88 offers to resign 89 Morton deposed plots revenge 90 imprisons the Chancellour 92 is charged with murthering the Lord Darly is executed his Character 95 Mowbray's intent to kill the King 257 Mu●●ay made Protector 59 takes Arms 60 posts to Queen Elizabeth 67 is slain 68 Murray slain 166 the cause lamented ib. Murther of the Guises and Henry 3. of France 153 N. NArration of the Spanish Navy 141 number of the Ships Men and Ammunition 142 defeated by Fire-ships 145 Queen Elizabeths message thereof 141 Rumours of the Spanish Navy in 88. 140 the Kings Speech thereupon the Chancellours opinion Bothwel on the contrary Colonel Semple's false Designs ib. is rescued by Huntley who is banished the Court 141 Netherlands called to account 209 〈◊〉 of Norfolk committed his story 68 arreigned and executed 78 Norris sent over to Ireland 209 Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland fly into Scotland 68 betrayed by Morton and executed 80 Earl of Northumberland pistols himself 114 Northumberland writes to King James and his Answer 259 O. ORmston executed about the murther of the Lord Darly 84 P. THe Kirks justice against Papists 30 Papists Plots 169 Papists banished ●●8 Papists Plots devising 〈◊〉 Titles of Pretende●● to the Crown of England 188 Parliament surprised 77 Parliament Royal 91 Parliament wherein the Kings Supremacy is con●irmed and divers Laws against 〈◊〉 enacted 104 Duke of Parma dies 170 Paulet Lord Treasurer dies his childrens children 〈◊〉 76 Antonio de Perez 86 Perez his character 189 Popish Lords return from banishment 194 Presbyters fly into England and why 104 their equivocation ib. Proceedings against Popish Lords by the Ministers 173 Propositions for Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth 67 R. RAndolph Ambassadour 91 abuses his privilege 94 dies 161 Rebells defeated 29 Rebells submit and are committed 149 Reformed rebell 20 covenant and call in Aid French and English 21 covenant to expell the French 24 Articles of their Faith France their Presbytery 24 Reformation in the University 213 Religion The Scots how Christians 8 Remonstrance of the Assembly against Papists and the remedy 178 179 Ri●t com●itt●d by the Lords 27 Rizzio th● French Secretary 39 Bishop of Rosse Ambassadour for the Scots Queen examined 73 is rel●●ed imprisonment 83 his Death and character 208 S. SIiege of Ost●nd 252 Earl of Shrewsbury dies 161 Spanish Forces land in Ireland and are defeated 254 Squire impoysons the Queens Saddle 221 T. TItles forrein their precedency at home dispu●ed 211 Treaty at Cambray 19 at ●denburgh 24 U. UNiversity reformed 213 W. WAde sent into Spain returns unheard 103 Walsingham dies his character 160 War in Scotland and France by the English 10 assist several Factions 21 Welch a Minister his preaching 202 Witches See Bothwel Witches discovered 2●3 Wotton sent Ambassad●● to Scotland 206 Wotton plots with the c●●spiring Lords and posts home 107 Z. LOrd Zouch Ambassadour from England●●ment● ●●ment● the send against the King 176 Narrative Passages of the first Part and stories to be read single by themselves 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 of Geneva 15 Queen Maries Marriage with the Lord Darly 36 〈…〉 〈…〉 and story 42 Darly the Queens Husband murthered 48 Narrative of Darly's murther c. 52 Digression of Combates and 〈◊〉 53 Queen Maries escape out of Prison in Scotland her Encounter with her Rebells she is discomfited and flies into England 60 Digression
of Ambassadours privilege 74 Massacre of Protestants in France 83 Episcopacy in Scotland continued ●● Bab●ngton's Treason ●14 Queen of Scots her Trial in England 115 sentenced and 〈◊〉 of Execution 121 Secretary Walsingham's Letter concerning the Execution of the Queen of Scots●●8 ●●8 The Spanish N●vies Design against England in the year 1588. 141 King James 6. sends Commissioners first and goes over himself to fetch his Queen from Denmark Concernments of France with the murther of Henry 3. 155 Hacket's horrible Tenets arreigned and executed 162 Ministers mad work 194 Digression how far forrein Titles precede in England 211 Digression concerning the power of Witches and Witchcraft 214 Earl Gowry's conspiracy against King James 225 Earl of Essex his Treason against Queen Elizabeth 233 Irish affairs under Lord Blunt Deputy of Ireland 242 English Commissioners in France dispute Precedency 243 These particular Passages of the Second Part may be read by themselves apart INtroduction to the Second Part page 2 Of Knights Batchelors 271 Of the Order of the Garter and Saint George his story 273 Of Earls and their Dignities 274 Of Barons and their Dignities 275 Knights of the Bath their Creation 276 Digression concerning Imperial Rule and Interest of Christian Princes 277 Of War and Conquest of Success their Consequences 281 Sir Walter Raleighs Treason 282 Of Presbyterians Doctrines 289 Conference at Hampton Court 293 Translation of the Bible and singing Psalms 308 Catechising commended 310 Of Parliaments their beginnings 312 King James first Speech in Parliament 319 The Powder Treason 323 The Oath of Supremacy and K. James his Apology to Forein Princes 329 Of Iesuits how to suppress them 331 Libel against the Lord Treasuer Salisbury and His answer 334 King James Speech and answer to the Arguments concerning the Union 338 Sprots Conspiracy with Gowry his arraignment and Execution 342 Lord Balmerino his treacherous Design 348 King James his second Speech in Parliament 353 Duke of Gelders his Descent and Death 361 Prince of Wales their Dignity 362 Of Chelsey Colledge 365 Of Masks and Comedies 366 Suttons Hospital founded 367 Of Vorstius and Arminius their Books and Doctrines 370 Prince Henries Sickness and Death 377 Treasurer Lord Salisbury his Life and Death 381 〈…〉 〈…〉 James 391 Earl of Northampton's Life and Death 393 Of Duels and Combats 394 Of Plantations in America 400 Of Bar●nes Knights creation 402 King James wants discussed how to be relieved 404 Earl of Somerset his Countess arreigned 414 His Letter to K. James 420 The case of Commendams 424 Difference between the Chancery and Common Pleas and their Dignities 431 King James his Speech in Star-chamber 439 Sir Thomas Lake and his wives story 446 King James journey into Scotland 450 George Villiers a favourite his story 455 Sir Ralegh's Guiana Voyage and Execution 459 A monstrous Murther in Cornwall 463 Barnevelt's Treason and Execution 466 Of Synodes and Councils Synode of Dort 467 〈…〉 〈…〉 of Bohemia 478 Sir Wootton's Embassy into Germany 485 Marriages with forrein Princes unfortunate to England 487 Earl Marshalls of England their Dignities 505 Of Libells and Pasquils 526 Of Knights Templers 527 Preachers ordered their matter and manner 531 King of Spain's Letter to O●vares and his Answer conc●rning the Princes Match 539 Prince Charls journey into Spain his Treatments and return 542 Spanish Ambassadour accuses the Duke of Buckingham of Treason 562 Prince Charls Marriage with France treated and affected 566 Treasurer Cranfield put out of Office 573 Of Apprentices of London they are no bond-men discussed 574 Cruelty of Amboyna 576 Famous Siege of Breda 579 The INDEX to the second Part. A. QU Ann sent for out of Scotland her Design to seize the Prince p. 272 Her Death and Character 774 Ambassadour French and Spanish quarrel 320 Weston and Conway Ambassadours into Germany 482 Lord Haies Ambassadour into France 428 Lord Rosse Ambassy into Spain 429 Spanish Ambassadour accuses the Duke of Buckingham of Treason the story 562 Assembly of the Scots Kirk in spite of the King 321 475 Aid-money 363 Arminius and Vorstius their Heresies and story 370 Adamites Heresies 375 Abbot Arch-Bishops Arguments against the Nullity of Essex and his Countess answered 391 Kills his Keeper 530 Arreignment of the Earl of Somerset and Countess for impoysoning of Overbury 414 Arreigning of Peers discussed 414 Lady Arabella marries Seymer 423 Marquess D' Ancre murthered in France 549 Abbot Arch-Bishop his Letters concerning the King of Bohemia 481 Earl Arundel Lord Marshal their Dignities 505 Of Apprentices of London no Bond-men 574 Cruelty of the Dutch at Amboyna 576 B. BArons created 271 their Dignities 275 Beaton Arch-Bishop dies in France 271 Batchelour Knights manner of Creation 276 Bible new translated 308 Balmerino Secretary of Scotland his Treason and story pardoned he and his posterity ungratefull 348 Bishops of Scotland enlarge their power 350 Baronet Knights created and discussed 402 Benevolence and means of the Kings supplies discussed 407 Sir Francis Bacon made Lord Chancellour 437 his submission in Parliament and supplication 501 his Character 503 his Encomium of King James 594 Barnevelt in Holland his Treason and execution 465 Blazing Star their effects discussed 471 King and Queen of Bohemia defeated and fly into Holland 485 Breda that famous Siege 579 and lost 589 Briante Botevile and Beauvoir their several Duels and Combats 582 Bolton's contemplation on King James 594 C. KIng and Queen crowned 275 Cor●nation-oath 276 Conference at Hampton-court to settle the Discipline of the Church 282 Catechizing commanded 310 Commotion of Commoners 312 Charls Prince created Duke of York 322 High Commission Court 352 356 Chelsey College founded and why 365 Contribution money 367 Car a Favourite and his Countess their story 376 arreigned for impoysoning Overbury 414 the case pleaded 416 condemned reprieved and pardoned 419 his Letter to the King 420 The case of Commendams the Kings right to them pleaded and passages thereupon 424 Lord Chancellour and Lord Cook difference the cause and case 431 the Kings Letters to the Chancellour his sickness and death 432 Common Pleas Court what 434 Chancery Court and power 435 Chancellour Sir Francis Bacon succeeds 437 Church of Scotlands proceedings 475 Cranfield Lord Treasurer 495 questioned in Parliament and put out 572 Calumnies answered 535 Combates at Breda 582 D. DIgression designs for Imperial rule in Christendo● 27● King of Denmark his first arrival to visit the Queen his Sister 333 second arrival 413 E. Dorset Lord Treasurer dies 342 Of Duels 394 Dort Synode 467 Lord Digby Ambassadour to the Empire 495 returns accounts to the Parliament 509 sent into Spain to treat in the Match 524 ordered by Letters how to proceed 536 created Earl of Bristol 539 is to forbear the Espousals 555 takes leave of Spain 556 and is come home to the Parliament 563 Designs at the Siege of Breda 584 E. QUeen Elizabeth not willing to publish her Successour 261 Earls created 274 their Dignities 275 Excommunicatiou absurd in Scotland
368 Earl of Essex and his Countess and Overbury their story intermixed 385 their Divorce and manner 386 〈◊〉 Earls created for money 463 The Emperour in Arms concerning the Kingdom of Bohemia 480 Egglesham his scurrilous Pamphlet 592 F. FAvourite Car his story 376 Villiers a Favourite his story 455 G. SAint George's Feast and his story Order of the Garter 273 Gowry's day of Conspiracy solemnized the memorial 312 H. KIng Henry 8. turns Protestant makes war with Scotland defeats them Proeme Henry 4. of France murthered 362 Prince Henry created Prince of Wales their Dignities 362 his sickness and death 377 Hospital of Sutton founded 367 Honors illegally adopted in Scotland 369 Heresies of Vorstius and Arminius their story 370 Of Adamites 375 Lord Haies Ambassadour into France and character 428 Earl Huntley of Scotland his story 444 Titles of Honor to English women 458 Sir Edward Hawley a stout Templer 524 Marquess Hamilton's sudden death 590 I. KIng James 5. dies his character 3 King James 6. his parents 1 Introduction Queen Elizabeths sickness and death 265 King James 6. settles his affairs in Scotland 265 pro●aimed King of England 268 sets out from Scotland 269 his interest with other Princes 280 Letters of Reprieve for three ready to be executed 287 his Speech in Star-chamber 439 Iourney into Scotland and passages there 45● his Letters to the ●ssembly at Perth 475 his Speech to the Parliament 493 and again to the Lords 497 retires discontent to Newmarket 509 writes to the Speaker 510 his message to the Parliament 512 his Answer to their Petition 513 writes to Secretary Calvert 520 and to the Speaker 521 fights and treats 538 his Speech in Parliament 557 and again 560 answers their Petition against Papists 564 his sickness disease and dies 591 vindicated 592 his character and royal memory 594 and Epitaph 599 K. KNights Batchelors made and their Dignities 270 Knights Templers 527 Knights Baronets created and discussed 402 Knights of the Bath their manner and creation 276 Kings elective and successive their different kindes 480 Lord Kensington his birth and breeding 429 Embassage into France about the Marriage 566 quarrels with Count Soisons 569 L. LEpton's speedy post to York from London and back again six several days together 333 Sir Thomas Lake and his Lady their story 446 of Labells and Pasquils 526 answered by Treasurer Salisbury 381 M. EArl Montgomery the first Favourite 365 careless of the Kings sickness 592 Masks and Plays discussed 366 Queen Mary of Scotland her Corps re-interred at Westminster 376 Moneys the King wants and ways of supply 404 restrains his bounty 406 Money of Benevolence 407 Merch. Traders make fe●ds 313 Cross Marriages of Spain France and Sav●y 417 congratulated by Embassies 428 Murther monstrous in Cornwall 463 Murther of D'Ancre in France 449 Murther of Henry 4. of France 362 Marriages with forrein Princes unfortunate to England 487 Match with Spain the Princes journey and story 524 Marriage of the Palsgrave with the Princess Elizabeth 377 married 380 Marriage of the Prince with France treated 566 Marquess Buckingham created and the Dignity of a Marquess 489 Montague made Lord Treasurer his Descent and Issue 490 Mansel Sir Robert his Expedition and Voyage against the Pi●rats of Algier 491 Michel and Mompesson censured in the Parliament 500 Earl Marshal of England their dignity 505 Massacre at Virginia 528 Count Mansfield comes to Holland raises Forces in England for the Netherlands 587 N. EArl of Northumberland and other Lords censured as guilty of the Pouder Treason 334 Earl of Northampton dies his concernments 393 O. OAth of Allegeance 315 and Supremacy 316 the Popes Bull against it the Kings Apology to all Princes thereof 329 Earl of Orkney commited 352 his Execution 398 Sir Thomas Overbury his story 383 impoysoned 393 discovered 414 Oglevey a Iesuit his story 398 Earl of Oxford his descent 483 he and Essex carries Souldiers into Germany 483 joyn Forces with the Princes against the Emperour they are beaten and fly 485 he is committed in England and the occasion 523 Prince of Orange dies 588 Earl of Oxford's Enterprize at the Siege of Breda 588 P. A Notable Present 270 Presbyterians Reclamations against them and their Doctrines 289 Proclamations against Iesuits 306 to conformity of Religion and Discipline 321 against new buildings in London 3●1 another against buildings 360 to dissolve the Parliament 522 Prophesie of these times 311 Parliaments and their beginning 312 the Kings Speech in the first Meeting 319 second Session 323 third Speech 352 dissolved 362 Parliament called again 488 Prorogued 507 their Declaration to recove● the Palatinate 508 petition the King 511 their thanks and Petition 521 and are dissol●ed 52● another Parliament 555 petition against Papists 564 their Designs of W●r for the Palatinate 579 Pastimes harmless allowed and recreations after Sermons 458 Pouder Treason 323 Post nati confirmed 340 Papists persecuted by Pens 364 Prince Palatine a Su●tor to the Princess Elizabeth 377 married 380 elected King of Bohemia the occasions discussed story and war 478 Proscriptions against him 482 raises an Army defeated and flies into Holland 485 Pirates of Algier expedition against them 441 Lords petition against Titles of forrein Honours 496 against grievances 497 Preaching how ordered 531 Papist and Puritan discussed 5●3 Prince Charls his journey to Spain 542 arrives there 543 complements with the King 544 enters in triumph to Madrid 545 visits the Queen 546 her presents to the Prince 547 he answers the Popes Letters 548 takes leave to return 551 Presents given and received 552 his journey towards the Sea and parting with the King 553 the Pillar at parting 554 in danger to be drown'd the storm described 554 lands in England 555 Q. QUeen Mother of France flies from them 450 Queen Ann sent for out of Scotland and her designs to seize the Prince 272 she dies her character 474 R. Ralegh Sir Walter his birth breeding preferment and treason 281 released imprisonment 459 his Guiana Voyage and Execution 469 Sir Harry Rich his birth and breeding discussed 429 made Baron Kensington Ambassadour into France about the Marriage 566 quarrels with Soisons 565 Revolt of the Earls in Scotland 368 Rainbowe lunary 378 Duke of Richmond dies suddenly 557 S. SUccess and consequence of events 281 Psalms new translated 309 Star-chamber original and ending 334 the Kings Speech there 439 Earl of Salisbury his answer to a Libell 334 dies his story 381 his Offices how disposed 383 Sprot confederate in Gowry's conspiracy his Examination and Execution 342 Sanquire a Scots Baron hanged for murther of Turner 380 Earl of Somerset his story 376 his Letter to the King 420 Earl of Suffolk Treasurer sentenced in Star-chamber 437 Spalato Bishop comes into England revolts again and dies 449 Earl of Shrewsbury dies 459 Synode of Dort 468 Of Synodes Diet and Councils their initiations 468 Spinola his Forces in Flanders 483 besieges Breda 579 T. TReasurer Mountague 490 Treasurer Suffolk 437 U.
UNion of both Nations intended 320 argued and the Kings answer 338 Vorstius and Arminius their Heresies and story 370 Villiers a favourite his story 455 Master of the Horse and Marquess 489 Earl and Duke 547 goes with the Prince into Spain 542 quarrels with Olivares 551 returns to the Ships 552 his Declaration to the Parliament 559 W. WAr the consequence 281 Whitgift Arch-Bishop dies 307 Waldenses vindicated 376 Sir Henry Wootton his Embassies to the Emperour and Princes in Germany 485 Dr. Williams Dean of Westminster and Bishop of Lincoln and Lord Keeper 504 his character 507 Y. SIr Henry Yelverton Prisoner and why 499 his Letters to the Duke of Buckingham 500 THE PROEME TO THE Seeond Part. WE now enter on the second part the Accession of a Crown rightly descended to King James by Succession from the Union of Marriage long since to this re-union of Kingdoms now as a period in shew of all Trepidation and Motions in him and his Posterity but the eye of all-seeing Wisdom hath with his powerful hand of Providence dissipated those designs and aims of perpetuity and hath not left any one of his in present possession of any part of his inheritance And though the prevailing Party minds no other Iustification than Success yet some men more busie than useful take upon them by deformed writings and Pasquilles to conclude this Fabrick from such Foundation as they please to contribute their Counterfeit Materials with their Prophecies Policies Directories Narratives and such like stuff the general blauch upon former Soveraigns Each one professing Truth to countenance their affectiions and Passions which alter too with the subsequence of Time and State And thereby comes to be published sundry Rapsodies Petit-Pamphlets and Papers But yet if you deny their Tenents you are forthwith to be taken for a State Heretique Non servata unitas nisi in credendo omnia 〈…〉 For though there may be granted great Antipathy between the former and this State in Civil Policy yet no such matter from thence for our disobedience now What ever may be pretended by Others I conceive the People no meet Iudge or Arbitrator For my part I am witness to my self as that no contradiction shall supplant in me the Reverence I ow to Authority Neither shall any Adve●saries by Calumny embase my Opinion and high Esteem of K. I●●es his just Merits and Royal Memory The Indisposition of these later times having pierced with Accusations very many Men of excellent Virtues Mala dicta ingenere concinnatis calumniis They leave all reve●end compassion t●ward● ev●●s or religious indignation towards faults turn all into a Satyr search and rip up wounds with smiling impudence and strain their counterfeit zeal to the publick with untruths abominable Et magnis Mendacii Credulitas Welcome whisperings are quickly heard where potent malice is Promoter They tragitally aggravate infirmities and slips unworthily upbraiding adverse Fortunes and that their belief herein must necessarily be the more perfect which is most degrees removed from the last Actors and so becomes Postumi erroris filii Non tam in odium boni Quam amorem Mali Proclives sumus As one saith These Kingdomes in King James time grown aged in happinesse● that as men used to say of the spiced air of the Sabaeans Summus quidem Odor sed voluptas Minor The very excess seemed to abate the pleasure Or as the hot sent of Musk to some Savors seem to stink Repetions of our Blessings then did not so much affect our Nations as dull them Peace made us wanton Plenty 〈◊〉 M●●ies secure Our Benefits then became our Weapons to rebell against his fame now The whole Land being sowred by the Peoples Sins too much felicity introd●●ed Luxury and Correllaries of Vices Pride Ambition Contempt of things Divine and ●umane This Nation in short time sick of a surfeit of Health afterwards broke with two much wealth and now it comes to amendment Ryot begins to grow thirsty made so to go plain Gluttons to fast Wantonness starved into Soberness But we may already be affraid of Relapse Bedrid Exorbitancies fowl●r for purging Need is there none to number up the Graces and Blessings by this King in competition with Her his Predecessor It may be Her virtues then are now become Torches in the dark which appear greatest afar off as His Vices made so by some writers do neer at hand I shall endeavour to recover the truth of his time least slanderous Tongues run mad with railing they presuming to be got out of distan●● of time and reach of Confutation● So that Maiesty which dies not may yet be discouloured As in particular a Writer indeed a few years since holds forth he saies The History of Great Brittain but speaks not a word of Scotland or Ireland and so this Vindication serves the turn to answer All. But to give this Man therein his due we may find truth and falsehood finely put together if it be his own for it is my hap to meet with Post-nati both these Books born from the dead and were Abor●●ves but like Bear-whelps licked over by laborious Pen-men The one a Manuscript of Sir A. W. which with some regret of what he had malitiously writ intended to the fire and dyed Repentant though since stoln to the Press out of a Ladies Closet This Other designed an Epistle for honourable Patronage who disdained the owning And so comes out bare Collections of Old I knew of them and their Parent Presbyter put together by the Poet And shaped out by the Doctor and Wilsons Name set to the Sale My aym is in these times of Distraction to present to the p●blique the former fruits of Peace and Plenty planted by Providence and ripened to Maturity by Divine Influence throughout His Daies If any failings so much searched for and to be found at last are then to be attributed to his age not Him In declention of years not many Princes end in much splendor when vigour fails so does their fortune For my self having lived long time in Court and employed till my gray hairs more in Businesses than Books far unworthy I humbly confesse to have any hand to the Helm yee I cabin'd neer the Steerage and so might the more readily Run the compass of the Ships-Way And truly I traversed aboard too though not in Counsel with Masters or Mates observing also the Heights and Declinations of the Sun and Stars the better able to evidence their Actions and Influence upon our World Add herein to be read in few howers what have been reaped in many years These undeniable Truths which I have seen and heard Will. Sanderson The LIVES and DEATHS of MARIE Queen of SCOTLAND And of Her Son and Successor JAMES The Sixt of that name King of SCOTLAND And of Great BRITAIN FRANCE and IRELAND the First Introduction KINGS are Gods upon Earth God himself hath said so Intituling Them to this Dignity with power over their People But they shall die like Men
he acted little and yet to his power he defended this Queen through all Her future Calamity But dyed some years before She suffered leaving Her then not in despair of deliverance The Documents of France met with such an incomparable genuity and excellent understanding in this Princess a Person compleat also for beauty that She became the most admired which moved the French King to marry Her to Francis the Dolphin Anno 1558. Being both the undoubted Heirs to the Crown of England after the death of Mary then Queen of England presently following and Elizabeth her Sister And therefore these new maried couple took upon them to quarter the Arms of England which in truth by Law they might not do None may bear the Coat of a Family not being both a certain Heir of the same Nor was it in truth the right of others who did the like as Courtney Marquess of Exeter and the Dutchess of Suffolk Neece to Henry the Eighth by His younger Sister and yet were allowed though of further Descent and therein t is true the less jealousie but to Her that was so neer the cheef cause of Queen Elizabeths perpetual hatred and fear that She might prove too hasty an Usurper of these Kingdomes and it was the ground of all the miseries that accompanied Her to the untimely grave For Queen Elizabeth now come to this Crown well knowing Her own power and interest with those of the Reformed Religion here at home and in Scotland opposed it Which was construed then that She might as well question Maries Intere●● of Succession In this interim the French King Henry and Francis His Son depart this life and the Queen of Scots left unhappy in his los● Being become a Queen Dowager in France where Factions inincreased too hot for Her to abide there Her Uncle Guise Her Curator managing the most part in which he sacrificed himself Queen Mary therefore having a desire to return home knew She had been too bold with Queen Elizabeth to get much favour yet she begged leave from Her of safe conduct into Scotland which was refused disputing former unkindnesses whilest in a mist She got by the English Ships that lay in Her way and landed in Scotland 1561. Where She found Her State might●ly distempered under Protection of the Bastard Iames and M●rraies Government To recover which She used Her Subjects with all curtesie and changed not those of the Reformed Religion which was mightily increased by Her absence and brought in by tumult of the wild Presbytery And first She warily requested a certain form of Peace and amity with England and to make it the more certain She proposed by way of Counsel to Queen Elizabeth if She should have no Issue to be declared next Heir to Succession This advice with the former bold bearing of the Title and Arms caused more than suspition That otherwise She meant by violence to take the Crown having claimed it through too hasty ambition And indeed it was a great means to dissever their friendships For alwaies unto established Governments Successors are soon suspected The People most usually upon dislike of present things look up after the rising Sun and forsake the setting Nor is it customary with Successors designed to keep their own hopes and other mens lewd desires within the compass of justice and truth and thereby also to cut off the likelyhood of future security by hanging before their own eies their winding sheet and to solemnize their own funeral Feast alive and see the same Hereby it was evident Queen Mary prepared to stand upon Her Guard well waying the watchfull eye of Queen Elizabeth upon all Her Actions The Queen of Scots was young and handsome and in respect of Succession thought upon nothing more than to settle Her self again by Allyance and Marriage which Queen Elizabeth meant to propose to divert Her Choice in France mostly aimed at and therefore by pretence of great policy to both She offered Husbands to Her of the English blood which the other had most reason to refuse and to strengthen her self by the amity of the French Preferring that as most certain from whence her Birth proceeded rather than to trust too much to the English or to the policy of Queen Elizabeth who was likely to govern the design as She pleased to Her own advantage And therefore She accepted several overtures of Mariage with others And first with Arch-Duke Charles Son to Ferdinand the Emperor but Queen Elizabeth soon threatned Her out of that match and in plain terms commended Robert Dudley a new fallen Widower of his own making for this design and other great conveniencies to mary Her But that was retorted with much scorn by Her Kindred in France the Guises as unequal and unworthy they being then in Treaty for Her with the Emperors Son and others of France the Prince of Conde and the Duke of Ferrara and so was Queen Elizabeths design narrowly examined by them and suggested that this proposed mariage was but to colour Her own resolves to mary Dudley Her self which gave the more suspition he being suddenly made Masterof Her Horse created Baron Denbigh and the next day E. of Leicester and for the more credit his Brother was made Baron Lisle and Earl of Warwick But Leicester by Proxie made Court to Queen Mary and in time Commissioners were appointed from either Kingdomes to treat thereof at Barwick Though indeed he had some false hopes from the common bruit to mary Q. Eliz. and therefore privately authorized his confident Commissioner the Earl of Bedford to hinder the Treaty and to further the Q. of Scots mariage with Henry Darly Son to the Earl of Lenox who were both of them called home by their Queen after their twenty years banishment here in England And no sooner She saw Darly but presently designs Her self to him From which Mariage proceeded Her disquiet and future unhappiness This Darly was highly descended his Father Matthew Stuart Earl of Lenox born of the Royal stock of the Stuarts was allwaies acknowledged next Heir to the Queen of Scots in Her infancy And this his Son a person of incomparable mixtures of mind and body might well excuse the Queens choice and her disjointed Councils concerning her Husband And when she found it came to light she desired Q. Elizabeths consent but Murray most ambitious and unwilling to leave his power and interest in the sway of Government together with Hamilton sought under hand all indefatigable waies and means in England to prevent it though Queen Elizabeth had no need to be taught designs and devices if possible to divide this intended Match Which indeed caused Queen Mary the sooner to hasten and having knighted Darly and created him Lord Armanoch Earl Rosse and Duke of Rothsay at the five Moneths end of hir beginning She took him her King and Husband 1565. And now Murray
of Gods Church N●nc saith he extremus actus agitur nisi istinct afferatur remedium And unless the Devil be now unsaddled by them habenas ei laxatum iri he would get the Bit in his Teeth and run riot at pleasure And for his own part he meant not to stay by it but run away too Nec morositate nostra ●iet ut loco potius cedamus quam sententia And for what can a Man imagine all these good words why truly he tells Mr. Bullinger Brevis summa est that your Noble Senate would say that his Discipline is Consentanea verbo Dei By no means they would not but they were content to say it did accedere ad praescriptum verbi Dei and withall returned back with their Letters a Form of their Government but not to prescribe any of it to them for that their own at Geneva might be more convenient Hereupon 1537. Calvin foreknowing the effect of their Letters hastens the City to resolve who with much ado assemble and put their own discipline to the Vote which came to this upshot as Calvin saies himself In illa promisc●a calluvie Suffragiis fuimus superiores for when stomach strives with wit the match is unequal And let these his own Words be recorded in perpetuam rei memoriam by how many reverend Fathers and famous Persons with what Wisdome and Deliberation this Form of pretended holy Discipline was revived and entertained if a disordered multitude by most voices laid this plat-form for all posterity to imitate Major voice helpt him well upon which advantage he would practice And therefore crouds in fifty French his Countreymen at a clap free Denizons who had Ius Iubendae legis and his Inter est was no doubt more to force in Ministers For when the Magistrates would have but preferred a Genevian born to be one Calvin storms at him Trollietus saies he quidnam quod natione sit Genevensis no other cause nisi quod Simiae amant suos Catulos And indeed the Emperour Charls V. intending wars upon France gave good leasure and leave to the Reformers to increase the Pope to be displeased which occasioned Calvin to compile his Book De necesitate reformandae Ecclesiae And so have we from whence It came whither It would who devised It when and how and where planted in Geneva Anno 1554. and Calvin continued there to his death 1561. aged 52. years And yet to spread it abroad for all Calvins wit he was glad it seems to get it into favour with the assistance of Reverend Beza being alike bred up with the profession of several Reformers who together gave value to the progress of this beginning and truly of a good Man grew much in admiration of Calvins wit which induced him thereto and became at length very bold in his Prescriptions to some in England to intermeddle here and in Scotland for the like Reformation witness his Epistles to Lawson and Knox His discourse of three kind of Bishops of God of Man and of the Devil to the exceeding censure of him In France it had no repute being termed Thalmud Sabaudiacum To England it came upon occasion of some Male-contents in reference to Geneva for in Queen Maries Martyring time those being fled to Franckford they were afresh assaulted with the Orders of Geneve and Knox and Whittington collect the particulars of Edward the sixth's Common-Prayer Book and send it to Calvin who very censoriously is pleased to say Multas video fuisse tolerabiles ineptias However Franckford inclined to the English and chuse Dr. Horn their Superintendent at which Calvin storms and by great entertainments of other English as Whittington Gilby Goodman and others invited their Persons to Geneve and so stole their hearts to his humonr also And they thereafter spread it in England the second year of Queen Elizabeth About which time Knox came also and carried it into Scotland And this is the true story of the Geneve discipline briefly and impartially put together This year a Treaty was held at Cambray by Delegates of England France and Spain for settling the various differences of State but especially between England and France for restoring Calice which had been lost to them by Queen Mary but by no means would be rendered back Yet at last a Truce was concluded upon these Articles Neither Prince shall invade each Other nor assist Eithers Enemies The Ships of either Nation shall give Caution at their se●ting out to Sea not to molest each Other Free Commerce and Trading to be increased The French Fortification at Armoth in Scotland to be demolished Eight years the French shall enjoy Calice with the Appurtenances and sixteen Pieces of Ordinance and presently after shall restore it to Queen Elizabeth Eight sufficient Merchants not French Subjects shall be bound in 500000 Crowns for performance hereof and the Right of the Town to remain in the Queen And if any Attempt or Innovation be by any English during that time against the French or the Queen of Scots then the other shall be free And on the contrary If any prejudice shall be attempted or done by the French King the Queen of Scots or the Dolphine against England then Calice shall be instantly from thenceforth rendred to Q. Elizabeth A Peace at the same time and place was concluded between the Queen of England and Francis and Mary King and Queen of Scotland and certain A●RTICLES of Agreements were referred to Commissioners to regulate abuses of each Borderers And accordingly this Peace was proclamed in England and Frauce but soon broken for the French King aiming at England for his Son and the Queen of Scots would not withdraw his French Garrisons out of Scotland as was agreed but privily sent over fresh Supplies and openly challenges Interest in England for his Son and Daughter-in-law and in all writings used this Title Francis and Mary King and Queen of Scotland England and Ireland Bearing and quartering the Arms of England and upon their Heralds Coats Of which Throgmorton the English Ambassadour Lieger complained without redress Levied forces openly and sent them to Scotland to border all places of England And being an utter Enemie to the Protestaints was under hand abetted by the Pope the Emperour and Spain holding Her an Heretique and Illegitimate But those his Designs were soon cut off by an untimely accident upon him for tilting at the Nuptials of his Daughter with Spain and his Sister with Savoy and being run in at the eye with a Lance the Bur sticking in his brains he died immediately Some hopes Queen Elizabeth had now of lessening her fears and therefore to strike in with his Son and Successor She kept his Fathers Obsequies with magnificent solemnity in Pauls Church And sent Howard the Lord Effinghams Son to Condole the Kings Death and to Congratulate the new Successor with desire to continue Friendship and League as with his Father But the
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
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 Qu●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 H●●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 Iohnst●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 Ro●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
Edenburgh the 8. of October towards Dunfres mustering 18000. men and marching up and down return to Edenburgh The most of these Lords being of the Religion and called The Lords of the Congregation fled into England to the Earl of Bedford Lieutenant of Berwick from thence Murray posts to London but leaves the Lords at Newcastle He was much mistaken for the Queen with great sute ere she affords him audience demanding how he being a Rebel to her Sister dares thus boldly take protection in her Realm denies to support him or any his Confederate Companions However after Murrays departure she sent them aid and writ in their favour to the Queen Upon this Rebellion divers of the Kirk party fled also as ingaged therein and those remaining were in some fear Iohn Knox stiling them absent the best and goodlyest part of all the Nobility chief Members of the Government alwaies praying for them in publique and reviling those that appeared for the King even in the presence of all the Council In November all those Lords in Rebellion were summoned against the fourth of February for Treason and not appearing the Queen publiquely declared her Defence and Maintenance of the Catholiques and sundry Lords and others went openly to Mass. At last the banisht Lords humbled themselves for the King and Queens favour The Duke and his Friends at Newcastle in England by mediation of the Abbot of Kilcunning had pardon upon condition to depart into France which he did The 25. Decemb. the Commissioners of the Churches for the general Assembly convene in Edenburgh and conclude That notwithstanding the Acts of Parlament and Proclamations the Masse and Papistry was maintained and new Collectors being put in forbidding allowances to the Ministery in great want In these they resolved to have relief The Catholiques for themselves supplicate also for publique use of their Religion which was granted and they offered the dispute being backed by the King and his Faction all Papists together with the power of Rizio an Italian favourite under title of the French Secretary and yet these Lords now at Court were divided Morton Mar and Lethington against Huntley and Bothwell And again the General Assembly meet at Edenburgh and order a publique Fast throughout all the reformed Churches the manner devised by Knox and printed which is the first method of that kind that we read of in Scotland So thereupon followed the effects Supplication to the Queen for Regulation of the means ordained for Support of the Ministery Spotswood Row and Lindsey present their case And the Queen answered that the fault was in their own Officer and Controller Pittarrow who medled with the thirds and so the Ministers and Assembly departed to their Residencies In Ianuary arrives through England Monsieur Rambullet Embassadour from France with 40. horse his Train who brought to the King the Order of Saint Michael the Scots call it the Cockle-shell and at this Ceremony of investing the Heraulds were in some disorder to devise Arms for the Kings bearing The Arms of Scotland were not allowed seeing the Parliament denied him the Crown Matrimonial he could have no other but as Earl and Duke the Queen bidding them allow him no more than his Due Her love becomes cold for she began to set her Name before His and not long af●er to leave him out of all writings And because of some necessary use of his Signet alone It was advised out of his hand and trusted to Rizio And now at Edenburgh the Court busie about the Attainder of some of the banished Lords not submitting which by reason of dissenting parties was staied and more particular occasioned by the Murther of Rizio This Italian or Piedmontoise a Musitian by Profession but by his Wit and cunning got to be Secretary to the Queen for French as Mettallan was of State who for envy to him and love to Rizio's Enemy plotted revenge with Morton and Lord Herris to be rid of Rizio by any way but Morton refused Then he insinuates with Rizio and tells him that the Office of Chancelour being in Morton a man unlearned in Letters or Laws was only protected by the Queens favor which if by his means withdrawn his Office might be soon surrendred to Rizio and he made capable thereof by being free Denizon and naturalized Hereupon Mortons Castle of Tantallon was summoned into the Kings hand who enters as heir to his Grand-father the Earl of Angus Rizio is designed Earl and money offered for Melvin Castle with the like increase of Favour neglects his duty to the King and draws on his own Death now concluded by George Dowglas an active man the Lord Lindsey Lord Ruthen and the Earl of Lennox the Kings Father Rizio suspects and keeps Guard of 50. Halberds Then they adjoin the E. Morton hardly drawn thereto until his right to the Earldom of Augus was restored and further capitulates by Articles That Religion should be re-established as before the Queen returned out of France The banished Lords to be restored And the fact to be owned by the King who signed hereto Lenox posts into England to the Lords and brings them neerer the Borders The Confederates and Morton with strength and secrecie seizes the keys of the Palace leaves some forces in the Inner Court below to surprize such Lords as were not of the plot and staies in the presence The King with Ruthen and five more went up the back-stairs to the Queen at Supper waited on by the Countess Arguile Rizio and some Servants She was amazed to see them armed Ruthen fastens upon Rizio tells him a meaner place became him who ran to the Queen and clasping her the King gently takes the Queen in his Arms and saies He is resolved to punish the Villain for his abuse to the Countrey and so delivers him to Ruthen who carries him down to Morton Bothwell and Huntley raise the Court but are beaten back by the Guard and forced to fly Metallan who though chief in this design supped with Athole to keep him in and himself from mistrust but his Servants were in the fray which scuffling below was suspected above as a Rescue for Rizio and so they suddenly stab'd him with Daggers The South●aiers had warned him of the Bastard which he interpreted to be Murray but it was George Dowglas who was a bastard These Murtherers at the first had proposed to hang him and had Halters for that purpose but in hast they stabb'd him with 53. wounds Bothwell and Huntley came in to the Close but soon had their arrand to begon or to taste the same sauce Rizio had ambitiously managed the most affairs with pride beyond the equipage of the King and was designed this Parliament to be Chancelour which made those Lords in envy to be his Enemies and forced the King and his Father to sign to his Death Rizio had advice of this by the French Priest Dannet but his fate was unavoidable which the Queen
some time resented with tears threatning revenge which to avoid they fly to England where Ruthen dies The Noise hereof in the Town caused the Provost to ring the Common Bell or sonner le Tocsen as the French speak assembling 500. and come up to the Court but the King told them all was well The King to strengthen himself after this Action inclined to the Religion and subscribed to a Proclamation that all Bishops Abbats and other Papists should avoid the Town which they did and commands the Provost and those of Lieth and Conogate to be in arms with advice also to other Lords to hasten to him with force And now comes Murray and other banished Lords being sent for as the Covenant against Rizio was subscribed convoyed by Hume with 1000. horse The Earls Cathness Athole Sutherland with all the Bishops being departed the Town In comes the other new faction of Lords and in Council advise the Queen to be satisfied with Rizio's death and take it as good service the Queen dissembling her passion got the remove of all the men in Arms out of the Court and so with some domestiques in the night drew the easy King to fly with her to Dunbar sending for all the Lords to attend in five daies The Religion by these factions ever-more get advantage which otherwise this Parliament now sitting might have lessned being most Papists for a dozen wooden Altars were prepared to be set up in St. Giles Church The Queen now assisted with Bothwell Huntley and others with Proclamation before them march with a thousand back to Edenburgh from whence the united Lords but divided in opinions depart and disperse and Knox we easily believe was not left behind And much troubled were he and his that the King by his Proclamation now excused himself from the Murther of Rizio who offended all men their own words the fact being done for his Honour if he had wisdome to see it and so lost his Credit and Friends by his Inconstancy and tr●ly it was rumoured and some writ so that Knox had a hand in it Divers Lords were put to the Horn their Lands escheated and many of them executed but Arguile and Murray received into favour and both factions somewhat pieced and reconciled The King and his Father neglected and Bothwell preferred very highly The Ministers Supplicate for their Stipends complaining very humbly not usual of the Officers and Collectors and for redress desire Mandatory Letters for Restitution and to stop it in the Queens Exchequer till farther Order In all she promised very gratious relief The 19. of Iune 1566. the Queen at Edenburgh was delivered of a Son with exceeding joy and great happiness to all the Kingdome and the several assemblies followed assisted by Murray and Arguile wherein Paul Messans formerly excommunicate about his Bastard as aforesaid and now returned out of England was to be received into the Church again Knox invited him home and presuming of his free pardon and forgiveness sent his Apostolique Letters to accompany him to the Assembly and tells them in the words of St. Paul concerning the excommunicate incestuous person It is sufficient that he was rebuked of many c. For this cause I write that I might know your obedience in all things and to whom you forgive I forgive also c. But notwithstanding this Apostolick Command his Repentance is prescribed much like a Penance Presenting himself in Sackcloth bare of Bonnet and bare of Shoon for an hour at the Entry of Saint Giles Church in Edenburgh at seven hours in the Morn till Prayers psalm and Text and then upon the Stool all Sermon and so for three several Church-daies and confesses his Repentance And in this manner also in Iedwart and Dundee which after all performed and received a Repentant He complaining of this rigour and shame without taking leave of any retires back again into England The Bishop of Galloway the Earl of Huntleys Brother being called to Council could not brook his former title of Super-Intendent as he was stiled and thereof formerly well pleased but must be called Bishop of Galloway In August one Harris that had been of the Queens Chapel but lately of the reformed Religion and got into E. Ruthens service having acted in the Murther of Rizio was thereof convict hanged and quartered The King condemned of all and neglected of the Queen wrote to the Pope and to Spain complaining of the Queens ill Government of the Catholiques which she intercepted and resented to his ruin For Bothwel to bring on his Design aimed to be Principal and to effect his Greatness thought good to procure Morton to be called home but not to Court where he might look on and not be seen free from fear and danger and though a Kins-man to the King yet his Power was lessened to nothing Most writers complain of these times and some of them like Noahs blessed Sons overspread with the Mantle of silence the nakedness of these unnatural actions of such as we ought to ow duty and piety unto pittying the Errors of Princes Their excellent endowments of Nature and Morality not to be exampled and yet Shipwrackt in mis-governing I cannot search into all the Causes which drew on these lamentable events Secret Lothings in Wedlock which who knows but the Actors dislike hatred freedom revenge seconded with false shews of Reason and Colour of Law and Justice what will it not do Her Husband had dragged Rizio from her affection and favour to death He was not crowned but made publique by Her Proclamation not acknowledged by Parliament and in law but a Private Man and her Subject and so lyable to judgment But his powerful kindred and Friends prevent that attempt Secret Justice is Justice formalities are for common Causes and the Princes power may dispence with forms in case of necessity or convenience and so he became an object of wicked mens malice And now had Knox procured though heretofore he cunningly refused as fearing prevention or false play when now not overlooked he to his purpose got the Churches of Geneva Bern and Basil with others reformed in Germany and France to send to the Kirk of Scotland the sum of their several Confessions of faith he alleging the dissonant opinions of Scotland which occasioned an Assembly of Knox and his Confidents who having a confused irregulation without any positive Articles concluded as the most cunning way to assent to all without exceptions and so returned answer as if in Spirit to jump in faith and discipline who never could agree amongst themselves in either At this time the Kirks saies so Bothwell was wounded in chace of the Theeves at Liddisdale whom the Queen visited and thereof in grief took sickness in extremity but say they by binding Cords about her shacle bones knees and great Toes a pretty cure for our Mountebanks It seems an od fit of the Mother she revived prayed in English and commends the
hands of the Earls of Huntley and Arguile and sent to Q. Eliz. as an undeniable Truth dated Decem. 1567. which I have seen Hereupon the Confederates to acquit Bothwell of the Murder consent to the general apprehending all such as were suspected and Bothwel in particular accused by the Earl of Lenox the late Kings Father his Case is pleaded by Morton and he cleered by Sentence of the Judges And now Bothwell fitted with honour to a capacity of Mariage the Confederates gaining many Lords to their design set their hands to an Instrument for that purpose and altogether implore the Queen to mary Bothwell which being done and their turns served Then they increase a violent suspition and vent it abroad of the Queens guilt and consent with Bothwell and so conspire her deposing and his distruction Murray most suspected for the great Villany which followed intreats for leave to travel into France as weary of these Disquiets and to colour his knavery commits his whole Estate in trust to the Queen and Bothwell No sooner gone but all the Confederates take Arms publishing That Bothwell now Duke of Orkney intended to surprize the Prince and captivate the Queen who get forces and proclame them Rebels and march to Seaton and thereabout The Armies face each other of equal strength The French Embassadour mediates for Peace but to no purpose and so retires into Edenburgh The Lords to add Justice to their Cause which seemed hor●id against their Comfortless and distressed Queen satisfie the people that were racked into fears and jealousies how to distinguish these distempers in State They caused therefore their Ensigns with this device The late King wounded and dead the Prince James kneeling by his hands heaved up towards Heaven with part of the Psalm Iudge and revenge my Cause O Lord. Then out comes Bothwel and to avoid the blood of many offers his own in combate against any Iames Murray the younger Brother accepts the Challenge but he is refused as not equal in honour The elder Brother William Laird of Tyllyburn and then Lord Lindsey desired the Combate To whom Morton sends the warlike Sword of Earl Archibald commonly called Bell the Cat and a Buckler with these he presents himself between the Armies and Bothwel there before But the Queen forbad them In fine the Lords increasing numbers being neer home Edenburgh and the Hamiltons failing the Queens forces Bothwel takes time to fly being under-hand advised by Morton his pretended back-friend which he did least if taken Prisoner he might be to unravel all these Treacheries And now absent it would increase belief of his and the Queens guilt in the late Murther of the King He gone and ●he worsted in fight and without any defence renders her self into Edenburgh Castle for thatnight and the next day she is carried Prisoner to a Castle in the Isle of Lochlevin under the strickt custody of Murrays Mother the Harlot of Iames 5. insulting over the poor imprisoned boasting her self the lawful Wife of Iames 5. and her Son to be his lawful Off-spring Both●ell under hand sends to Balfore Governor of the Castle for a Silver Cabinet of the Q. which was delivered to the Messenger but discovered to the Lords who surprized it and so the secret Letters opened all their actions In this hurray of affairs the Ministers never idle break down the Abbies and all the figures of painting and sculpture in the rich Chapel of Holy-rood At last comes the Hamiltons with forces in sight of Edenburgh to recover all assisted with Arguile the Earls of Huntley Caithness Rothess Crawford and 15. Lords besides others of Ge●try The other Lords move the general Assembly of Mini●ters now as alwaies in uprores convened in Iune to write to the Enemy And besides those Letters who more busie to accompany them and go on the Errand but the Ministery that mean● nothing less than peace Knox Dowglas Roe and Crage making such demands for themselves and more maintenance for the Ministery That the Cure would be far worser than the Disease These Peace-making Ambassadors but more military minded return with their message bad enough to be bid welcom which they also heighten for their own purpose and join altogether in 8. Articles That the former Parliament 24. of August 1560. and all the Acts for Religion should be made good and defended as lawful That the thirds of Tyths and larger proportion of Benefices for the Ministers For reception of youths into Schools and Universities by probate to be reformed Crimes against God to be punished The Murther of the King to be prosecuted The Prince protected The Covenant promoted Popery suppressed by arms if need were That all successive Kings and Princes at Coronation to be sworn to the Religion Queen Elizabeth detesting these unbridled insolencies of Subjects whom she termed Perfidious Ingrateful Cruel Rebels sends Sir Nicholas Throgmorton to expostulate with the Confederates to restore the Queen from imprisonment and preserve the Prince into England They all assemble Rebels seldom consent in unanimity but resolve Not to admit Ambassadours of England nor Le Croc. and Ville du Roy out of France to see the Queen Lethington the cunning Secretary and his faction advise for her restoring he Murther of the King to be answered the Prince provided for Bothwel divorced and Religion published Others would banish her perpetually into England or France and those Princes to undertake her Renunciation of Regency to her Son and certain Lords Others are for her Tryal Condemnation and perpetual custody and to set up her Son The last and most villains would have her deprived of Princely Authority life and all and this Kno● and other Ministe●s thundered out in Pulpits Throgmorton disputes her Cause alleging what the Word of God and all National Lawes do decree concerning the sacred power of Soveraigns and earthly duty of Subjects They reply with Buchanans damnable doctrine de Iu●e regni apud Scot●s Murray and he Contrivers of that Tractate contrary to the whole Histories of Scotland to create and depose their Princes They excuse their non-admission of the English Ambassadours address to Her with the denying of the French who seemed to be satisfied And in conclusion frame a Declaration in writing without subscription of any which they exhibite to Throgmorton in answer of all In effect To no other intent they shut her up but to sequester her from Bothwels person whom they pretend she dotes upon to their r●in and so whilst she cools towards him her anger may abate from them with which result and no more he takes leave and returns home to England They work upon her restraint and miserable Imprisonment first in fair way to resign her Regency and to incline her they loosen her to a little freedom the better to shew her the means to escape away but increasing threats if she refuse to arraign her for Incontinency Murther and Tyranny At last they compel
and to mary Norfolk They promise to procure Queen Elizabeths consent and the other to be restored to all which she in Prison easily yielded and who could blame her in the case she was But ere they had so done Queen Elizabeth had suspition and therefore it was more than time to break it themselves so from one to the other it was neglected till Leicester did it She asked the Duke thereof and charged him to decline it least he hop't headless and it was good warning sufficient to him to look ere he leap't and so he stole away in time of Progress back to London Caecil wisely took care of the State and learned so much of the Matter that the Duke began to fear restless in any place withdrew to Norfolk where some Commotion was purposely set on foot and he suspected To prevent the worst he returns back towards the Court but at Saint Albans was taken to guard and secured for by this time Treacherous Murray had out of Scotland discovered what he knew and upon which the Duke was sent to the Tower Bishop Ross and others committed and Pembroke examined not well remembring what he had said or should say for he could not read a word Northumberland and Westmerland take Arms but fearing greater opposition fled into the North. But ere all this was known in Scotland Secretary Metallan increased faction for Queen Mary and sided with Hume and Grange Captain of Edenburgh Castle and before it was ripe he is sent for to Sterlin accompanied with the Earl Athole to intercede if need were and need there was for he is accused as Accessary to the late Kings murther and committed close Prisoner Sir Iames Balfore in the same Condition were both of them sentenced by the Convention of States for by them Murray did all his work as in cases of Treason but with much ado Balfore had pardon and Metallan reprived to Edenburgh Castle and Murray posted up and down to reduce the Norfolk faction and the Queens who were increased and returns to the Life Tryal of Metallan at Edenburgh where finding his Party too strong being of Hamilton Huntley Arguile and others he warily adjourned the arraignment for though by this time News came of the Dukes Commitment in England yet his Faction increased very powerful and his Plot went on in Scotland The Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland in favour of the Queen of Scots and right Rebels to Religion with 6000. Foot and 2000. Horse mastered Durham burnt the Bible and Service Books heard Mass in Darnton and took Bernard Castle but being pursued by the Earl of Warwick with twelve thousand men and Sussex with another army of seven thousand they were forced to fly into Scotland in December and lurked among the Borderes and Robbers until Morton betrayed Northumberland to the Regent who sent him prisoner to Lochleven being an Enemy to all sides but the Queen of Scots This service Queen Elizabeth took well and gave audience to Pitcarn his Ambassadour to whom she promised to desist the restoring of Queen Mary and assured all friendship to the Regent when he should crave her aid The effect was soon published in Scotland to the fear and lessening of Maries party and they not able to Master his Power took the bold way of base treachery be one Iames Hamilton whose life Murray had saved and he undertakes to kill him His opportunity he takes at Lithgow in secret where he placed himself in a House as the Regent passed by shot him with an Harquebuss out at a Window the bullet passed thorow his Body and killed the Horse under George Dowglass 21. Ianuary 1569. He dyed that night Hamilton had his horse ready and scaped beyond Seas where he dyed not long after Murray was base Son to King Iames the fift and took up Religion for the gain of the Spoil of Papists He was a Man full of Ambition injurious and ungrateful to the Queen and likely not to have spared her Son when time had wrought him power to effect it He was much assisted in his Regency by Mortons perpetual concurrency and may be coupled as Parmenio and Alexander Nihil Murray absque Morton Multa Morton absque Murray It comes to be the question whether for Interest or Friendship Morton was so fixt certainly Murray aimed at all the Queen in durance and his labour so to continue her or rather to have her in his Custody and so to have ordered her and her Son for his own purpose To ballance him the Queens faction were Hamiltons Arguile Athole Huntley and almost all the petty Princes as the Scots call themselves Earls of Crawfoord Rothess Eglinton Cassiles the Lords Harris Maxwells Iohnston Seaton Boyd Grey Mettallan the Secretary and Politicquer and Grange the active Captain of the Castle of Edenburgh and most of the strong Castles and Forts the French did assist them and Spain favored them and so did all Catholiques In England the faction of Norfolk and Papists and all Male-contents or Treacheries took up Queen Maries cause to mutiny She had her Rents in France duly paid and her Jewels and much under-hand support to countenance her Am●assadours abroad and private Emissaries and a working brain for her own ends All the English banished Lords Dacres Westmerland and all the Popish at home The other party which we call the Kings but indeed they were of all sides partial to their own Iuterests Pride and Ambition and took up factions accordingly were Morton Mar Lenox Glencarn Lindsey and Glams Simple Methvain Ruthen no Castles but Sterlin and Tantallon and the Commons and from England Queen Elizabeth knew well how to feed them on all sides with a bit and a bob for in this time she had sent three several Armys against the Borderers under that colour which most horridly burnt all in their way with incredible mischief to that miserable Nation The Murther of Murray was lookt upon as more publique than to be acted by one and a Resolution of his Friends to question it by force or Justice In the mean time the Estates appoint a day and this put off was counselled by Metallan who was got out of Prison in this hurrey of affairs and suspected the Plotter of Murrays death The Lords meet and stand upon their guard but agree in nothing for the common safety the Queens Party elect three Lieutenants Arran Arguile and Huntley and appoint a Parliament in August after In this while Queen Elizabeth sends Sir William Drury with three hundred Horse and a thousand foot into Scotland to pursue her Rebells as was pretended but sided with Morton and did some mischief to the Queens Faction and so returned Home The 13. of I●ly in a Convention at Sterlin Lenox the Kings Grandfather is chosen Regent and Hamilton refused Queen Elizabeth declining her direction in that Election but well pleased since she had his wife in her hands He marches with Forces of 5000. men to Linlithgow and prevents
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 pit●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 Acce●●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 ac●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
with the then congregation And afterwards in the ordering of distribution for Ministers amongst the Burgs he was elected for Aberdeen the place then of the ablest Papists the rather therefore to reclame them from their errors by practice of Piety profound preaching wherein he profited to again of many to the faith in 14 years labour and dyed 60 years of age And now was Andrew Melvil a fiery zelot labouring for the absolute Presbyterial discipline of Geneva i●sinuating with Iohn Dury minister of Edenburugh in their Assembly to question the lawfulness of the Episcopall function and the Authority of Chapiters in their election but himself cunningly pretended ignorance but since the question was so started he commended the speakers zeal seconding the purpose with a tedious discourse of the flourishing estate of Geneva Church and the opinion of wise Mr. Calvin and reverend Mr. Beza and came to affirm That None ought to be Officers in the Church whose Titles were not found in the 〈◊〉 And though that of Bishops were in Scripture yet not to be taken in the same sense that commonly was conceived Christ allowing no Superiority amongst Ministers Himself only Lord of his Church and all the Servants in one degree having like power Concluding Then the Corruptions of Bishops were so great that unless removed Religion could not be long preserved Hereupon divers are selected to confer three to three and concluded their opinions to the Assembly 1. That the Name Bishop was common to able Ministers of a flock his chief function to preach to administer Sacraments and exercise Ecclesiastical Discipline with consent of his Elders 2. That some one Minister might oversee and visit such reasonable bounds besides his own flock 3. And he to appoint Preachers with advice of the Provincial Ministers and the consent of the flock 4. And to suspend Ministers from their Office with consent of the Ministers of the bounds It is strange that the Arch-bishop of Glasgow and six other Bishops with Super-intendents and all interessed were not called to the conference though present in the Assembly Nor doth it appear that they spake at all therein so humble to hold their tongues in a case of their own or rather referring it to the Regents Wisdom whose opinion had been ever to uphold Episcopacy The next Assembly altered the question and formed it Whether Bishops as they were then in Scotland had their function warranted by the Word of God But the Major part approved of those in the last Meeting The Regent finding them so to differ sent them word to settle upon somewhat and to abide therein Of which they take advantage and with much ado present a form of Policy to the Regent Acknowledging in their Preface That they did not accompt it compleat but to add or diminish as God shall reveal vnto them But some Troubles in State prevent their further progress The Regent flesht in the fury of rapine having fleeced Commons and Clergy and settled the North and South Borders cared not for the Gentry and grieved the Peers His neerest friends the Earl of Angus and others forewarned him of his Slippery station But Morton settled in the very seat of the Scorne● careless of any complaints made good his greatness by grace of Queen Elizabeth whom he conserved with all diligent observance His aim was to ruin Hamiltons house hating them as his Hereditary Enemies scared thereto by an old Wives Rhime which bid him beware of Arrans Race Hamiltons Family whom he banished or suppressed The two last years as it seems slipt away in shew I am sure in silence of any disturbance for ought that Authors can tell to much purpose but it is like the more was in secret hatching For as the Queens Imprisonment grew to her impatient so by Q. Elizabeth it was heightned to some danger As a Wolf by the Ear. To keep her in durance was her own disquiet and to release her dangerous to the State all their study was to counsel what to do with her and with much difficulty it was agreed upon to put her to Death There was one Antonio d' Peres Secretary to Philip of Spain escaped thence out of Prison and over he comes to England as best able here to do his Master most injury He was grown intimate with the Earl of Essex which being known to Caecil Lord Burleigh he advised that Essex might deal with him to fish out somewhat from his Masters streams which was done to the purpose revealing all his designs for the imprisoned Queen and being rewarded here had his Invitation home again with some hope of reconcilement and favor also which fell out not as he desired but as he deserv'd for he was at last hangd for his labor In many of his Letters to Essex which since came to my hands I find much of the m●tter but for want of the Key the Cyphers put me to trouble with some consideration What uneven policies there were towards that poor imprisoned Queen Don Iuan of Austria Governour for the King of Spain over the Netherlands proud and ambitious being Neighbourly acquainted with the Troubles of England and Scotland for to him all these discontented Fugitives repaired was made believe that the Duke of Norfolk being gon the Queen of Scots was most fit to be offered to him and easie enough to be effected with the expulsion of Queen Elizabeth and assured hopes of both Kingdomes To which purpose he hastily makes perpetual peace with the Netherlands and labours his time and means to infest England But underhand to amuse Queen Elizabeth the more gives her the occasion to congratulate the Peace by sending the Articles for her perusal intending secretly with all speed to surprize some Pieces and Ports in England and Scotland with help of the Pope who sent to the King of Spain in his behalf and the chief Fugitives of England and Scotland being with him he in an instant had swallowed the Conceit and Mariage of a Queen with two Kingdomes to boot but his wilde ambition the sooner flatted and he fooled into neglect and disdain And now dies that Princely Lady Margaret Dowglas old Countess Dowager of Lenox 63 years of age whom Queen Elizabeth kept in England at her elbow whilst her sonne Darly was maried to the Scots Queen and her husband had power there She was descended from Henry 7. by Margaret his eldest daughter maried to James 4. who had James 5. And being a widow maried to a second husband Archibald Dowglas Earl of Angus by whom she had Margaret Dowglas of Harbotel in Northumberland who maried Mathew Earl of Lenox leaves France and comes into England to Henry 8. And here invested with honour and land in Yorkshire From these issued Henry Stuart Lord Darly who maried Queen Mary of whom came King James 6. So then her descent was royall in King Edwards time in much honnor here but after in adverse fortune she lived
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
them all The deposing Mort on exalted the Presbyterian hopes to erect the Geneve Discipline by Pastors Deans and Super-intendents and now to bring it about they call a Synod wherein all factions to the prejudice of the King were more cherished than Divine Worship intended for they decree The Ecclesiastical Regency to the Super-Intendents and left the Bishops only to one Church and exempt from Iurisdiction to relinguish Episcopacy and to omit Dispensation of Divine duties The King withstood this decree and revokes the business to his own brest and therein the Bishop of St. Andrews was the greatest Stickler The adverse party had Andrew Melvin a Man singular with them but not with the learned His tenents were To vindicate equality in the Ministry arrogantly endeavouring to suppress the Churches ancient authority and to erect to themselves a Statue of honour from the ruins of the Bishops disgrace Sick and ill disposed was the estate of Episcopacy the Praecisians prevalent in number The Nobles for Episcopacy joined with the Kings inclination To take protection of the fainting Ecclesiastick Discipline into his Care commanding the other to infuse fidelity into the people to abstain from innovation to reverence Bishops and follow peace Mortons 〈◊〉 gave him time and means to meditate Revenge and 〈◊〉 with the youthful inclination of the young E. of Mar 〈◊〉 quarrel with his Uncle Erskin for assuming the chiefty of that family and the usurpation of the Kings Tut●lage It took fire with the Gallant who secretly with his Train possesses Sterlin Castle his Uncle Erskin and the King and puts by Arguile one of the three Assistants The noyse hereof brings the Lords into Arms and their care of the Peace of the Kingdom assign Commissioners herein who decree all Erskins former interest upon Mar. The Queen of England sends Randolph whose often Legations had made him exquisite to congratulate the King whose rare and various Ornaments of Wit and Learning eminent in such an age as no Prince could ever parallel assures the Queens great affection and perswades the Lords to peace which was patcht up for the present But Morton grows insolent abolishing the Triumvirate rule and usurps all to himself of which Arguile Athol and Montross remonstrate to the King who refers it to the next Parliament in Iuly at Edenburgh where secretly some Lords covenant whom Morton undermines by fraction and advises for the meeting at Sterlin as more wholsom for the King and Nobles but indeed fitted for his faction of men of Arms and so it was to be there in the Court of the Castle and not as usual in the Common-Hall against which the other Edenburgh Lords protested as invalid and would not meet But the Parliament sate and the King this first time adorned with Majesterial Ornaments Robes and Scepter told them That it was not material where they met so his safety were included that his Court entertained all excluded none However this place should be no Prescript for posterity that he intended no innovation against his Predecessors Institutions that the opinions of a few should not dictate to the whole and so approves the Act by Proclamation Montross a Commissioner for the Lords remaining at Edenburgh posts thither with this news they take Arms ten thousand men and yet declare for the King Angus Mar and Morton do the like at Sterlin wh●re both sides incamp but fought not at the earnest endeavour 〈◊〉 the English Ambassadour Sir Iohn Bowes and all disband And to piece this Discord the King proposes Moderators Lindsey Harris Ogleby Innerness for Arguile and Rothess Bucan Ruthen and Boyd for Morton but not prevailing Morton retires to his Palace at Dalkieth In whose absence the Delegates accord and he and Arguile and Athol meet and feast at Lieth which so pleased the King that he congratulates those whose endeavours had acted so much good and they again discuss what can be commodious for his Princely Dignity Magnificence and Profit And it began to be time so to do the Kings wants the Council supply by over value of Coyn which the Citizens withstood as over bitter for their digest Experience having taught this truth That the value of Silver alters the price of victual and all vendables the King as the great Rent Master or Land-lord bearing the greatest Loss for the future though not discernable for the present to his raw young Counsellors and this trick was put upon Morton and worse happened to his destruction The Earl Athole Lord Chancellour by the extremity of his disease yielded to nature or rather a delaying consuming poison forced him hence the suspition fell sadly upon his Corrival Morton and the revenge fell into the Power of Arguile who was chosen Chancellour in his Place This occasion no doubt the very Devil put into Mortons head to work himself mischief for in pure Conscience he intimates to the King the story of his death and so instigates his anger against the Hamiltons remembring also the slaughter of his Grandfather Lenox and of Murray late Regents and for these other crimes aforesaid 1573. and so begins their persecution with fire and Sword assisted with Mar and Angus The Hamiltons within their Castle and other places besieged were forced to yield to the Mercy of the King who executed the Actors of the Paracide and pardoned the rest Iohn and Claud the Sons of the late Duke of Castle-herauld in great distress what to do adventured to fly into England whom the Queen vouchsafed harbouring and sent Master Erington to intercede with the King The next Parliament was in October at Edenburgh where the King shewes himself to his People his years advanced with his Princely understanding to extraordinary Fame requiring his person more publike than at Sterling Solemnities and Ceremonies of Princes being the formal entertainments of reverence and respects And so he rode in all possible State the first day of sitting A great novelty to many to find Majesty in Man that had but seen the shadow for m●●y years in Queens or Counterfeits but now attracted from the peoples hearts and hands venerations and blessings He tells the Houses the benefit of peace and this blessed opportunity to confer with them for the good of the Kingdome which his non-age had denyed them administring rather occasion of Commotion than the remedy of publick grievance which now he resolves to redress alwayes reposing confidence in their wise Counsels and calls God to witness his part aimed at the Preservation of Religion Subjects safety and Kingdoms security And first he enacted The form of Confession agreed in anno 1567. To the Prescript administration of the Sacraments in Act and Will That the present Religion embraced was to be esteemed Orthodoxal in doctrine and discipline And to be imposed upon all that went beyond seas by Oath and Subscription The Bible commanded in Scotch to each family The Power of Ministers regulated and
limitted And the Discipline erected by the Bishops and Super-intendents which had suffered some Diminution but no Synodical act for abolition should be confirmed And so with prosperous effects the Parliament ended and the King returns to his Sports at Sterlin The Presbyters now took up some colourable fears upon landing of one Amys or Amatus Stuart Lord Aubigny so called from Aubigny a Village in Aquitain a French-man born but of Scots family and kinsman to the King A notorious Guisit and Papist as they would have him The Town Aubigny was by Charles the seventh of France given to Iohn Stuart of the family of Lenox who commanded the Scots there and worsted the English which Town and Title depend ever since on the younger Sons and so on this Man He was sent over by the Guises or rather sent for over by Montross and Arguile to subvert Morton or to break the Truce twixt England and Scotland And no sooner landed but received with all honor and advanced in trust created Earl of Lenox and after created Duke a privy Counsellor of the Bed-chamber and Governour of Dunbarton Castle He was soon accused for engrossing so suddenly so much favour and since it hath been taken up for advantage who ever was like to please the King was thereupon cryed down by the Church for a Papist and so he was presented to Queen Elizabeth a dangerous Man and what mischief an evil favourite might suggest to the Kings maturity fitted to act evil impressions his Mothers Designs troublesome to both Realms more easy and proper for him to execute These in England and somewhat at home both together to wrest him from the King and Bowes is sent from Berwick to charge it home before the King and his Council The Queen of England not liking any so neer the King so much of the French Faction as he and one Monbirneau an Actor in the Massacre of France Bowes ere he entered into his errand required to have Lenox and him dismist the Board which was refused before the cause or crime were charged and bidden to produce his Commission for his peremptory demand which he could not and so was forthwith called home Yet to prevent the prejudice of his anger Alexander Hume is sent after to excuse it to the Queen so to learn the truth of her mistrust She as in such Cases to Messengers so all Princes take as Affronts to themselves and so did She and remits him to Burleigh disdaining to see him her self Burleigh Wisely assured him the Queens affections to his own person as a Protestant and his merits to his Master which she would own in any of his Ministers besides she knew him a good Counsellor for her Kinsman the King but denies you her presence who lookes not upon any Ambassadour from another where her own have been unheard and his Commission demanded without President But these are the fruits said he of your young Kings new Counsellors whose first principles are to discredit your best friends and interess their factions such as the Cosin Guises and a Frenchman or two of theirs sent over for that purpose to hazard ruin to the State if they be let to run on unless the Queens prudence and power prevent And so he parted Morton full of malice retires in discontent to Dalkieth disliking the state and manner of Court Miners for in doubt of some danger to his own person he came not neer the King but as commanded to counsel This distance gave his Enemies cause to fear and to prevent his hatred hasten their resolution to ruin him by the accusation of Iames Stuart sonne to the Lord Ucheltrie a bold-faced young man and had his arrand to charge him home which he did of murthering the late King and thus accused to his face and confined to his lodging he might expect no better than the last act of fate to take away his life and though a Pensioner to England this was done without dread of any But this ill news coming to Queen Elizabeth she Posts away Randolph now Post master of England to remove Lenox and to plead for Morton And in their great Assembly he recounts the Queens favours in freeing the Scots of the French with expence of English blood and treasure when her power could have seized all for her self the King then in his cradle his Regents successively owning these kindnesses till Aubigny and that other came in to ruine Religion and rule the King as their ward producing letters to some purpose which most men thought to be counterfeit and so effected nothing When nothing would serve his turn to turn out favorities Randolph takes upon him to set them by the ears and deals with both factions Lenox and Mortons underhand working jealousies to free themselves by force from eithers fewd which grew high and daingerous offering ayd from England to set things square which he made round These being marched to the Borders and the Scots as for the King prepared to receive them the English faction withdrew then and being discovered many were sen● to prison and Randolph thus far besides his Commission durst not indure the power of his privilege but slipt away leaving his Nephew and Angus and Mar chief incendiaries to shift after and Morton to his just reward who was forthwith arraigned convict and beheaded for the murther of the Kings father and so confest by him before he dyed with this excuse that in those times of distraction he durst not but to do so The fatall Axe called the maiden himself had Patterned from that at Hallifax in Yorkshire which he had seen and liked the fashion for falling down between two posts executed him sure and sodain His Honour and Title was conferred on Iohn Maxwell He was an able man in what he undertook so that we may say as of Cato In hoc viro tanta vis animi ingeniique fuit ut quocunque loco natus est fortunam sibi ipse facturus fuisse videretur nulla ars neque privatae neque publicae rei gerendae ei defuit urbanas rusticasque res pariter callebat He was slow of speech with a natural composed gravity his countenance Majesticall his actions Princely had not that guilt of too much gathering and griping degraded those excellencies and left him naked to deserve nothing He desired to have a thing which dyed with him the Scots lawes reduced into Methode and it was urged as useless A great question with them to have Order in any thing that had none to serve God their opinion then hath since infected us His great wealth got together was scattered by unfaithful hands and hearts Livor post fata quiescit Discite mortales mortalia temnere illa Quaerere quae miseris non rapit aura levis About this time Ruthen lately created E. Gowry the son of William Ruthen Queen Maries deadly Enemy with other conspirators under pretence of
conserving the peace of Religion to which they were urged by the factious Ministery and which to secure they endeavour to remove Lenox and Arran from the King that was their colour but in their absence they invite the King to Ruthen Castle and their seize him Prisoner with threats of death untill he consented to the imprisoning of Arran banishing of Lenox into France and the return of the fugitive Angus out of England Of this the distressed Queen of Scots Prisoner at Sheffield writes to Queen Elizabeth a long letter full of miserable sadness Exquisitely expressing all her sufferings from the first of her subjects very oft Rebellion against her from which persecution being invited by her Majesty to rest secure upon her Princely succour and defence she is now by length of time drawn on to dispair of release from that hand which lodes her with lingring of a lothed life plainly and justly demonstrates her to be active and passive consenting to all her Mishaps She calls God to witness her Impartial affection to her Person and her innocency from prejudice of her affairs and State Desires justice of God and her and implores the mitigation of her misery and some more freedome though with Imprisonment of her Person Layes all particular differences home to the Conscience of the Queen and signs to her Letter Vostre tres desolei plus proche parente affectionate Seure Mary Reg. Indeed these were sharp and peircing which so much disquieted Queen Elizabeths Conscience that she consults to release her jointly to govern with the King And eight Articles were drawn up even such as they were the world knew she would never refuse for her extremity enforced her to yield to most unreasonable but this was but to spin time till the State could find some other expedients or some exceptions which dayly happened by Examinations Confessions or Suspitions grounded upon slender yet continual attempts of private persons and publique Designes of Forein States for the poor Queens interests which failing for her good she was though innocent sure to smart But because the manner of the Kings restraint in Ruthen is diversly related and which the Kirk justified for their own ends I shall adventure upon the Truth in these particulars hereafter Some of the Lords combining mischief to the King under colour of Religion and Liberty of the Kingdom took occasion and advantage of the Duke of Arrans absence from the Court and detained the King at Ruthen These Conspirators were Iohn Earl of Mar William Earl Gowry Lords Lindsey Boyd Clames and Oliphant Some Abbots and Lairds and stopt the King going to hunting who not being answered to the reason and cause grew in passion which concluded in tears to be thus vilified But it was reproached That better bairns should weep than bearded men This news hastens the Earl of Arran to Court where he was soon secured and bid be patient with safety of his life for his brother William Stuart was wounded by the way and kept Prisoner The like course they take with some Noblemen sent by the Duke of Lenox to enquire of the King Who cried out to them that he was a Captive and desired his good subjects to release him The conspirators excused themselves that their surprize only restrained the King from Arran and from Lenox whose banishment they threatned into France And forcing the King to pacifie the people with a Proclamation That for removing some differences His Majesty interposed himself Mediator and resolved to reside at Perth being his own free and voluntary choice and commanding such as were in Arms upon pretext of his restraint to dissolve within six houres on pain of death The Duke raises Forces but was countermanded by the Kings Letter to depart the Realm within twenty daies yet he retires to Dunbarton where the Noble-men and others flock to defend his Cause These uprores were posted to Queen Elizabeth who sends Sir Henry Cary and Sir Robert Bowes to advise the King to be counselled by the Lords against the Duke and Arran and to restore the Earl of Angus exiled in England since Mortons execution This last was obtained and soon after he was accepted into favour but much ado to incline the King to part with Lenox The Lords carry the King to Edenburgh where the Ministry justifie their act joyfully singing in Procession the 124. Psalm New Israel may say c. And the Assembly then convened ratifie the attempt on the Kings person at Ruthen and published it in all the Churches of the Realm to the regret and grief of all good men to see a bad cause thus coloured over and defended by the Church which made much for their Popedom that by these means of distraction the Lords gave themselves up to be governed by the Others Judgements Many there were that sided herein the most honest refused to subscribe But Arran was detained prisoner till the Duke was gon over Seas to France who fell sick at Sea and had leave to land at Blackness and so to pass by Queen Elizabeths favour though England where his sickness contracted into a Disease of which he died in Paris next year after and confessed the faith of the Church of Scotland which he alwaies maintained though in the Kirks policy he was accounted a Court Papist Two Ambassadors come from France Menvel and la Matt through England with whom was sent Davidson from Qu. Eliz. to undermine their Message being To work the Kings Liberty to confirm him to the French and renew the purpose of Association which was That the Queen of Scots should communicate the Crown with her son and administration of Iustice so that he may be acknowledged a lawful King by all Christian Princes and thereby all domestique factions suppressed This Embassy was voted in the Kirks Assembly to be a special grievance a wicked practice declaming in their Pulpits against la Matt who being a Knight of the Order of St. Esprit wore the badge of the White-Cross upon his Shoulder which they called The badge of Antichrist and him The Ambassadour of the bloody Murtherer meaning the Duke of Guise who sent him thither The King not able to do it otherwaies desired the Magistrates of Edenburgh not to demit them without a Feast at parting which was concluded on the Monday after And all cost prepared in Order thereto When on Sunday the very day before the Kirk proclame in their Pulpits the next day to be kept fast and in malice to the Kings honour therein appointed three Preachers the one succeeding the other to weary the poor peoples attention from Morning till night Thundering Curses Anathema's and Excommunication against all Nobles Magistrates and Others that attended the Ambassadors The good King sees these insolencies but lodges them up in silence till he got power to remedy these wrongs About this time dies Buchanan whose Character is chronicled by the Arch-bishop of Saint Andrews in his History of
their Church For his excellent wit and incomparable learning Born near the Highlands After his first commitment 1539. for his versifying against the Fryers he escaped to France Returning 1560. he professed Philosophy at Saint Andrews and became the Kings Tutor He is concluded by all moderate and faithful Recordes That he penned his Scotish History with eloquence and with such Judgement as that he is justly blamed by most men for joining with all factions of the time and evermore to justifie any base and scandalous proceeding against Queen Mary and falsly and fowly he endeavoured to depress the Royal authority of Princes siding with the Treasonable tenents of rebellious Subjects which afterwards he expressed with bitter unmanerly sauciness of his Soveraign Queen then deceased This is the joint opinion of some with whom we may be convinced to incline This next Summer the King got free from his Attenders for being in Faulkland he desired to visit his Uncle the Earl of March then at Saint Andrews where he took a view of the Castle and being entered the Captain of the Guard Colonel Stuart acquainted with the Design clapt to the Gates and shut out the Company and the next morning came the Kings friends the Earls of Arguile Marshall Montross and Rothess And of his former Jaylers none but the Earl Gowry was admitted by the Collonels means who had been his Servant and upon his humble submission for his Fact at Ruthen was received to mercy and all these Lords elected his Counsellors with Inhibition that none should presume to come to Court with more attendants than fifteen with an Earl or Bishop ten with a Lord or Abbot or Priour and six with a Baron And now declares in publique That however his Majesty did with patience perforce indure his restraint at Ruthen and all those former passages of Treasonable disloyalty yet willing to be an Example of Clemency to others he in favour pardoned all admonishing the Lords to do so too amongst themselves Yet their consciences accusing left not to convene in tumult and therefore for more security to the King they were confined to several Places by Proclamation which they disobeying were denounced Rebells except Angus who submitted and now was Iohn Metallan admitted Counsellor and hereafter became Chancelor of State These affaires took up the summer and at the fall of the leaf comes secretary Walsingham from Queen Elizabeth expostulating the Kings receiving of Arran and casting of his nobles who though thus mutenous as you have heard were yet justified by her to be defenders of his Crown The King told him He was not to be taught to rule in his own affaires being as free as his Princess and that his promise against Arran was made under his restraint but now being at liberty himself he doth him but the like justice Expecting his so much friendship from his Sister the Queen not to countenance his subjects in Rebellion The Ambassadour replyed that his Mistress medl●d not but for his good and complains that one Holt an English Iesuite and plotter in Throgmortons treason should be imprisoned by the King and yet permitted to escape by means of the French and not rather sent to the Queen he was answered that Archibald Dowglas guilty of his fathers murther and in England was not rendered to him as was desired Though in truth Holt got loose without leave And so the discourse ended in peace And in November Lodawick eldest sonn to the late Duke of Lenox from France at 14 years of age the King having sent for his Brethren before Investing him with his fathers honnors and lands and the Earl Montross to be his Trustee Some years after came over his sisters Henrieta married to the Earl of Huntley Mary to the Earl of Mar the third avowed her self a Virgin to the Cloister A younger sonne remained in France untill the King came into England where he was advanced to great honors Thus did a gracious King for a distressed family The former Declaration against the mutenous Lords could not deter them from conventions pretending the time too short which was limitted for their submission unto confinement And therefore in an Assembly of the Peers the King renews his offer of pardon to such as would confesse their foule act at Ruthen and submit to conforme themselves accordingly The Earl Rothess protests his subscription to that fact was forced upon him and repents to mercy from whose example the rest followed and the faction to fall asunder They had pardon and leave to depart some into Ireland others to France Amongst whom was Gowry who yet delayed his journey whilst he fell into new practises which brought him to his death No wonder to finde the Ministery much concerned in their Sermons to justifie one or other of these Revolters and the fact of Ruthen necessary and lawful Andrew Melvil affirming to the Council That the Presbytery only had power and authority to judge and censure the Pulpit and not the King nor his Council In primâ instantià to meddle therewith though they should be treasonable Telling the King to his face That he perverted the laws of God and man Upon which he was charged to enter his person in Blackness forthwith but he turn'd back fled to Barwick that night and alwaies after the Ministery complaining That the light of of the Countrey for learning and the only man to resist the enemies of Religion was exiled and compell'd for his life to quit the Kingdome And though the King descended to satisfie the people by Proclamation therein yet it caused a murmuring and encouraged Gowry to expect Mars and Glammins returne out of Ireland to joyne in Armes for Reformation of abuses in Church and State for preservation of the King and Kingdome The wonted old pretence of all Rebells Gowry to colour his intended treason from suspition comes to Dundee and there presseth a ship for his voyage But the King quickly advised sent Collonel Stewart Captain of the Guard to seize him who with others made some resistance but the Town concurring with the Captain he was taken and conveyed to Edenburgh under costody of Arran Within two daies after Angus and Mar surprise the Castle of Sterlin but hearing of the Kings march with formidable forces they fly into England Gowries confession under his hand sets down their practises thus That himself perceaving the Kings favour declining and his estate aimed at by power of his enemies he was forced to seek his own relief by concurring with other Nobles in the like Case by the means of James Erskin who travelled therein and assured me of their Return to Sterlin where we concluded That at home it was expected that all those who subscribed the bond in the first alteration would join with us and besides them the Earls Marshal and Bothwel the Lord Lindsey and others of the West From England we expected supply and that the Queen would intercede for restitution
of the Hamiltons At his comming to Sterlin he writ to the King thus Please your Majesty It is neither diffidence nor despair in your Higness favour and clemency towards me nor any desire I have of life that moves me to require some short audience of your Majesty But there is a purpose of such weighty importance which is needfull to be imparted to your Highness that might have endangered the Lifes and Estates of your Mother and your Self if I had not stayed and impeded the same the relation whereof concerns you more than the lives of 500. such as my self wherein I am assured of your Majesties gratious answer The matter is not the concealing of a Treason but the revealing of a benefit April 1584. His Petition is denyed and the same brought in evidence at his Tryal being in May indicted of four points 1. That in February last David Hume Mars Man came at night to him at Perth communicating the surprizing of Perth and Sterlin and so concealing and consenting to Treason 2. The like he conferred with James Arskin a Trafficker from Mar Angus and others 3. That being in Dundee and charged by his Majesties command to render himself to the Lord Petten Weym Chancellour and Captain of the Kings Guard he did notwithstanding oppose him with Men and Arms convoking aid of the people to assist him in his Treason 4. That being obliged to maintain his Majesties Life Honour and Crown and having Intelligience that concerned the life and estate of the King and the Queen his Mother he treasonably concealed the same He excepts against Sir Iohn Gourdon who sat chief Justice for some enmity betwixt Gartland his Kinsman and him But this exception was soon refelled being only affinitas affinitatis Then that the Nobleme● that examined him promised that his confessions to them should not be urged against him But it was answered That their words could not warrant him He stood upon fourty daies time to answer for Treason He was told that the King might arrest at his own pleasure To the last point of Indictment That what he offered to reveal to the King was not of Treason But he was answered that the concealing might tend to the Kings destruction The Indictment was found the Jury were eight Earls and eight Lords and his Sentence as in Treason and so in the evening was only beheaded He had been of good Fame and Honour in Court accounted wise yet he dealt in Witch-craft for revealing the future state of things though for the general misopinion I find of the Presbyters against Judicial Astronomy we may conceive him no otherwise liable to their idle censure therein Nor was he accused thereof in his Tryal nor did repent of it at his death yet is acknowledged to take it with peace and patience in contempt of the World and assurance of Gods mercy His Death shewed the way to Archibald Dowglas and Iohn Forbess executed after him the rest of the Conspiracy had Banishment or Pardon The Ministers had been nibbling at these treasonable Baits and Polwart Galloway and Carmichel not compeering were denounced Rebells and fled into England And in this Parliament in May the Attempt of Ruthen was ratified the Kings authority over all persons confirmed the declining his Majestyes Iudgement and the Councils to be Treason the impugning of the authority of the three Estates or procuring their diminution to be Treason all Iurisdictions and Iudicatures spiritual or Temporal not approved by the three Estates to be discharged And an Ordinance made That none should presume privately 〈◊〉 publickly in Sermons Declarations or Conference to utter Speeches to the reproach of the King his Parents and Progenitors or to meddle with the Affairs of State under grievous 〈◊〉 Now was the Ministers Spirits on fire that they were not first heard and Lindsey was committed Lawson and Balcanqual flyes into England so did Poul who impudently protested against the Parliaments Ordinance and were all accounted Rebells Hereupon the King declares his Reasons to curb the Ministers First their allowance of the Fact at Ruthen Melvils Declining the King and Council The Fast kept when the Ambassadours were to be feasted and other general Fasts through the Realm without the Kings Authority usurping Ecclesiastick Iurisdictions Alterations of the Lawes at their pleasure and a number of such abuses To these they impudently replyed in Pamphlets Libells and 〈◊〉 pens against the Court. And Letters from those Fugitives to the Ministry and Session of the Church and Council of 〈◊〉 Town Excusing their Absence for resisting the wicked Ordinance and not submitting to the Tyrannical Regiment of Bishops whom they st●led Libertines Belly-Gods Infamous That after their zealous wrestling with God they had revelation to depart and hoped after destruction of the Antichristian Prelates to return home to their several flocks in Peace But by the Kings direction this insolent Letter was replyed unto by the Session wherein after the just confutation of their abuses on the King and State They discharge themselves of being their flock and of they their Pastors and thank God the Revealer of secrets that made them manifest their own shame and relieved them from such wolves in shew of Pastors and being assured that his Majesty will furnish them with more quiet●r Ministers they commit the others to Gods mercy and to repent for their former offences This letter subscribed and sent to England was copied out and divulged to their eternal condemnation and out of regret of the guilt thereof afterwards Lawson died with grief at London And at home occasioned others to follow per force many imprisoned some executed for meddling with State-matters Subscriptions and Sermons so treasonable although the Kings mercy endeavoured to reclaim them such were their insolencies that sundry of them suffered for example to others conformity These troubles in Scotland brought disadvantage to the poor distressed Queen Mary for whose relief some practises were set on foot in England by Throgmorton Lord Paget and others the Earls of Northumberland and Arundel the Howards also rather suspected out of their general profession of Papistry and affection to Queen Mary and also by Morgan and others in France and all for her As more particular by Mendoza the Spanish Ambassadour in England who being discovered stole away secretly to Paris being charged with Throgmortons Plot to bring in forein Power for which he was hanged And Mendoza as boldly recharged this State with practices against his Master for at this time England countenanced the Netherlands the Duke of A●joy and Don Antonio the Portugall and the Ambassadour of Navarr now in England and all these against Spain But to colour these to excuse this State and to complain of the Ambassadour Wade Clark of the Council posts into Spain whom that King refers to his Council without vouch●a●ing to see him and not being heard at all returnes home again And by some
papers of Creighton a Scotish Jesuite intercepted and discovering fresh plots of invasion by the Pope Spain and the Guis●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 ●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 Ea●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 g●eived him to his grave shortly after The Quarel now engages the
States who convene and a subsedy granted of twenty thousand punds or pounds levied also to pursue him but the great plague raging at Edenburgh that expedition for the present was put off till next year In this interim Queen Elizabeths favour declines from Arran the occasion being a Tumult arising between the Governours of the middle Marches Sr. Francis Russell son to the Earl of Bedford was killed neer the Borders the deed done by instigation of Arran and Farneyhast the slayer was denied to be rendred to the Queens justice yet not much insisted upon at that time but rather to contract former friendship by Ambassy of Sr. Edward Wotton offensive and defensive with the King in cause of Rebellion for then came on the Roman holy League so stiled with the Pope Spain and Guisits in France and others in Germany to exterpate the reformed Religion in all Christendome though principally aimed against Q. Elizabeth who courts Leagues with other Princes reformed Sr. Thomas Bodly treats therein with the King of Denmark Wotton with Scotland and at a Parliament in Iuly was by Act confirmed for ever supposed sufficient to return Wotton the sooner home But he had private comands countermines for the fugitive Lords restitution lately concluded before in England by the late Ambassadors with whom now he keeps private meetings gaining time by the occasion of certain Ambassadors from Denmark who under pretence of remand to the Isles of Orknay and Shethland upon the Northern coast of Scotland alienated of old from that Crown But in truth they propounded reasons of State For a Mariage with the King and a Sister of Denmark happily effected 4 years after These Ambassadours taking leave the rumour grew high of the banished Lords Conspiracy which causes a Proclamation for a general Convention of all good Subjects to meet the King at the Castle of Crawford in October to repell the Rebels which the English Ambassadours craftily prevent whilest the Lords march apace and come to rendezvous at Linton in Tweeddale and there Covenant by Oath not to separate till they should seize the King and remove Arran and thither comes Maxwell with a thousand Horse and foot that served heretofore against Iohnston all the rest making up but so many more and to be even with the King they proclaim also the old and new Rebels rule Defence of the truth the deliverance of the King from evil Counsellors and add the Amity with England Interlacing each line with Odiums against Arran amongst other charges That he claimed descent from Duke Mordach beheaded by King Iames the first upon that title which Arran now takes up to be Heir to the Crown by the name of Iames seventh And indeed this was now enforced and a scandal which all men ●nderstood for whether he had feigned such a pretence the last year or others for him had formed it he was forced to purge himself then in Parliament by serious Protestation which truly in pride of heart he did rather to deceive the World with that folly Thus far Wootton plotted with the Revolters agents at Court and being almost discovered by Arran he departs hastily without leave towards Berwick and after him posts an Express who overtook him at Anwick expostulating Whether His Mistress directed him this mannerly departure He acknowledged to the Messenger that he could not grant that he came away Insalutato hospite seeing he performed that Office with Heart and Hand and would ever endeavour by all possible means that his suddain departure should rather help to maintain than to dissolve the amity betwixt his Soveraign and the King By the word Hand he referred to a Letter which he left for the King in which he so far complained that the cause lodged upon Arrans discredit who he said governed all By which Arran suspected somewhat ami●s and accused the Master Gray for hastening Wotton away The Lords Revolters that had intelligence of all march with speed to Sterlin and were let in by a back-way at Mid-night And whilest Arran was busie with the watch at the other end the Town was taken and rifled Arran and others escaped The King inclosed within the Castle sends out two Counsellors to tell them That humble Petitions better became the duly of Subjects Complaints and private address more fit than to force their Soveraign which violent forms they would find 〈◊〉 that should be extorted by force or fear and he never to want men and means hereafter to undo They not as yet let in were not to learn the art of dissembling excusing their actions by their miserable conditions reduced to this necessity to seek relief rather for the King than themselves His honour and safety highly endangered by evil Counsellors excepting them that were sent and labouring these with arguments to intercede for his Majesties grace and favour and to admit their address to his person The King knew their meaning and intending to say no more than willingly they should hear of For my self said the King I never liked the mans arrogancy meaning Arran but I must secure my Servants about me the quarrels betwixt Crawford and Glammis Angus and Montross and Col. Stuart as ill beloved for serving me No sooner said But they vow Not to arm for private quarrells of their own or any others not minding to mix particulars with the publique Upon which they get in fall down on their knees to the King and the Lord Hamilton being the best in blood was their spokesman who only craved mercy To whom My Lord said the King I never knew you till now and I am sorry to see your face in this fault you have been faithfull to my Mother in my Minority and I fear may suffer more than these As for you angerly browing upon Bothwell Francis what ailed thee that never could be injured But To you all that mean me no mischief I am pleased to hold out my hand and my heart carying your selves from henceforth as dutiful Subjects It was no time to do other and the next day in Council to confirm by Act their Pardon and their Assistants and so proclaimed Crawford and Montross delivered up to Hamilton and Col. Stuart permitted to depart Arran was gone before fled to Coil deprived of all honors lived from thenceforth privately And now new Lords and Laws share old offices The Guard was given to Glammis the Castle Dunbritton to Hamilton Sterlin restored to the Earl Mar and the Castle of Edenburgh delivered to Sir Iames Hume This relation the most certain though I know it is otherwise reported And no wonder to find designs in policy how to cleer these Lords of former accusations and confessions the very Examinants and Deponents must now voluntarily offer new Oaths to purge them from all Treasonable Attempts Amongst whom Duntraith now confessed to be suborned to accuse Mains out of fear to save himself Besides these powers that overmastered the Kings party the want of supply
but where her Servants and Friends could give good testimony thereof K. Iames her Son in sad perplexity for his Mother sends William Keith of his Bed-chamber with Letters to Q. Elizabeth though it seemed strange to him that the Nobility and Counsellours of England should take upon them to sentence a Queen of Scotland and one descended of the Royal Bloud of England yet he would think it monstrous justice for her Virgin Majesty to stain her hands with the Bloud and Death of his dear Mother a Lady of in comparable excellency in the worlds opinion and of the same Royal condition and Sex with her Self So if it should be resolved desires her to consider how his Honour stood engaged that was her Son and a King to suffer his Mother an absolute Princess to be put to an infamous Death Keith after some time of delay urges for an Answer but finding no hope he receives other Letters commanding him to shew the Queen how unjust the Proceedings had been against his Mother the Laws of God and Nations for an absolute Prince to be sentenced by Subjects and she the first Example of profaning Sovereign Diadems Himself concern'd in Nature and Honour to revenge such indignity and wills him to labour the delay of her Execution till he could send Ambassadours of his own into England for by Letters from Archibald Dowglas his Lieger in England he found him evil disposed to the business and therefore resolved to send one more honorable and of greater trust in his place But Keith doing his duty shewed the Queen his Masters direction enforcing her into some passion till Leicester and others calmed her and then she told him She would give no Answer in anger but consider till morning when she told him that no haste should be used if any other should come from the King in reasonable time ●roceedings should be staid and be glad to receive overtures to save the Queens life and assure her own The King certified of her passion posts other Letters more calm since his other were construed as threats to her Estates and therefore he courts her into kindness protesting that the Rumours spread amongst his Subjects moved them into disquiets and mutiny at the forms of Proceedings again their Queen That for his part he could well distinguish any pressure by the peril of her own life and so not blaming her directly prays her to put a kindness upon Him Her real Friend desires time till his Overtures be heard hastily coming by the Master of Gray and Sir Robert Melvil who were to set out on Saturday after and came to London in eight days Queen Elizabeth was better satisfied with these being frightned before into fear of breach of the late League and War with her Neighbours and so gave them speedy Audience She told them how sorry she was no means could be found to save their Kings Mother and secure her own life They answer Their Sovereign to save her life will interpose his credit his Nobility as ●ledges that no Plot or practice should be contrived by her against your Majesty or otherwise to set her a● liberty and send her into Scotland and so the better to secure the Queen Asking the reason What should move any man to attempt against her Majesty for Queen Maries sake Because said she they think Her to succeed me and she a Papist Then say they these means being taken away the Danger apparently ceases for if her Right in Succession to England shall be made over in our Sovereigns Person Papists will have no more hope and this we are sure his Mother will resign to him But replied the Queen she hath no Right being declared incapable of Succession If so that she hath no Right said they the Papists pretences cease and so no fear of them to enterprize for her But said she the Papists allow not our Declaration Then let it sink said they in our Sovereign by her Resignation Leicester being by objected that She being a Prisoner could not 〈◊〉 They answered It being made to her Son with advice of all her Friends in Europe in case Queen Elizabeth should miscarry none would partake with the Mother against her Son all the Princes her Friends standing engaged for her Resignation that it should be valid and essential for her Son The Queen mis-understanding was told the Ambassadours meaning that the King should be in his Mother place Is it so says she Gods Death that were to cut mine own throat He shall never come to that place and be party with me She was told that coming in his Mothers place through her Death he would be more party Well says the Queen tell your King what I have done for him to keep the Crown on his Head since he was born and for my part I shall keep the League betwixt us which if he break shall be a double fault and in passion got away Melvil made after requesting respite of execution for eight days Not an hour said she The King by this Conference expects extremity and therefore writes to Gray Think not to reserve your self any longer nothing doing good if her life be lost adie● dealing with that State As you affect my favour spare no pains nor plainness Reade what I writ to Keith and accordingly conform and in this your industry let me reap the fruit of your great Credit there and Duty here either now or never Farewell Leicester took some pains in a tedious Letter to satisfie the Kings importunity by telling him the common jealousie of all Princes for their own security especially by such persons as being within a Kingdom and claiming Title to that Crown should conspi●e with Traitors to kill the Queen comforting the King as well as he could how more dangerous Queen Elizabeths Death would be than his Mothers liberty would advantage concluding with grave advice not to quarrel the breach of amity and their last League of firm friendship And to boot Walsingham writes to the Secretary of Scotland the Lord Thirlstan with whom he kept private intelligence as a wonder the Kings earnest desire to save his Mother seeing all the Papists in Europe affecting the change of Religion in both Realms built their hopes altogether upon Her who in passion to Papistry had transferr'd her Right to both Crowns unto the King of Spain in case the King her Son should persist in his Profession And true it was that such tricks were rumored to divert the King from constancy in Religion but never so done by her if you will credit her Declaration at her Death though I know for I have seen it a Popish Abbot in the life of Cardinal Laurence at that time Protector of the Scots Nation affirmeth the said Translation of these Realms to be in his hands and delivered to him by Court Olivarez the Spanish Ambassadour at Rome but such forged Tales and Titles might have served the turn if the
son the King in the remove of her Corps from thence to Westminster where she lies intombed amongst the Glories of her Royal Ancestors And thus she died Mary Queen of Scotland great grand-daughter to Henry the Seventh of England by the eldest Daughter Margaret six and fourty years of age and in the eighteenth year of her Captivity Anno 1586. Let us give her to the World in this brevity She was designed by Henry the Eighth to his Son Edward the Sixth and by Henry the Second King of France for Francis the Dolphin at five years of age she was conveyed in to France at fifteen married to the Dolphin who was after King of France She was sole Sovereign Queen of France one year and four moneths Her Husband being dead she returned into Scotland and married the Lord Darly by whom she had King Iames. Near to her Tomb in Peterborough Church was this Epitaph fixed in Latine but soon pulled down Maria Scotorum c. Thus Englished Mary Queen of Scots a Kings Daughter the French Kings Widow near Kinswoman to the Queen of England and next Heir to the Crown adorned with royal virtues and a kingly minde often but in vain demanding the Privilege of a Prince by barbarous and tyrannical Cruelties the Ornament of our Age and a right Princely Light is extinguished and by one and the same infamous Iudgment both Mary Queen of Scots to a natural Death and all surviving Kings being made common persons are doomed to a Civil Death a strange and uncouth Grave wherein the Living are shut up with the Dead Cum sacris enim divae Mariae cineribus omnium Regum atque Principum violatam atque prostratam Majestatem hic jacere scito quia tacitum regale satis superque Reges sui Officii monet plura non addo Viator Indeed so much was said and censured that the Queen and State began to double she in a monstrous sadness and tears denying Address of the Counsellours and her self excuseth her Death to the King of Scots by Sir Robert Cary. MY dear Brother I would to God you knew though not to feel how my minde with imcomparable grief is disquiet in regard of this lamentable Event against my meaning and intent which because my Pen trembles to utter by this my Cosin you shall understand it I am not so poor of spirit to be afraid to do what is just or to deny it I intreat you that God above and many on earth may be witnesses of my innocency therein and that you would credit had I commanded I would also now not deny it being done nor appertaineth it to a Prince to shadow the meaning with ambiguous words nor will I dissemble my Actions out of their own colour Perswade your self to the truth As I know this is deservedly come to pass so if I had meant it I would never have laid blame on others nor will I impute to my self what I never dreamed The rest he shall impart by whom you receive these as for me I would have you credit that there is none more truly affected towards you or more studious for you and your affairs if any shall otherwise suggest believe them not God keep you long in safety and prosperity And Cary on his Journey poor Davison her Secretary to make good the Errand is called to trial in the Star-chamber before Delegates assigned a man of singular modesty and mildness answered much for his innocency as being unwilling to contest with the Queen yet could he not endure his modesty should wrong the Truth and his own Integrity and so suffered himself to be be guilty and censured a thousand pounds Fine and Imprisonment which he endured a long time and never could procure the Queens favour though he was relieved by her charity in his great necessity which after followed The Qu. saith he upon the Departure of the French and Scotish Ambassadours from Her of her own accord commanded me to prepare the Commission for executing the Sentence against the Queen of Scots and when it was exhibited she willingly signed it with her own Hand and after gave order for it to be made ready under the Great Seal of England and merrily said Signifie thus much to Walsingham who is sick though I fear greatly it will make him die with grief She added also Reasons why she had deferred it so long to wit That she might not seem to be drawn unto it forcibly or maliciously though she were not ignorant all the while how necessary it was She blamed Paulet and Drury that they had not freed Her from that care and wished that Walsingham would try them therein The next Day the Great Seal was to it she sent Injunction by Killegrew that it should not be done And when I shewed to Her that it was done she reproved my haste intimating that some other couse by some wise Persons might be taken I made Answer That that was always the best way which was the justest But fearing that she might lay the fault on me as she had done the Duke of Norfolks punishment on the Lord Burghley I imparted the whole matter to Hatton protesting not to engage any further in so great an Affair He strait way did communicate to Burghley and he to the rest of the Counsellours who all consented to have it hastened and severally vowed that they would bear the blame and they sent down Beal with the Commission and Letters Three Days after perceiving her minde doubtfull by reason of a Dream which she told of the Queen of Scots Death I asked if her minde were altered No said she but some other course might have been thought upon And with all demanded if Paulet had returned any Answer Whose Letters when I shewed to her wherein he plainly refused to undertake it as being neither honorable nor just She in anger accused him and others which had tied themselves in Association of Perjury and their Vow violated who had promised great matters for their Princes safety but would perform nothing yet there were amongst them she said that would do as much in their own cause But I shewed how infamous and unjust a thing that were and withall into what Dangers she should cast Paulet and Drury for if she allowed the Fact she must draw upon her self Danger and Disgrace besides a note of Injustice but if she disallowed it she must ruine well-deserving men and their posterity Afterward the same Day that she was put to Death she gave me a Check that the Sentence was not all this while put in execution as thinking it not done Hereby appears foul play intended by another no doubt wicked way which Paulet and Drury boggled at to perform and yet we see what daubing there was on all sides to cast the blame and after-shame on any to keep the stain and blot from the eminent Actors And the cunning of Walsingham who having the greatest hand in the contrivance towards
her Death craftily got out of the way at the Deed doing and therefore Davison appeals to him telling the truth in his politick absence of a counterfeit cold And Walsingham is put upon it to work his wits how to pacifie King Iames with a tedious Letter to the Lord Thirlstan who had the chiefest interest in the Scotish affairs of State propounding to him important Reasons to keep the King from enmity with England which though very effectual might meet with the like resolution in Him to forbear violence and to take up a more calm consideration But though the Letter be long we may not hinder it the worlds approbation SIR BEing absent from Court when the late Execution of the Queen your Sovereigns Mother happened I did forthwith upon my Return impart to Master Dowglas some things concerning the course was conceived here by your said Sovereigns best Friends fit to be holden in this remediless Accident for continuance of Peace and Amity between the two Crowns as the best for both Nations The rather for that by advertisement out of Scotland I understand that the Queens Death is like to breed a strange Alienation of his Majesties minde towards this Realm tending as is reported wholly to violence and revenge of that which hath been done so necessarily by the whole Body of the same whereof as for my own part I should be sorry so it is generally hoped that his Majesty being of that singular judgment himself by the good help and advice of such as you are in credit and authority about him men of wisdom and experience whom he will hear this mischief will notwithstanding be carefully and prudently prevented considering how every way all things being rightly weighed this course will be found prejudicial as well to your Sovereigns Estate as to his Reputation if he resolve to persist therein For first the Enterprise will undoubtedly be condemned in the sight of all such as shall not be transported with some particular passion for that they shall see that he takes Arms for revenge of an Action besides the necessity wherein it is grounded full of so honourable and just Proceedings as however the effect was contrary to their liking the manner thereof by the late Queens great Favourers could not but be approved and allowed And as on the one side the King your Sovereign oppugning the course of Justice of so unlawfull unjust and desperate a Quarrel cannot be expected any other thing than an unhappy and miserable issue so we being assured that in the defence of Justice the assistance of God his mighty Arm will not fail us whose Judgment this was need not to fear what ever man shall attempt to the contrary against this Realm But not to stand upon the justness of the Quarrels which every man perhaps will not so much regard It would be considered what means your Sovereign shall have to go through with such Enterprise if he take it in hand For the Forces of his own Realm being so far inferiour to these in England no man is so simple but seeth it were no way safe for his Majesty trusting onely thereto to make Head against the power of this Land neither is it thought that any man will be found so unadvised as to wish him so to do But as it may be that a great Number for lack of understanding are carried away with such Discourses as some without solid ground imagine of that might be done in this case by a King of Scotland backed and assisted as they conceive in the air with the French and Spanish aid so it is likely enough there shall not want those that either in satisfaction of their private passions or supply of their necessities or better affectionating of some other their private design would be content to serve themselves of this present publick occasion and oportunity who will propound and promise more to his Majesty of such forein assistance than they know in their consciences can be performed if he would declare himself Enemy to this Realm which that he should though to his own ruine the Enemies of both Nations will do what they can to procure But men of wisdom and understanding laying before their eys as well the accustomed delays and after long ●ollicitation and pursute the simple supplies and support commonly found at these forein Potentates hands as also how doubfull and uncertain the success of War may appear England God be thanked being so prepared and in case to defend it self both otherwi●e and also by the conjunction of Holland and Zealands Forces by Sea in respect whereof this Realm need not fear what all the Potentates of Europe being bended against us can do to afford the same Due consideration I say being taken hereof you will easily judg and finde how vain it were for your Sovereign upon so uncertain hopes to embarque himself and Estate in an unnecessary War but much more if you shall consider what a sequel and train of Dangers this War draweth therewith the consequence whereof reacheth to whatsoever your Sovereign possesseth or hopeth for in this life For escaping to be slain in the field if he should happen to be taken Prisoner or be constrained to retire himself out of the Realm things that have often fallen out in experience and then having incensed this whole Realm against him he should be disabled from any Right in the Succession of this Crown as authority is given to do it by the same Statute whereby they proceeded against his Mother for attempting the Invasion of this Land what extremity should he be reduced unto And truly it could not otherwise be the antient enmity between the two Nations now forgotten being by drawing bloud one of another again likely to be in such sort revived that it would be impossible to make them to receive a Prince of that Nation and especially Him who had upon so unjust ground been the Author of so unhappy a Breach Besides that the greatest part of the Nobility by whose judgment the late Queen was condemned and the rest of the principal Gentlemen of the Realm who confirmed the same in Parliament should have just cause to adventure any thing even to the marching over their bellies rather than to yield to his Government who carrying such a vindictive minde they might doubt would not day call their Lives and Honours in question And as for the remedy and relief which he might attend standing on those terms of forein Princes there are many Examples of former Ages and within fresh memory as the King of Navar 's Grandfather by the Mothers side and Christian King of Denmark both being allied to Francis the First and Charls the Fifth two of the mightiest Potentates that reigned of long time and that this present Don Antonio may su●fice for Examples to teach all Princes if they can avoid it to beware how they fall into that state whereby they shall be enforced to seek their own by other Potentates means
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 wi●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
Demonstration of Discipline sought mischief upon the Bishops the chief Authours were Penry Udal Ministers Iob Throgmorton Knightley and Wigstone Laicks their Favourites drawn in to defend their Railings and were soundly fined in Star-chamber yet they privately held conventicles and had their Synods Classes and Presbyteries for this cause Thomas Cartwright the Father of the Disciplinarians Snape King Proudlow and Pain were questioned whom certain conspired to rescue and so great was the petulancy of these Patriarchs and their Disciples as would require a particular Volume to unfold See Hist. Q. Eliz. by Martin fol. 782. The King to keep things fair with England resolved to visit the Borders with some Forces to the West Marches whither the Lord Herries was fled but submitting and promising to conform to Protestancy he was dismissed and sent to his charge there again Whilest the King was in this Expedition the Lord Maxwell formerly having leave to travel into Spain and perceiving there the great preparations for an Armado of Ships to invade England returns home invited by some Scotish Catholicks against his promise without the Kings leave and lands in a part of Galloway in April where it was rumour'd that the Spanish Navy should land about the West of Scotland and so by Maxwels means and assistance they would joyn with the Borderers and enter England that way the most likely to prevail where numbers of loose Libertines and out-lodgers repaired to Maxwell of which the Lord H●rries being in his Wardenship acquaints the King Maxwell is sent for to compeer but refuses and fortifies his Houses and other Holds levies Horse and Foot and expects to encounter with the King who came to Dunfres with so hasty marching that Maxwell was almost surprised in the House but gat away some hour before to Galloway whilest some resistance at the Town Port gave him that opportunity and leasure to escape And on the King goes summons Laugholme Treve and Carlavarock places of strength who surrender but the Castle of Lochmaben commanded by David Maxwell bids defiance to the Kings face and made it good against the Assault untill Ammunition and great Guns were sent for to the English Warden who forthwith committed them to a Guard of Souldiers and at the Approach and some Shot they yielded to parly with Sir William Stuart for the King and to render the Castle upon quarter of Life but the Captain refusing the Kings Summons was hanged the rest had pardon The King stays not but pursues Maxwell to Dunfres and sends Sir William Stuart to follow the chace and forced him to fly to Sea in a small Bark whom he follows in a Ship of the Town of Ayr overtakes him a fews Leagues off and forces him to yield who is brought to land and presented a Prisoner to the King this was held timely good service which so pufft up the young Knight with pride that some weeks after contesting with insolent words to the Earl Bothwell at Edenburgh he kill'd him outright The noise of the Spanish Navy gave fears of their setting forth in August and in prudence for the Scots also to arm not knowing whom to trust the King convenes his Nobles at Edenburgh for their advice For howbeit said he I have no occasion to distrust the Friendships and League with all Christian Princes and Estates yet the Case of England lodges so near upon us as in time may turn to be our own and we forced to share in their Troubles the Spanish intention is for England and seeing my Right in Succession to that Crown it were no wisdom for me to suffer another to possess it before and the Spaniard hath not usually been so kinde or consciencious to depart with any thing he lays hand upon though anothers Right they take Religion for a Pretext of their Invasion but it is the Kingdom they seek and we professing the same Faith with England are sure to fare accordingly as in their Success and the Prosecution of their Holy League will fall upon us also But I have ever thought mine own and the safety of Religion so conjoyned as they cannot separate nor do I desire to live and reign longer than I shall maintain the same I suspect what many may counsel that this occasion fits Revenge for my Mothers Death but however I am not over credulous as to be confident of Queen Elizabeths excuses concerning here ignorance therein nor will I be so unwise as to accept the assistance of one mightier than my self to fight my cause lest he become Master of us all Thus you see my minde and my Reasons give me your advice and assistance what we shall do The Chancellour seconded the Kings opinion by many historical Examples and discreet politick Arguments yet since the Queen had not desired any aid from your Majesty it would not be amiss to secure your own Territories by not suffering the Spaniard to land in your Dominions that a general Muster may be taken and some Noblemen named to whom the People might resort for Command that Watches be set upon the Sea-coasts and Beacons erected to allarm the Countrey and that the King and Council would reside at Edenburgh for Command and Authority over all Bothwell urged other Arguments of Revenge and to invade England from whom in this exigent said he we shall be sure to force good conditions and as for himself he had already raised Forces at his own charge for the publick service as an Example for others to do the same expecting that his opinion would prevail for Invasion But the King commanded him to guard the Coast according to his Office Admiral of Scotland and so he seemed to be satisfied To instance the dangerous Treacheries amongst some of the Scots against their own Nation in reference to the Spanish pretentions appears first in the Design of Colonel ●Semple who had about six years before betrayed the Town of Lire to the Spaniard and from that time remained in Flanders with the Prince of Parma arrives now at Lieth pretending a frivolous Commission from Parma to the King which seemed of so small importance as that it was apprehended rather a false colour of practice with some evil disposed persons Sir I. Carmichel Capt. of the K. Guard is therefore commanded to have an eye upon his Actions till the King returned being now journeying to Falkland Carmichel does so and having intelligence of a Pinnace newly arrived in the Frith and a Passenger already landed went hastily and surprizes Semple reading of the Dispatch seizes him and them the Colonel offers of himself to attend the Council but by the way was rescued by the Earl Huntley who undertakes himself to compeer with him The Chancellour hears of this being then at Church the general time of Humiliation and with a throng of people following him made after Huntley but the King happily returning met them before and brought them all to Edenburgh The Chanc. informs
King with some of his Friends Ormston Carmichel and others who mistrusting encompassed the Chancellor and so he got forth The suspition and danger of some design intimated to the King Huntley is sent for examined and committed to the Castle which occasioned the company with Crawford and Arroll to dissolve and their design discovered And for not appearing before the Council Arroll and Bothwell are denowned Rebells Montross and Crawford submit and Huntley left alone does so too and is permitted to go to his North Government By the way he meets with Montross and Crawford belay the way to surprize the Treasurer and gave him chase to Brikel where he was received and they fire the House and so forced to yield himself Prisoner for some Weeks But thus prepared for the cause they take arms again close and undiscovered till several Messengers bring newes to the King a Hunting That Bothwell Huntley and others were marching The King gathers such Forces as he could for the present Bothwell ever inconstant retires to places of strength and is left of his Men. Huntley goes on surprizes Glams his Enemy and Captain of the Guard But at the Kings neerer approach quits all and lurks at home amongst the Rocks at Strathbolgie but not safe from himself his rebellious heart suspects the issue and so submits to mercy which was no worse than a Prison for the present and afterwards he and his pardoned upon Petition Whilst these disorders were at home their former Letters sent to the King of Spain and to Parma and some others also from Bruce were intercepted by Q. Elizabeth which laid open all the practices of the Lords And therefore she writes to the King Complaining of his remissness in punishing these Treacheries and of his kindness to such of the Spaniards that fled into Scotland after their wreck at Sea she besought him not to delay opportunity to punish the Offenders and to rid the Realm of such Strangers Hereupon they were shipped over towards West Flanders and by the way were met a league from that Coast by some Hollanders set out to intercept them who boarded one ship putting all the Spaniards to the sword the rest ran their ships a ground and most of the Men pittifully drowned A Proclamation issued out against all Iesuits remaining and Hay Creighton Bruce and Graham expressly commanded to depart upon pain of death but they inticing Huntley Crawford and Arroll take arms together came to Aberdeen in April and declare That the King is kept Captive requiring all good Subjects to join for relief and freedom of the people They depended on Bothwell and his Forces in the South whom the King proclaimed Rebels And for the present marches against the Earls as far as Cowry neer Aberdeen where he was told that the enemy was three thousand strong and hastning to meet the King The King put to the straight cheers up his Company That they had the better cause and himself in person to suffer with them against such whose conditions could never be wrought upon by benefits or good deeds to make them loyal assist me therefore as you shall find me forward rather for you than for my self Thus resolved Hamilton and Angus differ for the honour of the Vant-guard Angus claiming the place by privilege heretofore granted to his Predecessors Hamilton argued his neerness to the Blood Royall who carried it by the Kings favour But the next Morning discovers the Enemy dispersed for fear or favor to the Kings person to which respect Crawford condescended but Arroll earnest to fight and they refusing he parted from them at d ee Bridge and the King returns to Edenburgh And there in some assurance he disposes his affairs for consumating his mariage with Denmark and to bring his Bride into Scotland The Earl Marshall had the Commission assisted in Company with the Lord Dingwell Sir Iames Seringeour Mr. Iohn Sheen Advocate and Mr. Young Arch-deacon of St. Andrews And for the more honorable defraying the expence a subsidy of a hundred thousand pounds punds I conceive was granted by the Council by a former Warrant of Parliament 1587. and sudden payment was made by the well-willing Subjects earnestly desiring a Mariage for the issue of Royal Succession in his Race Against this time of publique joy the Rebels humbly submit to Justice and were impannell'd before the Earls of Hamilton Angus Morton Athol Mar and Marshall four Lords and four Lairds 1. They were charged for practising with Jesuits and others against the Religion receiving money from Spain and therewith raising forces 2. That they had confederacy with Arroll Montross and others and treasonably surprized Perth 3. That they conspired to imprison the King to murder Maitland and Thirlstan Counsellors of State 4. For besieging the house of Kirkhill firing that house and imprisoning the Lord Treasurer Glams 5. And convocated by Proclamation the Kings liege people against his Majesty 6. They opposed the Kings forces and his Person at Dee 7. They seized the Kings Herauld and rifled his Letters 8. And the last concerned only Bothwell for entertaining Strangers and others at Dalkieth forcing the Town of Lieth They were adjudged guilty but the sentence suspended Crawford committed to Blackness Bothwel to Tantallon and Huntley to Edenburgh Castle We may wonder why the Ministers are missing in all these broyls and now the Assembly convened at Edenburgh the King desired them to afford him Patrick Galloway to attend his Court They now acknowledge his Majesties Power to command and his grace and favour to acquaint them with his pleasure A good beginning of their duty and obedience not long lasting For the King having given his Kinswoman The Duke of Lennox Sister the last year in mariage to Huntley and the Bishop of Saint Andrews celebrating the same was then censured by the Acts of their Church the Bishop not acknowledging their power against his Majesties command they pronounce and deprive him of all function in the Church and ratifie the judgement to be proclaimed in publick This troubles the King and in fear of more disquiet was fain to suffer their Sentence and to make peace with all and remits the imprisoned Lords to liberty for now he hears that the Mariage is accomplished by Proxie and the Queen at Sea when lo an unlookt-for message that the Navy of her Conduct was driven by Tempest into Norway where she should stay till the Spring But his affection over-mastering all difficulties he resolves to hasten a Scotish fleet and fetch her home himself And to shadow his purpose from any home distempers he pretends to send the Chancellour and Iustice Clark in Commission to her But the ships fitted he in private sets sail in October leaving a direction to the Council for Government of his Kingdom under his own hand-writing thus To satisfy some concerning himself and to take off suspition of blame upon others he shews them the Causes and the reason of
annointing was as justifiable as their Crowning with other ceremonies of Sword and Scepter But rather than a Bishop should profane the office and that one of themselvs be the first Minister Presbyter that ever sanctified that ceremony they were content that Bruce should do it on Sunday following at Edenburgh 2 daies after she made her triumphant entry through the Town with Feasts and Banquets Masks and shews for two moneths together These popish proceedings in Scotland makes Queen Elizabeth more serious at home both Kingdomes involved in the like danger which to prevent she falls upon such as gave most suspition and having restrained Philip Howard Earl of Arundell for three years in the Tower to keep him out of the way of doing mischief she now conceives it more safe to take him quite away from further danger He is arraigned therefore at Westminster The Earl of Darby High Steward for the day His accusations were such of which usually the greater Catholiques are guilty and being confirmed by Cardinal Allan before his banishment Parsons and other Jesuits with whom he kept correspondence viz. for reducing Papistry here proved by his Letters and the confessions of several Traytors lately executed Savage Throgmorton Babington Gerrard and Shelles But the Bull of Sixtus Quintus deposing the Queen and so the Legacy of these Realms bequeathed to the Spaniard together with his devotions prayers and Masses for successe of the Armado the last year 88. was the Choak-Pear which could not be relished His tender years thirty three not able to defend innocency in opposition to those excellent Pleaders Popham Egerton Scutleworth men of admiral abilities in the law made him submit to their arguments with some palliation and excuse not sufficient to save him from sentence of guilt which he received with submission saying Fiat Voluntas Dei His request was eas●e to see his Wife and young Son born since his imprisonment whom he left to the Queens favour which was effected to the Fathe● also with pardon of his life though she kept him up from doing harm The loss of the Spanish Fleet and credit last year incourages two gallant Undertakers Sir Iohn Norris and Sir Francis Drake with the convenient assistance of the Queens men of War to an expedition into Portugall with eleven thousand Souldiers and fifteen hundred Mariners It was not amiss to take up the Claim and to take in the person of Don Antonio base born Prior of Cra●o to the Kingdom of Portugall upon his vain expectation of that nations revolt from Spanish thraldom and assistance of the King of Morocco all which failed They land at the Groyne take and drown it burn the villages thereabout with slaughter of the Spanish forces three miles chace and imbarque again for Portugal where they land and march sixty miles to Lisbone over against the sacred Promontory St. Vincent where they feign there are certain Mares at a set time conceive by the Wind and bring forth Foals who live but three years several Authors say so The Suburbs of this City abandoned they enter and intrench whilst Drake undertakes to pass up the River to the City but he failing upon the shallowness of the Water and danger of the Castles no Natives comming in to their design and the Calanture infecting their Fleet they return with honour upon the enemy but loss of six thousand men by sickness to which the Northern people are subject and by contraries the Southern are rather confirmed in the North. Inward heat being remitted or intended by outward air as by sad experience of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster in R. 2. and the Marquess Dorset 1512. and this now We call it the Earl of Essex Expedition who indeed ambitious of common Fame put himself to sea and got aboard the Fleet conceiting that their respect to his birth and quality would receive him their chief but was mistaken in that honour though he carried all the commendations with the comman man as titles get advantage from the merit of others more deserving though I know this comment upon that Lord gains little credit in these our daies With this honour of assisting the distressed Portugall the Q. assumed an interest in others her Allies to ballance her common Enemy the Spaniard and his Catholique cause as it fell out forthwith in France and Nava● For the French King Henry the third not likely of issue that Kingdom was to descend to the King of Navar and afterwards to the Prince of Conde both Protestants whereupon the Catholique Peers of France combine a Holy League Not to permit a Reformed Professour to reign no though he renounce it l●st he rechange his Religion with his State This design was to exclude Navar and Conde The fortunate Successes of the Duke of Guise the chief of this Villany magnifies him above the King who in jealousie of surprize by the multitude retires from Paris to Bloys where his necessity forces him to consent to the Holy League and ruine of the Religion and Guise to be Generallissimo and all this under Seal and receipt of the Sacrament But repenting of what he had done caused Guise in the Presence Chamber to be run thorow his Brother Cardinal to be strangled and his Son Cardinal Bourbon and others of the League to be committed Hence followed a various Rebellion the people at liberty to do what they list and several Cities affecting several Governments Democracy Aristocracy Oligarchy few or none Monarchy The Leaguers get possessession of the Crown Revenues a new Seal share the strong Holds are joyn'd with some Parliaments and all the Cleagie who cause one of their Monks Iaques Clement to murther the King The first Murther and first occasion of that damnable Docctrine of the Iesuits to murther Kings which the Pope Pius Quintus stiles Rarum in●●gne memorabile non sine Dei particulari providentiâ Spiritus Sa●cti suggestione designatum longè majus esse quam illud sanctae Judith qu● Holo●ernam è medio su●●uli● The Iesuit Francis Verona Constantinus in his Apologie for Iohn Casteelin c. C●m e● tempore c. that King being become intolerable it was not lawfull de jure or de fa●to ●o condemn this Act of Clement by reason of King Henries tyranny in Church and State for his horrid Murders at Bloys oppression of Catholicks and favour to Hereticks and so became a private man subject to the Civil and Canon Law Besides says he this act was lawfull being committed upon him from whom all obedience and alleageance of his Subjects were taken away by the Pope Platina another Historian makes it the common opinion E●m Clement à nemine ad hoc factum subordinatum ●ed à ●eipso po●tquam duabus aut tribus mensibus in hoc animi conceptu persever●verat ad hoc arduum opus permotum esse instigatum post jejunia longa post orationes ad Deum
continuas sese certissimum hoc periculum adiisse in vitâ Quinti pag. 180. But Marian a Spanish Jesuit says Clement had often premeditated with himself and imparted it to ●ome Divines who concluded it lawfull for any man to kill a King that is a Tyrant Mar. Lib. de rege et Regis Institutione cap. 6. pag. 53. though the Council of Constance possitively forbids it The Leaguers banish Navar from the Crown and Kingdom and differ about election of a King for though divers were in dispute they with some Justice in Rebellion elect Cardinal Bourbon a degree neerer to the Crown than Navar and released him out of Pri●on to the Throne And the Duke de Maine a pretender is pleased to be Lieutenant General of France who instantly intends to surprize Navar proclaimed likewise King of France at Diep or drive him out of all Navar implores Q. Elizabeth profers league with her offensive and defensive ●he in reverence to Religion and pitty of his distre●s sends him twenty thousand pounds in Gold by which he kept his Stipend●aries Germans and Swisse from revolt some ammunition and four thousand men conducted by the Lord Willoughby with four Collonels Wilford Burroughs Drury and Baskervile The ●ame of the Queen interessed and these mens valour discomfited the Enemy the day before their landing who fled with bag and baggage to Paris and are pursued by the English and French who take divers pieces in Normandy and return home The King of Spain this while lay gaping after these distempers fomented by Mendoza his Ambassadour and Cardinall Cajetan the Popes N●ncio not without their insolent proposition to nominate Spain Protector of the French Catholiques with such Prerogatives to boot as he enjoyes over Naples and Sicily of bestowing all Offices Ecclestiastical and Civil By which the French themselves foresaw his ambition to promote their Religion with loss of their Reason Thus stood the State of France distracted Navar unsettled war increasing which hindred the Queens design to promote a Match between the King of Scotland and Katherine Navars Sister as defensive interests in Religion to counter with the Catholiques and therefore she had advised the King to mary himself to his ●●king for Katherines years was with the most and her means with the least which she understood was settled a year since on Ann the Daughter of Frederick the second King of Denmark But Navar she protects with great sums of money she had len● him not three years ●ince a hundred and one thousand five hundred and sixty French Crowns wherewith he levyed his German Souldiers And the last year seventy and one thousand one hundred sixty five more It cost her twenty thousand Willoughbyes expedition And now this year she lends him thirty three thousand 〈◊〉 hundred thirty three more to muster an Army in Germany and as much more she spent for sudden service Thus much for France Every two moneths she paid to the Garrisons of Flushing and Brill one hundred and five and twenty thousand ●●orins And two hundred and threescore thousand more to 3000 horse and foot in service with the Low Countre●● Besides other Sums of mass expence at home and her own expeditions by Sea and in Ireland by Land Whether these moneys are mistaken by Historians figures the addition of a Cipher multiplying the same otherwise they are incredible but indeed this was the way to dy poor for she was much in debt But she was not nice in Husbanding her expence to good purpose or in providing for the main by extraordinary waies for she was sometime put to shifts then as well as her Successor since and by the Customer Carmardines intimation of the value of Commodities she raised her Farmer Sir Thomas Smith from the rent of her Customs of fourteen thousand pounds sterling annually to two and forty thousand and after to fifty thousand This gain was not put up to his own purse no doubt for the Lord Treasurer and Leicester and Walsingham opposed Carmardine whether of intercepting their Bribes therin or disparagement of their judgment and care not to finde it out themselves By her bounty to France she kept off the Spaniard from hence her own judgment that the end of France its ruine would be the Evening to England contrary to others opinion that now the cantoning of France by the Spaniard Leaguers and particular Pretenders she might put in for her share Picardy Normandy or Brittain but she kept them off from others For the Duke of Parma for his Catholick Majesty had run through Picardy called in by the Leaguers to relief of the Rebellion at Paris and Io de Aquila of Spain invited into Brittain to settle of pretension of the Duke Mercoeur to that Dutchy Queen Elizabeth looks upon this dangerous Neighbourhood and speedily she resolves of three thousand men into Picardy and Brittain and it was time to prevent the growing power of Spain admitted now into Paris who vouchsa●ed their lawfull Sovereign no other Title but King of Bern but the Spaniard as their Lord and King the Pope also lent some Switz to the aid of the Leaguers against whom the Queen proclames it Treason to assist them by any Traffick This Assembly of the Church now in Iune petitioned the King 1. For establishing the Churches Iurisdiction and abolishing all Acts to the contrary 2. For purging the Realm of Iesuits and Papistry 3. For providing Maintenance of Ministers out of the Tyths and the Remain to the Support of Schools and the Poor and Repair of Churches For the first the entrance into the Acts of Parliament always provide for the Church For the second he had already done it in part and would willingly perfect that Work And the last was committed to Commissioners of their own and others But to conclude the King advised them their duty as Peace-makers on earth by Preaching and Practice to remove the barbarous differences which the feuds of the Nation dayly foment and which by their former encouragements for private ends had been taken up so customarily as became national that their godly care for reconciling such variances might amend that Crime grown to that height as was abominable to all strangers I shall do my part said he and if you apply your pains my work will be the more easie and the success effectual And truly thence-forward such a course was taken that in future all those damnable feuds were quite abolished by this King Though for the present it prevailed not between the Earls Huntley and Murray in the North Iohn Gordon married to Widow Grant one of his Servants in private quarrel was killed by another of hers whom Gordon pursues and for not appearing is pronounced Rebell and Commission to Huntley to apprehend him in a house of the Grants he takes it by force but findes not the Fellow This was ill taken by that Family who fly to the protection of the Earl Murray with
and outward Gates enforced the King to shew himself to the People who were come to his rescue as in freedom and to command them to depart And Bothwel thus emboldened got Bowes the Ambassadour to side with them and to urge these Articles from the King Pardon of all former Attempts and Treason by him or his Associates with restoration of all which they heretofore possessed and to abandon the Chancellour the Lord Hume the Master of Glammis and others To all the King signed with witnesses of all manner of men Lords and Ministers thereunto The next Day August 20. the King removes to Falkland Lenox Ochiltry and Crichton of Clany waited on him with directions from Bothwel to see that the King kept to his late Articles in which time Bothwel attained an Assise to purge him of his practicing with Witches the original of his mischief but the King in disdain to be thus misused goes to Sterling and under colour of con●orming the Highlanders pro●ures a Convention of other Lords necessarily frequent and effectual Hamilton Mar Morton Glencarn Montross Lindsey and Levingston two Bishops and two Priors and some Burgesses The King enters them with some business of the Borders but in earnest relates to them the Indignities he had endured by Bothwel which they knew and puts it upon their Honours whether he were bound to the late Conditions so extorted from him in terrour and fear of his life lets them see their own insecurity when himself is over-powred and forced by Villanies as a captive King to submit unto Subjects unjust demands in destruction of his loyal Councellours and eminent Officers They concluded Bothwels Fact treasonable and those Articles void freedom in the King to call his Servants and Councellours about him and resolved to publish by Act his Majesties power as a free Prince to chuse his Councellours and Servants about his Person and that the Conditions signed to Bothwel in August last to be null And being now set upon it two Commissions were sent to him to signifie thus much and of the Kings favour for him to supplicate for pardon before November next and then to depart the Realm till the Kings pleasure Bothwel seemed humble but meets with Athol Montross and a number of men at Sterling to whom the King sends to dissolve his Train and retire home for the King was coming thither with the Lord Home and some Forces were sent before to scoure the way who encountring Montross takes him Prisoner and the Court coming to Edenburgh Bothwel is cited and denounced Rebell again These Troubles were raised by the Lords of Religion but see what the Papists do The Catholick Lords had been cited to the last Parliament in Iuly but failed by some defect in the Libell and so were remitted to the King and Councel which was suspected in favour the Synode of Fife therefore excommunicate Angus Huntley Arrol Home and Chisholm and writ to Edenburgh for them to do so there The King displeased with such Proceedings requires M. Bruce there great Pastor to stay Sentence the Persons neither cited nor subject to Fife Synode and if this be your Order says he for one to excommunicate with their direction for others to do so too who can be sure to eschew trouble But Bruce boldly told the King that the Ministers had their own Reasons and were answerable onely to the General Assembly Well says the King your Discipline hath distasted all men and seeing your practices are without good President I will bethink me of some Remedy The Popish Lords complain to the King at Falaw and humbly crave a legal Trial but were commanded to enter their persons at Perth and abide there till the Trial and lest any jealousie should censure the King as conniving the Abbot of Lunders was sent to the English Ambassadour and to Edenburgh Ministery to tell them the truth and it was time so to do For now such News got wings and Commissioners of all the several Churches from all parts convene and finding the Church of God King and Kingdom in eminent peril they prepare Articles of advice That the Trial of the excommunicate Lords be not prevented but their Day prorogued onely for the conveniency of the Professors of the Religion to be their Accusers for their Treasons committed in the mean time to stand committed their Iury to be nominated by their Accusers the whole Professors of the Gospel that they being excommunicate and so cut off from the Body of the Church of God have no benefit of the Law till they be reconciled to the Church and that such onely as profess the Religion may be a Guard to the King against the Enemies of God the Countrey not brooking them and us together The King startled at their Inscription not owning he said such Convention nor them Commissioners assembling without his consent ●ut vouchsafed to receive them as humble Subjects but not otherwise commissioned And of his own gracious intention told them That the said Lords met him at Falaw and humbly craved a legal Trial to which the Ministers had often solicited and which in honor and justice he with his Councel had granted and considering the time and place Perth not so proper he had resolved it at Linlithgow at the meeting of the Estates and with their advice and that neither Iudges nor Iuries should be other than men indifferent and for his own Guard those whom he called thither should be welcom others should not be so They accused the Lord Home of residing at Court The King told them His Day assigned to satisfie the Ministers was not as yet and if you can accuse him in particular for the present let him answer for himself And so sent them away The Assembly unsatisfied advertise all parts to be in Arms at the Day of Trial which the King timely prohibits without his Warrant They answer that in the cause of God their Defence must not be deficient Which the King inhibits by Proclamation Declaring his course taken for their Trial in July last but hindred by Bothwels Rebellions he now convenes the Estates at Linlithgow for that and other necessities of the Kingdom the Lords themselves earnest Suitors to abide the Law and satisfie the Church and therefore commands the Subjects not to make Convocations but if any meeting were already of that nature then to dissolve and return home under pain of punishment But meet they would with such numbers as shortened the Proceedings and in summe Commissioners were chosen by the Estates to consider of the Popish Lords their Offers and Petitions to try their Accusations and Purgations and what they determine should be valid and effectual as in Parliament or Convention The Commissioners were the Chancellour Mar Montross and Rothes sundry Lords and Lairds and divers of the Ministery named to be admitted to the Conference The 12th of November they meet and conclude That the true Religion established the
first of his Majesties Reign should be onely professed in all time to come within the Realm and that none should abet or receive Jesuits Priests or other Adversaries of Religion upon the pain in former Acts of Parliament That all should conform hereto before February next or depart the Realm whither his Majesty shall appoint and not return till they turn Professors they and their Heirs always enjoying their Lands and Estates by Procurators in their behalfs The Earls of Angus Huntley and Arrol and the Lairds Achindown and Chisholm to be unaccusable of the Crimes contained in the Summons occasioned by their Letters and Blanks intercepted as before remembred concerning their trafficking with forein Princes against Religion c. discharging all Proceedings against them Provided if they offend hereafter the former Crimes to be added to their Charge That such of them as shall profess Religion are to be assigned their places of abode not to dispute publick or private in favour of Popery Huntly and Arrol to remove out of their company James Gordon and Oglevy Iesuits to finde Sureties in fourty thousand pounds to abide Subscriptions and Achindown and Chisholm in ten thousand pounds Such as leave the Realm to give caution not to practice with Jesuits abroad against this State and to declare their submission to their choice of conditions before January next or be liable to Trial by Law These were in effect concluded and signed unto by them which the King and Council confirmed and the three Earls subscribed but to small effect For the end of this Year begins fresh feuds the Iohnstons in the West-Marches made Incursions upon the Sanhares and killed eighteen persons and though great friendships had been contracted with Maxwel yet having in Commission as Warden to pursue the Offenders the Sanhares offered their assistance therein to bring all Niddesdale to depend upon him and Bonds signed unto for performance a Servant of Maxwels betrays this Bond into the hands of Iohnston who sends a Gentleman to discourse the truth out of Maxwel who first denied it but afterward said He must obey the Kings directions Iohnston to cope with such Combination associates with those of Tevedale the Eliots and Grahams and so meeting Maxwels Forces with the Commander Olephant kil'd him divers others Maxwel to repair his dishonour levies one thousand men and like a Kings Lieutenant with displayed Banner enters Annandale Iohnston not so many deals by policy sends out his Prikers the Boders cunning to provoke whom Maxwel encounters but by Ambuscade Iohnston comes in with power and puts them all to flight Maxwel was taken desiring Quarter as he had often given Iohnstons father and reaching out his hand for to confirm it had it basely cut off and afterwards butched to death he was a man much lamented of great spirit humane and more learned than Lords are yet like most of them ambitious And this to be done to the Kings Lieutenant might amaze some men to consider the Distempers of the Nation and the wisdom of a young Sovereign how to ballance these frequent Feuds and to bandy against Bothwels Treasons Papists conspiracies tumults and insurrections the Gangrene Evil of insolent Assemblies evermore eating into the Bowels of Government to devour and devastate all for this present he assigns the Lord Herris Drumlanrig Lagg and other Barons to abide at Dunfres to quiet and repress Disorders The time limited to the Popish Lords Ianuary 18. is past and they omiting the benefit of Abolition are charged to enter their persons into Ward Angus into Blackness Huntley in Dunbritton and Arrol to Edenburgh Castle and Achindon in Tantallon but neither of them obeyed The King removes to Sterling where Queen Ann was delivered of her first-born the 19th of February 1593. To which place arrives the Lord Zouch from Queen Elizabeth to congratulate her Delivery and to complain to the King his remisness against the Popish Lords for she was informed of the Articles of November and being told besides by some busie Presbyters at home the Kings favour to his Popish Lords her age made her often apt to entertain such Tales and her Jealousie summ'd up Reasons to her self soon to believe them But her Ambassadour taking time to understand what had passed could not be at leasure to suspend his judgment or confidence in the Kings prosecution to effectual punishment And therefore to hasten homewards he tampers for Bothwel the immediate end of his Errand deals with the Ministers the most especial amongst them to countenance his fresh Insurrection with numbers of loose persons and which troubled the King they commend Andrew Hunter one of their own to be Bothwels Chaplain in Ordinary And being thus emboldened they go on to raise Moneys themselves levy Souldiers to assist his Treasons Nay more see their piety to Rebellion their sacrilegious assistance even with those very Moneys benevolent Contributions collected by their Pulpit Oratory out of the poor peoples purses for supply of Geneva Brethren then in much misery and in a mad fury distributed unto Robert Melvil and George Strang two Rebell Captains for the well-affected Cause of the Traitor Bothwell His Design taking up a new motive and pretext Justice against the Popish Lords but in truth his Malice and Revenge pretended also for the slaughter of Murray And with him joyned Argile and Arrol to meet at Lieth not without hourly intelligence with the English Ambassadour Zouch who fearing that the Kings foresight had espied his juggling stole away home without biding Bothwel Farewell Whose Cause was cried up advancing from the Borders with four hundred Horse coming to Lieth very early the first of April and this he durst do the King being so near at Edenburgh but meanly guarded and put to it to speak for himself after 〈◊〉 Sermon for the Pulpit would not He passionately tels the People all the stories of Bothwels A●tempts and his Treason now reasoning with the Multitude some suspition of his siding with Papists 〈…〉 of the Lords 〈◊〉 them in ●●inde almost forgotten that he was their 〈◊〉 King and Soveraign and brought it home to their self-conside●●tion if Bothwel should prevail against him what they must expect of the Borderers upon them Much ●do they are moved to arm and to accompany the●r Commander the Lord H●me who lead the Horse and the bold trained Bands march after the Cannon taken out of the Castle to besiege Lieth But Bothwel was removed tow●rds Dalkieth dividing into three Troops Humes Horse followed to obse●●e what course he held whilest the King made a Hal●●t ●t ●orrow●mo●r Bothwels Scouts finding them 〈◊〉 encourage him to turn upon Hume which he did with some advantage being above the others number gave him ●●ace in 〈◊〉 retire which moved some to advise the King to secure himself in the Town Resta●●●g No says the King 〈◊〉 never quit the Field to a Traitor And though in eminent danger stood it still whil●st
Bothwels eager pursuit stumbled his Horse and in the fall bruises him into some per●● that he took the readiest way to Dalkieth for that night and the next morrow dissolves his Troop● Arrol has tidings and does so too the Captains at ●ife take ship and fa●l away And this gave end to his three ●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 ●arriage was more like an Herauld than to be a Messenger in Commission of Pea●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 privi●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 per●●●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 co●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 recko●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 theirs● 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 admon●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 ● Rich Majesterial Canopie supported by four Lairds The Childs Train bore up by the Lords Sinclare and Urquart and a Gu●rd or Lane on each side of the young Noblemen and Gentry of the Nation Being entred the Chappel the King already set and ari●●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
the third and fourth they demur And discharging any summary Excomm●nication with this Exception Nisi salus Ecclesiae periclitetur Thus evermore they bare a starting hole which the K. might easily see would serve turn for their turbulent intention to colour their proceedings hereafter What the conceipt should be that possessed Queen Ann she had an earnest design envy to the Earl of Mar his Guardian her only Warrant to get the Prince out of his care into her custody and delt so with some Counsellors in the Kings absence that had not the King timely prevented and suddenly surprized the Queen by posting to her from Faulkland to Edenburgh it had been too late to recall the danger and carries her in his company away to Sterlin leaving her alone to ponder out the plot such a design as for her honorable memory I dare not mention having no ground but a Jesuits conceipt but boldly put in print an authority enough for impudence only The King pondering with her the wily design writes in secret to the Earl My Lord of Mar Because in the security of my Son mine is conserved and my concredit of his charge to you upon trust of your honour and honesty This I command as singly and solely of my self being in company with those I like not that upon any charge or necessity that possibly can come from me you shall not deliver him And in case that God call me at any time see you that neither for the Queen nor for the Estates pleasure you deliver him out of your hands fill he be eighteen years of age and that then he command you himself Sterlin Iuly 24. 1595. Iames Rex In this case that the King was cooped appears his great trust to the fidelity of this Lord. Some fire carries smoak which even choaked the good old Chancellour whether regret of the wrong jealousie of the King or guilt of the Counselour he contracts the melancholy into a sickness and being withdrawn to his Country-house Lawder sends his Cosin the Secretary to the King then at Hamilton Excuses any evil design in him by his former continual fidelity to the Kings affairs Commends his wife and children and some friends to the Kings favour Takes leave like a man not long of this Life The King ever compassionate took it for no time to dispute with discontent It was enough his good services had been eminent and frequent this last accompt he commits to God and like a Prince wi●e and charitable instead of correction sends him comfort under his own hand and Seal Chancellour How sorry I am saies he for this ill News be your self my judge I could never dissemble my affection God may spare you for my sake if you love me so well as to resist the assaults of your sickness that his goodness may reserve you yet a little to me as Hezekiah was to his people for the necessity between Prince and people is reciproque Nor can any sickness of it self seize the vital if God cut not the thread of life As to your suits when God calls you I shall need no Remembrancer for since I made you a mark of my constant favour as your self hath oft times said I am much more bou●d in Princely care to conserve it to your Wife and children that bear your Image a lively representation for me of my thankful memory of you examples are begun in others what have I not done for the Duke of Lenox and Lady Huntley for their Fathers sake Suffer your thoughts in this assurance of the like to yours The Secretary is mine already And if the distance of place could dispence with my time I should desire to see you and to have said thus much my self God keep you to me and to your native Country Iames Rex He lanquished two Moneths and died in October 1595. He was a man of rare parts a deep wit and learned also of good courage against mighty Assailants Mar was the man he most hat●d the other the like to him Both good men accounting them Courtiers private emulation I fear more of Policy than virtue yet with great reservation of his Majesties affection to either and in general to the publique service till I know not how he failed in this last act The King in some passion for his death having little more to do it seems then bestowed his Poetry into an Epitaph for him of a dozen verses which because I find them much bettered in comparison of his Ma●esties after●ver●●●ying his holy Meditations in turning Davids Psalms into excellent Meeter I shall silence these and refer you to the other hereafter This year was held ominously evil in Scotland dearth and scarcity of all victual abundance of winds in harvest the natural cause blood-shed and slaughters in all parts accounted unnatural the curse of God haunting that Nation where such Wars we call them civil cry down vengeance on the Inhabitants Iohnstons and Maxwells had another bout in the South Parts Those from the Western the Maxwells had much the worse With the Isles and High-landers likewise great dissentions The In-countrey no less behind Murthers slaughters The killing of one though a private man as to himself engages his Kinsman Master or Chief to procure the revenge David Forester but a Citizen of Sterlin murthered in his journey to Edenburgh so I censure them that lay in wait by the way we know not by whom but see the Lairds of Arth and Dunny pearce in malice to the man because to his Master the Earl of Mar endeavour to shadow the inquiry of the Inquest The Earl in this affront for his beloved Servant convaies the corps with a Train of Mourners from Linlithgow to Sterlin carrying therewith the body bare-faced and the sheet gory in blood with the dead wounds and all to move compassion for revenge The body buried Mar prosecutes some suspected the Lords Levingston and Elphingston boulster out the men No Law nor Justice to be suffered for quiet and civil Tryal No! these feuds will fight it out and did to future example of Gods Justice in the fall of these two families much addicted to murthers and quarrels of blood This one and some few such like I mention for Presidents and Examples not glutting the Reader with too many which in every place fill up the Scots Chronicles and which sundry of them boast of for magnimity of Spirit and honour to their Gentry We lately observed the small effects the King found from the promises of England to aid him which brought him to take care how to advance his own other helps he had not He commissioneth eight persons to govern his Exchequer all of them Senators of the College of Justice only Peter Young his honest Almoner The Commission was ample in words and power to them or any five To call to accompt all manner of Officers Accomptants To Order and Rate the Rents To alter and change any of the Officers To
do and act such and so many particulars in terms and words with such exact particular powers over the rent Gatherers profits and duties of Caves Customs Fishings take them as they are in this order Cole-houses Parks Steadings Fole Coults Orchards of Apples other Fruits Conies Capons Geese Good God what not Then to enterlace these you have the other particulars Money Plate Jewels Mines of Gold Silver Lead Tin Certainly the West-Indie Fleets comes short of such wealth But so the Scots use to accompt of their own And to countenance their pains and care He promiseth verbo Principis not to adjoyn any more and if any did the survivours to give their consent for admition They had authority to revoke disclaim to direct letters of Horning or Outlary Pounding or Caption suertyes and many such like c. These Lords make faith c. to respect his Majesties weal and advance of Revenew without affection or fraud Provided not to be liable to Action for the King seeing they did all without fee. And proclamed at the Market Crosseat Edenburgh Iannuary 1595. The Courtiers were blanck for such must be their reward But they complain as an injury to the Kings honour having little to himself and lesse for the meritt of any Man And to give them more Cause of Complaint They begin to dispose of Places ere they fall ●o the ground David Magill Advocate he is too old and dotes and must admit of one of them till of grief he dies The Master of Glammis somewhat in Arears of his accompts and his deputy Sir Robert Melvil the same must resign their Treasury to the Prior of Blantiere ere they obtain their quieti sunt Richard Cockhorn secretary exchanges it to Lindsey for Privy Seal The collectary Linchclowden given to Elphinston And their President they would Create Chancelor Soft Sirs The King would not These and many more made them Clamored by the Countrey Somewhat they deserved amisse But the fate of favomites and men of Trust they bore the blame of all The Jesuite much troubled to see the State likely to settle into security by the severe proceedings against Papists Whole families Grahams Fentres and others the Lords banished the fewds dissipated and the Ministry in some measure of mildnesse They counsell how to involve both Nations into some design together And to set up A strang medley of Pretenders by protext of several Claims besides the Kings right to the Crown of England For they found by the sad affects to them the birth of the ●rince and likely hood of a numerous issue if Queen Elizabeth failed and the King also it were the same to their successors They devised double wayes Title and Poyson the first was by Title forsooth of the Earl of Essex in England Though no Catholick yet his Ambitious and vain popularity they conceived might quallifie his temper towards Religion being of himself doubtfull in opinion and so his Clemencie would incline to Tolleration if not profession of Catholick They drew his descent from Thomas of Woodstock sonne to Edwarw the 3 And so to be promoted to the people they dedicate a Book to him stiled Dolmans a preist some say written by the Jesuite Persons Cardinall All●● and Iuglefield discourse of legallity and pollicie inchanging hereditary succession 〈◊〉 England by a new devised way of Election only of ● Ro●●●● C●●tholick Ravelling into the History of most English Kings 〈◊〉 be either not Legitimate or rightly uncapable The other Title was of the in●ant of Spain And therein they use their catholick doctrine to make up with monstrous Lies and many 1. From Constance daughter to the Conquerour married to ●●●gat 〈◊〉 of Britag●e though all our Chronicles agree that she died without issue 2. From Eli●or daughter to Henry the 2 married to Alphonsus of Castile 3. And descends from Blanch his daughter 4. From Beatrice daughter of Henry 3 of England 5. From the Portugall family of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Thus much Persons did then And after the Queens death he excuseth it to the King as taking no effect These were devised in case the King should have no issue then in being Whilst the Jesuite Spaniard practiseth by poyson to hasten the Queens death and no lesse than three in the plot Roderick Lopez of the Jewish sectary Physition to her household and of honest repute till infected by Andrada a Portugall and don de Moro a Counceler of Spain with a rich Jewell in hand and fifty thousand Crowns more to impoyson her and this was certified unto Fue●tes and Ibarra secretaries to that King in Flanders by Stephen Ferreira who writ Lopez his letters to them they returned Emanuell Lowise unto Lopez to hasten the plot These circumstances they confessed and were hanged The reason so many Portugalls in a knot shews the time of freedome here for them under some pretence of don Antonio their pretended Prince banisht thence and protected here There followed them to the Gallows Cullen and Irish fencer and York and Williams hired also by Ibarra to kill the Queen Of which she complains to Earnest Arch Duke of Austria Governour in Flanders under the Spaniard that Ibarra●is ●is servant hatcht these treacheries to the Kings dishonour if not by him punished and to have the English and chief complotters Owen Throgmorton Holcot a Iesuite Gefferd and Worthington divines delivered up to her We had of his here in England a fugitive his late secretary Don Antonio perez for some mischief he set on foot in Aragon got away to save his head And to the French King first he revealed all his Masters secrets who finding him of a pregnant wit● and malitious sends him to his Lieger in England to work into some faction or design against Spain And here he was without pention or protection of the Queen for she nor Burgly the Treasurer would not vouchsafe to see him nor did any other give him countenance unlesse the Earl of Essex he did to his cost and used him as an Oracle of Spanish politie sildome from his sight but when it was supplyed with interchange of letters in latine which Essex understood and delighted in his phraze and yet was not glutted with threescore of them whilst he resided here They are extant eztituled Antonii Per●●ii Epis●ol● ad Com. Essexiam Magnatem Angliae They discipher him a buysie intermedler fit fuell for the Earls spirit The French King turned papist as we said thereby winning the affections of his people weakned the faction of the Leagues who also came in to the King and so never left till the Spaniard had took leave of them all Onely those in Bretaign called thither by the Duke of Mercoeur strenghten the Sea Coasts and resolve to stay till by the valour of Norris by land and Martin Forbisher by Sea who though wounded with a shot there returnd victor and died at Plimouth And Norris called home to look after Rebellion
in Ireland There was publick Reports of the Spaniards mighty preparations by sea more then in 88 pretended against Britaign in France which the King of Scotland feared might fall upon him or England or both And therefore musters all his people and secures the Borders from pryvate quarrells of each other or to infringe the peace and Covenant of both Nations so firmly united by Alliance and Religion Language and manners that of late they seemed one But to divert Spains purposes Queen Elizabeth joyns with France who denounces warr against him and is hotly pursued in Luxemburgh and Picardy Where he hath the better Castelet Dorleans and Cambray taken and the French crave more ayd from England or to be forst to make peace with Spain whic● indeed she suspected He being already received conditionally into the blessing of the Pope and conclave These successes hightned the Spaniards to adventure over into England from Bretaign in four Gallyes under Command of Dudrack Brocher and landed betimes in the morning burnt● poor fisher Towns in Cornwall and without losse of any one Englishman stole home again These being the first and last Spaniards that ever in Enmity durst set foot on English ground And this their poor attempt incensed the English to seek him at home that they might feel the different effects of English designs Sir Walter Ralegh Captain of the Queens Guard made an Expedition upon his Territories in America commonly called the Guiana voyage within 8 degrees south of the Aequater He burns some Towns and Cottages and so returns Sir Amias Preston and Sir Georg Summers also sack and burn the Towns of the Isle of Puerto sant● neer Maedera and Coche neer Margereta Coro and the City Iago de Lion but took money to spare Cumena Hawkins Drake Baskervile with 6 of the Queens ships and 20 other Men of warr fire some Towns in the Isle Dominica in the West Indies and others upon the continent But the event of that voyage Hawkins and Drake died of sicknesse and home came the Company poor enough for any Pillage so we return to our Scots story This new year some time sets variance between both Realms The Lord Scroop for the West Marches of England and the Laird of Backlugh for the charge of Liddesdale design a Day of Truce to treat of disorders and the meeting even at the Brook that divides both nations Mr. Salcallk was Deputy for Scroop and Robert Scot for Backlugh and having met friendly and composed some differences they parted At their meeting was Armstrong nick-named Will of Kinmouth a notorious Thief for the Scots he returning home was set upon by some English and after four miles chase brought him Prisoner to Salcallk and so to the Castle of Carlile The Truce was broken being accounted evermore from the hour of Treaty till next day Sun-rise and the Prisoner is demanded But Scroop refused unless by order from the Queen and Council The man being a notorious Malefactor and Backlugh was modest not to make many words ere he procured Bowes the English Resident to write to Scroop for his inlargement which not taking effect the King writes to the Queen nor that neither Backlugh engaged in honour to the King and his own right of Trust Plots the Prisoners Release this Way The Castle of Carlisle was surprizable and in particular at the Postern-Gate the measure of the height he had and there he meant to scale or break through the weakness of the Wall by Engines and so to force the Gates Thus resolved he drew up two hundred horse to Mortons Tower ten miles from Carlisle neer Sun-set he forded the River Es● and two hours before day he passed Eden beneath Carlile●bridge ●bridge and so came to Sarcery a plain under the Castle And making halt under Cadage Bourn he dismounted fourscore of his company but his Ladders too short his men fell to mining and himself retiring to the rest to secure those which might enter against any eruption from the Town In fine the Breach opened entrance to single men who brake through the Postern-Gate for the rest The watch awaked and made some resistance but were soon seized into Guard and afterwards the Prisoner freed The sign being forthwith given by sound of a Trumpet a signal to the Souldiers without that the enterprize was effected within My Lord Scroop and Salcalk were in the Castle to whom the Scots gave the good night and so parted This Surprize was handsomely mannaged having order from Backlugh to break open no door but the Prisoners Ward nor did they do any more prejudice though the Governour and Castle became under their power Being got out their Prisoners were returned The Town took the allarm and all in posture of war but Ba●klugh came back as he went to his own quarters two hours before Sun-set the thirteenth of April 1596. a quick and resolute design performed with civillity and honour which troubled the English to be out-done nobly in any Attempts For a Prisoner to be forced out of a strong Castle of Defence so far within England and so handsomely troubled the whole State of England And Bowes the Ambassadour had post order to aggravate the fact as a breach of peace unless Backlugh were delivered to the Queens pleasure Backlugh having done this gallant work maintained his defence as discretly That he marched not with design against any the Queens holds or in wrong to any of her Subjects but to relieve a Prisoner unlawfully surprized and illegally detained being seized in the day of Truce nor did he a●tempt his Relief until redress was refused And the sober 〈◊〉 civil prosecution he was confident would be justified according to the antient Treaties of both Realms when mutual injuries were referred to Commissioners as both their Majesties should appoint to whom most humbly he doth submit This not satisfactory the Queens displeasure took some time to consider until a moneth after it was remitted to Commissioners The King stood upon Justice and the rather against the Lord Scroop for the injury committed by his Deputy And in truth and reason it was less courtesie to take a Prisoner than to relieve him unlawfully taken Yet all would not serve the Borderers make inroades upon each other the English worsted in all till King Iames out of complement to his Kinswoman grown old and peev●sh 〈◊〉 content to moderate her passion by yielding unto the imprisonment of Backlugh to Saint Andrews and then conveyed to England more for form than guilt of punishment and so sent home again The Isles were up a petty Rebellion naked cold and hunger soon suppressed themselves yet in fear of Spanish Invasion or a Receptacle ●or Revolters a thousand men were levyed under Col. Stuart for fourty daies the custome to assist the King upon which the chiefs submit and give caution to compeer before the King And as there was too frequent cause by these
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 de●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 o● make work the Lord Sea●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
Rebellion And therefore Proclaims all their particular proceedings with remonstance of their Misdemeanors and to prevent disorder now and confusion to follow by advise of his Councill discharges the commissioners and dissolves their convention illegal in it self and worse unlawfully executed by them Whom he commands by Name to depart home in 24 hours to attend their flocks and duties in their Ministery And no wayes to return to convene either within or without the Burroughs of Edenburgh under the pain of Rebellion But we tire the reader and yet hereby we may discover what they did in such like many more for to the death they will proceed Hereupon they consult that seing they had been convened by the warrant of Christ to take care of hazard to the Church Et ne quid ecclesia detrimenti caperet They should obey God rather than man And notwithstanding any charge to the contrary to continue together and to send to the Octavians those 8 Councellors of State formerly mentioned that seing at the entrance to their places the Church was in quiet and peace and now to be imbroyled the Enemies to truth overpowring and all by their councels and connivance The event of evil must fall upon them the Contrivers or Connivers The President hastily made answer As they began so let them end the Councills advice neither was desired nor given on either part and therefore would not meddle between the King and them but leave it to his Majesty and Nobles This answer taught them fresh advice to remonstrate to the King himself by Messengers of their own and fearing the effects the Kings anger humbly interceed for surcease of Processe against Master Blake Until his Majesty should be pleased to convoke an Assembly for deciding all controversies to the Kings content To which he consented provided they would passe by the Declinator or at least to declare that it was not a Generall but a particular Declinator used in Blakes case only as being a cause of slander and so appertaining to the judgment of the Church This by the wiser was held fit to be received as an end of contention No! Rather to stand to their tacklings Gods cause Against worldly powers Ravelling into former examples of prevailing against Princes Others argued to try Mastery with Majesty may faile of effects as yet the Court stand in some fear of the Church and to keep up their concept let us take the best conditions we can least our weaknesse appear if we have the worst and so the terror of the Church despised or neglected Much will portends little wit and as it is often seen who gripes at all grasp nought but wind and to levy all their wills is to lose all their wits of which God send them more plenty than appears by their proceedings But not prevailing the King proceeds to proclaim their departure and Blakes appearance as afore ordered The next day sunday solemnized the christning of the Princesse Bows Ambassadour gave Her name from his Queen Elizabeth and the Town of Edenburgh by their Majestrates assisted as other witnesses Yet all that day in the Churches were bitter invectives The Commissioners of the Church presented a Petition to the King and Council That seing the decision of intricate questions could work no good and was subtilly urged to ingender discention between his Majesty and the Church he would be pleased to remit the discision to a lawfull Assembly and not to incroch upon the limitts of Christs Kingdom upon any pretence but to bend his actions against the common Enemie of the Church and state the Papists Then they exhort the Noblemen to give his Majesty faithfull Counsel and not to be subject to the guilt of sin by the craft of such as seek the thraldom of the Gospel who intend to exite their honours to be the Executors of their malitious devises With order to those that presented this Petition that if the same was refused to enjoyn them to protest against the preceeding of the Councel The King rejects it as not worthy of Answer commanding to call Blake to his summons First That he affirmed in Pulpit that the Popish Lords were returned with his Majesties knowledg and further assurance wherein he had detected the treachery of his heart Secondly that he called all Kings the Divells barns and that the Divel was in the court and in the Guiders thereof Thirdly That in his prayers for Queen Ann he had used these words we must pray for her in fashion but we have no cause she will never do us good That he called the Queen of England an Atheist That he had discussed a suspention granted by the Lords of Session in Pulpit and called them Miscreants and Bribers That the Nobillity were degenerate godlesse dissemblers and enimies to the Church That the Council were Holliglasses Cormorants and men of no Religion And that he had convocated divers Noblemen and others within Saint Andrews in June 1594. caused them to take arms in troops of Horse and Foot and thereby usurped the power of King and Council After reading of the summons Robert Pont their Minister protested that the processe in hand should not prejudice the Church To which the King answered that he meant not to meddle with matters of doctrine but to censure the treasonable speeches of a Minister which he and his Councel would judg except that by scripture it could be held forth that Ministers were not subject in these cases to judicatures Blake makes answer that the accusations were false calumnies producing testimonies of two which he alleged should be preferred to a●y report whatsoever Next he said That to the first six points the Council were not lawfull Iudges of speeches in Pulpit but the Presbytery where the sermon was uttered And so presents a second Declinator But being put to voyces it was sentenced That the crimes and accusations mentioned in the summons were seditious and treasonable and that the King and Council were competent Judges in all matters criminall or civill as well to Ministers as other subjects The Council dissolved the King willing to conserve peace and amity to the Ministers offered terms of reconciliation and to return Blake to his charge and Pastorage Bruce answered That if it concern'd only Master Blake the offer might be accepted but the liberty of Christs Kingdom being wounded by the Proclamation and by usurping spiritual Iurisdiction of greater consequence then Master Blakes life and twenty more and that if those things were not retreated they would oppose during the last aspiration of breath The King the next morning treated with some of theirs Shewing how far he was from impairing spiritual Jurisdiction that he would amplifie and inlarge the same but said he to discourse of State in Pulpits is intollerable I clame to judg in matters of sedition and civil and criminal causes and of speeches that may import such crimes and if the Pulpit should be a place of privilege under
colour of doctrine to stir up sedition no good man will grant If Treason and sedition be crimes punishable much more comitted in the Pulpit where the word of truth only should be taught I am not ignorant what France of late and England formerly have suffered by the violence of such spirits And I may not indure it Hereupon the Church finding the King resolved desire some Declaration to be made to the people in favour of Church Assemblies which they feared was hereby of late somewhat weakned which the King assented unto and it was accordingly published to give finall conclusion to these differences Blake was required only to acknowledg his offence to Queen Ann. And to be pardoned of all This he would not do and was therefore sentenced To have falsely s●andered and treasonably calumniated the Kings Majesty his consort the Queen his Neighbour Princesse the Queen of England the Lords of the Council and Session and that till his Majesties further pleasure he should be confined beyond the North water enter ward within six dayes and Ten daies more were taken up to decide these differences and the King condiscends to lesser submissions than before But the Commissioners refuse to agree to any censure of Master Blake as not done by the proper Iudg. And so they ordain a fast and pray and preach complaints of wrong done to the Kingdom of Christ. The King on his part made the grounds of his displeasure known to his people by Decla●ation setting forth particulars of the last Transactions Ordaining all Ministers to subscribe their obedience to his Majesty and to set their hands to the bonds presented to them to that effect under pain of sequestring their rents and stipends till they submitted Blake to go to ward and the Commissioners to remove out of Town They increase Aspersions upon the King who willingly would have recalled these sentences and Publications and some Ministers were treated therein till a scandalous Letter was devised and sent by under hand advise that Huntley had private reception by the King over night and caused the charge against the Ministers Balcanqual takes his text out of the Canticles and so to present the troubles of the Church relates the late proceedings which he calls treacherous forms of the Council naming particular officers The President and Controuler and Advocate with reproachfull raylings and concludes to advise the Barons and Nobles to meet in the little Church for assisting the ministry From them came a petition to the King in behalf of his Ministers and presented to him in the uper house of session with complaints uttered by Bruce of all which had passed The King declining the petition and remonstrance asked who they were that durst convene against his proclomation The Lord Lindsey passionatly replied That they durst do more than so and would not ind●re destruction of Religion Numbers of people thronging into the Room the King removed the people seduced by Lindsey and others some said arm others called out to bring forth Haman others cry'd out the sword of the Lord and Gideon And with much adoe to appease the peoples rage at they knew not what The Lords and Ministers meet propose Articles to the King and whilst they design who shall present them each one refusing The King and Councel remove out of Edenburgh into Linlithgow Ordering a Proclamation to signifie the reasons of this departure the Town being unsafe for his person and Council and unfit for the administration of justice by the late in sufferable Tumults commanding all Lords of session Commissioners c. and their Deputies to remove out of the Town of Edenburgh and be in redinesse to that place they should be after assigned And the Noblemen and Barons to withdraw to their own Houses and not to covene or Assemble under pain of the Kings displeasure The City is amazed with these proceedings not knowing what to do or whom to trust unto The Ministers night and day restlesse to get subscriptions and to covenant to call in certain Noblemen of note Hamelton Backlugh and others Fast and pray and preach what stuffe best befits their projects one amongst many others Iohn Welch takes his theam the Epistle sent to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus rayl'd against the King who he said was possessed of a Divel and one Divel the King put out seven worse are entred in That the Subjects might lawfully rise and take the sword out of his hand by example saies he Of a father faln into frenzie might be bound hand and foot by his family from doing mischief Yet this execrable doctrine was received by some nay they preach that the Earl Arrol had come to the Ferry with four hundred horse the day of Tumult but the rising of the people as a providence of God for good scattered his forces in fear of the Town so prepared And being Masters of all they undertake to send Messengers to the Earl Hamelton with letters that the people animated by motion of Gods spirit had taken Arms with the patronage of such Godly well affected Noblemen and Brethren then at Edenburgh for the cause of God Only they wanted a Head an especial Nobleman to countenance their cause And having made chioce of him they invite him to Edenburgh with all convenient speed and thereby to signifie his affection and to accept the honor which the Church of God had offered unto him It was writ and subscribed by Bruce and Balcanquall and sent to Hamelton who receives the Messenger with all shew of kindness and seems to prepare his journey for Edenburgh but by the way better advised he turns to Linlithgow and presents the King with the letter who wondered at the modesty of the man accounted more ambitious than to neglect such a rise to tempt his humour by whom had the letter taken effect it might have caused strang Rebellions when the Church had begun to act their part with so much power a bloody issue alwaies following the pretended zeal for Religion as the most part of Christendom have felt the miserable effects and great Britain most of all The insurrection and letter made work for speedy Counsel to act for the King and the Provost had order for imprisoning the Ministers who got loose and fled to New Castle in England The Town send Commissioners to purge themselves protesting their Innocenc●e and offer their obedience for repairing the indignity and dishonor done to the King but served not for their purgation for the next day the Tumult was by the Counsel declared Treason and the devisers Actors and Partakers to be Traytors Edenburgh smarted for all the inhabitants in fear of desolation the law-Courts removed to Lith the Session to Perth the Ministers fled the Magistrates dispised and all men without the walls their enemies And again most humbly supplicate the King with the best excuse for themselves The King told them that he would proceed with them
contrary to what they did to him by form of law not by violence and that the estates should meet in the same place where the dishonor was done to him for their tryal and punishment The day before the convention The keys of the Town submitted to the Kings officer a guard of the Kings forces ranged the streets and the Citizens disarmed are commanded to keep within doors the charge of the Town given to the Earl Marre Lord Seaton and Uchiltry Thus prepared the King enters with a train of Nobles alights at the Talbooth where the Estates did meet The Provost Sir Alexander Hume with the Baliffs and numbers of the City fall down on their knees and to pacifie the King most humbly propose To purge themselves of the Tumult by oath before the Council having made diligent search for the Authors a●d would proceed to inquire or to a●sist any other officers therein They promise never to admit of those Ministers pronounced Rebells without his Majesties command nor ever to receive any hereafter but at the Kings pleasure and not to elect annual Majestrates without the Kings approbation and to accept others whom the King would present And in all or any other manner to submit as his Majesty shall ordain under protest that they take not upon them the crime of the Tumult See the effects of Rebellion in general if they succeed not advance the Soveraign so did this The insurrection proceeding from the Ministers their Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction submits alwaies after to the Kings authority In these stories of Bruce before and Blake now the grand Incendiaries of their Riot it appears how patiently the King proceeded if possibly to have confirmed them and to have secured his Prerogative with their priviledges which he could never procure from them without this oversight of their own Besides how submiss are the Lay subjects now and how high grows the King and his Counsellors Advice is offered to raze the Town and erect a Pillar of repentance a Monument of their misery caused by their insolencie and this their punishment Others were lesse mild but all for condign marks of revenge to teach others their duties for the time to come Nay Bowes the English Ambassadour was out and in and in and out with his policies he liked well to imbroile the State but not to allow advantage to the King for by the faction of the Brethren all the designs of England were managed and reciprocall assistance from them to ballance their quarrels at home and therefore Queen Elizabeth writes to the King her advice fearing belike too much pressing upon the Ministry according to their merrit My Dear Brother If a rare accident and ill welcomed News had not broken my long silence I had not used Pen-speech as being carefull of your quiet and mindfull of your safety To omit the expressing of both by letting you know how untimely I take this new begun phrenzie that may urge you to take such a course as may bring into opinion the veryfying of such a scandal as you avowed to me to be farr from your thoughts In this sort I mean it some members of the Church with their Companies have over-audatiously imboldned themselves to redress some injurious acts that they feared might overthrow their profession which I grant no King for the manner ought to bear with yet at the instant when the new banisht Lords returned and they seem to be wincked at without restraint and the spring time going on when promised succor is neer hand together with many letters from Rome elswhere which tel the names of men authorised by you they say though I hope falsely to assure your conformity as time may serve you to establish the dangerous party and fail your own I wail in unfeigned sort that any just cause should be given you to call in doubt so disguised acts and hope that you will so try this cause as that it harm you not though it ruine them Of this you may be sure that if you make your strength of so sanday a foundation as to call to your aid such as be not of your flock when as the one side be foolish rash head-strong and brain-sick yet such as may defend you having no sure anchorage for themselves if you fail them and the others who have other props to sustain them though they lack you yea such as though your private love to their persons may invegle your eyes not to pierce the depth of their treason yet it is well known that their many petitions for foraign a●d might have tended to your perril and Countries wrack for seldome comes a stranger to a weaker soil that thralleth not the possessor or indangereth him at least I trust you think no less or else they must justifie themselves to condemn you for without your displeasure not feared for such a fact no answer can shield them from blame Now to aver my folly in seeming buysie in anothers affairs I suppose you will not mislike since the source of all is the care of your good to desire that nought be done that may imbolden the Enemie decrease your love and indanger your securety This is in summe the line whereto I tend and God I beseech to direct your heart in such sort as you please not your worst Subjects but make all know in a measure what is fit for them and make difference between error and malice So God bless you with a true thought of her that means you best Your most affectionate SISTER Elizabeth Reg. The Queen suspected that the King would have given extream punishment according to the fact and so highten their adverse enemy the Papists whose cause she urgeth as more guilty to ballance them both with mercy not malice This moderate Council it appears by the Kings former proceedings he intended rather a mind to paliate than to urge the occasion of greater diferences And accordingly no farther prosecution was made only to pursue the Town criminally and to appear at Perth February next And the Octavians not agreeing amongst themselves gave over their Commission of Exchequer into his Majesties hand fearing belike in this time of examination and purging defection they might come to a troublesome accompt though generally they gained repute of faithfull Stewards of the Kings treasure The King finding the Church affairs fall into his own hands rectifies the abuses crep in sates one amongst their articles of discipline I cannot say so they were so framed and formed from the first every day proceeding absurdities not disputed how resonable or religious but as they made for their advantage so were they ordained and obeyed And therefore a National Assembly is appointed at Perth must regulate all to treat and determine the bounds and excercise of the spiritual Jurisdiction Articles being drawn up and printed for to enter upon consideration with this Preface of the King He takes God the searcher of all hearts to record That his intentions are not
Abatement of his writ Nor shall any Nobleman of any other Nation hold plea in England by his name of dignity but only by his name of baptisme and Sùrname Cook 7. part Nay though he mary in England and have issue here the Father dying his Son shall not bear titles of his Fathers Honour because the title had original by a forein Prince and not by English Peerage Nay a more strange case A Postnatus of Scotland or Ireland who is a natural Subject of this Land be he the Heir of a Nobleman yet he is none of the Nobility of England But if the King summon him by writ to Parliament and therein stiled by that foraign Title then from thenceforth he is a Peer of England 39 Edw. 3 36. But more and worthy observance A Knight of any foreign Nation shall be so named in all our Courts of Pleas for the highest and lowest dignities are universal 26 Edward 4 39 Edward 3. And so shall any foraign King be sued here by his Title otherwise the writ shall abate for observe the person of a foraign King shall be here impleaded for debt or trespass of life so an Ambassadour Pardon this digression and now we return to Scotland The King grants a Commissi●n to certain persons to see conditions performed by the Popish Lords in reference of their obedience to the Church and for them also to subscribe to conditions for peace and quietness to the King and Country under caution of 20000. And in particular for Huntley to be advised by some Lords assigned to counsel him especially concerning the Kings service But to prevent the Kings publick intentions comes over from foraign parts one Iames Gourdon with designes of Treason and to deterr Huntley from subscribing against him was publisht a Proclamation and a thousand Crowns to apprehend him At which time there was discovered a practi●e of surprizeing the Isle of Elsay in the West Seas for receiving forces resolved upon by the Spaniard to be sent thither The contriv●r of this design was Barklay the Laird of Ladyland who had escaped out of Glascow prison last year and now returned from Spain and was secretly gotten to this Isle being a high rock four miles compass and thereon an invincible Tower somewhat ruinate of difficult access which he meant to victual But was sodainly surprized by one Knox who landing on the shore Barklay was walking down the Hill to take view of the Company not mistrusting to be known And finding that he was thus betrayed ran into the sea and drownded himself The news whereof comming to the Popish Lords made them the sooner conform which they did forthwith The King thus inabled to command ordains several Commissioners to reduce such families in the North that were in fewds particularly these between Huntley and Murray as you have heard Huntley and Forbes Arrol and Ladwhern Drum Frendraught men of considerable fortunes and fewds so that the North was cleared and quiet And now the King reminds the late behaviour of the Malapart Minister Blake who was couvented before Commissioners at Saint Andrews his Church concerning his Treasonable speeches in his former Sermon whereof he had been convicted before the Council and was now further accused as wondrous factious and so condemned and turn'd out of all And thus visitations being made through all Churches and Presbyteries a strange reformation followed both there and in the University and not only Inquisition of their Doctrines and behaviour therein but also concerning the Managment of Lectures Offices Revenues Rents all out of order untill this blessed way of altering all for good But more especially in the Colledges in place of divinity Readings Politick questions were raised whether the Election or succession of Kings were the better Government How farr the regall power extended whether Kings may not be censured for abusing the same and deposed by the people The King therefore prescribes the professors their Theam The first Master to read the common places to the Students with the Law and History of the Bible The second Master to read the New Testament The third the Prophets Ec●lesiastes and Canticles The fourth the Hebrew Grammer with the Psalms Proverbs and the book of Iob. A Council appointed for the Universitie and that for their better improvement and studies the Doctors Professors and Regents not being pastors should be exempted from Church-meetings Sessions Presbyteries and Assemblies these Orders and Articles assented and sworn unto in presence of the King And being Northward where pittifull ignorance possesses the common people Amongst many one Margeret Attkin apprehended upon suspition of witchcraft and threatned with Torture confessed her trade and discovering her associates to purge the Country of all if she might have but pardon she gave her reason to be assured of their guilt all of that sort having a secret mark in their eyes by which she could certainly discover them to be witches and had by deceipt the Devil also assisting gotten credit and belief and so carried through the Country for discovery of others and divers innocent women by her asseveration at Glasgow through the ignorant simplicitie of Master Iohn Cooper Minister were put to death But some wiser than the rest altered the women into other habits whom she would then acquit and so she was sent back to Fife her first aboad and then hanged But belying her self in what she had confessed she was by some supposed not guilty and the King was moved to recall the Commission which authorized proceedings against such seducers And yet the fearfull abounding of these detestable slaves to the Divel moved the King to dispatch hastily a Treatise to the press of Doemonologie in form of a Dialogue and devided into three books 1. The discription of Magi in special 2. The discription of sorceries and witch●raft in special 3. The discription of all these kind of spirits that trouble men or women and the conclusion Against the damnable opinions of two principally in that age One Scot an English man who denies in print such a thing as witchcraft and so maintains the old error of the Saduces in denying of spirits The other of Wierus a Germain Physitian in his publick Apologie for all witchcraft discovering thereby himself to have been one of them The Kings indeavour is to prove two things That there have been and are such devilish Arts and secondly what exact tryal and severe punishment they merit And reasoning upon Genus he leaves species differentia to be comprehended therein for example In the first book Chap. 6. speaking of the power of Magicians He saies that they can suddenly by their spirits cause to be brought all kinds of delicacies since as a thief he delights to steal and as a spirit subtilly transports them under which Genus all particulars may be comprehended as bringing wine out of a wall c. proved by reasons of the general In the second book● Chap. 5
had a father whose blood calls for revenge you shall die minting to the K. heart with the dagger The King amazed deals gently with his fury excuses himself from the guilt of his death by his then Infancie advising him not to lay violent hands on the sacred person of his Annoynted Soveraign especially in a cause of his innocencie pleading the lawes of God and Man and his merits by restoring your brother in blood and honors by breeding your Sister the neerest in the Queens affection and by his reception of his Bedchamber withall promising pardon of all that is past And which wrought so much upon Alexander for the present that he leaves the King in custody of Henderson until he returns from his brother having taken oath of the King not to stir nor cry out and so locks them in Alexander gone Henderson trembles with reverence of his Soveraign and craves pardon the King works upon his passion and asks him what he was who answered a servant of the Earls and wilt thou kill me he replyed with an oath himself would sooner die Presently Alexander enters with a Garter in his hand and saies Sir there is no remedy by God you must dye and strives to bind him Nay saies the King I was born free and will not be bound and struggling together Alexander got the Kings head under his arm and his hand upon his mouth which the King bit by the thumb and dragging him to the window bade Henderson open it The King cried out into a back Court where the Duke the Earl of Mar and others were in pursute of him who was rumoured to be gone out the back way into the Park At the cry of Treason and known to be the King they hastened to the Chamber where he dined but no entrance was found The while Iohn Ramsey formerly the Kings Page and now Groom of the Bed-chamber with Sir Thomas Erskin also sought counter to get up by the Turn-Pike back-stairs directed thither by a Boy of the House who saw Alexander ascend that way and forcing one Door findes them panting Ramsey casts off his Hawk from his fist draws out his Fauchion and wounds him deadly in the belly being bid to strike low for the King found him armed with a Male. And the instant comes in Sir Thomas Erskin Doctor Herres and one Wilson and by them was the body dispatcht whilest Henderson slipt away When they soon suspected by the noise of unlocking Doors that Gowry himself might assail them advising the King to withdraw into the Lobby they cast the Kings Coat upon the dead body The Earl enters by his double Keys with seven servants the fore-way and his Case of Rapiers his usual Weapon ready drawn to whom Erskin earnestly said to divert him from his purpose What do you mean my Lord The King is killed and points to his brothers covered body bleeding on the ground At which Gowry stops sinking the points of his weapons when suddenly Herres assails him with his rusty sword Ramsey steps in and strikes him to the heart not so soon but that the Earl thrust him into the thigh assisted by Cranston who hurt Erskin and Herres in the hand and they him through his body who lived onely long enough to be hanged and quartered And forthwith came up all the Lords the Court and Townsmen After thanks to God for this mercy they surveyed Gowries body which did not bleed untill a Parchment was taken out of his bosom with Characters and these Letters which put together made TETRAGRAMMATON having been told His Bloud should not spill whilest he had that Spell Being thus deceived by the Devil he thought he should not die untill he had power and rule which he had of the King and so suffered by the Sword There remained in Scotland one younger son two other brothers being fled of that House then a childe and was from that time imprisoned by Act of Parliament and so continued afterwards in the Tower of London untill this Kings death and the grace of the late King Charls restored him to liberty with a small Pension which kept him like a Gentleman to these times but now failing he walks the streets poor but well experienced in Chymical Physick and in other parts of Learning which he got whilest he lost his liberty Not long after Herres well rewarded dies Ramsey hath the honour of Knighthood with additional bearing of his Coat of Arms A Hand holding forth a Dagger mounted proper peircing a bloudy Heart the point crowned Emperial with this Motto Haec dextra vindex Principis Patriae Not without increase of Wealth and Honour to his Death Sir Thomas Erskin afterwards created Earl of Kelly and by degrees Knight of the Gart●r Captain of the Kings Guard and Groom of the Stool Henderson had a large Pension confirmed by Act of Parliament and died not long since The Commemoration hereof was advisedly se●tled by Act of Parliament the Anniversary Feast-day of the fifth of August solemnized to Gods glory during this Kings life and Narratives in print in Scotland and England of all these circumstances which I have to produce as also several Examinations taken at Fawkland this year viz. Iames Weyms of Bogye William Rynde and Andrew Henderson the very man assigned to murder the King whose Examination onely I thought good to insert Fawkland 20th August 1600. In presence of the Lord Chancellour Lord Treasurer Advocate Controuler Sir George Hewme and Sir Iames Methold viz. That the Earl Gowry at St. Iohnstons appointed this Deponent Henderson over night to ride with his Brothers Alexander and Andrew Ruthen to Falkland the next morn who came all together thither at seven of the clock Alexander presently spake with the King in private as he gat on hors-back and instantly commanded this Deponent to ride with all possible speed to the Earl whom he found at St. Iohnstons in his chamber at ten of the clock and told him that the King would be there by noon The Earl presently with-draws into his Cabinet demands How his Majesty took with his Brother This Deponent said Very well for the King clipt him about the shoulder The Earl asked if there were many with the King and what special persons He answered The usual number and the Duke of Lenox And that within an hour after the Earl commanded this Deponent to put on his secret plate-sleeves saying He had an High-land man to take That about one a clock the Earl being at Dinner Andrew Ruthen came from Alexander and whispered to the Earl and presently after came Alexander and William Bloir and took the Earl from his Dinner and sent for his Gantlet and Steel-Bonnet and then the King came in That Alexander bids this Deponent fetch the Keys of the chambers from William Reynd and so both went up the stairs but afterwards Thomas Cranston required this Deponent to come to the
Earl who commanded him to go up to Alexander and immediately the Earl followed bidding this Deponent do what ere Alexander bade him who forthwith lockt him within the Round in the Chamber telling him he must stay there till he returned who shortly after came with the King and opening the Door both of them entred and instantly Alexander clapping on his Hat pulled out this Deponents Dagger and held it to the Kings breast saying Remember ye of my Fathers murther You shall now die for it And minting to his Higness heart with the Dagger this Deponent tript the same out of his hand and believes that if Alexander had retained the Dagger so long as one might go six steps he had killed the King therewith But wanting the Dagger the King gave him gentle language excusing himself of Gowries death Alexander says Well if you keep quiet nothing shall a●l you if you will do as my Brother will have of you The King asked What would you have He answered I will bring my Brother And having taken Oath of the King not to cry out nor ope the Window till his return he lockt them both together The King asked the Deponent what he was who answered A Servant of my Lords The King said Will your Lord kill me The Deponent said with an Oath He shall die first Alexander enters and says Sir there is no remedy by God you must die And having a loose Garter strove to binde the Kings hands who said Nay sall you not I se die a free man And this Deponent pulled the Garter from him Then Alexander clapt his hand upon the Kings mouth to stop his crying and held his head under his arm But this Deponent pulled his hand from the Kings mouth and opened the Window and the King cried out thereat Whereupon the Kings Servant came running in at the Gate and the Deponent ran and opened the Turn-Pike head whereat Iohn Ramsey entred and this Deponent saw him give Alexander the blow and then this Deponent gat away It is remembred by the Archbishop of St. Andrews in his History pag. 460. that he three days after meeting Mr. William Cooper who had been Tutor to Alexander told him that not many days before that Action visiting the Earl at his own house he found him reading a Book intituled de conjurationibus adversus Principes shewing him That it was a Collection of the Conspiracies made against Princes which he said were foolishly contrived by all of them and faulty either in one point or other for he that goeth about such a business said he should not put any man on his counsel But the Ministers refuse to give God thanks for the Kings delivery excusing themselves as not being acquainted with the particulars nor how those things had fallen out It was answered That the Kings escape was evident They replied that nothing ought to be delivered in the Pulpit but that whereof the truth was known and that all spoken there should be in faith And so it was done onely by a narrative Relation of Bishop Ross at the Market Cross to the singular joy of the people And afterwards the King and Councel with all the Nobili●y solemnized the Deliverance with Thanksgiving and Prayer with great satisfaction to the multitude Who as Domitian said seldom give credit to the Conspiracy unless the Prince be slain Those Ministers that refused wer● silenced from Preaching under pain of Death and well they deserved it untill afterwards that they declared They were resolved of the truth of Gowries Conspiracy and submit for their former fault And so were ordered to publish the same in sundry Churches One of them had his reservation He would reverence the Report but was not perswaded of the truth And therefore was banished into France The Bodies of the two Brothers were sentenced by the Parliament hanged on a Gibbet dismembred and their Heads set upon the Prison-house and then ordained the fifth day of August in all Ages to come should be solemnly kept for Publick Prayers The assasination of Princes the more common the more close and as they were mightily performed on the persons of his Pred●cessors in Scotland so not seldom practised on Queen Elizabeth in England whilest she was increasing in years but being declined through age near her end the le●uit Catholick considered it to be lost labour upon her then her death gave being to another Ph●nix as the onely Defender of the Faith Upon him therefore they intend the like which being known unto Ferdinando Grand Duke of Tus●any out of the singular fame of the Kings princely virtues he sent to him an Express an English Gentleman Sir Henry Wotton a Traveller in Italy with a Dispatch ●nd Packet of Letters intercepted by the Duke in them a Design of certain men sent secretly to Scotland to impoyson the King Wotton was well rewarded and returned with many princely expressions of the Dukes timely intimation and the Kings infinite obligation and bad him say to the Duke as from the King That to him it was less considerable to die than to fear And whilest he was here 26. of February 1600. was born the Kings third son the second son Robert died young and Christened Charls at Dunferling a sickly weak Infant but recovered beyond expectation and proved all his life exceeding healthy and by his constitution might have lived a great age had not untimely accidents bereaved us of him To give end to this year we recommend to memory the Life and Death of Mr. Iohn Cragg he had been Minister to the King they will not stile themselves Chaplains of good fame and scale of learning without faction which I note as a rarity in them and therefore his reputation His Parent kill'd at Flouden-field his means no more than poverty affords put him into extremities to work out a livelihood To England first an ordinary Pedagogue to a private family then he returns and necessity enforcing he becomes a Dominican and i●●prisoned for four Tenents of Heresie got out and went back to England Then to France and thence to Rome where Cardinal Pool prefers him to instruct Novices of the Cloister in Bononia and imployed their Envoy in affairs through Italy and in Commission to the Isle Chios in the Ionick sea to redress disorders there Afterwards returning he became Rector and so access to the Library of the Inquisition where he happened on Calvins Institutions and by them and the Instructions his own Tale of an old man in the Monastery he was confirm'd a Proselyte to his Discipline and not able to keep counsel was carried to Rome and by the Inquisition condemned to be burnt an Heretick That night Pope Paul the fourth dies the people hating his person in huge tumult tumbled down his Statue of Marble dragging it about the streets for three days and then drowned it in Tiber and increasing villany and power discharged the Prisons and amongst the rest Cragg gat loose
no third person admitted and a guard of Horse kept all men off from hearing Considering the former Message by Knowd what construction can this secrecie produce but great surmize of the height of Treason and yet though Essex was not arraigned for his Irish actions his latter in London sufficient let me relate what is testified in pursuance of this in the designes of Essex On Tyrones part it fell out That the very day that Essex returned to the Queen Tyrone told Sir William Warren at Armagh That within two or three Moneths he should see the greatest and strangest alteration that could be imagined and that himself hoped to have a large share in England And unto Bremingham he said That he had promised ere long to shew his face in England little to the publick good thereof Thomas Wood Confesses That the Lord Fitz●orris in Munster about the same time told him That Tyrone had written to the Earl of Desmond so called that the contract was That Essex should be King of England Tyrone Viceroy of Ireland and should assist him in England with 8000 Souldiers With which agrees the answer of Tyrone to Mac Roories letter That Essex had agreed to side with Tyrone and so be ayded by them all towards the Conquest of England The general opinion and discourse of the Rebells That Essex was theirs and they his and that he would never relinquish the sword of Ireland till he was Master of that in England Tyrone after the parley grew proud and secure into strange progresses visitations homages of his confederates as of a new spirit and courage Essex presently thereupon having retired thoughts became melancholly as of doubtfull ambition and secretly imparts himself only to the Earl of Southampton and Sir Christopher Blunt Resolving to go into England with 2. or 3000. choice of the Army to make good his landing at Milford Haven so gather power march to London and make his own conditions They diswade him from the hazard and odiousness of the design but rather to draw out 200. of the most resolute to make sure of the Court and so to follow the effect And accordingly over he comes his Company in a muze of his intents he publisht his pretext to them by the efficacie of his presence to draw the Queen to confirm his Articles with Tyrone But in great choler as to dispute or Revenge and without leave from England He leaves his command to a Lieutenant and lands with 100. Gentlemen his best confidents hastens to Court ere it was known to any but to his dear Uncle Sir William Knowles Controuler of the Queens Houshold to whom he writes Dear Uncle Receiving your last at my entring on shipboard I return you this accompt at my landing being resolved with all speed and our silence to appear in the face of my Enemies not trusting a farr off to my own Innocencie or to the Queens favour with whom they have got so much power At sight of him with amaze the Queen swore Gods death my Lord what do you here your presence hatefull without Tyrones head But he falling more to a dispute than any excuse she in disdain to be taught but what she pleased to do bid him he gone his boots stunck So was he commanded to his Chamber at Court for some daies thence to the Lord Keeper til neer Easter after then to his own house under custody of Sir Richard Barckley til the end of Trinity Term so by degrees of restraint to win him to repentance the Queen said that he was young enough to amend and make amends for all Yet to repress seditious libels dispersed in his Justification and to observe a form of justice ere she gave him libertie There were associates unto her privy Council some chosen persons of the Nobility and judges of the Law to examine his breaking of his instructions in Ireland his treating with Tyrone and leaving his Government coming over without leave nay expresly contrary to his command under her hand signet With limitation not to be charged with disloyalty nor to be questioned publickly in Starr Chamber which upon his most penitent letter he desired to be spared and to be heard at the Lord Keepers house The sentence was then no more than suspension from some of his Places for he called God to witness He made an utter divorce with the world and desired favour only for a preparative for his Nunc Dimittis the tears of his heart having quenched in him all humors of ambition Upon which in few daies his Keeper Barckly was taken from him with this admonition That he was not altogether discharged though left to the guard of his own discretion He had taken into his service as chief Secretary in Ireland and long before one Henry Cuff base by birth a great Scholar of a turbulent and mutinous spirit This fellow a Moneth after his Lords liberty practised with Sir Henry Nevil lately Lieger Ambassadour with the French King and now newly come from Bullen Insinuating as a secret That the breach of the treaty of Bullen was like to light upon him By Cuff it was first concluded that ancient principle of Conspiracie To prepare many and trust but to few and after the manner of Mines to make ready the powder place it firm and then give fire in the instant The first of Nobility was Wriothsly Earl of Southampton and some others of quality and with Profane policie to serve their turns with both factions Papist and Puritan Essex his outside to these professing Hypocriticall zeal and frequent Sermons To the other as to Blunt and Davis his inmost secrecies for Tolleration of Religion And thus he spent Michael●as Term. Towards Christmass there passed a watch-word amongst his associates That he intended to stand upon his guard a double sence as of circumspection or force But in truth not to be cooped up with restraint The time of execution was Hilary Term when by invitation or business the Town would fill with his friends But in Candlemass Term they fell to consult at Drury House where Sir Charls Davers lodged a man obliged unto him for his pardon about the Murther of one Long. Sir Ferdinando Gorges Governour of Plymouth sent for by his letter not to fail before the second of February Sir Iohn Davis Surveyor of the Ordinance his former servant And Iohn Littleton a man of wit and valour Their consultation rest upon three parts The perusal of a List of confederates How to act Distribution of each mans action The List was 106. Noblemen Knights and Gentlemen of Essex own hand writing The action was in two Articles Possessing the Tower Surprizing the Q. Court In which was deliberated what course to hold with the City towards effecting the surprize or after The Tower would give reputation and security to the Action by means of Davis but most of the rest were jealous that whilst they built
he said they did him hurt and no good without weapons The Queen and Court somewhat frighted commanded the City to be in readiness but to keep within doors The Lord Burghley with Garter King of Heraulds proclamed him Traytor in the principal parts of London which was done with expedition and resolution though with loss of some of his Train and hurt of many Clifford Earl of Cumberland with Sir Thomas Gerrard Knight Marshal rode up and down proclaming them Traytors And so divers withdrawing he altered his former pretext and said That Kingdom should have been sold to the Infanta Then making stay in Grace-street and dismaid at the tidings that forces were aproaching under conduct of the Lord Admiral Lieutenant for the Queen resolved to return by water and make good his own person by the pledges of the Lords which a good fellow over-hearing and not well assured of his part there being as deep in the design as death hasted before by land told Davis and Merick that by any means they should release the Council and so got his own pardon and this was Sir Ferdinando Gorges But Essex ignorant as yet goes on by land to Ludgate there at the West end of Pauls he was resisted by the forces of the Bishop of London commanded by Sir Iohn Luson At which Incounter Blunt was wounded young Tracie slain and others on his part Wyat slain and some hurt on the Queens part But upon this small repulse He slips from his Train turns down to Queen-hith and by a pair of oares was received into his Water-gate at home which he fortified and baricadoed And as instantly was he besieged on land by the Earls of Cumberland and Lincoln Lords Thomas Howard Gray Burghly and Compton Sir Walter Ralegh and Sir Thomas Gerrard And by water by the Lord Admiral the Lord Essingham Lord Cobham Sir Iohn Stanhop Sir Robert Sidney and Master Foulk Gervil and this way forcing the walls wonne the Garden And being offered parly and time to remove his Countess and Sister Rich with other Gentlewomen before they would storm the Hourse But Essex with his Lords upon the Leads would not capitulate but intreat That they might be used Civilly To have an honourable Tryal To have Ashton his Preacher with him in Prison And so by ten a clock at night they submitted themselves Prisoners to the Tower This monstrous Treason of this mighty man thus weakly managed was began and ended in twelve hours and the next day as calm as if no Motion or Billowes had been before For which he and Southampton eleven dayes after were arraigned and condmned this one had his reprieve but Essex the reward of his merits and executed the 25. February upon the Inner Hill in the Tower Several dayes before Sir Charls Blunt suffered by the Axe and Cuff by the halter Essex before his and at several times so not surprized betrayed most of his confederates and discovered Sir Henry Nevil late Ambassadour in France as privie to all his conspiracies of whom til then there had been no suspition which was construed in him an Act more of temerity and hope of pardon than in Grace and good Conscience of a Repentant Offender And this being his Tragedy It is no wonder though our Adversarie Authors the one The History of Great Britain the other The Court and Character of King James should so slightly pass over his Treasons With them we shall have some dispute as we meet them Contemporaries in our farther proceedings in the second Part. Let me add the Opinion that a writer had of Essex and published in these verses Quod Regina scelus scelus est quod Virgo petatur quod pia Virgo scelus quod tibi grata scelus Cum Virgo Regina Pia et tibi grata petatur Proh scelus et superat quod scelus omne scelus It 's Treason that a Queen should ruin'd be That a Maid ill That she was Good yet worse that good to Thee More wicked still But when a Queen a Maid Good and thy Friend Thou wouldst dispatch The Treason that thy black heart doth intend Dares Hell to match England thus long sick of the disease of Irish affairs the expence whereof had brought the State into a Consumption which put the Queen to seek money of her Subjects besides her way of sweetning them with good words Tyrone grew so Insolent asto act Soveraignty where ere he came disposing Honours Estates Privileges Freedomes And therefore Charles Blunt Lord Montjoy is sent over Deputy and though others as fit as the former the Queen who seldome chose amiss pickt out him to command for his readiness to obey a fault in Essex proud and stubborn uncounsellable and unconstant The Rebells put him to it salute him by Allarm in the very Suburbs of Dublin which the Deputy with his selected Veteranes meant to requite soon after in a Massy-body and fight him which the Enemy sought for and had been worsted of which some underhand Counsellors at the Queen elbow warned him to prevent by turning a to-side But with several light Brigadoes he was so hotly pursued asput him to his holes again Sir Warham Saint-Leger meets Mac-guire a graceless wretch and with their Launces full Career run each other thorough and dye Romes friendship to those Rebells much encouraged by his Indulgence the aboundance of the Churches Treasure was pleased to spare them pardon of their sinnes for the good service of shedding so much blood of their S●veraigns Subjects and for fighting in the faith of his beloved sonne Hugh Prince O-neal and Earl of Ter-Oen Captain General of the Catholick forces in Ireland Whom His Holiness accompanies with all his spirritual graces and those that follow him or favour him by pains counsel arms provision or any other means a plenary pardon of all their sinnes the very same pardon sayes he that was wont to be granted to those that warre against the Turk or for the Holy land However the deputy sends Docwray into Ulster Garrisons himself with 4000. foot and 300. horse put the Enemie to his lurking with new supplies in Angust out of England he breaks through many difficulties into Ulster Erects Mont-Norris fort in memory of that gallant Iohn Lord Norris under whom he first exercised arms Docwray likewise being assaulted by Ter-oen with treacherie perjurie and cunning deceit and wounded yet gets out of all dangers and takes Dunalong a lesser Castle On the other side the Deputy in winter forces several Rebells to Obedience passes victoriously in compass so farr as Ulster in his first years Regency George Carew no less fortunate in Munster The Southern parts burthened by the Tit●lar Earl Desmond of Ter-Oens making he surprizes but was again rescued Takes seven Castles drives him out of that province reduces many Rebells to obedience quiets the County and comes home at Christmass And this was done there In England they
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 kind● 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 S●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 Ce●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 ●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 tim● of miracles Was it not a miraculous mercy that Queen Elizabeth that m●t●hl●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 P●●ers of Darkness and popish rage raise our tr●e Religion as it were by mirac●e from the dead a thing which the World hoped little to see that ●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 look● for Day the
incompatible and inseparable Iustice and Mercy may Kiss each Other we may Fear and yet Love the Lord. Virtues consist in Concatenation He who stiled Hanibals Crueltie a Virtue by the same Argument concluded Clemencie a Vice He had Examples of former Presidents The King of France forgat the Quarrel of the Duke of Orleans He did so And more did King Iames which over-ruled Him to that pious and prudent Consideration that resolved into the most hapy Event The aym and End to make His design also Practical and His Precepts an admirable Pat●ern And indeed the Paths which He alwaies walked in were the less obvious to Common footsteps as they were confirmed to choicer Limits Being almost an example to Himself and Inimitable of all for in His way few went before Him And thus resolved whilst Queen Elizabeths age and weakness increased He wanted not Parasites of Her own Court that constantly offered their Intelligence of all Her Actions and weak condition which gave him timely occasion to consider the settlement of his affairs at home in reference to his Inheritance of England His first was for Religion and to judg with what affection the Kirk of Scotland had faction with Calvins documents very averse from Papistrie but subject to the Infection of Neighbour schisms And how to ballance them was his work to wade through It was no boot heretofore to strive against this stream at home and therefore he suffered the violence to run into the usual Chanel for that time Wisely weighing the perverse peevishness of the Ministery And with what constitutions they had linckt themselves with the publick affections of the People and withall got a mixt power in the affairs of State And it was not for him to break through that Custom which yet he foresaw must afterwards quarrel with the Customes of his successive Inheritance where Episcopacie had fixed such firm footing But laying the foundation of his adventure on His own Penn in his Instructions to his son Prince Henry stated to him the estate of that Kirk And indeed their Reformation from Popery as it was extraordinary by God so was it done Inordinately by popular Tumult and Rebellion of such as did the work clog'd with passion and particular respects as in other Neighbouring Nations fiery Spirits of the Ministry got such a guiding of the people in their times of confusion partly in the Governments of his Grand-mother and his Mother as hath been related and afterwards usurping larger liberty under four Regents in His Long Minority and by these occasions setled themselves in hope to lead the people by the Nose and so in all factions then and for many years before and sythence to spouse any quarrel as their own evermore esteeming Him the highest evil not by any Vice but only to be a King And because some of the Ministery the more grave and learned were asham'd to side with them therefore the other sort preached themselves a Parity in the Church the Mother of Confusion and enemy to unity By which means great disorder was likely to follow which the King sought by several waies to prevent or countermine their subtlety with His wisdom The professed Puritan being a Sect whom no deserts could oblige nor their own Oaths or promises bind and whose consciences had not more of credit than their own conceits And therefore the Kings preservative against such was to advance learning in their Ministers In whom truly ●il His time who was able to try Men it was very defective taking a pride in their pretended zeal to shadow their great ignorance in divine knowledg making their shop dark thereby to vent false wares to the people And so to keep ballance in their different conditions with those of the Episcopacie And to avoid extreams to repress the Vanity of the Precisian so not to suffer the excess of a Bishop and to chain them both with such bonds and ligaments as did preserve that Estate from creeping into very great Corruption Even in the period of time when their Doctrines had amplified into Heads of very dangerous Consequence Errors grow fastest in hot brains but their Obstinacie therein is that dead flesh which makes the green wound of an Error fester by degrees into the old sore of an Heresie And for his Nobility as they were antient so and oft-times in former feuds had suckt in with their nursing a very proud conceit of their greatness and power such as it was among their parties of Kindred or otherwise allied or won by kindness to their Tenants which evermore had a mixture of some cuning not less to be considered than in other Peers of neighbouring Nations I mean the English and French with whom that Nation had great interest To keep those I say his own Peers in Peace out of the sad experience of former Times intestine Divisions not occasioned as in some other Dominions from their several changes and quarrels to Sovereignty or Title to a Crown but always from private faction of their own to which either party pretended the Sovereigns safety to settle and secure their own pretensions by possessing of the Regents for so heretofore they hurried his Parents his Protectors and Him from Post to Pillar And therefore he preferred such as had been faithfull to his Predecessours and to the safety of him in his minority a Rule of direction herein he markt out to his Son keeping such notwithstanding under his elbow with places of Judicature or Offices of honor so to divert them and their interest abroad And having for some years thus settled his Kingdom he began more particular to look upon himself and to consider his near relation to the Crown of England which he long lookt for and warily expected well knowing through his undoubted right the jealousie of Princes upon their Successours they too hastily coveting that which long delay might breed to impatience and it fell upon Him with as much fear as upon any Heir that our Histories can parallel in all the Factions and Interests of neighbour Princes wisely how to guide himself as an accountant to the Kingdom of England For Q. Elizabeth after her settlement here held it a Maxime of policy not to publish her own Pedegree which must draw down the Scots Line to the absolute necessity of succeeding and yet to ballance the French and to keep up her power over the Scots she took upon her to meddle in all their affairs and so to tamper with their Factions as not to suffer the Scots Queens and others Regents there to get to great power which the French endeavoured mightily to promote and therefore Maries head was the sooner strook off to remove the dangers and make Queen Elizabeth of more absolute authority in that Nation which she was not over-nice to take upon her But to amuze them and the world besides she was ever busie with Suters to make all men believe she meant to marry which had the King
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 ex●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 ●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
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 The●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 ●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
curtesie of Speech not de jure nor have privilege as Lords of Parliament and these are the Son and Heir of a Duke called an Earl his eldest Son a Baron but not in Pleadings and so of Daughters stiled Ladies by curtesie onely On Saint Iames his day in Iuly the King and Queen were crowned at Westminster in that fatal Chair of Sovereigns anointing in it remains a large blackish Stone Jacob's Pillow say the Scots in his Ladder Dream of the Messias from his Loins and indeed so ceremonious he was then that he sacrificed thereon naming it Domus Dei and in his Return from Laban forgat not thereon to pay his Vows in which esteem he conveyed it with his R●licks in his general remove to Egypt but from thence the Israelites flying in haste and pursued they it seems left th●s Monument behinde and one Gathelus wedded to Pharaoh's Daughter though a stranger observant of the Hebrews Rites transported it to Galicia of his name Port-Gathelick thence by his Seed carried into Ireland so by Ferguard sent to Penthland or Scotland crowning their Kings thereon And Edward 3. brought it from thence Even then when grave Bards did sing that ancient Saw Ni fallat fatum Scoti hunc quocunque locatum Inveniunt Lapidem regnare tenentur ibidem The Scots sall bruke that Ream as Naitiff Grund Gif Wierds fail nocht quhair eir this Chair is fund Another very ancient Post Iacobum Iacobus Iacobum Iacobus quoque quintus At sextus Iacobus Regno regnabit utroque After a James sall be a James a third James and a fourth A fifth James also but the sixth sall sway the Scepters both These are no conceits commonly made up ere half-molded for they were read many Ages before he or his abortive Book were born And with his Crown he taketh Oath To keep and maintain the Right and Liberties of the Church and shall keep all the Lands Honours and Dignities righteous and free of the Crown of England and the Rights of the Crown decayed and lost he shall call again to his power into the ancient Estate shall keep the peace of the Church of the Clergy and People and do Equity and Iustice with discretion and mercy shall hold the Laws and Customs of the Realm and the evil Laws put out to establish peace to the People and no Charter to grant but by Oath Abridgment Henry 8. Statutes This Ceremony ended there were 24. Knights of the Bath invested who were received into White-hall in the evening and supped together in one Room sitting by degrees with their Escocheons of their proper Arms placed above their Heads they were lodged upon Pallats on the floor under their Arms after they had been bathed in several Baths provided in Chambers the next morning they were apparelled in Hermits weeds and marshalled into Saint James's Park with loud Musick and the Heralds going before and so about the Courts of White-hall and then into the Chapel with their Reverence before the Altar-table and the Cloath of Estate as at St Georges Feast they take their places in stalls theirs Arms above and hear Service Then each Knight with his two Esquires offered at the Altar Pieces of Gold and so retired in the former manner to their Chambers and then adorned themselves with Robes of Crimson Taffata with Hats and white Feathers and so were conducted to the King into the Presence-chamber under the Cloath of State who girt each of them with a Sword and had gilt Spurs put on their Heels dined together and so to the Even-Song at the Chapel where they offered their Swords The next day in Robes of Purple Sattin with Doctors Hoods on their shoulders Hats with white Feathers and so feasted again and lodged that night as before and the next day departed They are dignified and distinguished from other Knights by a Medall of three Crowns of Gold which is hanging at a Red Ribband which they should wear about their necks during their life These Knights are commonly Youths of the Sons of Noblemen or Nobless So now the King is established with all the Rites of Co●firmation in Honour and Love of his People and may be ranked in competition with the most for the Western Monarchy which had been hotly pursued by Henry 8. in opposition to France and Spain about whose time the House of Austria settled into that Design And because we have left the King in joyfull solemnity let us step aside out of the Court jollity and seriously consider the cunning contrivances of neighbour Kings heretofore for Imperial domination It was set on work by union of Mariage in Charles the Grand-Child of Maximilian the Emperour of the House of Austria and of Ferdinand of Spain who being heir to them both inherited also the Netherland Arragon Castile Scicile and the Indies 1503. And because Lewis of France as great in power stood in Competition the other therefore sought to Master it by cunning inter-marriage with Charles and his daughter Claud which was no sooner contracted but as sodainly crackt and He affianced to Mary the Daughter of Henry the seventh of England and to whose sonne Arthur Ferdinand had married Katherin his youngest daughter 1506. This double union with England encourages the other to break with France but Arthurs death and his father soon following and they still afraid of France clap up a fresh match with the widdow Katherin and Henry the eighth and a Bull subdated the Popes death dispensed with it 1510. Henry the eighth left rich by his father young and active is put upon quarrels with France that either Kingdoms might spend themselves in War as they did in wonderfull designes To whose assistance the other interpose with either party and with inconstancy as the necessity of State-Interest intervened But upon Maximilians death the Emperial Crown falls in Competition of France and Spain Charles now put to it seeks to get in with England and acknowledges the fowl Inconstancies of his Predecessors towards Henry the eighth In which he confesses as he was involved so his youth and duty then tyed him more to Obedience than Truth but now grown a Man and Himself the mutual dangers of either would give assurance for his part where otherwise he saith single faith might mistrust Henry the eighth thus cousened into some kindness both by his own power and purse makes Charles Emperour and the French King his Prisoner 1519. And so his turn served a peace is concluded with France and the King of England at whose charge all was effected is left out of any satisfaction And to amuze him from revenge intices Desmond to rebell in Ireland and assisted Iames the fift of Scotland with amunition and mony to buysie England at home 1526. And being in this height of Imagination to have wrought wonders in reducing the Election of the Popes from the Cardinals to the Emperour set others to quarrel with the Pope also who very
Child should not be saved He answered No. But if you be called though in private to baptize him and refuse I think you shall be damned But he concluded Necessity of Baptism to be necessary by lawfull Ministers and none other and yet utterly disliked Rebaptization though after either Women or Laicks Here the Bishop of Winton affirmed that to deny baptizing by private persons in case of necessity crossed all Antiquity that the Minister is not of the essence of the Sacrament yet is he of the essence of the right and lawfull Ministry thereof the commission of Christ Matth. 28. 20. Go preach and baptize Excommunication The King asked Whether the Name might not be changed and yet the censure retained or whether another coercion equivalent He was answered that it had been heretofore often considered but Queen Elizabeth resolved to be Semper eadem and not to alter what she had settled The King professing That though he lived some time as a Ward under Puritans yet since he was of his Sons age the Prince sitting by he ever disliked their opinions though he lived among them he was not of them Opus primae diei The perfect Conference The Bishops Deans and Doctors and a Scotish Minister Patrick Galloway was admitted and Reynolds Sparks Knewstubs and Chaderton The King told them all the intent of the Conference meet for every King at his entrance to the Crown Not to innovate the established Government which by long experience he found was accompanied with singular blessings five and forty years as that no Church upon the face of the earth flourished more than this of England But first to settle an uniform Order therein Secondly to plant unity for suppressing Papists and other Enemies to Religion Thirdly to amend abuses being natural to bodies Politick and to corrupt man as the shadow to the body which once being entered have motion like a wheel set going and because complaints had been made he thought best to summon the gravest and most learned to hear what could be said and so wished the Oponents to object They four kneeled down and Doctor Reynolds the fore-man after a short Preamble gratulatory signified his Majesties summons by virtue whereof these appeared reducing all matters disliked to these four Heads 1. That the Doctrine of the Church might be preserved pure according to Gods Word 2. That good Pastors might be planted to preach 3. That the Church-government might be sincerely ministred according to Gods Word 4. That the Book of Common Prayer might be fitted to more increase of piety In the first that the Book of Articles of Religion concluded 1562. might be explain'd where obscure and enlarged where defective viz. Acts 16. the words are these After we have received the Holy Ghost we may depart from grace which seem to be contrary to the Doctrine of Gods Predestination and Election in Article 17. both these words might be explained with this addition yet neither totally nor finally and that the nine Assertions upon a conference heretofore at Lambeth might be inserted into that Book Secondly where it is said in Article 23. that none should preach or administer Sacraments in the Congregation without lawfull calling he said implied a lawfulness for any man out of the Congregation to preach c. though he had no lawfull calling Thirdly in Article 25. touching Confirmation grown partly of the corrupt following the Apostles being opposite to those in the Collect of Confirmation in the Communion Book Upon whom after the example of the Apostles argue saith he a contrariety each to other the first confessing Confirmation to be a depraved imitation of the Apostles the second grounding it on their example Acts 8. 19. as if the Bishop in confirming children did by imposing his hands as the Apostles do in those places give the visible graces of the Holy Ghost c. therefore he desired that both the contradictions might be considered and this ground of contradiction examined The Bishop of London first desired his Majesty That the antient Canon might be remembred Schismatici contra Episcopos non sunt audiendi Secondly that if any of these parties were in the Number of the 1000. Ministers who had once subscribed and yet petitioned against it they might be removed according to a very decree of an antient Counsel That no man should be admitted to speak against what he had subscribed and contrary to a statute to speak against the Liturgie and discipline established alleging what Master Cartwright had confirmed that we ought rather to conform to Orders and Ceremonies to the fashion of the Turks than to the Papists Concerning falling from Grace the said Bishop said that very many Men neglecting holiness of Life presumed of persisting in Grace laying all their Religion on Predistination if I shall be saved I shall be saved a desperate doctrine wherein we should rather reason ascendendo than descendendo Thus I live in Obedience to God In love with my Neighbour I follow my vocation c. I trust God hath elected me and predestinated me to salvation But contrariwise they use this argument God hath perdestinated and chosen me to life and though I sin never so grievously I shall not be damned for whom he once loveth he loveth eternally Whereupon he shewed what was the doctrine of the Church of England briefly That we must receive Gods promises as they are set forth generally in Scripture and do that will of God which is expresly declared in Scripture The King wished that the doctrine of Predestination be tenderly handled lest on the one side Gods Omnipotencie might be questioned by impeaching the doctrine of Predestination or on the other a desperate presumption might be averred by inferring the necessary certainty of standing and persisting in grace To the second it was answered none but a Licensed Minister might preach nor administer the Eucharist or the Lords supper and for private Baptism the King said he had ordered already The third point was observed to be of Curiosity or Malice because the Article there read These five commonly called Sacraments Confirmation Penance Orders c. are not to be accounted Sacraments of the Gospel being such as have grown partly of the corrupt following the Apostles c. Insinuateth that the making of Confirmation to be a sacrament is a corrupt imitation But the Communion-Book makes it to be according to the Apostles example which being read the King concluded it to be but a Libel Now for the ground thereof it was not so much founded on the places in the Acts but upon Heb. 6. 2. where it is made a part of the Apostles Catechism which was the opinion of the fathers and of Calvin and Fulk the one upon Hebrew 6. 1. the other upon Acts 8. 27. where with Saint Austin he saith We do not mislike that antient Ceremony of imposing of hands for strengthning and confirming such as had been Baptised being nothing else but a
once in three Weeks first in rural Deanaries and therein to have Prophecying Secondly and if not there resolved then to be referred to an Arch Deacons Visitation and so thirdly to Episcopal Synod where the Bishop with his Prebytery might determine The King started at the word saying They aimed at the Scotish Presbytery which said he agrees with Monarchy as God and the Devil then Jack and Tom and Dick shall meet and censure me and my Council and all our Proceedings Stay if once that Government be up we shall have work enough Sir said the King to Reynolds you have spoken for my Supremacy and you did well know you of any that like of the present Ecclesiastical Government dislike my Supremacy He answered No. I will tell you a Tale After Queen Mary had overthrown Edward 6. his settlement of Religion whereupon Mas. Knox in England writes to the Queen Regent my Grand-mother a virtuous and moderate Princess telling her She was Supreme Head of the Church charging her in Gods Name to take care of Christ's Evangil and suppress the Prelates But how long trow ye held this Even till he and his Adherents were shuffled in and understood matters of Reformation declined her Authority assuming all Ecclesiastick into their own hands and according to more light wherewith they pretended illumination made further Reformation How they dealt with my good Mother not allowing to her breeding a poor Chapel but her Supremacy was not sufficient Authority and how with me in my minority these times remember My Lords Bishops I thank you that these men plead for my Supremacy now they think you too hard for them but by appealing unto it as if you were not well affected but I say No Bishop no King I speak not at Random for I have observed some of their Gang to pray for my Person as King of England c. but for Supremacy over all persons they pass that over If this be all you can say I le make you subscribe or hurry you out of England Finis secundi Diei The next day of Conference appeared all the before-named and also were admitted the Doctors of the Civil Law Sir Daniel Dunn Sir Thomas Crompton Sir Richard Swale Sir Iohn Bennet and Doctor Drury The Arch-Bishop presented the King with a note of those points referred to consideration the alteration or rather explanation of them in our Liturgy 1. Absolution or Remission of sins in the Rubrick of Absolution 2. In private Baptism the lawfull Minister present 3. Examination with Confirmation of Children 4. Jesus said to them in the Dominical Gospel in stead of Jesus said to his Discipes The King reading the Common-Prayer-Book of Private Baptism They baptize not Children it shall be altered They cause not Children to be baptized and where it is said Then they minister it it shall be The Curate and lawfull Minister present Concluding that he aimed at three things 1. Words fit and convenient 2. How things might be best done without appearance of alteration 3. To be practised that each man may do his duty in his place The King said 1. The parties named in the High Commission were too many and too mean 2. The matters too base 3. That the branches granted out to the Bishops were too frequent and large The Arch-Bishop answered 1. That albeit the Privy Council were in all the Bishops Judges of Law and others but their imployment hindred their sitting unless supplied by meaner men Deans and Doctors 2. The fault may be mean that the Ordinary may censure but often times the Delinquent might be so great and so wilfull that the ordinary brand of the High Commission is needfull And for the third It was to be referred to consultation The King was shewed the three Articles which are to be subscribed unto viz. To the Kings Supremacy the Articles of Religion and Common Prayer-Book His Majesty said Subscription was necessary to prevent Tumults in the Church 2ly Because the Minister must answer for every Minister for turpius ejicitur quam non admittitur Hospes 3ly As a good means to discern the parties affection and to avoid confusion and he that would be refractory deserved to be hanged praestat ut pereat unus quam unitas Touching the Oath ex Officio the King prevented that old Allegation Nemo cogitur detegere suam turpitudinem said that civil proceedings only punished facts but Ecclesiastical Courts looked unto Fame and Scandal that there was necessary the Oath Compurgator and ex officio with moderation in gravioribus criminibus 2ly In such of publick Fame and to be distinguished as in Scotland where lying with a wench though but suspected was made publick to all the states and people at the stool of repentance And here the King described the Oath ex officio the grounds thereof the wisdom of the Law therein the manner of proceeding thereby and the necessary use thereof In so compendious and absolute order as the Auditors were amazed the Arch-Bishop said he spake by Gods spirit Then was committed to consultation 1. For excommunication the Name or censure to be altered 2. For the high Commission the quality of the Persons to be named and the nature of the causes 3. For Recusant Communicants the weak to be informed the wilfull punished The 4th thing consulted was for sending Preachers into Ireland He being as he said there but half a King over their Bodies but their soules seduced by Popery no Religion no Obedience to send men of sincerity Knowledge and Courage The last was for maintenance for the Clergie Then Master Chadderton requested that the surpliss and Cross in Baptism might not be urged upon godly Ministers in Lancashire lest they revolt to Popery instancing the Vicar of Ratesdale a Man that doled the Communion bread at the Sacrament out of a Basket every man putting in his hand for himself That letters should be writ to the Bishop there but if they were turbulent spirits they should be inforced to conformity and a time limitted Master Knewstubs desired the same favour for the Godly Ministers in Suffolk not to be forced against their Credits to the surpliss and Cross. Sir said the King have we taken pains and concluded of an unity and conformity and you forsooth must preferr the credits of a few private men before the publick peace of the Church The Scots Argument because they had been long of a contrary opinion Somewhat was said against their Ambuling Communions and Master Chaterton's sitting Communion in Emmanuel College But finally they all promised conformity and obedience and so parted that Meeting Chancellour Egerton a wise and learned Counsellour wondering at the Kings ready Disputes expert and perfect in Divinity said That he had read that Rex est mixta persona cum Sacerdote and now he sees the truth thereof in him A marvel to some in these our last times why no more able men to be found for them but
Moses the Prophet and Servant of God had in all that belonged even to the outward and least parts of the Tabernacle Ark and Sanctuary witnesseth well the inward and most humble zeal born towards God himself The industry used in the framing thereof in every and the least part thereof the curious workmanship thereon bestowed the exceeding charge and expence thereof in provisions the dutifull observance in laying up and preserving the holy Vessels the solemn removing thereof the vigilant attendance thereon and the provident defence of the same which all Ages have in some degree imitated is now so forgotten and cast away by this super-fine Age by those of the Family by Anabaptists Brownists and other Sectaries as all cost and care bestowed and had of the Church wherein God is to be served and worshipped is accounted a kinde of Popery and as proceeding from an idolatrous disposition insomuch that time would soon bring to pass if it were not ●●sisted that God would be turn'd out of Churches into Barns and from thence again into Fields and Mountains and under Hedges and the Officers of the Ministery robbed of all dignity and respect be as contemptible as those places all Order Discipline and Church-government left to newness of opinion and mens fancies yea and soon after as many kindes of Religions would spring up in Parish Churches within England every contentious and ignorant person pleasing his fancy with the Spirit of God and his imagination with the gift of Revelation insomuch as when the truth which is but one shall appear to the simple multitude no less variable than contrary to it self the faith of man will soon after die away by degrees and all Religion be held in scorn and contempt Which Distraction gave a great Prince of Germany cause of this Answer to them that perswaded him to become Lutheran Si me adjungo vobis tunc condemnor ab alis si me aliis adjungo a vobis condemnor Quid fugiam video sed quid sequar non habeo The time was come the first Anniversary Celebration in England with religious Rites and sacred Ceremonies of the unfortunately fortunate Nones of August noted in Red Letters in the Calendar to represent the bloud of many thousand Martyrs spilt of that day by Dioclesian in Rome but now to be distinguished with golden Letters in ours in memory of two renowned Kings in these Kingdoms the one receiving life the other escaped death on this day the Nativity of King Oswald who united the Crowns of England and Scotland which were severed afterwards for many Ages and who in the end died a Christian Martyr and sealed it with his bloud the other King Iames miraculously preserved from Gowry's Conspiracy Anno 1600. and who now again unites these Crowns and therefore we may change the old spell of the Martyrs Quintum fuge into Quintum cole if not for the Genesis of that one into life yet for this others Exodus out of the Chamber of death And as this King never failed of the day Tuesday weekly to hear a Sermon so neither of the Annual time unto his death kept holy by him and all his good Subjects and the truth of the Conspiracy sufficiently recorded heretofore and shall be hereafter confirmed Anno 1608. Though our Historian died it seems of a contrary faith in that himself being evenly conform to Gowry's loyalty Affectiones facile faciunt opiniones for he passes it over with this Odiism That Gowry assaulted him or he Gowry About this time a Commotion was stirred up by some Commoners against ingrossing their Ground when the King chanced to be invited in his hunting Journey to dine with Sir Thomas I. of Barkshire and turning short at the corner of a Common happened near to a Countrey-man sitting by the heels in the Stocks who cried Hosanna to his Majesty which invited him to ask the reason of his Restraint Sir Thomas said It was for stealing a Goose from the Common The Fellow replied I beseech your Majesty be Judge Who is the greater Thief I for stealing Geese from the Common or his Worship for robbing the Common from the Geese By my Sale Sir said the King to Sir Thomas I se not dine to day on your Dishes till you restore the Common for the poor to feed their Flocks Which was forthwith granted to them and the witty Fellow set free and care soon taken to quiet Commotions The Plague ceasing which hitherto bounded all mens expectations and persons at a distance the people now flock up to London to take view how the King would settle Laws and Constitutions afresh for the people A Parliament was expected the peoples Idol in those days which the King considered according to the power and interest of Lords and Commons therein and which thus grew up into a Body After the period of the Saxons time in England Herald one of the great men got power and put himself absolute the rest of the Satrapas call in Wi●●iam Duke of Normandy an active and fortunate Prince against the French King the Duke leads over hither many the younger Sons of the best Families of Normany Picardy and Flanders and getting this Kingdom by the Sword he shared out his Purchace retaining to himself a Portion in each County and called Demenia Regnt ancient Demeans Crown-lands He assigns to others his Adventurers suitable portions to their qualities retains to himself dependency of their personal Services and were stiled Barones Regis Free-holders As the King to these so they to their followers subdivided part of their shares into Knights fees and their Tenants were called Barones Comitis The Kings gifts extended to whole Counties or Hundreds at the least the Earl being Lord of the one and a Baron of the inferiour Donations to Lords of Townships or Mannors As the Land was thus divided so was Iudicature each severally from the King to the meanest Lords had their Court-Barons yet perhaps Reddebant Iura by twelve of the Iury called Free-holders Court who with the Thame or chief Lords were Iudges The Hundred was next whence Hundredus or Aldermanus Lord of the Hundred wherewith the chief Lord of each Township judged within their Limits The County or Generale placitum was next Ubi Curiae Dominorum●probantur defecisse pertinet ad Vice-comitem Provinciarum The last was Generale placitum apud London universalis Synodus the Parliament of England consisting of King and Barons onely who ruled affairs of State controuling all Inferiours So were there certain Officers of transcendent power for executing not bounding the Kings will those were Steward Constable Marshal heretofore fixed in Fee to Families they as Tribunes grew too bold and their power was lessened after the death of that daring Ea●l of Leicester slain at Evesham Henry 3. by hard experience of his Father lessened their power by examining their usurpations over Regality being become Tot homines tot Tyranni Then began the favour of
Kings to the Commons in Parliament and they to joyn with the Peers from whence it became the wisdom of Princes how to mannage this Government and to maintain this Form Lest some of this Body knit under one Head should swell and grow monstrous And Monarchy may sooner groan under the weight of Aristocracy as it often did than under Democracy which till now it never felt nor feared The Actions of which singly are inconsiderable after many Conjunctions grow at last into one great perfecting power or into Destroying Factions like smaller Brooks falling into some Main River The Parliament of England of long time and at this present was come to be a Convention of the Estates of the Kingdom assembled by the King of Bishops Peers and Peoples Commissioners They sat in two Senate-Houses or Chambers named a Higher and a Lower The Higher called also the House of Peers the Bishops and Peers viz. Dukes Marquesses Earls and Barons sit together with whom sit the Judges of the law for their advice not voice The Lower House called also the House of Commons is constituted of Knights of the Shire two Elected of every Shire and of Cities and Incorporations one or more Burgesses The day and place of Assembly is appointed by the King and adjourned removed elsewhere and dissolved at his pleasure The Lords or Peers are called by writs transmitted to them under the Kings hand The Commons by the Kings writ out of Chancery The writ to the Peers runs thus James by the Grace of God c. To the most reverend father in Christ so he stiles the Bishops Cousin if he speaks to the Peers for as much as by the advice of our Council upon some diffident and urgent affairs us and the State and defence of our Kingdom of England and the Church of England concernant We have ordained that our Parliament be held at c. there to consult and Treat with you and the rest of the Prelates Nobles and Heads of our said Kingdom of England We strictly charge and command you on your faith and love if to the Bishops by your fealty and Alleagance if to the Peers wherein you stand bound to us that considering the difficulty of the said affairs and the dangers iminent laying aside whatsoever excuse you be personally present on the said day and place with us and the rest of the Prelates Nobles and Heads to treat and give your advice touching the said affairs and this as you tender us and our Honour and the safety of our said Kingdom and Holy-Church and dispatch of the said affairs may you in no wise omit if he writes to the Bishops to warn the Dean and Chapiter of your Church and the whole Clergie of your Diocess that the same Dean and Arch-Deacons in their proper persons and the said Chapiter by one and the same Clergie by two sufficient substitutes having plenary and sufficient power from the said Chapiter and Clergy be personally present on the said day and place to consent to these things which then and there by the favor of the divine Clemencie shall happen to be ordained by the Common advice of our Kingdom Witness ourselves c. The other writ to the Sheriffs and Mayors of the Cities and Corporations is thus The King to the Sheriff Greeting For as much by the advice and consent of our Council and so goes on as above and there to confer and treat with the Prelates Peers and Heads of our Kingdom We strictly charge and command you that by proclamation made in your Shire upon the receipt of our writ you cause two Knights with swords by their sides the most sufficient and discreet of the Shire and of every City of that County two Citizens and of every Borough two Burgesses of the most discreet and sufficient to be freely and indifferently chosen by such as shall be present at the Proclamation according to the form of the Statutes on that behalf set forth and provided And the Names of the said Knights Citizens and Burgesses to be inserted in certain Indentures to be drawn between you and them that shall be present as such Elections whether the persons so chosen be present or absent And then to come at the same day and place so that the said Knights have full and sufficient power for themselves and the Communalty of the said Shire and the said Citizens and Burgesses for themselves and the Communities of the Cities Boroughs respectively from the same to do and consent to such things as then and there shall happen by Gods assistance to be ordained by the commune advice of our Kingdom concerning the affairs offered so that by your neglect therein the said affairs in any case remain not undone Notwithstanding we will not that you or any other Sheriff of our Kingdom be chosen At the day and place they meet at the Church first then at the Parliament-Houses orderly in their Robes with solemn gate such as might increase in the people the authority of their siting Then the King enters the Upper-House and either in his own person or by the mouth of his Chancellor declares the weighty causes of their Assembling in Contemplation whereof he desires their advice to communicate their Counsels in doubtfull matters most certain That himself be present at these consultations needs not but only as oft as he sees good There is no necessity after this unless in the end of the Session to add the strength and force of Laws to their results The Knights Citizens and Burgesses in the Lower-House are Man by Man called forth by their Names by some one delegated by the King and each is made to take the Oath of Alleageance heretofore was this I will keep true faith and Alleageance to James by the grace of God c. King His Heirs and successors Him and them I will defend to my utmost strength and with the hazard of my life and fortunes against all conspiracies and attempts against his Person Crown and Dignity And lest any should dream of a Consortship in Government there was superadded the Oath of Supremacy in these words I A. B. do utterly testifie and declare in my conscience that the Kings Highness is the onely Supreme Governour of this Realm and all other his Highness Dominions and Countreys as well in all Spiritual and Ecclesiastical things or causes as Temporal and that no forein Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate hath or ought to have any Iurisdiction Power Superiority Preheminence or Authority Ecclesiastical or Spiritual within this Realm and therefore I do utterly renounce and forsake all forein Iurisdictions Powers Superiorities and Authorities and do promise that from henceforth I shall ●ear Faith and true Alleageance to the Kings Highness his Heirs and lawfull Successors and to my power shall assist and defend all Iurisdictions Privileges Preheminences and Authorities granted or belonging to the Kings Highness his Heirs and Successors or united and
annexed to the Imperial Crown of the Realm Thus oblig'd to their duty they chuse a Speaker whom they accompany to the King whose Election they desire him to ratifie whom the King usually is pleased with which done the Speaker in his own and the House of Commons name gives thanks and beseeches That the Lower House may use their Privileges and freedom of debating That if any therein shall happen to be more earnest in his own opinion his Majesty will vouchsafe not to take it ill nor be angry and that they may have access to the Kings Majesty or Higher House as oft as matters require which leave being granted they are dismissed Both Houses have free liberty to debate of matters propounded by the King or touching making or abrogating Laws and to determine to commit to writing what is to be transmitted to each other by Messenger whereto if upon debate had there ensue an assent by Votes the consent is noted upon the top of the Bill in this form amongst the Lords Les Seigneurs ont assentes among the Commons Les Communes ont assentes but if they differ both Houses not seldom meet or else principal persons chosen out of them to confer together in a commodious place for their meeting in the Painted Chamber there the Commons standing and uncovered with great observance receive the Lords covered and sitting and there they confer if they discord that business comes to nothing but if they agree they present it to the King which if he allows he writes Le Roy le veult and so as by a Soul infused into a Body it receives life and becomes an effectual Law forthwith to be promulgated to the People but when the King refuses to approve it he writes on the top of the Leaf Le Roy s' avisera sometimes he denies it in terminis and thereupon are reputed dasht The sacred matters the King permits not to be handled by Parliaments but Synods unless it may be for the force of Laws from Parliamentary Authority which they cannot so fully obtain from their divine verity The Deans Arch-Deacons Procuratours for the Chapters as also for every Arch-Deaconry the former being delegated by the Suffrages of the Prebendaries these of the Ministers meet in a place assigned to debate touching them where having first chosen a Prolocutor in the name of the Clergy they determine concerning Heads of Religion Ceremonies and other matters belonging to the Church as also granting of Subsidies to the King whose Results notwithstanding are not obtruded on the Seculars to be observed with the Authority of Laws untill as above-said they be allowed by assent of King and both Houses being provided That Civil hands should not intermeddle in these affairs Our Chronicles tell us That Queen Elizabeth expostulates with the Parliament for that they had appointed a Fast without her advice and were not restored to her favour but upon obtaining of Pardon Both Houses have respectively their peculiar Privileges To the higher House not onely to give counsels and to assist in making Laws but likewise to exercise the power of Iudicature and so of imposing Oaths in the more weighty causes as corruption of Iudges and Magistrates and in last Appeals which yet to bring back to examen without the Kings permission and Patent the Lawyers say is praeter-legal nor do they so unless the Judges of Law sitting by The House of Commons have Privileges of supplicating and craving Right or else the Accusers part never challenged to it self the Office of Judg save within their own Walls and on their proper Members and that extended no farther than penalty of Imprisonment or Mulct never having any right of pressing an Oath and therefore in a Statute the House of Commons say That seeing Parliamentary Iudicature belongs to the King and Lords and not to the Commons that they might not be obliged contrary to Custom to give Iudgment If any doubt touching the Election of their Members it was heretofore determined by the Lords House or by the Judg of the Kings Chancery If any of them had departed from the Houses without the Kings leave and both Houses also he was convened before the Kings Council-table or Kings Bench to undergo the penalty and was not punished at the discretion of his own House of Commons But they have Privilege first to debate and determine of levying money among the People This was the temperament of King Parliament and People in proper parts not harming each other for the Kings supreme Authority and Sword is as a sufficient power to vindicate the Laws from the Factions of the Grands and popular Tumults whilest in the mean time the Lords with that chief Authority wherewith they are vested of Iudicature and Legislation put a curb on one hand to the Kings Tyranny if he extravagate on the other to the tumultuating populace and in semblable manner the People by that their power of accusing whom they please and of granting or denying moneys are in a sufficient capacity to retrench the licentiousness of the Nobility and of the Kings Counsellours and break the Kings impetuous incroching on the publick The Laws have exceedingly provided That the freedom of voting and debating be not hindered through fear of insolent persons therefore none may come into either of their Houses with a Sword or armed The Members and their Servants not to be arrested for Debt or offences though of a mean alloy and if any so attached he may not be free but by a Writ out of the Chancery Seldom and that upon weighty cause would Kings create offence to so venerable an Assembly however it hath so faln out that excellent Princes upon too great provocations have reprehended the Senate and punisht some Offenders convening them before the Judges of the Kingdom imprisoned fined and put to death sometimes Thus by past stood the state of Parliaments when the King came in and calls one in March the King Queen and Prince some days before rode from the Tower to his Palace of White-hall in such Triumph as the several Pageants at each convenient place with excellent Oratory assured them the affections and duty of his Subjects as they did some days afterwards when the like occasion presented them in state to this Parliament And as usual with all Sovereigns his Predecessours themselves or Chancellour sweetens the Members with some Rhetorical Oration to the purpose of calling that Assembly and this the King undertakes now as best able of any Prince his Predecessours or any other Assistant for wit or wisdom to compare with him and therein he lays open his heart to both Houses in a very long Speech But because it is in print and bound with the Volume of his Works I shall adventure to abreviate here for some light to the Reader in this History which follows But then in this as in other his most eloquent and gracefull Speeches hereafter where you meet with any of his
to turn Martial his Apostrophe upon me Tu male jam recitas incipit esse tuus And first he discovers his real constitution and thankfulness in three Forms and Reasons of his Convention of them In the first he renders to them the Representatives of his People his Princely thanks for their affection in receiving him in his Right to the Crown The other two he describes by the effect of his Actions and shews them the blessing of his Person in their outward Peace with his Neighbours with whom he found this State imbroiled Secondly Peace within issuing not onely by his lineal descent from Henry 7. in the union of the two Houses of Lancaster and York but also the union of these two Kingdoms illustrated in the conformities of Religion Language and Manners in their security of salvation encompassed with a Wall of Water and therefore Quae Deus conjunxit nemo separet And he being the Husband Head and Shepherd advises them to a joyfull Union by comparison of this blessing in the Union of the petty Principalities heretofore of this Nation into one Kingdom as also the composure of divers Duchies in the entire Monarchy of France those being happy though conjoyned by the Spear of Bellona but we the greater blessing being bound up by the Wedding-Ring of Astrea having an appearance of perpetuity in the blessing of h●s hopefull Issue and his profession of true Religion which he distinguishes from the Catholick Papist and also from another Sect rather than a Religion which he calls a Puritan Novellist differing from Truth in a confused Form of policy and parity insufferable He acknowledgeth the Roman-Church to be our Mother-Church defiled with some Infirmities as the Iews Church before Christ Crucified But as not wishing a sick man dead but his body to be purged Excusable in the Laicks either as well minded subjects inured thereto by birth and custom of Age or young by evil Education and therefore not to punish their Bodies for the Errors of their Mindes As for their Clericks their doctrine and practice insufferable The Arrogancie of the Popes Supremacie in the One and Murthering Kings in the other Otherwise he doth reverence Antiquity in the points of Ecclesiasticall Policie and so cleers himself from Heresie in Faith or Schism in Government But with this Caution to all as he is a friend to their Persons so an Enemy to their Errors Advising the Bishops by their Exemplary Life to convince the others doctrine The third Reason of calling this Parliament in the action of his thankfullness is first in making Some Laws by preserving the weal of the Kingdom and in discretion of not making too many because In corruptissima Republica plurimae Leges Secondly in execution of them by the Iudges and Magistrates whom he advises not to utter their affections in that Office of Hate to a Foe or Love to a Friend fear to offend the Great or pitty to the misery of the meaner but to be blind in distinction of Persons Handless for bribes and therefore describes them three principall qualities Knowledge to discern Courage and Sincerity to execute And thus having told them the three causes tending only to his thankfullness but in divers forms The first by Word the Other by Actions he concludes himself to be Inutilis servus His felicity consist●ng in their prosperity and gives them his Apologie for three things expected from him by so many advancement of Honor preferment of credit and reward in Land In all he hath been reasonable and honorable for refreshing some persons that were Members of a Multitude and if his infirmity hath exceeded He blames the Importunity of Suters which experience time and labour shall recover to teach his Subjects not to crave nor he to grant The Parliament unused to Princely Eloquence and Learning withall contracted their dutyfull affections to his Eminent virtues and willingly understood the Kings ayme to unite also the two Kingdomes which was soon put forward by proclamation of his Title of Great Britain our coins all Ensignes of honor quartering this Conjunction of crosses Red cross for England and Saint Andrews white for Scotland And the Parliament by act Commissionate eight Lords and twenty Commons to treat with other Commissioners Scotchmen for the honour and profit of both Nations The King thus far setled with his Parliament and people not without wonder of all our Neighbour Nations having lain at watch for conveniencie and honor to piece with so potent a Prince the advantages alike to either They came almost together The Constable of Castile from Spain and another from the Arch-Duke Rory Duke of Solia from France to treat of Peace Barnevelt from the Netherlands Solia was a gallant Man an excellent Courtier as they are all His business needed no other policy of State but to congratulate the Kings peacable and happy Possession for they had a Leiger in Scotland that came in with the King But the other two were Enemies and were to treat for establishing a firm Peace which was granted and do doubt they might make up of their Masters bounty to be so soon dispatcht for France mightily opposed and with little cunning of our Counsel the Spaniards dealt their golden Pistols to hit the mark And as they lay equally ready so their desires for Convoy hither came together and had order accordingly Sir Robert Mansell Vice-Admiral for the Narrow-Seas attended at Graveling for the Spaniard And his Vice-Admiral of the Fleet Sir Ierom Turner at Calais for the French who coming first disputed the choice and desired the Admirals ship but being told that he was commanded by Commission for the Other Monsieur in much disdain put himself in the French Passage-boat and in a brave bore his flag on the Top. Mansel commands Turner to shoot a warning and after to hit who took in his flag but complained at Court where his faction was powerfull yet the Justice and honor of that old Custom and Authority maintains his Act against them all being in himself besides a gallant brave Commander The Puritan was much troubled to be ranked with the Papist in the Kings Parliament Speech and to be termed so and somewhat they said too saucy and therfore were to expect more cause to chaw the cud for the King proclames all Conformity to the form of Gods Service established in Doctrine and Discipline to Gods Word and the Primitive Church that the Conference of late at Hampton Court concluded no cause of alteration notwithstanding the fiery pretended Zelots renewed the Question in Parliament and had been satisfied by the Kings Speeches and otherwise that particular and personal abuses are remediable other ways than by general alteration That all shall conform and have warning till the last of November next o● otherwise to dispose of themselves or Families to other meet persons in their places July 1604. These men were now stark mad and intelligence hereof they send to their dear
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 ●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 prorog●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 Su●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 s●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
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 Westmi●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 I●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 Robert●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
if they escape there and go disguised yet they may be disclosed by many if the punishment were not death but only immuring in dead walls The penalty of Recusants in a stock would pay the charges Perdat fiscus ut capiat Christus Here we finde extremes in both Councils certainly there is a medium neither Execution nor civill destruction for perpetual Imprisonment renders a Man civily dead a better way may be if we could hint it And why not thus Let Preachers use the spirit against them not as usual to wast an houre-glass to skirmish against government and discipline How can we draw others to our Church without a foundation of our own not like undiscreet Dogs to bark at all but to distinguish A child that sucks Popery from the breast must needs speak the voice of Papists It was the Kings saying and distinction A great cause of continuance of Papistry in common people is That being fuller of Pagentry than Doctrine and the old sent of Roman perfume The common obedience of coming to Church more expected than the instruction of private families or by publick Catechising The first Elements are to be learn'd at home and were orderly contained in the Book of Common-prayer by instruction first and then Confirmation of the Bishops This excellent foundation laid by the fathers of the Church should not be despised by their children In former times Ministers haunted the Houses of worthyest men Countrey-Churches with the best of the Shire Prayer and preaching hand in hand together then Papists smelled ranck therefore for shame they resorted to our Churches and Exercises This was the Counsel then but start-ups with intemperate zeal and indiscretion fore-ran the authority of the Magistrate censuring whatever agreed not with their conceits and now a days we finde the effect The King removes to Greenwich where amongst the ranting Riders at Court one Io Lepton of York Esquire and the Kings Servant made Matches of Horsmanship with the most in Court and to approve his skill and strength for a good Wager rode five several days together between London and York and so back again the next for May 20. Munday he set out from Alders-gate at three of the clock in the morning and came to York between five and six at night the next morn sent him to London at six and seven the next morn he set out to York and came thither at eight and so within half an hour the same time performed it and the last day came also to Greenwich to the King by nine of the clock as spritely and lusty as at the first day to the wonder of all till another do the like The King of Denmark out of singular affection to his Sister Queen Anne arrives in England and anchors at Gravesend where King Iames boards him unexpected and brings him a Guest to Greenwich for a Moneth with such entertainment as Peace and Plenty could possibly afford and so curious he was to take a view of things within his Level about London that disguised sometimes he took that advantage but most unwilling to visit the Tower when he found it a Prison though from thence he rode in triumph through London presented with Pageants and costly complements to shew him the wealth and love of this People He might be shy to shut up his Person having by the Law of Nations submitted his freedom by entring the bounds of another Prince without leave The Earl of Flanders found the effects when in his return from thence to possess his Inheritance of the Kingdom of Spain and being by storm cast upon our Coast King Henry 7. disputing some unkindnesses formerly received not usual with welcome Guests the Earl suspecting the danger was fain to yield to all the Kings demands which was hard in one point being to deliver up the Countess of Warwick and other Fugitives resident in Flanders that took Sanctuary in his Countrey and so had leave to depart The other and worse success may be from Mary Queen of Scots who forfeited her freedom by entring into England and afterwards her life by pretence of Treason as you have heard before though indeed she wrote to Queen Elizabeth for admittance but hastily landed without leave The Earl of Northumberland Henry Lord Mordant and Edward Lord Sturton not coming to Parliament according to Summons by Writ were more than suspected of the Pouder Treason and were committed to the Tower the Barons were fined in Star-chamber and after some durance paid the money and were released The Earl being deeply engaged was fined there also thirty thousand pounds and imprisonment during pleasure as all such Delinquents are which severity of Fine towards him was thought more extreme than usually since the erection of that Court he continuing Prisoner till 1619. and then paid but eleven thousand pounds in all the fate of that Family evermore false to the Crown as Sir Iocelin Piercy was used to say Seldom Treason without a Piercy Camera stellata belonging to the old Palace at Westminster and the 28 Henry 8. called the Starred Chamber then as now had one great Star affixed to the Roof and one over the Door The Court seems to have beginning from the Statute of 3 Henry 7. cap. 1. It is ordained that the Lord Chancellour Treasurer Privy Seal or two of them calling to them a Bishop and a Temporal Lord of the Kings Council and the two Chief Justices of the Kings Bench and Common Pleas or other two Justices in their absence should have power to punish Routs Riots Forgeries Maintenances Embraceries Perjuries and such like not sufficiently provided for by the Common Law But Queen Elizabeth enlarged the number of the Judges And so now it was honoured with all the Kings Privy Counsellours See Powel's Att. Acad. And though Delinquents were severely censured in terrorem Populi yet there was usually a day after every Term where they met to mitigate the Fines and Punishments afterwards to a reasonable summ and Penance This I put to memory because that Court is suppressed for ever by the late long Parliament There was much ascribed to the Kings wisdom in the discovery of this Pouder Treason but the Iesuits had a note of Cecil's name in their Register not against them as a Day-labourer that carried some few stones or sticks but the Master Workman whose forein and domestick Engineers wrought in this Mine of discovery And therefore was he calumniated with many contumelious Papers and Pasquils dispersed like Iob's Messengers one at the others heels He takes time to consider whether to begin a warfare of words against those with whom disputes are endless because their end is clamor untill it was fit to express himself in clear terms lest any of these clouds which are unjustly cast upon him might darken the brightness of his Masters royal minde which hath been always watered with the mildest dew of Mercy and Moderation Amongst many he undertakes one directed to
the E. of Salisbury 1. Therein they acknowledg the late Design most inhumane and barbarous attempted by undertaking Spirits more fiery and turbulent than zealous and dispassionate to the general stain of the State of their catholick cause in the eye of corrupt judgments not able to farm away the fault of the Professor from the Profession it self which abhors the fact more than any Puritan does 2. They accuse him the Primus Motor to determine the ●ooting out all memory of their Religion by Banishment Massacre Imprisonment or some such insupportable pressures or else the next Parliament to decree more cruel and horrible Laws against them 3. They threaten that there are some good men for continuing their Religion and for saving of many Souls resolve to prevent it though with assured Ruine and admonish him that five have severally undertaken his Death by Vow upon the blessed Sacrament if he continues his daily plotting against them That not any of them know the other for preventing discovery the first shall attempt by shot and the rest follow and all of them glory in their own sacrifice to prevent the general calamities of Catholicks which by his transcendent Authority with the King is more than expected They tell him that for the easier digestion of the Danger two of the Attempters are so weak they cannot live three moneths the other three so distressed for being onely Catholicks that their grief dulls any apprehension of death 4. As for themselves that admonish they know no other means to prevent it he being the Match to give fire to his Majesty to whom the worst they wish is to be as great a Saint in Heaven as he is a King on Earth And conclude Where once true spiritual resolution is the weak may take sufficient revenge of the mighty A. B. C. D. c. His Answer 1. That the Panegyrical Oration of Pope Sixtus Quintus preferred the Murder of Henry 3. of France before the act of Iudith to Holofernes by which Gods people were delivered onely the Papists make ill interpretations where it fails in execution for otherwise Faelix scelus virtus vocatur and many other Authors maintain deposing Kings And wonders that those who imploy such seditious Spirits have not by definitive Sentence wherein the Pope is supposed not to err explained their assumed power over Princes for security as well of those which acknowledg his Superiority as of others which do not approve his Iurisdiction that Subjects may know their distance of fidelity to either As for the former practice by Excommunication it deprives onely from spiritual graces without so gross an usurpation as to destroy their being in nature The Writ it self De Excommunicato capiendo and others such proceed rather from the goodness of such Christian Kings to work better obedience to the Rules of the Church than from the power of Excommunication All Cen●ures of the Church having left life untouched Sive Ethnicus sive Publicanus Many Heathens teaching this Rule Bonos Imperatores Voto expetere oportet quoscunque tolerare He marvels at those dark Writings published upon this Accident against such as shall attempt against Princes by private Authority but leaves it a tacit lawfulness by publick Warrant like their gross Equivocation so extolled at Rome though it sunders all humane conversation Saint Austin refuses the Priscilian Hereticks in their Equivocation Corde creditur says he ad Iustitiam ore fit confessio ad salutem c. breaking out into expostulation O fontes lacrymarum How shall we hide our selves from the displeased face of Truth 2. That these Calumniations are like Adam's Fig-leafs unable to cover their shame for as he sought a covering Non quia nudus sed quia lapsus so is it their fault not their fear to cast imputations upon Prince and State Sed pereuntibus mille figurae So Nero set Rome on fire and after laid the blame on Christians The pecedent Reigns of the two late Sisters of different Religions more bloud in five or six years of the first than in five and forty of the second Hath this King shewed any print of bloudy steps rather qualified than added severe Laws And appeals to their own consciences judg and witness whether the fury of this Treason inflaming many against Catholicks the nature of sudden peril hardly admits just distinction hath committed any one act of bloud or cruelty under colour of publick safety Nam crudelit as si a vindicta justitia est si a periculo prudentia Nay the King pronounced in open Parliament after Not to condemn the general for particulars as a Prince of peace and mercy deferring execution which Theodosius wishing Se potuisse potius mortuos a morte revocare As for the imaginary Power of the Lords of the Council and himself of the Quorum he takes it as an honour to receive not onely injury but persecution in so noble a society who know that Counsellours for Kings stand for thousands or hundreds as he pleases to place them Their greatness growing from humble endeavours their merit from gracious acceptance and though they borrow his name as the Boutefeu to make him the Mark of their malice yet such as judg the spirit of the Pasquil will hardly imagine but that this Faction follows onely the body of Authority neither head nor members but also the Church and Common-wealth which like Hippocrates Twins have long wept and laughed together His greatness being onely in the eye of envy of those which ground their faith upon weak principles if they imagine his distinction a matter he says of so small consequence can clear them free from contriving higher practices 3. To the Protestation that the five Assassinators having their feet so near the grave their ghostly Father deserves less thanks to send them thither with Hempen Halters and in bloudy Coffins not the marks of Rome Heathen nor Christian for Victories were scorned which were barbarously gotten Mixt is vene no fontibus And the Arms of the Primitive Church were Tears and Prayers But such Recusants as do discover these pernitious spirits will discern the darkness and danger of that Religion lapped up in implicite obedience the Conscience and Treason growing up as close together as the Husk and Corn in one Ear to eat their God upon bargains of bloud Those that are full of grief as is said for being R●cusants Plus tristitiae quam poenitentiae more that their Plot failed than that it was intended Counsellours are Sentinels over the life of Kings and States The Laws which punish the Branches of all Treason are derived from Parliaments of two hundred years in force and so are our Laws made not by a few much less by any one 4. As for himself with whom they condition to leave off his Plotting against Recusants The Husband-man over-curious of Windes and Clouds neither sows nor reaps in season So that Servant that becomes awfull of his Sovereigns Enemies for power or envy deserves not favour
trust with your Lordship in this matter as to my self But I pray you hasten him home with all speed and charge him not to take a wink of sleep till he see me again after he returns from you And as your Lordship desireth in your Letters to me so say I to you either rive or burn this Letter or return it back again to me with the Bearer for so is the fashion I grant Restalrig And albeit by the Letter all his own hand you knew the truth of the said treasonable Conspiracy and Logain's foreknowledg and guilt thereof like as you were assured of divers Letters received by him from Gowry and by his Answers to the same purpose and by sundry Conferences betwixt Logain and Bour in your presence and hearing concerning the said Treason as well in Iuly preceding the Attempt thereof as at divers other times shortly after as likewise by Bour revealing the same to you who was imployed ordinary Messenger by Logain to Gowry whereby your knowledg and concealment and guilt was undeniable Yet for further manifestation thereof about Iuly 1602. Logain shewed unto you that Bour had told him that he had been somewhat rash to let you see a Letter which came from Gowry to Logain who then urged you to tell him what you understood by the same You answered that you took the meaning thereof to be that he had been upon the counsel and purpose of Gowry's Conspiracy and that he answered you the worst he had done was his own but if you would swear to him never to reveal any thing of that matter to any person it should be the best sight that ever you saw and in token of further recompence he gave you twelve pounds of Silver Nevertheless albeit you knew perfectly the whole practice and progress of all the said Treason from the beginning to the end as also by your conference with Bour and Logain who lived untill the year 1606. or thereabout and so by the space of six years you concealed the same and so was in art and part thereof and ought to suffer under pain of high Treason To the Token that you have not onely by your depositions subscribed by you and solemnly made in presence of divers Lords of his Majesties Privy Council and the Ministers of the Borough of Edenburgh of the Dates of the fifth fifteenth and sixteenth days of Iuly last past and tenth and thirteenth of August instant confessed every Point Head and Article of the Indictment abovesaid but also by divers other Depositions subscribed by you you have ratified the same and to seal the same with your bloud Which Indictment being read openly before Sprot was put to the knowledg of the Inquest he confessed the same in every point to be true and therefore the Indictment was put to the Inquest of the honest famous and discreet persons viz. William Trumball of Ardre William Fisher Merchant and Burgess of Edenburgh Robert Short there Edmund Iohnston Merchant and Burgess there Harb Maxwell of Cavons Ia. Terment of Lint-house William Trumbill Burgess of Edenburgh George Brown in Gorgy Mill Io. Huchinson and Io. Lewes Merchants and Burgesses of Edenburgh Ia. Somervil and William Swinton there Io. Cruneson of Darlton Thomas Smith and Io. Cowtis Burgesses of Edenburgh Which persons of Inquest sworn and admitted and reading over the same Indictment again in his and their presence the said George Sprot confessed the same to be true Whereupon the said Sir Thomas Hamilton Advocate asked Act and Instrument And therefore the Inquest removed to the Inquest-house and elected Herbert Maxwell to be their Chancellour or fore-man And after mature deliberation they all re-entered again in Court where the said Fore-man declared the said George Sprot to be guilty filed and convict of Art and part of the said Treason for which the said Iustice by the mouth of the De●ster of Court by Sentence and Doom ordained the said George Sprot to be taken to the Market-Cross of Edenburgh and there to be hanged upon a Gibbet till he be dead and thereafter his head to be stricken off and his body to be quartered and demeaned as a Traitor and his head to be set up upon a prick of Iron upon the highest part of the Tolboth of Edenburgh where the Traitor Gowry and other Conspirators heads stand and his Lands and Goods forfeited and escheated to our Sovereign Lord the Kings use Extractum de Libro Actorum Adjornalis S. D. N. Regis per me D. Iohannem Coburn de Ormeston Mil. Clericum Iusticiarii ejusdem generalem sub meis signo subscriptione Manualibus And so was Sprot conveyed to a private house remaining at his meditations and afterwards conferred with the Ministers confessing all aforesaid with extreme humiliation and prayer Afterwards ganging up the Ladder with his hands loose and untied he was again put in minde of his Confessions and for the greater assurance thereof performed an act marvellous promising by Gods assistance to give them an evident token before the yielding up of his spirit which was when he had hung a very good while he lift up both his hands a good height and clapped them together three several times to the wonder of thousands Spectators And for the more confirmation George Abbot Doctor in Divinity and Dean of Winchester after Arch-bishop of Canterbury was present both at his Examination and Execution and hath publisht in print the same Writings observation and particulars verb●tim as aforesaid which I can produce also I was obliged in honor of the truth to be thus particular to take off the horrid crime with which our Adversaries load the memory of King Iames and if as yet not satisfactory I may conclude with Saint Iohn's Apocalyps Qui sordescit sordescat adhuc And yet I am enforced to complain against a late Historian who says Sprot's Depositions seem a very fiction a meer invention of his own brain And why Because says he Sprot did not shew the Letter How came it then to be recorded as aforesaid And concludes against himself However says he Sprot remained constant in his Confession and at his dying when he was to be cast off the Ladder promised to give the beholders a sign for confirming them in the truth of what he had spoken which also he performed by clapping his hands three several times after he was cast off by the Executioner What can be more to convince for the truth that he was guilty In this fourth Session the King intends the Creation of his sonne Henry Prince of Wales and for that and other occasions craves supply of his wants proceeding from his great disbursments discounting with them his receipts of three hundred and fifty thousand pounds subsidies due to his Predecessor with his redeeming the Crown lands morgaged in the year 1598. by her to the City of London for sixty thousand pounds His expence also of nineteen thousand pounds
to the Souldiers in Ireland the late Queens funeral charges seventeen thousand four hundred twenty and eight pounds His and his Queens Journy hither 11000l Besides the King of Denmarks reception entertainments of Ambassadors hither and sending others abroad These were reasons just and Noble to work into the hearts of obedient and obliged people but wrought not with them The Secretary of State for Scotland Sir Iames Lethington Lord B●●merino being now sent hither with letters from that Council was sodainly surprized with some Questions from the King Cardinal Bellarmine had not long before published an answer to the Kings Apologie Charging him with inconstancie and objecting a Letter that he had sent to Pope Clement the eighth from Scotland wherein he recommended to his Holyness the Bishop of Vaison for obtaining the dignity of a Cardinal that so he might be better able to advance his affairs in the Court of Rome The King meeting with this passage in Bellarmines-Book presently apprehended his Secretary somewhat Popish to shuffle such a Letter to the Pope and the King signing it amongst others which he usually sent to the Dukes of Savoy and Florence The Secretary now come and soda●nly demanded if ever he had written any Letter to the Pope he answered he had by his Majesties Command At which the King bending the brow of Anger the Secretary fell down and craved Mercy Professing that his meaning was by that Letter to purchase the Popes favour in advance of his Majesties title to England Then the King remembred the challenge made by Queen Elizabeth 1599. unto the Secretary of such a letter which said he you then denied and procured Sir Edward Drummond who was accused for carrying that Letter to come into Scotland and abjure the same The Secretary in great perplexity made his excuse with his good meaning and craved pardon of God and the King for his and Drummonds perjury He was instantly Committed to his Chamber and so to the Council-Table who urged his Crime as the ground of all conspiracies since the Kings coming into England that of the powder Treason and puritans Combinations The Secretary in great humility answered Curae leves loquuntur Ingentes Stupent My Lords I can not find words to express my sorrow for my offence against my gracious Sovereign when I call to mind his Majesties favours raising me from the dust to a fortune by my Honorable preferment and thus to fail of my duty and fall into such a degree of falsity Ah! peccavi in Coelum terram My offence is insupportable and impardonable Only his Majesties rare Piety singular wisdom and sincerity is sufficient to throw all possible guilt on me without any doubt of the Kings Innocency if nothing but my life and all I am can expiate so great a Crime fiat voluntas Dei Regis I humbly submit and take my death patiently The Chancellor Egerton declared That it was the Kings pleasure to remit his Tryal to the Judges in Scotland and to be conveyed thither a Prisoner The Sheriffs attending him from Shire to Shire In the mean time he did Pronounce him deprived of all places Honors Dignities and every thing else that he possessed in England And thus conveyed to Scotland he is committed to Faulk-land Castle and so to his indictment That in 1598. by instigation of his Cousen Sir Edward Drummond a Papist he had stollen and surreptitiously purchased the Kings hand to a Letter written and sent by Sir Edward and directed to Pope ●lement the eighth in favour of the Bishop of Vaison for his preferment to be a Cardinal shuffling in this letter amongst others that were to be signed filling it up with Stiles and Titles to the Pope and sealed it with his Majesties signet which was intrusted to him as Secretary to the indangering his Majesties Honor Life Crown and Estate and the subversion of true Religion and the whole Professors thereof He acknowledged that his offence admits no defence for however he conceived that the keeping of Intelligence with the Pope might advance his Majesties Succession to the crown of England yet knowing his Majesties resolution never to use any crooked course but to rest upon Gods providence and his own right therefore he intreated all that were present to bear witness of his confession and true remorse for his offence● Only he craved liberty to protest That he never intended an alteration of Religion nor Toleration of the contrary but conceiving some good might have been wrought thereby at that time and to promote his Majesties right Concluding that not to make more trouble to the Judges he had confessed the truth and wished as God should be mercifull to his own soul that the King was most falsely and wrongfully charged with the said Letter c. The Jury were Noblemen his Pares five Earls four Lords and six Knights who gave Verdict of his guilt of Treason and of art and part of the whole treasonable Crimes contained in the Indictment And ready for Execution he was reprieved by intercession of the Queen in England and returned to Faulkland Prison and afterwards licensed to his own house in Balmerinoch where his sickness increased of grief and there he dyed He was accounted a Person of abilities sufficient for his places in Session and Council whose conscience stretched out to his gain and possessing much of the Churches lands was a constant Enemy under hand to the Kings desire of restoring Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction to the Bishops And such end befalls false servants However this Man died repentant of his fact and evermore acknowledging the Kings grace and mercy which not only was thus far expressed in favour to him that once had been trusted by the King and who in truth seldom lessened his royal disposition to any of his Creatures without great cause to the contrary so not long after his son was restored in blood and honor with the like grace as formerly to his father And he also afterwards a like ungrateful wretch to his Soveraign King Charles and for an infamous Libel which he framed and dispersed against his Majesty was by his Peers in Scotland condemned to dye as a Traytor To whom this mercifull Prince the inheritor of his fathers glories afforded his Sovereign balm of mercies this Balmerino also not only reprieved but pardoned under the great seal of that Kingdom which he received upon his knees at that Council-Table with the highest magnifying the Kings mercy the humblest acknowledging his and his fathers infinite obligations by which they both stood for ever ingaged to the service of the Crown In so much the Records say the whole Council recommended him as a Person so highly resenting this grace of the King that by his own protestation inducing their Confidence He was become a Mark of the Kings mercy and as new-molded and made fit for the future No doubt an humble Subject for his
abused in the Execution and he not informed but by them He advises them not to meddle with the main points of Governments his craft Tractent fabrilia fabri He being an old King six and thirty years in Scotland and seven years in England and therefore there needs not too many Phormio's to teach Hannibal he will not be taught his Office nor are they to meddle with his ancient Rights received from his Predecessors More majorum All Novelties are dangerous Lastly not to call that Grievance which is establisht by a settled Law and to which to press the King is misduty in the Subject knowing before hand he will refuse them If not convenient amend it by Parliament but term it not a Grievance To be grieved at the Law is to be grieved with the King the Patron of the Law and he allows them to distinguish between a fault of the Person and the Things For Example The High Commission is complained of Try the abuse and spare not but do not destroy the Court of Commission that were to abridg the Kings power And plainly he resolves seeing that Court is of so high a nature to restrain it onely to the two Arch-Bishops heretofore common to more Nor shall any man be to him more Puritan to complain as well out as in Parliament of defects therein onely grieve ye not at the Commission it self He desires them that their Grievances savour not of particular mens thoughts but rather rising out of the peoples mindes not of the humour of the Propounder that mans passion will easily discover him Petitions also though they be general are so to be distinguished The third general Cause concerns himself which he always leaves hindmost and had left it to his Treasurer being distrustfull naturally less eloquent in his own concernment That this Officer had already accounted to them of the Kings Havings and his Expendings which he hopes they acknowledg as a favour to be particularly acquainted with his State His Predecessor seldom afforded the like Duty he clames of them one of the branches being to supply their Sovereign but the quantity and time proceeds from their loves and therefore disputes not a Kings power but what with their good wills and wishes them as he to avoid extremes for if they fail in the one Supply or in the manner of Levy both he and the Countrey shall have cause to blame them And as the secular Nobility are hereditary Lords of Parliament and the Bishops live neuter Barons of the same and give but their own but the lower House being the Representative of the Commons give for themselves and others and so may be the more liberal yet if too much they abuse the King and hurt the People which he will never accept their true love being the greatest security to any wise or just Prince So they need not the fear of that Item by one of their Members In giving too much to endanger your Throats-cutting when ye came home He loves freedom of Gift with discretion He never laboured for their Voices to that end detesting to hunt for Emendicata suffragia But then as not to give him a Purse with a Knife So not to excuse and cloak their particular humours by alleging the Poverty of the People To such persons though he will not be less just yet not in reason to gratifie them when it may come in their way to want him He heard that it was propounded whether the Kings wants ought to be relieved or not Certainly though it may seem his particular yet being Parens Patriae and tells them his wants nay Patria ipsa by him speaks to them for if the King wants the State wants and therefore the strengthning of the King is the standing of the State and wo be to him that divides the weal of the one from the other And as a rich King is but miserable over a poor People so a potent People cannot subsist if their Kings means maintains not his State being the sinews of War and Peace and it grieves him to crave of others that was born to be begged of And if he desires more of them than ever any King did so hath he juster reason than any King had And in particular the accession of more Crowns in him so the more honour to Subjects and the more charge His fruitfull Issue which God gives him for their use of great expence and yet Queen Elizabeth notwithstanding her Orbity had more given her than ever any of her Predecessors The Creation of his Son draws near for whom he says no more the sight of himself speaks to you That he hath spent much but yet not to be spared the late Queens Funeral the solemnity of his and his Wives entry in this Kingdom the Triumph through the City and his Coronation Visus of Princes in person and the Ambassadors of most Potentates of Christendom could he in honor of the Kingdom do less than bid them welcome But if they will imbound his Supplies to the case onely of War so upon the point notwithstanding his intern Peace he is to send supply of Forces to Cleves both in respect of State and cause of Religion his Pensions the late Queens old Commanders of Berwick besides his pretty Seminary of Souldiers in the Forts of this Kingdom and also the cautionary Towns of Flushing and Brill beyond Seas his uncertain charges in Ireland the last years Rebellion brake forth there of extraordinary charge and a constant Army which he dares not diminish till this Plantation take effect the great Mote no doubt in the Rebells eys His expence in Liberality objected hath been given amongst them and so what comes from them returns amongst them 'T is true had I not been liberal to my old Servants Scotish-men you might suspect me ingrate to you my new subjects and yet assures them his bounty hath been twice more to English So then to his shame be it of your house that said Your Silver and Gold abounded at Edenburgh but I wish him no worse than to be bound to live only upon the interest thereof and but few of you that I look in the face but have been Suitors for Honour and Profit That vastness is past Christmass and open-tide is ended with him He had made Knights by hundreds and Barons by scores he does not so now will do so no more They need not now to reminde him the sight of his children as a Natural Man bids him be wary of expence As for himself he challenges any one far meaner to be less inclinable to prodigal humours of unnecessary things What he hath said may move each member to spare him so much as they would spend on a supper cast away at Dice in a Night or bestow on a horse for fancy that may break a Leg or Arm next morning Conclusion freeness in giving graceth the gift Bis dat qui citò dat his debts increase till
make him capable to dine with the King and had Ayd-money of the people An ancient Custome from the Norman Conqueror and never till now disobeyed with any regret which indeed came but to twenty one thousand and eight hundred pounds And together he was also created Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall Earl of Chester c. with all possible lustre that the father could express But however our Historian takes upon him to pry into the Kings Heart and though inscrutable devises a damnable and dangerous jelousie from the father against the most incomparable Excellent merit of this his first born sonne When afterwards the father saw him saith he too high mounted in the peoples love and of an alluring spirit to decline his paternall affections to him and bring him to the low condition he fell in may be the subject of my tears saies he not of my pen. Hic homo erubescit timere Caesarem Ecce Behold this Author This Man Mecenas names him Hic homo this fellow shames not to traduce his Sovereign King For he lived his Subject And here begins his trayterous intention to wound the Kings sacred memory as much as in him lies with a suspition of the death of this excellent Prince which another wretch says was done with Poyson but of the truth we shall speak anon when we treat of his natural death not long after yet we are told What his fatherly care had been to match him with the Infanta of Spain but after some Traverses in a Treaty it was declined when in truth it was otherwise to my knowledge for I can produce the letters from Sir Dudly Carlton then Ambassadour at Venice to the Lord Treasurer Salisbury being an Accompt to the King how to advize the choice of a Wife from the Protestant Princes wherein after a large Narrative of their Interests and particular Characters he concludes Thus farr I can confidently Counsel his Majestie seeing his Religious resolution is fixed to Princes of the reformed Churches But since I have been over-bold to ballance the weight of his Majesties sacred Intentions with my too much freedom in the concernments of such eminent Princes and the hazard of my person in the quality I carry here I beg of your Lordship not to suffer these Avisoes to see other light then the light fire And was it likely which our Historian inferrs a little before That after the Powder-Treason the Murther of the French King his Majesties speech in Parliament and the Excellent Acts against Papists he must hunt for a daughter in law from the farthest part of Christendom what his second son Prince Charles did after upon the like score we shall in due time and place observe The former passages of Jesuits gave cause to all good Christians to abhorr their villanies and set on work the spirits of the pen-men such as they were most sharpe set against them all that professed the Romish Religion and to work they went on all hands The Papists to palliate such Actions as painted out the Jesuit in his devi●●sh likeness The Puritan of the reformed Churches to pick quarrels with all Catholicks alike and those disputes were spread abroad in several Pamphlets and Pasquells the Jesuit had friends to pay us Two for One. A zealous Church-man of ours Sutcliffe Doctor of Divinity procures a Patent for erecting a College at Chelsey near Westminster to consist of a Provost and 20. Fellowes to be chosen by the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury the Bishop of London and the Universities Vice-Chancelors for the time being Intentionally for able men in School divinity to answer and propose against our Grand Adversary Romanists The affections of the people were so pregnant to this purpose that in short time the Doctor had collected their free contributions of seven thousand pounds whereout he disburses three thousand pounds in the building and buyes land of two hundred pounds rent per annum with the remainder And himself becomes the first Provost and after his death Doctor Featly Slaughter and Wilkinson men of singular learning successively So then it was S●tcliffe that sunck his own fortune to raise this fabrick and not Bancroft the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury who died this year and much abused in his Character by our Chronicler Nor did the King afford it more countenance then wisely to give way to mens wilde fancies especially when it took fire with the Puritan for himself soon foresaw that the witty Iesuit would wish no better sport then to press us to death with printed Pasquells in place of serious controversies of which yet no doubt also but Bellarmine had more Bookes to spare us then his own budget full Another reason for I must be bound to bundle up Arguments satisfactory to the Reader in answer of Calumnies throughout the Hystorian which makes this book thus bigg The other cause The Title of the land upon which the College is erected was passed then by Howard Earl of Nottingham for years at seven pound rent and a fine when in truth after the Earls death the 12. Iac. It came to light that the interest was in his Widow during her life and fourty years after whom the Lord Mouson maries and as her Administrator sells the interest to Duke Hamilton whose delinquencie and death leaves it to this State And now 1654. disposed for a Garryson or a Prison untill a good Customer for sale puts it to better use So then you see the crackt title besides broke the neck of this new College We are fallen upon the Kings first favorite with our Hystorians observation That as Queen Ann had hers he had his she loved the Earl of Pembroke he the younger brother whom he created Earl of Mountgomery Men of Considerable descents though of no fame in their merits especially the last of whom he says the King not finding sutable to his humour his fancie ran upon another young Gentleman But the man is mistaken for though the King was no quareller yet he hated a Coward and turned Mountgomery out of his affection for being switcht by a mean Gentleman Ramsey a Scot at a publick Horse-race Though this favorite was urged to revenge and backt by the English fourty to one to defend him He basely put it up to his death and the dishonor of a Gentleman What his after merits were to his end let the world judge he living to full age and having had his opportunity and choice to become an honest man Indeed the King was never without favorites but changed them often into one more close and intrinsick who served the turn for a Notable Skreen of envy between him and his Subjects upon whom the people as they never fail might handsomely bestow complaints through his Masters faults So Carr succeeded him and his story followes hereafter The splendor of the King and Princess with the rest of the royall yssue the concourse of strangers hither from forein Nations the
multitude of our own people from all parts of our three Kingdoms gave a wonderfull glory to the Court at this time the only Theatre of Majesty Not any way inferiour to the most Magnificent in Christendom Prince and people increasing in honor and wealth And it was prudentiall in state to set it forth with all moderate additions of Feasts Masks Comedies Balls and such like which our squeazie stomacht Historian it seems could never example in any part of his reading and therefore sets his Gloss of reproach upon the King and them but very favourably forsooth as not thereby to provoke himself to stain his innocent paper I shall not trouble the dispute how farr they were politickly used in the Romane Common-wealth and Monarchy how farr tollerable in Christian Kingdoms and States They are necessary Mirrors wherin mens Actions are reflected to their own view Indeed some men privy to the uglyness of their own guilt have been violent not onely to crack but to break in pieces all those Looking-glasses least their own deformities recoyle and become eye-sores to themselves We were wont to call them Theatres representing in little the Entrance Acts and Exits of Man where we may behold Language Manners and Behaviour the best the matter good for Imitation bad to shun to teach virtue reprove vice and amend manners tempering the mind for good impression or defect in most of our youth thrust into devotion without polite manners forceably taught on the Stage where virtue is somewhat more seen to a mortall eye with admiration not to inforce men spight of Humanity to serve God with austerity not Jubilation This Christall fullied by time and malitious reports not without some shadowes of piety and counterfeit dress to amuze the world for a truth hath been cleared up to the view by several Pens though by King Iames at that time little valued for his own content unless as Splendidae Nugae for the dress of Court-like recreations but evermore with so much wit as might well become the exercise of an Academy And thus much of playes But stay It is come to my knowledge that our squeamish Informer was bred up a Poet frequently a Rymer and Composer of playes not without exceeding delight in himself to be so styled though a mean one but indeed since the reformation of them the trade fell to decay and he turned trot any way to get money Such another was A. M. who whilst he kept within the compass of that Dialect did well and commendably but turn'd another professor and ended his daies miserably He went to Bed as I am credibly informed well in health but disguised with drink his usual custome and was found in the morning his head hung over the Bed-side his hand leaning on the boards it seems groveling for breath being choaked with loathsome blood and flegm foaming at his mouth his tongue bleeting out not able to call for succour of such as lodged in the next room so was he drencht in drink and death In this year 1611. was collected a Contribution of well affected Subjects called Loan-money being lent upon Privy Seals an ordinary use and custome of all former Sovereigns in time of necessity of their Prince or state affairs and no New device which now amounted unto One hundred eleven thousand fourty and six pounds which was repayed back to divers especially to such as craved satisfaction by money Defalcation or Composition for other considerations Satisfactory There are sundry ways and means to make men rich and commonly not so concealed but it happens within the Ken of some acquaintance But here we had one Thomas Sutton meanly born and bred but some subsistence by marrying a widdow at Barwick farr short of wealth It is rumoured onelybecause of some probability for other we have none that he bought a Fraight that came thither out of a Dutch Pirate who it seems could not stay to make better market And therein was found concealed Treasure in some Cask his first advance which he so increased by Interest and purchases as having no heir he designed a pious foundation at Hallingbury Bowcher in Essex but afterwards purchased the Charter-house near Smithfield London of the Earl of Suffolk enriched it with divers dependances of lands and Tenements for which he paid in hand 13000 l and procured Letters Patents to erect The Hospital of King James founded in the Charter-house in the County of Middlesex at the proper cost of Thomas Sutton Esquire for maintenance of eighty decayed Gentlemen Souldiers a chamber and dyet and 8. l a piece pe●sion annually and a cloth-Gown in two years with a free School for Scholars Chamber Diet and Apparell to be governed for the present by the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Lord Chancellor Lord Treasurer Bishops of London and Ely chief Iustice and Iustice Foster the Attorney general Dean of Pauls and Worcester a Master of the Chancery and four more Gentlemen his familiar friends and Thomas Brown the first elect Master of the Hospital and this for ever and as any Governours die the Major party to Elect another Besides he gave in Legacie so many thousands as it did astonish all men in those daies how he came by so much wealth Since the Kings absence the Papists were for these last three years much increased in the North parts of Scotland and complaints made of the funeral Obsequies of the Lord Oglevy and Gight after the Popish rites And though as before remembred some care had been for reducing the Earls Huntley Angus and Arroll Yet of late Huntley returning from England pretends some commands from the King to mitigate Ecclesiastical proceeding on his behalf which encouraged the others and the rest of their Profession openly contemning the Church Censures The Assembly therefore had sent petitions to the King for further authority to suppress these Inconveniences The Kings answer was That Huntley had no such warrant from him but pretending that he had kept all injunctions prescribed him except that of communicating with the Sacrament of the Lords Supper which the King thought fit for the present to referr to the Council for time of conforming but if he did persist his Majesty would accompt of him as intending the head of a faction and therefore rather to root him out than to nourish his follies by a preposterous Toleration They were therefore confined unto several Cities ten dayes together there to hear Sermons and admit of conference and to forbear Papist-priests companies that the sons of Oglevy and Gight should be committed This prescription too strickt the three Earls revolt and therefore an Assembly was called by the Kings Comand for so of late they were regulated not to convene of themselves and the Names of Papists inrolled were found Numerous and Huntleys faction in the North were of the most He being cited appears not nor sends any excuse and therefore by the Assembly is excommunicated and the sentence pronounced publick and no
the States impudently maintaining those former Execrable Blasphemies forewarning them of the corrupt seed of the late Arminius that Enemie of God and of both their Infections dividing their Countrey-men into factions so opposite to Unity as must needs bring them to ruine Remembers them of his forewarnings by the effects since of Arminius his tenents their distractions bred from thence shews themthe impudency of one of his Secretaries Vorstius his Book and Letter If these be not motives he prophesies the rent of their Nation the curse of God and Infamy to our Religion wishes to have Vorstius suffer the fire least his poyson which denies the Eternity and Omnipotencie of God should invenome their youth corrupt their souls and hazard the safety of their State And threatens them if they fail in his Councils he will be forced to protest and separate from the Union of their Churches Westminster 6 October 1611. The States notwithstanding hasten their own resolutions and Vorstius was setled in the Chair of Professor nor did these Letters cool their affections which heightned Sir Ralph Winwood to make this remonstrance viz. My Lords if ever the King of Great Britain his Master hath merited of the states with great favours and royall assistances themselves with all gratitudes have acknowledged surely then in these his letters of zeal piety for establishing that Relion onely within their Provinces which England France Germany have mutually embraced not regarding otherwise the Persons or Profession of Vorstius or Heresies of Arminius but as by them Religion to be sophisticated or dipraved by the schismes of Arminius or the fancie of Vorstius new devised sects of several pieces of all sorts of Heresies ancient and modern and these are they Out of his Annotations That God hath a Body so as we take a Body in the Largest sence They therefore speak not circumspectly enough who say that God is altogether as unchangeable in his will as he is in his Essence We cannot read That the substance of God is simply immense nay quite contrary No Magnitude is actually infinite and therefore God is not That every event of things were precisely set down from eternity there needed not then that continual inspection and procuration which nevertheless is every where attributed to God They who teach That there is in God Universal knowledg in genere answer more fully but so as they likewise confess that there be more causes of Certainty in the visions of things present then in the vision of things future contingent Al things which he hath decreed determined ●no modo actu he doth after such his determination exactly know them But this cannot be confirmed of all and every other thing which are or come to pass being considered severally and ●y themselves because they have their existence not onely successively in time but also contingently and oft●times conditionally Out of his Apologie That the Fa●●er hath a certain peculiar being or as it were all immitted and ●ounded essence That there are really certain internall accidents in God in the very fore-electing mind and will of God In the sixteenth Chap. He dissents from the received opinions of Divines concerning the Ubiquity of Gods presence In the nineteenth chap. He attributes to God magnitude and quantity These being in part his opinions whom they had chosen in the Chair at Leyden he conjures them to beware Ne quid Respublica detrimenti capiat The disciples of Socinius seek him for their Master He is a bird of their own feather let him go Et dignum sane patella Operculum and your own Students at Leyden 56. of them by their Remonstrance but the last year to the States of Holland besought not to be compelled to receive him who is convinced of his Errors by the Divinity Colleges at Basil and H●ydelburgh by evidence out of his own writings These reasons with the general petitions of all Ministers except of Arminius may no doubt prevail And withall he tells them that his Majesty moves them to set down some certain Reglement in Religion to restrain licentious disputations and absolutely to depress the liberty of prophecying so much recommended by Vorstius in his Epistle to the States of his Anti-Bellarmine so much boasted of And remembring them of their Valiances in defence of their liberties of Consciences for fourty years wars they would not now make their actions Example for the Sect of Arminius to proclame that wicked doctrine of Apostacy of Saints And concludes that Religion is the Soder of Amity between his Majesty and Them wherein if they grow cold their friendships will freeze After six weeks delay though prosecuted for an Answer they tel him How they have deliberated upon all former passages and thank his Majesty for his affection to their Countrey and preservation of the Reformed Religion and did thereupon order That Vorstius should not be admitted nor is but as an Inhabitant and unless he can clear his accusations The States of Holland and West freezeland before February next the time of their meeting would then decide the difference And thus much was all what could be done in respect of inconvenience and distast to the principal Towns of those Provinees This being all and in effect worse then nothing Winwood resolves to Protest and did in their publick Assembly He begins like the Advocates in France with a Latin sentence out of the Scripture Si peccaverit in te frater tuus argue eum inter te si audiverit te c. si non adhibiruum atquae alterum c. si non eos dic Ecclesiae and so recounting the Kings favours to them the whole matter of Vorstius and the proceedings thereupon concludes for those reasons he does in his Majesties Name protest against the receiving and retaining of Vorstius and against the violence offered unto the Alliance betwixt the King and Them founded on the Reformed Religion which they have violated of which his Majesty is so sensible if reparation be not speedily made as his Majesty will further declare to the world in print To this they Answer That however his Maiesty hath not as yet received contentment in the business of Vorstius as he might expect but at the Assembly in February next his Majesty shall receive entire satisfaction The time come and the Assembly continuing their settlement of Vorstius the King imprints a Declaration giving his reasons very learned in many particulars why he engaged In aliena Republica The glory of God The Christian charity to his Neighbours and Allies especially towards the Houshold of faith The impoysoning of their youth Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem Testa diu and the Apostle Saint Iohn in that respect Ne dicas illi Ave and answers all objections and excuses for Vorstius with this Maxime that even in doubtfull questions Men are naturally inclined co choose the evill and leave the good as
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 Sits●lts in Hartfordshire Vorstegan sa●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 rel●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 Ce●il with whom he continued the most exact Confident and counsellour to the end of his days And the Favorite also was made Se●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 Visco●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
an ordinary fate which often accompanies them to bear the burden of their masters mistakes which yet was but an experiment proper enough for the L. Chamberlain Rochester to put in practice whose creature he was But we may not forget our good Lord of Essex our digression most necessary to his story which was thus There was amongst other persons of Honour and quality in Court a young Lady of great birth and beauty Frances the Daughter of Thomas Howard Earl of Suffolk married in under-age unto the Earl of Essex now become a forward stripling she two and twenty and he three and twenty years of him common fame had an opinion grounded upon his own suspition of his insufficiency to content a Wife And the effects of this Narration with the sequel of his life and conversation with his second Wife is so notorious as might spare me and the Reader our several labours for any other convincing arguments But with the first when both were of years to expect the blessing of the Marriage-bed he was always observed to avoid the company of Ladies and so much to neglect his own that to wish a Maid into a mischief was to commend her to grumbling Essex as they stiled him and increased the jealousie of such men whose interests were to observe him that he preferred the occasion himself for a Separation and which indeed from publick fame begat private disputation amongst Civilians of the legality thereof wherein those Lawyers are boundless This Case followed the heels of a former Divorce fresh in memory between the Lord Rich and his fair Lady by mutual consent but because Mountjoy Earl of Devonshire married her whilest her Lord lived the King was so much displeased as it broke the Earl's heart for his Majesty told him that he had purchased a fair Wife with a foul Soul But this of Essex was a different Example when you seek to parallel them together And therefore we may with more charity to truth not admit such hasty credit as to believe that now the Kings delight was onely for the love of the Viscount who is supposed to be in love with the Countess of Essex and upon no other score to command the Bishops to sue out a Divorce from her Husband which in truth was done with ample Reasons and legal Geremontes And because the Nullity gave freedom to either and so the means of her after-marriage with Rochester the sad occasions of all the sequel mishaps I have with some diligence laboured out the truth precisely and punctually as it was acted and proceeded by Commission Delegative not easily now otherwise to be brought to light which the Historian passes over briefly as unwilling to spend time to set down truths when it makes not for his turn for this Author had been Essex his Man and turn'd away by his Lady Upon Petition of the Earl of Suffolk and his Daughter Frances to the King That whereas his Daughter Frances Countess of Essex had been married many years unto Robert Earl of Essex in hope of comfortable effects to them both that contrariwise by reason of certain latent and secret imperfections and impediments of the said Earl disabling him in the rights of Marriage and most unwillingly discovered to him by his Daughter which longer by him to conceal without remedy of Law and the practice of all Christian policy in like cases might prove very prejudicial And therefore prays To commit the cause of Nullity of Matrimony which she is forced to prosecute against the said Earl to some grave and worthy persons by Commission under the great Seal of England as is us●ally c. Which accordingly was granted unto four Bishops two Privy Counsell ours learned in the Law and unto four other Civil Lawyers with clause to proceed cum omni qua poterint celeritate expeditione summarie ac de plano sine strepitu ac figur a judicii sola rei facti veritate inspecta mera aequitate attenta And with this clause also Quorum vos praefati Rev. Patrem Cant. Archiepiscopum Reverend Patrem Lond. Episcopum Iul. Caesar. Mil. aut duos vestrum in ferenda sententia in●eresse volumus But for some Exceptions concerning the Quorum by the Commissioners in the words Sententia esse not interesse A second Commission was granted and adjoyned two Bishops more with this Quorum Quorum ex vobis praefat Reverend Patrem George Cant. Archiepisc. Ioh. Lond. Episc. Tho. Wint. Episc. Lancelot Eliens Episc. Richard Covent Lich. Episc. Ioh. Ross. Episcop Iul. Caesar. Mil. Tho. Parry Mil. in ferenda Sententia nos esse volumus Upon this the Countess procures Process against the Earl to answer her in a Cause of Nullity of Matrimony The Earl appears before the Commissioners by his Proctor and she gives in her Libell viz. That the Earl and the Lady six years since in January Anno Domini 1606. were married her age then thirteen and he fourteen and now she is two and twenty and he three and twenty years old That for three years since the Marriage and he then eighteen years old they both did co-habit as married folk in one bed naked and alone endeavouring to have carnal knowledg each of others body Notwithstanding the Earl neither did nor could ever know her carnally he being before and since possessed with perpetual incurable impediment and impotency at least in respect of her That the Lady was and is apt and fit without any defect and is yet a Virgin and carnally unknown by any man That the Earl hath confessed oftentimes to persons of great credit and his nearest Friends that he was never able carnally to know her though he had often attempted and ●sed his utmost endeavours And therefore prayeth the Commissioners upon due proof hereof to proneunce for the invalidity and nullity of the Marriage The Earl by his Proctor denies the said Contents Contestatio lit is negative His Answer is required by Oath by second Process where in open Court his Oath was administred with so great care and effectual words to minde him of all circumstance as the like hath been seldom observed The Earl viva voce confesseth the Marriage and circumstance as in the Libell and were not absent above three Moneths the one from the other in any of the said three years That for one whole year of the three he did attempt divers times carnally to know her but the other two years he lay in bed with her nightly but found no motion to copulation with her That in the first year she shewed willingness and readiness therito That he did never carnally know but did not finde any impediment in her self but was not able to penetrate or enjoy her And believeth that before and after the Marriage he found in himself ability to other women and hath sometime felt motion that way But being asked whether he found in himself a perpetual and incurable impediment
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 pe●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 Presumpt●o●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 ●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 s●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 Corona● 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 conv●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
themselves to search for mischiefs and being found to scandallize the State with them How these were nourished and afterwards fomented the revolution of time hath made obvious to all men and saves me the labour to set down the particulars It was no novelty then to applaud the former times and to vilifie the present for indeed her fame carried it current in a long continuance to have lived and dyed Royally and Victoriously without the disquiet of the peoples affections and being but a Sojourner in the World in respect of her Maiden-hood might be and was a blessing to her own times the impression of her good Goverment besides her happy memory is not without some effect which doth survive her But this K blessed already with Royal issue and whose fruitful Bed promised increase It was more proper and agreeable with him to be studious not onely in the Transitory part of good Government but in those Acts which are in their nature permanent and perpetual to his posterity rather to increase than diminish the Advantages of Soveraignty which he aimed at and for his part and time did perform but t is a tender subject to discuss I have done Yet I may add a truth That all the force and power of his Progenitours and all their merits and policies to boot for more then an age before her could never borrow so much credit upon their Privy Seals as she did during her time and left them all for this King to discharge great and vast sums Which shews that Necessities put her upon that piece of State when neither her Exchequer could afford relief nor the urgency of her affairs indure the delaies of Parliaments assistance For in truth she had strained likewise from her people in that way of Subsidies more then ever any Prince I will not say many that were before her She had the way to do it by complaisance of a Princess and he a King not affecting that Course failed of such effects For he was by nature more reserved than popular and had his virtues fitter for estimation then Love and did like a King his soul being planted higher overshot such matter as lay level to anothers eye And so as I have said some of these ways to get mony was set a foot this year 1614. and upon several occasions in his reign after proposed but not effected In those times of Trade the Merchant-Adventurer usually transported Our English Cloths white undress'd and undy'd and the Dutch had gotten the Art by the end fitted and stretcht them by their Knavery and so returned them to us at high rates of this the Cloth-worker of London complains which was soon remedied by Proclamation forbidding the transport and to countenance that Corporation the King was feasted in their Hall and made free of their Company the rather because their Cote Arms the Thistle is the Scots Embleme And over went our Cloaths accordingly dyed and drest which the Hollanders forbid to be bought by them and therefore dealt with our Fell-mongers and got over Our Woolls and the Mystery of making Cloth Hereupon we proclame and forbid the transport of our wools The Quarrel between those two Corporations and their respective gain is by the Merchant Adventurers complained of and for mittigation of their Mischief several warrants for some thousands of Cloths were sparingly licensed by wisdome of State to be sent over and so evenly moderating the mystery of Merchants that cozen each other and at their great Feast likewise the Prince was made free The King of Denmark makes a second visit to his Sister the Queen for fourteen daies upon no business of State onely his affections to her and jollity to himself with a Train of no more than half a hundred persons of honour and Noblesse of his own breeding to the Dutch Diet and Drink to which he was too much inclined and oft-times had his load for we were not wanting of our boon-Companions that waited on him for that purpose The Earl of Suffolk succeeding Salisbury in the Treasurership yielded his Office of Lord Chamberlain of the Kings Houshold to his Son in Law Somerset as aforesaid and he the Place of Secretary unto Sir Ralph Winwood lately returned from the Netherlands where he had been Ambassadour Lieger of a long time The Summers Progress returns the King to London where had been some muttering of Overbury's death in the Tower discovered beyond the Seas by the Apothecary's Boy that impoysoned the Glyster and having his Reward was sent out of the way to Flushing where he told the Tale to Trimball the Kings Agent there by whom it came to Winwood's knowledg and so to the King and by degrees to particular Examinations Confessions and Executions of all these Weston an Apothecary Mistris Turner a Doctor of Physick's widow Sir Iervis Yelvis Lieutenant of the Tower and Franklin all accessaries But Weston being the principal actor it was therefore his turn first to come to the Bar at the Hinstons Court in Guild-hall where beyond Judg Cook 's expectation the man stood mute notwithstanding all allurements and threats that could be used and so was returned to Prison Cook informs the King that unless the principal be convict the accessaries could not be tried but by continual cunning and some fair promises of pardon Weston put himself upon his Countrey and was cast condemned and hanged Cook not content with that gets knowledg under-hand that Serjeant Yelverton an obliged Servant to the House of Howards had advised this Counsel for Weston not to betray any parties And this Tale was told by Sir Robert Cook from his fathers confession After all comes Somerset and his Countess and both condemned some that were then at their Trial and not partial conceived in conscience he might have been spared that Sentence and as himself says to the King That he fell rather for want of well defending than by force of proofs for I so far says he for sook my self and my cause as that I might be more condemned for that than for the matter And because it was a story of evil fame near and far off I shall put it to the test in a brief Narratory being pleaded before the Lord Elsmore Chancellour and High Steward for the Day and most of the Peers at Westminster Hall May 1616. in this manner A Peer of the Land hath this Privilege upon Treason or Felony indicted to be tried by his Peers the King by Letters Patents assigns some sage Lord of the Parliament to be High Steward of England for that Day of his Arreignment who before that time makes Precept to his Serjeant at Arms to warn to appear before him a certain number of Lords of the Parliament twelve at the least upon that Day at Westminster At which time the High Steward shall sit under the Cloath of State and causeth his Commission to be read the same Serjeant returns his Precept and calls the Lords who appearing by
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 frien●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
This Redemption I crave not as to my own person but with your benesits once given nor do I assume them very deep for I have voluntarily departed from the hopes of my Pension Place Office I onely cleave to that which is so little as that it will suffer no paring or diminution And as in my former Letters so by this I humbly crave of your Majesty not to let the practices of Court work upon your Son the Prince not fearing the sufferance of my loss in that particular so much for I cannot lose it but willingly all with it as for to take off the stage that which in the attempt may prove inconvenient And consider I pray your Majesty that my hope in desiring to pass these bad times was to be restored to my fortunes others are made unhappy by me if otherwise and then I lose my end I speak of impairing of changing or supplying as of any other way all such alterations and ruine are alike without I be worthy of your gift and that I can be worthy of all that Law can permit you to give or cast upon your Majesty by a more nearer Title as it doth by this I shall account them equal evils that leave nothing or a patched and proportioned one changed or translated from one thing to another But if your Majesty have any respects to move you to suspend your good towards me let that which is mine rest in your own hands till that you finde all opposite humours conformed to your purpose I have done wrong to my self thus to entertain such a doubt of your Majesty but the unrelenting of adversaries which when you will have them will sooner alter and that all this while I have received nothing of present notice for direction or to comfort me from your Majesty hath made me to expostulate with my self thus hardly for God is my Iudg Sir I can never be worthy to be if I have these marks put upon me of a Traitor as that tumbling and disordering of that estate would declare the divorce from your presence laies too much upon me and this would upon both I will say no further neither in that which your Majesty doubted my aptness to fall into for my cause nor my confidence is not in that distress as for to use that mean of intercession nor of any thing besides but to remember your Majesty that I am the workmanship of your hands and bear your stamp deeply imprinted in all the characters of favour that I was the first Plant ingrafted by your Majesties hand in this place therefore not to be unrootod by the same hand lest it should taint all the same kinde with the touch of that fatalness and that I was even the Son of a Father whose Services are registred in the first Honours and impressions I took of your Majesties favour and laid there as a Foundation-stone of that building These and your Majesties goodness for to receive them is that I rely upon praying for your Majesties prosperity I am in all humbleness Your Majesties loyal Servant and Creature R. Somerset I should not trouble you with the Marriage of the Lady Arabella Stuart and Sir William St Maure or Seymer both of kin to the Crown she by the Earl of Lenox in Scotland as I have before said 1577. and he Grandchilde to the third Son and the Heir of the Earl of Hartford created by Henry 8. whose Sister he married 1537. and by Edward 6. made Duke of Somerset and his Protector who stiled himself Edward by the grace of God Duke of Somerset Earl of Hartford Viscount Beauchamp Lord Seymer Uncle to the Kings Highness of England Governour of the Kings Person Protector of all his Realms Dominions and Subjects Lieutenant General of his Majesties Armies both by Sea and Land Lord high Treasurer and Earl Marshal of England Governour of the Isles of Gernsey and Jersey and Knight of the most honourable Order of the Garter and bears Gules two Wings conjoyned in Fess Or. Yet all these Honours rather helped him forwards to hop headless for Felony His third Son Edward was restored to the Earldom I Eliz. and this William his Heir And thus near the Crown in all Sovereignties are needfull to be narrowly lookt into for Marriage Queen Elizabeth did so at a farther distance of danger and her Father made it Treason in his time I say I should forbear more mention but that our Detractor begins at her Death in the Tower where she was imprisoned though her Husband escaped and says That it set mens tongues and fears a work that she went the same way having almost in his last words before told the story of Overbury impoysoned in the Tower by which he now enforces belief That her Death was so done for the Kings interest when in truth she died a year before in September 1615. There happened occasion at Common Pleas to dispute the Kings power in Commendams The Church being void and in his gift whether he might give a Commendam to a Bishop either before or after his Consecration during life or for years It was argued by Serjeant Chibborn against the King That the translation of Bishops was against the Common Law his Text was the Canons of the Council of Sardis That the King had no power to grant Commendams but necessitate That there would be no necessity because no need of augmentation of Livings No man being bound to be more hospitable than his means afforded And much more argument tending to overthrow the Kings Prerogative in cases of Commendams This case was to be farther argued in the Kings absence by all the Judges which he thought to protract untill they consulted with him and so commanded his Attourney General to signifie by Letters his pleasure to all the Judges The Judges notwithstanding at the day argue the Case and return answer by Letter to the King That they held those Letters to be contrary to Law and such as they could not obey by Oath and therefore had proceeded at the day appointed setting down the Case to be upon construction of two Acts of Parliament 25 Edward 3. and of 25 Henry 8. and now between Subjects for private interest and Inheritance That their Oath is That in case any Letter come to them contrary to Law they are not to obey them but to proceed to Iustice. And so they did the last Term 27. April 1616. The Judges subsign Cook Hobert Tansield Warburton Sn●g Altham Bromley Crook Winch Dodderidg Nicols and Houghton The King returns them answer by Letter Reporting himself to their own knowledg his princely care for justice to be duly administred to his Subjects with all expedition and how far he was from crossing or delaying the interests of private persons But on the other side where the case concerned the high Powers and Prerogatives of his Crown he would not indure to have them wounded through the sides of a private person admonishing them of an
ordinary custome lately entertained boldly to dispute the high points of his prerogative in a popular and unlawful way of Argument not heretofore usual Making them senceable how weak and impertinent the pretence of their Oath was in a case of this nature as if the Founders of their Oath His Predcessors were so intent in their zeal to be uncharitable to make a weapon to wound their Successors being an ordinary course to put off Hearings and Determinings amongst private persons Termly And commands them peremptorily not to proceed further in that Plea till his return to London there to receive his further pleasure by himself Your Oath being only for avoiding importunites to the Prince of Suiters in their own particular The King come to London convenes them all to the Council Table and himself takes in sunder the parts of the Iudges Letter and their Errours in proceeding both in matter and manner In matter by way of omission as commission When the Counseller shall presume to argue his Supremacy at the Bar and they not reprove his Insolency Himself observing since his comming to this Grown the popular Sort of Lawyers most affrontingly in all Parliaments have troden upon his Pre●ogative though neither Law nor Lawyer can be respected if the King be not reverenced And therefore it became the Iudges to bridle their impudencies in their several Benches especially the Courts of Common-Law who had incroached upon all other Courts High Commission Councils in Wales and at York and Courts of Requests For the Commission in Matter whereas their Letter excepted against his Majesties command to be against the Law and their Oath He tells them deferring upon just and necessary cause is not denying or delaying of Instice but rather wisdom and maturity Nothing more proper than to cousult with the King where it concerns the Crown As for the Manner The Kings absence before the Argument and yet his resolved return speedily and the case though lately argued could not receive Iudgement till Easter Term after as the Iudges confessed And for them to say that the case was private interest of party and party One of the Parties is a Bishop that pleads for the Commendam onely by vertue of his Majesties Prerogative And that they could not prove any Solicitation of either Parties for expedition And for the form of the Letter it was undecent besides to proceed and to return a bare Certificate without giving reasons therefore Upon this all the Iudges fell down on their knees acknowledging their Errour and craving Pardon But for the Matter the Chief Iustice Cook entered into a Defence That the stay by his Majesty was a delay of Iustice and therefore against Law and their Oath that as they meant to handle the Pleading it should not concern the King's Prerogative To which the King told him That for them to discern the concernment of his Prerogative without consult with him was preposterous And for those of Law and Oath he had said sufficient before Therefore he required the Lord Chancellour's opinion herein whether against Law and their Oath The Chancellour excused himself as to that of Law referring it to the opinion of the King's Council whereupon the Atturney General Bacon said That to put off the Day was no Delay of Justice nor endangered their Oath for the King's Reasons were onely that it concerned his Prerogative and required therefore a stay for a small time and advised the Judges whether this refusal of their did not rather endanger their Oath which was To counsel the King when they are called but to counsel after the matter is past was a simple refusal to give him Counsel at all And all the rest of the Council concluded with him The Chief Justice Cook excepted That the King's Council should plead against the Iudges being their duties to plead before them not against them Whereunto the Attourney replied That the King's Council were by Oath and Office not onely to plead proceed and declare against the greatest Subject but also against any body of Subjects or persons nay were they Iudges or Courts or House of Commons in Parliament and concluded That the Iudges challenge was a wrong to their Places and appealed to the King who was firm for them The Chief Justice replied He would not dispute it with his Majesty The King replied Nor with my Council So then whether you do well or ill it may not be disputed The Chancellour gave his opinion with the King and his Council Hereupon the positive Question was put by all the Lords Whether in a Case depending which the King might conceive himself concerned in power or profit and requiring to consult with them they ought not to stay proceedings All the Judges submitted thereto onely the Chief Justice excepted saying When that Case should be then he would do his duty But the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas said For his part He would always trust the justice of the King's command But the Day drawing nigh the next Saturday for arguing the Commendams the King desired the Judges to express Whether they would then argue upon the Kings general power of granting Commendams yea or no. They all concluded Not to draw into doubt his power but to insist upon the point of Lapse which they conceived to be of a form different from former Commendams and concluded to correct the insolencies of bold arguing the Prerogative Judge Doderidge concluded for the King That the Church was void and in his gift and might give a Commendam to a Bishop either before or after Consecration during Life or years The Judges being gone the privy Council resolved that the Kings desire was not against the Judges Oath nor against the Common Law to require and all of them subscribed to the same This Dispute was publiquely scanned and censured in favour of the Judges and on the contrary for the King but the truth I have really extracted out of the Records of the Council Table That you may thereby see the true scope of those times The State of Spain having little to do in Martial affairs K. Philip the third now in peace thought to spend some time in Treati●s wherin he seldom failed of advantage The late French King Henry the fourth had 3. daughters the one maried to the Duke of Savoy which the Spaniard misliking to have those Neighbours lately so great Enemies now to be linkt in love without his Interest conceived it good policy to indeer the young King Lewis of France in a cross Match to his Daughter Infanta Anna and to marry his son Philip to the Princess Elizabeth the second daughter of Henry the fourth And thus those cross Nuptials might seem to cement the affections of the three States lately so imbroyled in War which no doubt either of them had good cause to accept though it was said S. P. Q. R. Spain Pope Queen-Regent had the chief hand to undo the young King For the Father Henry the fourth had made
Wars upon the Duke of Savoy to recover the Marquisate of Saluses and this King of Spain under colour to aid the Duke his Brother in Law sent him Horse and foot of Spaniards But the peace concluded by exchange of Saluses with the Countries of Bresse and Gex the Spanish Auxilliaries being muzled in warm quarters at Carboniers Montemellion Savillau and Pignorell the best places of Savoy and Piedmont would not budge no! though the Duke begg'd of them to be gone but were absolutely commanded the contrary by Count Fuentes Viceroy of Millain and so staid until that valiant Duke in this danger very desperate cut all their throats Spain in policy to revenge pieces with France to disjoyn Savoy upon whom he had afterward many Treacherous Designs as that Plot upon his Castle of Nice the Key of his Counties when his Spanish Gallies lay at Villa Franca to have seized all Savoys Issue And as it was usual with Princes in Peace and Amitie to congratulate Nuptialls The Lord Hay was looked upon as the most proper for this Errand into France In some measure he had the Kings favour his affection not at all For Wise Kings know how to do the One and yet hide the Other so mysticall things are Courts this makes many men misjudge That the Kings friendships made every one a Favourite and by often changing their Persons was therefore held inconstant in his passions This Lord born a Gentleman in Scotland by his bearing of Cote Arms Argent three Escocheons Gules Supported two countrie Swains armed Plough Trails The crest a Dove volant proper His story was that his Ancestors at Plough with those Instruments their Geer slew Malton an High-land Rebel and discomfited his Train for which service had so much Land barren Rocks as a Pigeon cast off the fist flew over till she rested And all this great purchase could not keep him from seeking livelyhood in France where he was bred no other than a Gens d' Arms unto Henrie the fourth but quitted that service in hopes of better preferment of his own Sovereign And over he comes to meet the King at his entrance into England upon recommendation of the French Lieger in Scotland who continued so here and presented Haies upon former knowledge in France This and his other good parts being well accomplished hastened him higher in esteem than others of his Countrey whose neerer attendance had merited more But to boot he sought out a good Heir Gup my Ladie Dorothy sole Daughter to the Lord Dennie and to fit him forward after Knighthood he had honour and was made a Lord for reasonable riches his wife brought with her In grateful acknowledge of his first preferment he feasted the former Embassadour being lately returned extraordinary to this King wherein he exceeded the limits of an Entertainment which for that time was excused as a grateful Ceremony of a large Dinner The Scots were never very eminent with neighbour Nations what credit they had came by the French to keep ballance with Them and England the increase might heretofore be hoped for when the union of these Crowns should afford the means to set them forth And it wat prudential in the King to pick out one of his Own to splendour that Nation in our way of Peace and Courtship especially when all was done at the Masters cost For Haies was ever reasonable poor unless by repute of his first Match which was not much while her Father lived and by his last he had less the great spirit of Peircie Earl of Northumberland though a Prisoner then in the Tower disdaining the Mariage denied her a Groat to a beggerlie Scot as he called him This first Embassie was for no other end than to congratulate for certainly he had no Commission nor Credential to make scrutiny for matching our Prince with the other Sister she being then too young and overtures were then thought on with Spain and so it was advertised from Sir Dudley Charlton Ambassadour at the Hague that there was a fame spread of such as desire to weaken the Kings correspondence with that State That his Majestie was on neer terms of matching our Prince with Spain and by an Adviso out of Spain That this match had been there debated in the Inquisition and judged necessarie And in truth the Lord Ross was sent Ambassadour thither partly for that purpose at this time also upon the like errand to give joy to that King for the counter-match of his Son and had his Instructions to feel the pulse of that Court concerning the same for I waited on him neerer in his affairs than any of his Train and both these Ambassadours sent away at the same time It was remarkable how each of them strove for the prize to out-vy in the vanity of these Voyages the Baron to his utter undoing having no other helps but his own when the other had it from the Kings purse and in truth for this purpose to put down the English as in that great Feast at Essex-House and many his Masqueradoes afterwards at Court for he medled not with the Tilt as being no Swordman but in the other and such like he never scaped to act his part Amongst many others that accompanyed Haies Expedition was Sir Henrie Rich Knight of the Bath and Baron of Kensington afterwards Earl of Holland natural son to the then Earl of Warwick He took his initiation of expence from this journey and continued the practice afterwards to the weakning of his long time unsettled fortunes being forced through custom of the Court to follow the other in all his fashions and which infection by after-custome became his disease also and almost not over-mastering yet over-shadowing his natural eminent parts with which his inside was habited and perspicuous to such as afterwards knew him Thus much I had occasion to say heretofore to which hath been exception as if I undertook him besides the Text in a wanton pleasure of my own pen to blazon his memory with the foyl of his friend Truly it was not so by any unequal disparity to pride out the other For let me here take the freedom to speak more of him who from henceforth being received into publick and comming in by his own endeavours to the place of Cap. of the Band of Yeomen of the Guard to the Kings person a place of honour and profit and increasing with years and experience into some favour now and afterwards in high grace and esteem with the succeeding Sovereign was yet I must confess in the fate of State and Court circumvested now and then with some prejudice And it may be uneasy for a stranger not for me to research with due distinction into the Actions of his whole life succeeding not to enliven him by a line whom envy heretofore and now malice after his decease have endeavoured to blemish more than his own former felicity did or could any way corrupt If we deduce him from his
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 ●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
so honest and worthily deserving a Servant and so praiing God to bless this mie cure I bid you heartilie farewell Febr. 9. 1616. New-market James Rex Hereupon there was some appearance of his amendment which the Prince congratulates under his own hand My Lord Chancelour As I was verie sorrie having understood of your dangerous sickness so I do much rejoice of the good appearance of your recovery which Thomas Murrey hath declared unto me and of the affection and caee you have of my person and of mie Estate for which you and yours shall ever find me most willing to give testimonie to the World how much I respect those who are truly affected towards me I hope bie Gods grace to give you particular bie mie self and that God shall give you health and strength of bodie and mind that the King Queen and I with this whole Kingdom may long enjoie the fruit of your long wise and religious experience which wishing from my heart I end New-market Febr. 18. 1616. Yours Charles Pr. These being the last Letters and thus assured of the acknowledgement of his Masters favour toward his merit he takes leave of this Life the fifteenth of March following 14. of Iac. 1616. The Common-pleas or Comunia Placita is the Kings Court or Bancus Communis Anno 2. Edw. 3. cap. II. so called Quia Communia Placita inter subditos or controversies between common persons it was now held in Westminster Hall But in antient times moveable as appears by Magna Charta cap. II. And that upon grant of that Charter the Court of common-pleas was erected and settled and one place certain viz. at Westminster wheresoever the King lay and that after that time all the Writs ran Quod sit coram Iusticiariis meis apud Westmonast Whereas before the party was commanded by them to appear Coram me vel Iustitiaris meis simply without addition of place see Glanvile and Bracton the one writing in Henrie the seconds time before this Court was erected the other in Henrie the thirds time who erected this Court. All Civil causes real and personal are or were in former times in this Court according to the strickt Law of this Realm And by Fortescue cap. 50. it seemeth to have been the only Court for real causes The chief Judge thereof is called Lord Chief Iustice of the Common-pleas accompanied with three or four Assistants or Associates who are created by Letters pattents from the King and are installed as it were upon the Bench by the Lord Chancelour and Lord Chief Iustice of that Court. See Fortescue ca. 51. who sets down all the Circumstances of their admission The rest of the Officers are these the Custos Brevium three Proto-Notaries or principal Notaries called also Pregnotaries Chirographer Filazers in number fourteen Exigenters four Clerk of the Warrants Clerk of the Iuries or Iurata Writs Clerk of the Treasury Clerk of the Kings Silver Clerk of the Essoines Clerk of the Out-laws The Common Law is so antient we know not the commencement Lex Angliae peculiar onely to this Land Of long time following the Conquest ever more quarrelled for enjoyment of antient Liberties until Henrie the third allowed English men English Laws add in his ninth year granted the great Charter which himself infringed and thereupon followed fourty years Barons Warrs as Histories stile them until in his fifty two year that Charter was again reviewed and compiled and solemnly sworn unto by succeeding Sovereigns The ground of which binds the King per Legem terrae and what is this Lexterrae Leges Anglicanae fuerunt approbatae consensu utentium Sacramento Regum confirmatae Lex facit Regem attribuat igitur Rex legi quod Lex attribuit ei viz. dominationem potestatem ubi non Lex ibi non Rex So then Lex fecit Regem Not so neither Kings in England before Lawes but indeed Communis Consuetudo Regni fuit Lex terrae This being the Law without commencement as the Genius to all and Parliaments Statutes Prerogatives of Princes Customes of Counties Cities Burroughs Mannors are but the species of it For general Customs made the Law authorities Parliaments Limits Prerogatives and Customes consonant or disonant to Reason so much for Communis Lex But in practice say some the Chancery is above Law and yet duely examined that also is allowed per Legen terrae as a species of that The reason thus The Common Law grounded upon general Maxims they might be too severe or too relax and therefore necessarily requiring Equity Secundum aequum bonum sanam cons●ientiam And this Chancelour notwithstanding limitted by Law and erected by Law although it seems above Law For No Judge hath Jurisdiction without some grant or commission out of that Court under the Great Seal which is intrusted to the Chancelor No Judge can hold plea without an Original Writ framed in Chancerie and by his appointment returnable before the Judges and yet all these considered the King the Law the Chancery agree together The Chancerie then must needs be erected subsequent by the common Law to relieve and supply the Law in some cases where the simple subject was cosened by craft ignorance also may offend without malice Moses Law in divers cases Political and Ceremonial he could not decide uncleanness by touching the dead but referred it to God The name of this Officer is Dominus Cancelarius Angliae a a Cancelour do but then quere what he might cancel Some say it is Cancelare Iniquom legem comm●nnem Iudicare secundum conscientiam but this is an errour will the Law give power to deface her self that made it The Chancelour cannot stay the course of Law but onely injunct the person not to follow the Law not to cancel the Law for notwithstanding this injunction if the party will sit out contempt and proceed at common Law the Judges cannot deny him Indeed rhis Officer hath his name of canceling the Kings Letters pattents so much of honour to the Law as the other way had been dishonourable The nature of Letters pattents bind the King and his Successors and all Subjects though unfit or unjust the Judges of Law are co judge it void but cannot deface it nor the Seal but the Chancelour as a Judge of Law may but not by his absolute authority by his ordinary power and course of common Law is to judge of it and to hold plea of it and to call the party interessed by process of Law and so to repeal it by Judgement and then cancel it which no person can do but And this was done Transversa linea circumducere vel conscindere aliquod Edictum decretum contra Principem aut jus Reipublicae impetrari which cancelling is made with Lines drawn across like Latices and it is said that Judgement seats were of old compassed with Latices or Barrs cross waies to defend the Judges and Officers from the prease of people and yet not to hinder
their view Chancells were so divided from the body of the Church and thereupon so called And the Lord Chancelour and Lord Keeper have one power by Stat. anno 5. Eliz. So then you see how and for what he hath his name And though his Authority be highest yet it is given to him by the Law and proceedeth in course of Law not according to conscience but Law That all Justice runs from the Supreme power so by the Chancelour to all Jurisdiction A man complains of wrong or sues for right in Chancery from which Bill of complaint issues a precept commanding the Defendent to appear at a Day So then a man may not be sued before he have a Writ or Breve from the Chancelour a singular regard to the meanest The very Writs of Chancerie are prescribed by Law and a form registred in Chancery and if not accordingly issued out the Judges will reject them called in Law Abating of the Writ His Authority to judge is of two sorts by common Law or Positive Law Potentia Ordinata Processe pleading judgement Potentia Absoluta by Processe according to the Law of Nature viz. to send for the party to answer upon Oath to examine if he will not answer yet the Chancelour cannot condemn him in the cause for obstinacy Potentia Ordinata mispleading on either part may mar the matter and the judgement must be according to Law however the Equity of the case fall out But if the pleading be by Absolute Power though the party misplead if the matter be good the Iudgement must be by equity and not as the pleading be either formal good or bad or as the law will in the case The Question followes whether that conscience whereby the Chancelour be simpliciter and to be simplex conscientia or Regulata Viz. To be ordered by course of Court former Presidents and if no Presidents whether Reason in codem respectu may take cognisance of the cause viz. A rich Father to suffer an honest son to beg or a rich son contrario the Chancelour cannot Hereupon we may conclude that his Authority judicial both Ordinata and Absoluta Potestas are limitted by the Law of the Land For in the Ordinary he is tyed to the strict rule of Law and by the Absolute he is ruled though not by the course of law yet he is to deal per regulatam conscientiam but in any case not to contradict what Law hath allowed But to conclude his Absoluta Potestas by what means he should find out truth Truly it is without limitation only to be referred to his own Gifts and the grace of God that gives Wisdom Sir Francis Bacon succeeded Elsemere Lord Chancelour though a wonder to some so mean a Man to so much preferment he was then Atturney General and as others by that placc and in the usual way of preferment time beyond memory come to high Office of Indicature either there or to other Benches and so did he But his Mis-deeds afterwards turned him out of all and he dyed poor and private See Anno 1621. And as his Genesis of preferment came to the chair of State so the Exodus of the Treasurer Suffolk in his Office brought him to the Star-Chamber and the Glory of the new Chancelour Chair-man there to sit in censure upon him and so to set out himself in his Matchless Eloquence which he did then by Sentence as the Mouth of the Court as all others had done Their abilities affording them several waies and manners in that Court more particular as their Qualities concern them to distinguish So here also the Chief Iustice Cook newly revived from the sad condition of former disgrace for his too narrow inquisition upon the faults and fall of Somerset He now finding the Fate of Court-policy final in this Lord and his malice at Liberty to speak what he list Parrallels this Lords Crimes with other such corrupt Treasurers raking Presidents of all former Predecessors Even from Randolphus de Britton who was sentenced to lose all lands and goods but was restored to him and fined 3000. 1. for misusing K. H. 3. Treasure Such another was Treasurer of Ireland Petrus de Rivallis and of great command also high Chamberlain of England to Edw. 1. his Offences were Bribes of all men poor and rich Religiosis quam de Laicis fined and ransomed So did the Abbot and Moncks at Westminster took out of that Kings Treasury there ad inestimabile Damnum Regis Regni For which these privileged pretenders could not be exempt from Tryal and the Temporalities of the Abby seized for satisfaction till which time of payment they suffered Imprisonment Nay Walter de Langton Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield scapes not Edw. 2. This Treasurer took bribes then though small but a hundred pound of the Earl of Monteallo ut amicus in agendis negotiis versus dominum Regem lets him escape Prison to do his bu●inesse and given of free Will and ex curialitate sua yet in those dayes it amounted to Extortion But he had Additionalls having indicted Iohn de Eugam of Tresgass for the Mannor of Fisby to which the King had title and imprisoned him and when another Mannor was conveyed to the Bishop for Courtesies done diversas curialitates Eugam was set at liberty but it seems the Bishops plea would not serve his turn That the King would rather punish by Imprisonment than fine And those good times accounted it Bribery Again the Bayliff of Oxford was committed for arrears of one hundred pound in his accompt and the Mannor of Calcat conveyed to the Bishop for satisfaction yet because he was of pure Devotion discharged by the Bishop these cases all three were condemned of Extortion and Bribery and the Bishop soundly paid for it by his purse and imprisonment In Edw. 3. He imprisoned William Lord Latimer with punishment and fine being in Commission to pay off the Kings debts he compounded for eighty per centum and 30. for 40. by which saies the Record he turned it upon the King to be a Bankrupt Compounder So did the Baron Nevil bought the Kings debts of the Army and though he pleaded that they forgave him the Remainder freely yet was he fined Such like as these were brought Examples to raise the Offence of this Lord Treasurer of himself as of high birth so most Noble and without doubt disdaining to commit base crimes but whether the guilt of Sir Iohn Dingly one of the Tellers in Exchequer an intimate Servant to the Secrecies of Suffolks Countess or some necessity to make bold to borrow such sums as his Fabrick Awdle-End had need of Or the vain and monstrous expence heretofore of that family All that could be besides the necessity of Court-Fate cast in his dish was the imbezeling the monies lately paid by the States of the Netherlands for redemption of the cautionary Towns Flushing and Bril and he fined thirty thousand pounds and Dingly two thousand pounds the
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 con●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 Cross●Bill which at the Hearing took up five several Days the King sitting in Iudgm●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 co●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 Pros●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 Time and to discharge all Modification advance of stipends to any Minister for a year unless onely to such as have submitted to the Articles and in affection to the Kings service The Ministers thus curbed and the Northern men being come up to Edenburgh for their stipends complain of their Brethren their pride and insolency supplicate the Bishops to intercede and mitigate his Majesties displeasure and so they did and procured Letters from the King for allowance of their stipends And Mr. Simson was now released professing his hearty reluctancy for opposing his Majesty setting his hand to a Supplication which himself framed with all submission But his Brethren not liking any submission but to their Assemblies or Synods his being to the Council he sets out an Apologetick glossing upon each word of his Confession and concludes That whatever frailty or weakness had befallen him heretofore he hoped now to be like Peter Qui ore negavit corde confessus est and never to betray the Lords cause with Judas The Iesuits do even so fast and loose neither tongue hearts nor hands can binde them against their mental secret purposes And yet there being some hope that matters might amend for the Church and their frequent Synods preparing for their better obedience the Bishops procured the Kings consent to another General Assembly to be at Perth in August the next year This royal Progress of pleasure into Scotland and back again gave leasure to the King and advantage to all Attendants for preferment of their persons or other satisfaction for their services by the freedom of their Masters bounty both to Scots and English Especially to our new Favourite now of two years growth in the Kings affection This man George Villiers of an ancient Family in Leicestershire and bears 〈◊〉 on a cross Gu. five Escalops Or. His father Sir George Villiers begat him 1592. upon a second venter Mary Beaumont of noble extraction whom for her beauty and goodness he married By his first he had but one Son rising no higher in honour than Knight and Baronet his disposition not court-like and therefore injoying perhaps the greater greatness self-fruition yet in time he had preferment to the Government of Ulster Province in Ireland The other Sons were three and in order of Birth but not in Preferment Iohn was Viscount Purbech George Duke of Buckingham and Christopher Earl of Anglesey and one Daughter Susan Countess of Denbigh We are told that he came over by chance from his French Travels and sought his Preferment in Marriage with any body but mist of a Match for want of an hundred Marks and so pieces him for the Court like the story of Demetas Caparisons borrowing of each one by piece-meal to put him forward for the Kings Favourite But the truth is thus His Mother a Widow was afterwards married unto Sir Thomas Compton whose Brother the Lord Compton by chance falling upon a wonderfull Match for matchless wealth with the Daughter and Heir of Sir Iohn Spencer Alderman of London and her Father then lately dead this Lord was Master of all which was of more than credible and so might be enabled bountifully to set up a Kinsman without other help or Alms of the Parish It was plotted long before and Villiers sent for to the same purpose by practice of some English Lords to ballance with the Scots who by the help of the last Favourite Somerset and others of great affection with the King had the better of the poor English There had been a private Intertainment of a Supper at Baynards Castle by the family of Herbert Hertford and Bedford and some others by the way in Fleet street hung out Somersets picture at a Painters stall which one of the Lords envying bad his foot-boy fling dirt on the face which he did and gave me occasion to ask my companion upon what score that was done He told me this meeting would discover And truly I waited neer and opportune and so was acquainted with the Design to bring in Villiers who was entred before He had need to be well backed against enough that envyed his neerness and aimed by any affront to discountenance him until he made them know that his courage over mastered his sweetness For having bought the place of Cup-bearer to the King and taking the upper end of the Board at dinner before some other Waiter which not his due was told of it and so removed nor was it done with overmuch kindness for indeed the other was Somersets creature who urging a second incivility Villiers gave him a Box on the Ear. For which the custome of Court condemned him to have his hand cut off And which Somerset as then Chamberlain ought to prosecute the Execution which he did And here the Kings pardon without any satisfaction to the other party made him suspected a budding Favourite Who was indeed raised with or by Somersets ruine so drew envy from him as his competitor and from others his Friends compartners in his fall being then as one cast out of the passions of the King We shall find him come up degrees and to stand firm in favour to the death of this King and his second Master till his assassination The King minding to shew his own power to raise him from nothing and his will to advance him for nothing the others study therefore was the Kings inclination and so to leave on him whose affection was sufficient to hold up his head He waited hard and close his first years rising but having removed all the whole Line of Somersets lincks his Wives interests the Howards being boldly fixed in his Masters favor he would adventure to take leave but not too long to be absent And so by degrees inured the King from his custome of overtyring his Favourites and at last fortifies himself by raising out-works if in case of assault His own mariage with an heir the daughter of the Earl of Rutland rich and Honourable twisting himself and his issue by intermariages with the best and most noble For indeed the brouse boughs cut down or removed to plain the stem Our favorite appears like a proper Palm besides the discerning spirit of the King who first cherished him through his innate virtue that surprized all men Henceforth preserments came thick upon him for the next Saint Georges day after his initiation brought him Knight Bachelour and Gentleman of the Bed-chamber At new-years time Master of the Horse and Knight of the Garter and that Summer in August 1616. Baron of Whaddon and Viscount Villiers the beginning of next year Earl of Buckingham and privy Counsellor and this Summer in Scotland sworn there also Counsellour of that State At Christmass after that favours might be recorded Acts of time and of affection too he was created Marquess Buckingham and Admiral of England chief Justice in Eyre Master of the Kings Bench Office and Steward of Westminster places of profit and Constable of Windsor Castle
to make up out of Adventurers purses for Gold-Mettal from a Mine in Guiana one of the Countreys of America upon no other ground to win belief but a pound of the Ore which he had from thence by the hands of Capt. Kemish his ancient Servant The King wondering at this man why to hazard his future fortune upon the nice dispute with the King of Spain whose Territory he must invade at his own perill of success but yet gave him leave with his liberty so be that he broke not the Kings bands of Amity which he had strickt rules and order to observe The French Lieger had been very earnest for his inlargement with much affection to his deserts and some design of Policy against Spain wherein they two waded so far as that the discovery came to the Kings ears not without intrenching by the by upon his Majesties honour and several commissions from France presented to him to fit him to that purpose wherein he was warily watcht till it should ripen for further tryal and at the worst back-friends were to be put aboard to bring him back again And having got Commission and thereupon a company of his own Countrymen they imbarque with him in a Voyage thither with a compleat Fleet of twelve sail and landed at St. Tomazo a Town of the Spaniards killed five hundred men sacked and burnt it of five of their Fleet it may be said as of the old saying They went up the River and so came down again for rhe Design being the River Oremque in Guiana to discover the Mine at the foot of a Mountain up in the Countrey they were opposed by the Inhabitants Spaniards and Natives and so returned to their company This expedition was grounded at the first only upon Kemish information the Miscarriages that might happen was alwaies cunningly resolved to light upon him for satisfaction of the Adventurers To answer it to the King his intent was never to return but by his own mannagement and the obedience of his Company over whom he had commission of Life and Death he dreamed of nothing less then of a prosperous journey And now to frighten Kemish Raleigh threatens him with the Kings displeasure which to avoid sayes the Storian The poor man pistols himself and so no tales could be truly told He dead the most minded forced their own and his return home which he intended any where else and so some of their scattered ships with him more like a Prisoner than Commander came safe to Kingsale in Ireland from thence to Plymouth where no sooner on shore but he is taken into custody of Sir Lewis Stukely Vice-Admiral of Devon and conveyed to London and so to the Tower with whom he deals for a sum of money presently delivered to him to escape with him into France Stukely yields to all accompanies him by Water where by the way to Gravesend the Design of Stukelyes treachery in that and so it prospered with him being hanged afterwards for clipping Gold they were seized and he brought into the Tower and not many daies after commanded to the Kings-Bench-bar at Westminster before the Lord Chief Iustice Mountague where he was questioned upon the Records of his former Arraignment at the City of Winchester and in answer to that he was asked what he had to say to his Sentence to dy like a Traytor His short defence was Of being lately intrusted by the Kings commission over the Lives of some of his Liege people was soon replyed unto as insufficient and he had judgement to dy the next day by the favour of the Ax which he said smilingly touching it Was a sharp Medicine but a sound Cure of all diseases as it proved to him then in his Ague sit in the Palace yard at Westminster Octob. 1618. It was indeed common discourse then that Raleigh knew of no Mine nor was Kemish assured that the pretended Mine was of Gold but that the piece of Ore which he presented Raleigh in the Tower was falsifyed by dissolving some Gold therin and he a better Chymist than Kemish for that purpose That both of them designed it so to be thereby cozening the world to get credit and afterwards to deceive the King to purchase his liberty But when Kemish came safe from the supposed Mountain without any Mine whom Raleigh expected should miscarry in the way and none but he could discover the deceit then was he destroyed by death but by whose hand it may be suspected not by himself And truly these reports were more then a false visard to out-face the truth of his merit in that action and thereby to weigh down Raleighs miscarriage At his death he endeavoured to cleer some points which he knew lay on the Deck against him His disloyal words of the K. undutiful language from Subjects of Sovereigns take deeper root than the memory of evil Deeds so did the Marshal Byron which cost him his head Essex once told Queen Elizabeth That her conditions were as crooked as her carcase Manebat alta mento repostum He said his Accuser was a base runagate Frenchman and perfidious being sworn to secrecy yet he betrayed Secondly To have had often plots with France He confessed That he had been often solicited from thence and that he endeavoured to escape thither at twice and the last time being got as far as Woolwich Thirdly That the French Agent came often to him with Commissions from his Master but it was not accepted Much he said of these as to the publick and of more things as to private which he did not deny but traversed So then there were other businesses of a second charge and confederacy which made him lyable to a new Tryal for Treason is so comprehensible as to take in even circumstances and out of them to make such conclusions as the jealousie of State shall interprete either for safety or Revenge But the prudence of the King would not hazard more having sufficient upon the old score and because he could not in Law be judicially called to accompt for his last actions his former Attainder being the highest and the last work of the Law whereby he was Civiliter Mortuus The King was inforced except Attainders should become Privileges for all subsequent offences to execute him upon the former And concerning Sir Walters recovery of Queen Anns infirmity for which he should beg a Boon viz. the re-examination of the Lord Cobham by four Earls and three Counsellors It being urged by an Author in the innocency of his cause and ingratitude of the King I shall answer as to my knowledge by the relation of some Ladies of her Bed-chamber and of her Surgeons and Physicians now living That she was never cured of her disease but by death that ends all Maladies We are told That Sir Walter set out his design to the King who discovered it to the Spanish Lieger Gondamore the Countrey Town Men Ships
forth to see it saying Jacta est alea The Die is cast in Gods providence not in Signes to be blasted with such beames which had a ground in Nature but no warrant in Scripture to portend Mishap to States and Princes But that which is most observable to me is this The Scripture which relates remarkable things mentioneth not one Comet Blazing Star nor Ecclipse but that miraculous Star at Christs birth though no doubt many such happened in that space of three thousand five hundred years but takes notice of other natural events less considerable and yet from the other we infer changes of Empires nay Church and Religion The Prophets never foretold of any Meteors as not troubling their writings with what could be foreseen by humane or natural means For though Agabus Acts 11. 18. foretold the Universal Famine twelve years after in the time of Claudius Ceasar yet he speaks not of the Ecclipse that fell then for that might be foreseen of a natural cause and was foretold by Astrologers but not the famine which could not be inferred by Eclipse nor by any Comet to presage evil We grant natural virtues which reside in the Stars besides enlightning for they were created four daies after the light to warm and give vigor and life and such good things And indeed those natural signs are rather marks of Gods favour than anger Stars do submission to Man unhappy to none but such as believe them fatal and unlucky Naturale est magis nova quam magna mirari And that Comet at Christs birth was Nero's death Cometes summe bonus aparuit qui praenuntius fuit mortis magni illius Tyranni pestilentissimi hominis saies Tacitus False Predictions prove true to them that fear them that is our superstition The other extreme is Epicurism which admireth not Gods works at all Continual custome without some change in natural things becomes less regardful God scatters intermixtures to force man to admire The sacred Chronology shews Gods admirable measures in the dispensations of time more worthy than in the speculation of Astrologers Nay even in humane History more wise than such Predictions for certainly a good Historian deserves better than a bad Prophet After the appearance of this Comet the same year died Q. Anne A lingring sickness and fulness of humours brought her to a dropsie and for recovery she for some years before frequented the Bath with continual Physick But the disease come to the height she took leave of this life at Hampton Court Her Corps brought from thence to Somerset House part of her Jointure and at her proper charge lately rebuilt and beautifyed to this lustre it appears now and by her desire called Denmark house from the name of that Kingdom whence she had her Birth And not long after with sumptuous ob●equies she was intombed at Westminster Abby in the chapel of Hen. 7. ordained for Royal Interments A good Lady she was and Sister to the King of Denmark fetcht from thence by King Iames with great affection to her person and being a Stranger to these Kingdoms with Providence designed for her future fortune she med●ed the less in Matters of State A matchless pair drawing evenly in all courses of honour and both blessed with fair issue because never loose from eithers Bed abating that blemish basely abusing her excellent virtue for loving my Lord of Pembroke a crime as false as odious in the Author who yet concludes her character a monument of virtue I may not leave the Reader at random in the affairs of the Kirk of Scotland How they boggled with the King when he was lost there and so left them incorrigible never intending to hazard his honour any more by granting General Assemblies But he come home unsatisfyed then and after with their Synods had sharply reproved them by Letters which they excuse till one Assembly more might make tryal of their allegeance The King gratious to be reconciled adventures to grant them another General Assembly to be held at Perth August 25. But enters upon them with this caution That the affront offered his Royal self in the late meeting at Saint Andrews gave him just reason to resolve never to grant any more General Assemblies concerning the Churches policy what he hastily desired and what they did was to do him injury He is yet over intreated by their Bishops to permit a new Convocation who are now convened for the self same business as before Advising the Bishops not to admit the wonted ignorant and unruly multitude to overpower the more judicious He having placed them overseers of the rest in the chiefest Rooms He dislikes not the advice of the whole and the greater the consent the better his content But matters of this nature the Articles may yet be enjoined without them by his own authority as an innate power by his calling from God Perswade them they may to induce them by discretion in their duty to Him wherein he will not be delayed nor satisfied with their shifts from their simple acceptation of those Articles sent unto them the necessity whereof had better becomed them all to beg of him than he to propone the practice upon them What and how many abuses were offered to him by the Ministers before he came to the Crown of England can hardly be forgot nor likes he much to remember sufficient by their disobedience to have separated his affection from them His patience for Gods cause forgiving and forgetting foul faults endeavouring to force from them better effects of his best purposes He wishes that he be no more provoked nor the truth of God which they profess any longer shadowed under the Cloke of some of their seeming Saintlike holiness shaking hands and joining hearts with such persons as by their tenents against Majestracy uphold Popery In sum he craves God to witness on his part and let the World now at last see their dutyful obedience to their dread Soveraign that so his care of their good may meet with zeal and affections in them inferiour to no subjects of any Sovereign and the glory of God and peace to his Church which is his earnest prayer for them all unto whom he now and evermore commends them James Rex July 1618. We say not how much these might deserve from men holy minded nor what tedious and weak Arguments were reasoned which needed such a defence as was fain to be published in answer to a Pamphlet set out against them But truly shame of their trifling and fear to offend produced these effects from which yet in aftertime they fled That seeing the memory of all by-past superstitious and idolatrous worship of the sacraments by Papists is long since abolished Therefore in reverence of God and due regard of so Divine a Mystery and in remembrance of so mystical an Union they think good That the sacrament be celebrated hereafter meekly and reverently upon their knees If any Christian visited
years before had adopted Ferdinand his Uncles Son his Successour but not to meddle with Sovereignty of a King whilest Matthias lived however Ferdinand thus far set forward himself makes way to the Dignity of Boheme and to prevent discovery from the incorporate Confederate Provinces who have Voices in the Election he calls a Parliament forthwith onely of the States of Boheme with express denunciation that in the Assembly nothing should be consulted but the choice of a new King The Electoral Provinces nor their Deputies nor Ambassadours not being present the Assembly was not legal The best of the States of Boheme therefore refuse to appear against whom was denounced such threats as frightened them with hazard of their Heads and so was procured a pretended Election for the present and his Coronation assented by the main party Catholicks The Crowning Kings in the life of another was of late a sure policy to unite those Kingdoms in the Austrian Family contrary to the ancient custom of free Elections which now neith●r State durst oppose To this end therefore and to suppress all future free Elections the Paladium of the Kingdom Ferdinand secretly compacts with the King of Spain without consent of the States and before his Election or pretence to any interest That the King of Spain his Posterity and Heirs for want of Issue male of his Fathers Austrian Line should succeed him in that Kingdom contrary to the established Rules of Politicians that no elected King hath power to alienate without consent of the States this succession exposed them to the loss of all and Religion also and enabled him to enfeoff strangers into each Province and into the inheritances of those Royally descended high-born illustrious Families and by which as was then suspected and since came to pass he should easily seize the Dignity of the Crown Imperial and so abolish the foundation of the Golden Bull and Form of Empire This while the aged Emperour keeps Court at Vienna King Ferdinand at Gref in Steria the Government of Boheme continues in such Counsellours as Matthias left there chosen Ministers Catholick who with the Arch-bishop of Prague endeavour to suppress the Protestants The States Protestants assemble themselves to redress these injuries backt with some Forces which they brought with them and were opposed by the Emperour's Faction whom they over-mastered and flung his chief Justice Slabala his Secretary Fabritius and others out of a Window of the Castle down into the Court and being done in choller excused by Apology to the Emperour But on they go raise force and banish the Iesuit and others of that Faction whom they load with Complaints The Emperour as forward commits the command of two Armies unto Count Buquoy and Dampiere The Protestants counter-force with two Bodies severally under the Prince of Anholt and under Count Thorn and Mansfeilt skirmishing with different effects Some Princes King Iames and others interpose Mediations and Ferdinand complains of the Bohemians obstinacy They remonstrate former undue Elections and allege That between a conditional King and his Subjects there are reciprocal obligations the one Obedientia the other Promissa That he received the Scepter of the States with thankfull remuneration and royal grace to all to satisfie the desire of every one and to deserve their love and swears not to meddle with Government whilest Matthias lives Notwithstanding he maintains the Wars of others against the Bohemians Moravians and Silecians and raised Terra Maria against the Bahemians sent for his own Army out of Steria and pronounced the Protestant States of Boheme Traitors and Rebells and declared himself Enemy to them all That he banished the old President Cesal directs all Councils corrects the Decisians and Decrees Imperial disposes the actions of Buquoy as King and Lord of all and dis-inclines all means of Peace with Ambassadours of all Provinces who met at Prague carefully consulting to recover Peace That conditional elective Kings receive their royal Authority upon Oaths their Sovereign power Ex pacto non ex jure from the Subjects by concessions upon Covenant not by succession nor descent as other Kings who are so before they swear to their Subjects and do swear because they are Kings but are not Kings because they swear the one born a Prince without his Subjects the other made and given to be a King The Oath of Elective Kings is Et si quod absit in aliquibus Iuramentum meum violavero Nullam mihi incole Regni omniumque dominiorum unius cujusque gentis obedientiam praestare delebant And the Chancellour usually tells them Quandoquidem viderunt Ordines Majestatem regiam pactis conventis stare nolle non debere ait ipsius Majestatem in malam partem interpetari si Ordines obedientiam ipsius Majestate renuncient These things thus a doing the old Emperour dies and Ferdinand now King of Hungary and Boheme and adopted Heir of the Empire meets at Franckford by Summons with the three Electors Men●z Collen and Trevours the other three Silecia Moravia and Lusatia failing in their persons sent their Representatives only and so the Council chose him King of Romans which the State of Bohemia disclaim and of his being Elector as King of Bohemia he never actually possessing the Crown Their dis●entions could not lessen his Election to the Empire yet they swore never to receive him their King King Iames much troubled at these interruptions of Germany took himself to be much conce●ned in the hazard of the Protestant party and the peace and danger of the Reformed Church and therefore sent Hay Viscount Doncaster Ambassadour extraordinary to mediate with the Emperour and Bohemians but to little purpose The Emperour by means avoiding to receive him knowing his errand being to paliate what was grown too high for his Reconciliation and removed his Gests when Doncaster came but neer him so whilest King Iames hunted at New Market his Ambassadour coursed the Hare in Germany but his business through the crudity and raw initiation took not the effect Ferdinand fearing the Success of Ingagements insinuates with the Germain Princes and had possessed the Duke of Bavaria and others The poor Bohemians in this strait and finding K. Iames an Inte●cessor thought it policy to bring him into the List for having published their Declarations and Reasons pronounced the Election of Ferdinand to be invalid and nul and the States of that Kingdom and other Provinces Elect by this Title The most Gracious and the most Mighty Prince Lord Frederick Count Palatine of the Rhine and King of Bohemia In the mean time King Iames consults with his Council diversly affected to this Design of taking or refusing Amongst them see what our Abbot●ends ●ends to Secretary Nauton not being able to come to Council Good master Secretary I have never more desired to be present at any Consultation c. My humble advice is That there is no going back but a countenancing of it
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 o● an experienced Assistant without deserving qu●r●el of our carping Pamphleter A●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 Pre●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 absol●tely perverting our Trade into Spain These at Cape St. Maria met with seven Sail of London five they took and two e●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 th● 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 chie●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 Trom●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 Mans●● 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 bu●ning the Pirates Ships in the Harb●r who were all come home
Parliament for now being put to it they are hide bound and yet have an excuse That the King meant not to fight for they were afraid he was forward in the Match with Spain and trusted rather to treat that way and therefore intend not to assist him with Money for a War abroad nor support of his Wants at home But to shadow over their resolve they prepare to expostulate these distempers and lay down a pretended way to the Remedies which the King understood by some of their own ashamed to assist in such thwarting courses when necessity at home and honour abroad called for speedy redress And therefore the King in disdain to attend their slow Motions leaves them to their lazy Committee and whilest they are hammering out a Remonstrance he took no leave but went to New Market And there with regret of the unking Parliament together with the Miseries of the Reformed Churches in Germany the persecution of the Protestants in France besieged in Rochel and Montauban the one by Count Soissons and the Duke of Guise the other by that King and Doncaster sent thither Extraordinary to mediate the Peace which King Iames could not fight for with like Success as usually words have prevailed with Swords The King I say fell into deep discontent Notwithstanding our Calumniator here as in all other the like places Loads the King with the loss of all for not fighting without men or money If the Kings spirit saies he had been raised up to a War when the voice of God being the voice of the People called him to it it might have hindred the great effusion of blood amongst our selves that happened after in his sons time The consequence of all our sequel Miseries he derives from this King which truly then and after came from the Houses of Parliament The King not so far off but had his spies and Intelligence with a Copy of the Remonstance and thought to save them the labour in a Letter to the Speaker Sir Thomas Richardson Mr. Speaker WE have heard to Our grief tha● Our distance from the Parliament caused by Our indisposition of health hath imboldned some ●iery and popular Spirits of the Lower House to debate Matters above their Capacity to Our dishonour and breach of Prerogative Royall These are therefore to command you to make known to them that none shall hereafter presume to meddle with any thing concerning our Government or Matters of State with Our Sons Match with the Daughter of Spain nor to touch the Honour of that King or any other Our Friends or Confederates Nor with any Mans particulars which have their due Motion in Our Ordinary Courts of Iustice And whereas they have sent a Message to Sir Edwin Sandis to know the Reasons of his late Restraint you shall resolve them It was not for any Misdemeanour of his in Parliament but to put them out of doubt of any question hereafter of that nature we think our self very free and able to punish any Mans misdemeanours in Parliament as well sitting there as after which we mean not to spare hereafter upon any occasion of any mans and if they have touched any points which we have here forbidden in any petition of theirs which is to be sent to us tell them except they reform it we will not daign the hearing or answering New-Market Decem. 3. 1621. Iames Rex But on the Parliament will yet to sweeten the bitter Pill they accompany another Remonstrance with a Petition to this effect they are put together Most dread and gratious Sovereign VVE your most humble and loyal Subjects c. in the Commons House of Parliament full of grief c. through the sense of your Majesties displeasure expressed by Letter unto our Speaker and read unto us yet comforted with assurance of your Grace and Goodness to us and of the sincerity of our proceedings In all humbleness c. beseech the King That their Loyalties may not suffer by mis-information of partial Reports but rather to understand from themselves what their humble Declaration and Petition doth contain the occasion of their consideration of what is therein contained and their intention They beseech his Majesty not to give credit to private Reports against all or any Member until they inform him and that they may stand in his Majesties good opinion The Remonstrance runs thus in effect That upon their last re-assembling His Majesty did by three Lords impart to them these particulars following That notwithstanding the Kings piety to procure Peace the time is now come that Janus Temple must be opened No hope of Peace nor Truce Either the King must abandon his children or ingage in a War and so to be considered what foot horse and money sufficient That the Lower Palatinate was seized by the Army of the King of Spain as the Executor of the Ban then in quality of the Duke of Burgundy as the Upper part was by the Duke of Bavaria That the King of Spain had five several Armies The Princes of the union disbanded the Catholick League remains firm to the ruin of the others whose estate was miserable And That out of these considerations the Parliament were called to a War and for supply for keeping forces together to foresee the means for raising an Army against the Spring And accordingly they did address to that service And being now invited thereto and not only to look after a War abroad but also for peace at home with the increase and insolency of Popish Recusants urge us unto The consideration hereof led them on as incident and unavoidable to touch upon the King of Spain as relation to Popish Recusants at home and to the Wars by him maintained against your Children but without dishonour to Him or any of the Kings Confederates In which discourse they did not assume to determine or to incroach ●pon the Sacred bounds of your Royal Authority to whom and in whom only it belongs to resolve of peace or War But as humble subjects to demonstrate these things to his Majesty and humbly to lay it down at his feet This being the effect of their resolves in their Declaration and Petition They humbly desire his Majesty to receive them by those their Messengers with favourable interpretation and to so much as concerns Papists the passing of Bills and granting his Pardon royal that he will be pleased to answer And concerning those General Words in the Kings Letter Not to intermeddle with Matters of Government or particulars which have motion in the Courts of Iustice may involve those things which are proper subjects of Parliamentary Discourse And that his Majestie seems to abridge them freedom of Speech and Liberty of Parliament c. they desire his Majesty to allow them the same And pray for his Majesty c. Twelve select Members are sent herewith whereof Sir R. Weston was the leading Man intrusted to read them And untill their return with some satisfactory answer they
shall chance to be lodged But because the Reader may have better satisfaction of those times and Ecclesiastical policy then towards the Lay-Recusants for such only was it needful to favour the King was so Popishly addicted as our Calumniator would inforce that to the incredible exhaustment of his Treasure he most zealously intreated for refreshment and favour unto all the Protestants in Europe His Crown and Dominions and Denmark excepted The Swedes having lately provoked the Pole had no other hope of Peace those of France for the exercise of their Religion those of the Palatinate and all the neighbouring Protestants the least conveniency to say their prayers but by the Kings Mediation And being advised by the late Assembly of Parliament into this Milky way of Intercession and treaty abroad what a preposterous Argument would it have been to desire those Mighty Princes crowned and victorious to grant clemency to them and for himself to execute poenal Laws against the Papists The English Iesuit in France did design to frustrate this pious indeavour of the King by writing a most malicious Book to the French King inciting him and his three Estates to execute their Statutes upon the Hugonotes as the like they said were here enacted against Catholiques I would therefore advise with the most subtil States-monger to chalk out a way for his Majesty to have mediated for grace to the Protestants by executing at this time the severity of lawes upon the Papist But hat this favour should amount to a Tolleration is a most dull and yet a most divilest construction A Toleration looks forward to the future this favour backward only to offences past and the Lord Keepers letter to the Judges is so to be understood whereby if any Papist by them should be set at liberty and should offend and laws again the Justices may nay must recommit him and leave favour only to the King to whom only belongeth Mercy Nay more let these two writs directed to the Judges be perused by any rash censurors as they were resolved by grave and learned men to whom the King committed the penning and it will appear the Papists were no more out of Prison then with shackles about their heels sufficient Sureties and Recognizances to present themselves at the next Assizes So they being grasped in the custody of law or rather imprisoned still than with any liberty And in truth they were by this tender favour to be reduced into a better behaviour or otherwise upon tryal the King was to recall his writ and leave them to extremity But if a Critique will conclude an Argument from the Devils Topicques a converto ad abstractum from a favour to some well-minded English Catholique reasonably to be distinguished from others what therefore is the King turned Roman Papist whose wise discourses learned Writings pious Exercises Acts of Parliament late Directions for catechising Preaching and all other professions hath manifestly declared himself to all the World an Orthodox resolved Protestant But the Spirits of wisemen are now satisfied that those airy Representations of ungrounded fancies set aside this Island of all the Countreys of Europe was then the sole Nest of Peace and true Religion and the inhabitants most unhappy now that they looked not up to Heaven to give thanks for those mercies then Thus much the King had to do to keep these Men in obedience at home being intent also upon his honour abroad And having yet in this time of Treaty assisted Holland in an open way of Men and Money to ballance them with Spain and Recruits dayly sent over so plentiful that sale was made of our men more than they used The Spanish Lieger took exceptions and that justly that in time of Confederacy Treaty and Union of a Match such partiality was afforded to the Enemies of Spain and no more interest of Confederacy with our King than we with his Master To balance both the King grants freedome alike to his Subjects to be called by Drum to either service when it was evident that only one Regiment went away with the Lord Vaux to re-inforce the Army in Flanders and seaven thousand were carried to Holland Besides it was intended more policy to the one then equality to both to be rid of the Papists which he sayes infected the Kingdome And whilst the Commissioners on both sides argue the Articles the Pope no doubt meddled with Spain in the Matters of Religion proposeable on that part It was prudence in the King to permit an active Man Mr. Gage his own subject though Romish Catholique for in businesses they are not such Bug-bears to be at Rome to pry into the Popes actions and did recommend the affair unto the Cardinals Ba●dino and Lodeviso as the passages might correspend with disputes and differences in points of opinion Moral and Divine But in his letter to the King of Spain disclaims any Treaty with the Pope or to observe his rules in reference to his Son Was it not an oversight tro you that some better affected Puritan was not put in for an Intelligencer What mad Work such an one made once at the Popes Altar But not to spend Paper to answer such a Cutter of Cummin-seed Digby had express commands Not to wast time with the Spanish Delaies either for dispensation of the Match from Rome or cessation of Arms in the Palatinate H●idleburgh being then besieged and the English Garrisons blocked up Of all which the English Ambassadour Sir Richard Weston at Bruxels disputing with the In●anta had no redress as the Copyes of the Dispatches intend for he was commanded to represent the merits of his Master for sincere proceedings with the Emperour and Spain upon protestation of their Extraordinary respect However the Palatine had deserved That the way is now pr●pared that the English may have the honour to hold those places which are not in dispute untill the general accomodation without more amuze or further treaty of Cessation and before the whole Cou●trey be seized or our Treaty ended Refers him to the Dispatches to be furnished with Arguments of unkindnesses there notwithdrawing the Spanish forces but leaving the business to discuss with the Emperour and Bavaria That the Infanta's Answers with Recrimination altogether Minister jealousie of the Emperour and Spaniard if he consent not for if those things be not forthwith remedied the King of England will recal his Ambassadour from Bruxells as an unkindness deserving from the Emperour Not to be interpreted as to reflect upon the intire affection between those two Crowns of Us and Austria being mntually promised That as the King expects his Son in Laws dependance on his advise or to be forsaken so in the same measure it is just for Spain to decline the Emperour And concludes with this honourable Item To carry things fair without cause of distrust if reality be perceived on their part in the Match wherein the King excepts against their dull diligence depending only upon
to Buckingham and the Secretaries that so Super totam Materiam he may receive their Assistance and advice for the good of the Commonwealth Religion His Son and His children of the Palatine And for his Estate it is considerable as consisting with theirs And as Res Integra is presented to them so he professes himself free to follow their best advice By Metaphor of good Gardiners that plant good and pluck up bad weeds choak their Labours but jealousies are to be rooted out for they are of a strange depth And cleers himself in the presence of God of either Remissness in Religion or maintenance of Toleration what suspition might be was when he connived at some things which hindred weighty affairs but never to overthrow or disagree with Our Laws For a good Horse-man spares the spur and sometimes suffers the Reigns so a Wise King as his age and experience informs to quicken and execute Laws and upon just occasion to be remiss And closes with that which he would have take best impression as most averse from their faith their Privileges He never restrained Lawful Liberties antiently warrantable therefore he forewarns them as Saint Paul did Timothy to avoid Genealogies and curious Questions quirks of Law idle Innovations And his prayers to God for them and a happy Conclusion of this Parliament Concluding with serious and Christian Protestations before God That never way-faring Man in the burning Desarts more desired water to quench his drought than he thirsted and longed for happy success of this Parliame●t that the good issue of this may expiate and acquit the fruitless of the former AMEN This the effect His occasions were alwaies to speak much and his excellent abilities to speak well worthy of print as they are other where virbatim which the bulk of this History craves leave to breviate The Lord Keeper as Speaker to the Peers whose place there usually adds to the Kings mind and meaning and excuses himself After his Eloquence to be silent not to enamel a Gold Ring with studs of Iron And as One saies of Nerva that having adopted Trajan he was immediately taken away Ne post divinum immortale factum aliquid Mortale faceret So he durst not after his Majesty Divinum Immortale dictum Mortale aliquid addere Of this one complains as the temper of those times onely Men make themselves Beasts by making Kings Gods and advances highly the Spanish and French not idolizing their Kings with Sacred Sovereign Immortal Oraculous Expressions but in their Title Sir tells the business and demands Iustice. When both houses had well digested the Kings excuses and given some hopes of their good satisfaction and so cleerly to go on to business of the time It was thought fit for the King to per●orm his promise in reference to further Relation of the Mysteries in the Match And therefore after five daies breathing the Duke of Buckingham with the Prince gave particular remonstrance to both Houses of such Transactions or so many as is necessary as before remembred especially those which were mannaged by Sir Richard Weston with the Arch-dutchess at Bruxels in reference to the K. of Spain and both their jugglings viz. That thereupon the King sent Porter to Spain and was abused with hopes to credit Bristol till Olivares told him plainly That they meant neither the Match nor the Restitution of the Palatinate Bristol in private discovers this freedome to Olivares who incensed with Porter refuses to speak with him any more And so Bristol orders his return with a dispatch and assurance of both Demands but being of slow performance the Prince undertakes it himself in Person where the Spanish deceipts and Bristols connivance being with some intricacy discovered by the Prince He is now returned through all these hazards to deserve thanks from us all The Duke having satisfyed the curiosity of a searching Parliament was highly esteemed as the Preserver of the Nation contrary to that natural custome of incompatibillity of affections between the vulgar and the Sovereigns favour and so he kept it to the Kings last breath eighteen Moneths after a long course calm and smooth prosperity without any visible ecclipse or variation Though an Author seeks to scandal his Memory And brings Bristol his Accuser hereafter I know not when That the Duke caried the Prince Purposely into Spain to be better instructed in Popery and gave hopes of the Princes conversion and professed himself a Papist heard Masse adored their Sacraments and received a Bull from the Pope to incourage him to pervert both the King and the Prince These imputations so feigned and false need no confutation but neglect and scorn though some Articles since seem to say so much The Parliament had other opinions then and thereupon advised the King to break the Treaty and proclaim open Warre against Spain but in such General terms as gave his Wisdome cause to suspect and therefore thinks fit to propound such cautions to them as should advisedly draw to Resolutions and not leave him in the lurch My Lords and Gentlemen Have cause to thank God that my last Speech takes this effect that with unanime consent you have so speedily given advice in this Businesse to break off the Treaties of the Match and Palatinate And now give me leave as an old King to propaund my doubts and hereafter give me your answer It is true I have been all my life a Peaceable King my Titles and Impress Rex Pacificus give me that Honour and should I now imbroyl my self in War against my Nature and mine honour to spill more blood of which too m●ch had been shed unless it be by Necessity Malum Necessarium Besides He tells them Some hopes of better conditions hath been offered since this sitting But to take off their Iealousies that while they advise he rejects It is therefore left to their consideration as a matter of weight that the course may agree with his conscience In the case of his Children he being old would be glad as Moses saw the promised Land afar off if not to see the Restitution yet to be but assured it shall be and so to sing Nunc Dimittis Domine He hath heretofore said as now not to desire a furrow of Land in all his Dominions without Restitution of the Palatinate but then take the Difficulties of the Case It is unchristian to advise a King to War by blood which may be had by Peace And to consider the Requisites anent his Nccessityes for he tells them plain Parliaments have afforded him least helps of any King His disabilities increased by his Sons journey to Spain Ambassadours maintenance of His Children assisting the Palatinate his debt to Denmark for the Low Countries who if not assisted by him cannot subsist of themselves The Princes of Germany that should help are poor weok disheartned and expect from hence Ireland as a back-door must be secured The Navy though well must
would always say Lyes are not long liv'd And indeed more he could not have Examples vary some Ambassadours in like cases have been secured and punished others freed by privilege for in the times of the Scots Affairs with Us and France frequent Presidents have been used by Throgmorton Randolph Tanworth and Bishop Ross according to the power of the Princes where they have been committed as hath been before mentioned The Earl of Bristol this while in Spain received command to take leave of that King and to return and had intelligence from hence in what hazard he should appear after such Complaints in Parliament against him And indeed he delayed it so long that it was suspected he would stay there being so advised by the King of Spain who gave him assurance of all Civility and kindness in his Court for security rather than adventure his head at home But these branglings here feigned there to be high Distraction gave him courage to return where no sooner appeared but was clapt up in the Tower sa●es one and the next day set at Liberty nor durst any bring him to farther Tryal He was committed by the Lords in Parliament and might have lain there longer a Prisoner but the Duke made means for his release least it should move jealousies that it was his design thereby to delay his Tryal and this to my knowledge for I acted in his release He being earnestly pursued by the Duke and had the Parliament lasted it might have proved his destruction who afterwards humbled himself and gained favour to retire into the Countrey to Shirbone that fatal seat for suceeding Offendors But the Spanish Ambassadours practice failing some Lords set on work a Petition to the King against Papists as intending it necessary to go on with the complyance of the Publick Affair now happ●ly proceeding or to hazard all and nothing would serve to satisfy these Men but several Conferences of both Houses untill they had with consent framed their Propositions and presented them to the King in two Petitions alike We your Majesties most Humble and Loyal Subjects the Lords and Commons do in all humility offer unto your Majesty These two Petitions THat for the more safety of your Realms and better keeping your subjects in obedience and other important reasons of State your Majesty would be pleased by some such course as you shall think fit to give present Order that all the Laws be put in due execution against Iesuits Seminary Priests and others having taken Orders of the See of Rome and generally against all Popish Recusants and as for disarming that it may be done according to the Laws Acts and Directions of State in that Case And least the Iesuits and Priests here may pretend to be surprissed that a day certain may prefix their departure and neither they nor other to return or come hither upon peril of severest Penalties of the Lawes now in force And that no Subjects receive entertain or conceal them upon penalties c. Seeing we are thus happily delivered from those Treaties and the use which your ill affected subjects made thereof and yet we fore see the like hereafter We therefore are humble Suiters to your Majesty To secure the hearts of your good Subjects by your Royal word That upon no occasion of Marriage or Treaty or such other Request from foreign Prince or State what soever you will slacken the execution of the said Laws against Iesuits Priests and Popish Recusants And humbly pray a gratious Answer The King doubting this double Petition intended as a check to the main business resolved yet to satisfie them That he commends both Houses for their Petition but wonders at their suspition to spur him on to his conscience and duty That his Religion Profession and behaviour his own Books declare nor will swarve from them for he that dissembles with God will be distrasted by Men. That his heart bleeds at the increase of Popery as thorns in his eyes and pricks in his sides He hath alwaies desired to hinder the growth as a Martyr As in the sense of Isaac persecuted by Ismael by mocking words as no King ever suffered more of ill tongues Yet he hath been far from per seeuting believing that rule Sanguis Martyrum est semen Ecclesiae As for the Petition he grants in substance what they ask and adds of his own Their Treaties being annulled their desire is granted and will declare by Proclamation to banish Iesuits and Priests by a day but a Proclamation here extends onely to this Kingdome He will do more command his Iudges in circuit to put the Laws in Execution against Recusants as before the Treaties the Laws being in force and never dispensed with by him but as he told them heretofore as a good Horseman to use sometimes the Reigns not alwaies the spur He promis●th by Declaration to disarm them which indeed is done by the Laws Nay will disorder the Papists frequenting to Ambassadours Masses for though he cannot break their privilege yet the Lord Maior and Officers may seize them as they come out And resolves to order the Education of Recusants children as he hath advised therein with his Bishops and Council The second part of the Petition is the best advice in the World being against the Rule of Wisdome that Subjects should transgresse a Law by Intercession of a Foreign Prince and forst in such conditions in such a Treaty which he will avoid in any whatever This his answer so satisfactory as pleased the Parliament Sa●es Calumny He promised much and performed little See what he did by the sequel Order was forthwith to inroll the chiefest Recusants you see he spares none nor were the Parliament so nice as to leave the best of them out The Earl of Rutland Sir Thomas Compton the Dukes two Fathers in Law the Countess his Mother Earl Castlehaven the Lords Herbert Rivers Peter Morly Windsor Eure Wootton Teinham Scroop and of Knights Courtney Brewdnel Somerset Ireland Stonners Brown Howard Powel Lacon Lewkner Awbery Gage Shelly Carvel Wiseman Gerrard Filpot Russel Bedingfield Wrey Conwey Iones Conyers Lamplow Savage Mosly Beston Riddal Wyral Townsend Norris Knevet Tasborough Selby Tichburn Hall Perkins Penruddock Sands and divers Esquires and Gentlemen either by themselves or their Wives These men were all at Mercy and who ever else the Parliament would pick out with lime and baited Hooks to catch them for the King not minded to interrupt them having done his part withdrew to New Market cold air for his Northern conditions the most healthy The Prince increasing in years and in affection of the People it was most convenient also to speed him a marriage The Treaties with Spain being thus far annulled Some Overtures were hinted from France of their willingness for a Match with Madam the Princess Henri●tta Maria the French Kings youngest Sister the two others being preferred to Spain and Savoy And because it was necessary to feel
the pulse of that State Sir Henry Rich Lord Kensington was sent over singly and at his own time and discretion to mannage the discovery of the French affections and then to present himself with his credence He arrived in no publique splendour at Paris on Sunday after Noon and was informed that the King intended the next morning a journey for five or six daies to Shantelie a House of Momorancies and therefore in private Kensington gave visit to the Duke of Chevereux who with his Lady were appareling for instant Actors in the Queens Mask and within an hower came the Queen Regent and Madame and in an hours view might have this chata●ter The Sweetest Creature in France her growth as her age little her Discourse discreet and quick and had the report of Wisdom beyond her years and for additions of grace she was said to dance and sing most sweetly I am fure she lookt so My Lord had reason to suspect the Queens reserve towards him she being Spanish and so not well pleased with the breach of her Sisters match But she was changed so much French as to grace him with her hand The King was told of Kensington and because of his journey next Morning purposed to receive him an Ambassadour as some had suggested to him untill Chevereux assured him the contrary his comming meerly to kiss his Majestyes hand and see the glory of his Court this Christmass and so was taken to the Masque danced by sixteen the greatest Princesses of France with whom the King and his Masquers the last Tuesday were now by lot to dance with these Ladies and all these and the Court besides so infinitely rich in Iewels golden and silver dressing being there forbidden as their apparel almost all ●mbroidered and thick with Diamonds and Pearl as usually with purl I doubt not but some counter●eit or else you might have suspected the wealth of that nation on their backs The presence of a Stranger somewhat publique presented to each persons caress made most men acquainted with State to judge the plot of his Journey was rather to set an edge upon Spain to cut off delayes than to cut the throat of that business The Kings weakness or indisposition to affairs gave leave and time to Queen Mother to mannage all who receiving an humble visit by Kensington to kiss her hands she entered discourse of the Spanish Allyance The Treaty said he had suffered many Delaies and was annulled Though the Spanish Ambassadour there had given it out to be concluded on purpose to prevent conjunction with France which he suspected and his design got credit with some persons of power seeing Kensington had no Credentials positive to speak to the purpose Yet from others and not the meanest he apprehended the affections of that State generally prepared to receive offers of Amity and Allyance when the dissolution of the other shall be declared Indeed the Savoy Embassadour there said That the intention of the King of Spain was for a Cross Match with France for himself But the late abuse upon the English in that way made the French wary and hastily to bite at that bate Yet the reasons of State were not unequal Our Design was double both Marriage and League against Spain And if the French should match with Spain and so hold us to hard conditions they have the safer ground for they may expect restitution of the Valtoline as we do demand the Palatinate these two being the open quarrels on both parts to ground And these doubts were suspected to draw on a tedious Treaty and therefore it was thought fit by the English to insist upon the Match and bring on the League necessarily to follow and to have reasonable conditions concerning Catholiques in England Indeed the necessity of the French Affairs least Spain that hath begirt them should in time swallow them up was like to make this Match easie enough for the English the alarm being fresh in Court from the Spaniards raising a fort upon the ruin to command the Town of Liege Queen Mother suspecting that Kensingtons errand was in earnest by degrees gave him incouragement to speak plain though it was his part to plead and wo too without any signal The Duke of Chevereux and Le Grand of credit and power both were the men this Design most affected Kensington bore the Princes Picture tackt to his Breast limm'd in little in a Case of set Diamonds which the Queen would offer to open as to shew the Ladies which they would as often desire to please her Majesty who me thought did love to look on it She wishing that some good occasion might make them meet and she might see him like himself But because Madam could not in modesty or honor get a glance of his shadow she in private delt with a Madamoselle that had some interest in one of the Lords Family to borrow the Picture and so in secret to gaze her fill where in much hast she opened the Picture and discovered her passions her blushes not concealing her inward affections to his person which she prized by praising his Picture in presence of him that saw her Two mouths calmed the way unto the Mother she and Le Grand advised to move the King if this business were fitted to the full But Kensington declined as not to deliver the King his Masters inclination unless he might receive the return answerable to a due respect and value of the Proposition Of which being assured he took his opportunity to withdraw the K. towards the window and told him That his journey to France was singly his own inclination to honour and serve him and therein to discover how the Prince of Wales would be free and disingaged from the Spanish Treaty not finding them to his expectation in such particulars as principally should invite a Conjunction And therefore the Duke of Buckingham had exercised his interest with the King and Prince to convert those thoughts towards his Majesty from whom it was perswaded nothing but truth and honour would be returned as an advantage to both Nations And believed that if the King would shew a disposition inclineable the effects would soon confirm the end of his comming free from other Designs than what he now expressed The King often uncovered said He had not heard that the Match with Spain was as yet broke the just cause for him to be reserved But assured him in general That any propositions from the King of Great Brittain should be heartily received This was short for his Imperfection of extream stammering by nature made him usually speak very little whose affection if one might Guess by his courtesy would have said more as most of the Ministers of that State did And that nothing to them was more equal than Amity and Allyance with England This entrance encouraged Kensington to discover himself and letters of Credence to the King and so was quallified to treat fu●ther And to increase more than
I find him of no mean Family in Gloucestershire as by their Cote Arms in the Heraulds Office Or on a pale azure three flower de luces of the first He was brother to Sir Randolph Cranfield who inherited their Fathers possession there and in other Counties of good value This Man was bred a Merchant in London and by his extraordinary qualities and blessings of God upon his endeavours in that laudable way of Adventure besides his understanding in the affairs of the customes became useful to the State And first had the honour of Knighthood Master of the Requests then made Master of the Kings Wardrobe afterwards Master of the Court of Wards and Liveries and Privy Counsellour Baron Cranfield and lastly succeeded Suffolk in the place of Treasurer and in that time created Earl of Middlesex 1622. And in all these Offices of trust I never knew him then nor can find sithence any suspition unless in that of the Treasury the Ground where of is hinted to us by our Pamphlet but in truth in this he hath but scummed the pot to cleer the broth For who more fit for the reasons of a necessitated Excheq●er than this man of experience in stating the Accompts for the Revenues of the State which I know he improved and not unlikely thereby purchased envy for his eminency therein And to say truth according to the duty of his place he did endeavour to husband the same to piece out the expence which the necessities of the Kings affairs had heightned As himself told the Parliament and the Princes journey into Spain had wonderfully and unnecessarily exhausted as by the printed accompt thereof lately devulged by Parliament doth appear Then which no better evidence can be produced to acquit the Treasurer together with what the Pamphlet publishes as a supposed crime in him his refusal to supply the Princes expence and Buckinghams folly and prodigality And this he did deny as the duty of his Office required and which he well understood as being of Council and acted as a Counsellor to my knowledge in that undertaking and indeed being then the Statesman at the Council Table But his refusal of supplying Buckingham upon that score only wrought him no doubt at his return home the Treasurers deadly Enemy And whom he opposed A small accusation might serve the turn to turn out of all as he did him and yet to the honour of his Memory though they raked into all his actions and racked all Mens discoveries to the height of information the eminency of his place exposing him unto much observing and opening the way to all kind of complaints as they did examining nothing upon oath as they never do yet that there should be no more matter gleaned And where there are such bolt●ngs there was expected a great deal more Bran. Yet the power of Buckingham could never produce any crime against his exact Accompts in that boundless trust of the tempting Treasury And in spite of Malice he was envyed also though they divested him of that office yet he lived long after in peace and honour and dyed since these last times of enquiry 1650. leaving to his heir his honour untaint enabling them to bear up the character of their Fathers merit We are told That the Duke got Chelsey house out of him for his part of his fine what shift the Author makes to patch up his Stories with falsities when to my Knowledge that Seat was in treaty to be sold to another and the Duke wanting a House neer hand to retire for a Nursery to his children his Duchess teeming that other party concluded for the bargain and to him the Dnke paid the money valuable to the utmost penny And the like Tale he tells That the Lady Finch corrupted him with Copthall a Noble Seat in Essex to procure her to be Viscountess of Maidstone when the talk of the Town was he had so dear a bargain as occasioned the saying That it was cheap enough to him being bought with the Kings Money there needs much dung to stop a wide mouthed Oven Cranfield indeed was in this Kings life the last of that Office and the meanest of birth lately altered from the Trust of Nobly-born persons The Treasury of antieut Spring-tides was of late sunck into neap-ebbs of Revenue and enforced a necessity of providence in collecting and judgement and practice in disposing Neither of these could be found by experience suitable to our latern Lord like-breeding ignorant and careless Yet in honour to the Office the King raised other Men to Titles for countenance against the outward beseechings of the Mad-headed multitude of Suiters as it happened to his Successor Lee by the rudeness of the Sea men and all to little to support a Treasurer without prejudice of publique esteem even with the best Suiters by unhandsom treaties between their necessities and an empty Exchequer Besides succession inherited the obloquies of former Predicessours which happened frequent in this and other places of Trust not out of inconstancy in the Kings affections to his Ministers the misreport of his wisdom but to make Tryal of the chiefest Mistress of Instruction to meet with the best And in such a change or remove he left them not unrewarded being never well himself till his Servants were wealthy least being cripled in hi● life they might want an Hospital after his death A mischief not seldom much like a Lords well-mannaged Horse for his own saddle comes often afterwards to the Hackney-Coach nay and sometimes dyes in drawing a Dung-Cart He knew Men and had them to his Mind or made them so able capacity not bare measure rather with surplusage equal to the business he imployed them Yet he had easy natures neer his person too because more manageable than abler men in such matters where their hands were more useful than their brains But say some the King raised men to preferment of honour and dignity whose birth and Gentry were extinguished by being Apprentices Hence they start their Opinion That it is a kind of Bondage I deny to be either vera Servitus or omnino Servitus the Contract is but Civil Permutatio or Exchange The obligation is mutual Master and Man only Freemen can make contracts and Challenge the benefit The Oath of a Freemans admission is To take no Prentice but freeborn no Bondmans son It were madness to imagine that Jacob served his Uncle Laban seven years in the honourable contract for a Worthy Wife and for an Estate to maintain her to be therefore a Bondman By which example in Scripture it is undeniable That Servire to serve is laudable for good and honest purposes but our Apprentice does but deservire obey and his Master does docere teach him his Trade and of late the Apprentice comes commonly more like a Wife with a large portion to his Master Indeed Erasmus Roterodamus his Etymology makes of our Apprentices to be pares emptitiis as with
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 H●●●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
being sent for from the other factories with horrid Tortures either in truth or for pain of Torment some of them confessed That two Japoners should have gone to each point of the Castle and two to the Governours chamber door and when the Mutiny or Alarum should cause the Governour to come out the two Japoners to kill him for the reward of 1000 Royals a piece Towerson was tortured and confessed That he swore all the English at Amboyna to be secret to his plot with the Japoners to surprize the Castle and to kill the Dutch to this effect divers were accused condemned and suffered Death viz. 10. English 9. Japoners and 1 Portugal The manner of the tortue was thus First they hoised the Examinant up by the hands with a Cord on a large door fastning him upon two Staples of Iron on the Top as wide as the arms could stretch his feet hung to the ground stretched out at length and wideness fastned beneath the Door Then they wrapt a cloath about his Neck and face so close that no water could go by That done powring the water leasurely upon his head and filling the Cloth up to his Mouth and Nostrils that he could not draw breath but must withall suck in the Water and so continued till it forced his inward parts to come out of his Nose Eyes and Ears stifling and choaking him into a Swound or fainting but being taken down they make him vomit out the Water and so somewhat recovered they torture him again four or five times his body Swoln three times bigger his cheeks like Bladders his eyes staring out beyond his browes yet still Colson denyed their accusation then they burn him under his Paps arm-holes elbowes hands and feet till the fat dropt out their Torches lodged him in a Dungeon his flesh putrified Maggots ingendred to an horrid and loathsom condition till at the eight daies end they were executed in March 1623. At which instant a sudden Darkness and tempest two of their Dutch Ships were forced from Anchor in their safe harbour and almost perished One Dunckin their Accuser stumbled at their Grave all buried in a Pit fell stark Mad and dyed so within three Dayes after A sickness followed at Amboyna of 1000 Dutch where 30 dyed not usual in that space And in time the Relation is sent into England by the next return of the Ships which appeared so horrid that a Defence thereof was imprinted and sent hither out of Holland And Sir Dudly Digs undertakes for our East Indie Company to publish the truth and answer that Pamphlet and the Governour of Amboyna leaving his Command was forced by fowl weather upon our Coast his Ships seized on and his person brought to give an accompt hereof before our Admiralty Some Assistants Delegates appointed Iudges but then the Examinations and Confessions under their hands comming hither before any returned on the part of the English viva voce to confute them And though suspected yet for the present set aside till further confirmation In the mean time the Description of the English in their several tortures was lively put in draft and painting so horrid as that the King and Council thought fit to burn it least the monstrous appearance should incense the English to a National Quarrel So great force and resemblance hath that Art with Nature that the effects thereof fell upon Towersons Widow who at sight of the Picture fell down in a Swound with hazard then in that Trance to follow her Husband which the often Relation before did not so much astonish The disparity of a Po●tical pen with the powerful art of painting may thereby be distinguished But to return to the Design of the Parliament which went on in their manner for the Recovery of the Palatinate by War and as the King feared to imbroyl him in the busines●e with pittiful effects which themselves meant to mannage And now they provide four brave Regiments under commands of the Earls of Oxford Southamption Essex and the Lord Willougby elected by the Parliament who afforded forsooth favour to the King to present them their Officers most Scots But indeed for number of Men fifteen hundred in a Regiment and well armed they were compleat the King hastening these away and with them wished no doubt more of their mind that sent them for these were discontents and transported into Hollvnd to join with the States Army intentionally to divert Spinola who was in arms for the King of Spain The English no sooner landed and quartered into Garrisons hardly drilled to obedience were suddenly called out to Service for Spinola was in the Field fitted for Enterprize lay hovering in Brabant sends Count Iohn Nassaw of the House of Orange but alwaies faithful to his Sovereign with a flying Army towards Cleve and after him Marches the Prince of Orange up the Moze first to Ginnegen to the Rendevouse where his Army mustered twenty five thousand thence to Mastrick in deadly fear of a Siege and so to the Town of Cleve lately taken in by the Count which was now soon rendred to Maurice and he was watch all this way by the other In this time Spinola with freedome to choose his Design began with Spade and Pick ax and fell to digging about Breda the twenty sixth of August 1624. and had earthed suddenly so large and deep as Maurice the craftier Fox that way yet knew not how to unlodge him but returns down the River to Guitrudenburgh and incamped at Mede some houres journey from Breda and there besieges the Besiegers The wonder of which was so famous then as deserves particular Remembrance now This Barony and Town of Breda with eighteen Villages belonged to the Dukes of Brabant and sell to the Family of Nassaw by a Wives Dowry 1404. and so remained for one hundred sixty three years till by revolt of William of Nassaw the Duke d' Alva possest it for the King of Spain 1567. from whom Count Holloch took it for Nassaw 1577. and from them surprized 1581. and then again regained by Stratagem in a Turfbote where lay hid seventy Souldiers like the Graecians in the Trojan horse and wan it for Nassaw 1590. who held it to this Siege It is scituated in the uttermost part of Brabant adjoining Holland pleasant strong and wealthy most convenient for either Nation The territory about by Sea-tides or inundation of waters may be made unaccessable And therefore the Prince about two years before had with some additions and fortifications made it invinceable against all but hunger and with much delight called it his Tempe The Arch Duchesse Isabella Infanta of Spain and dowager of Prince Albert now Governesse in Flanders under the King of Spain gives Commission to Spinola Lieutenant General of the Spanish Forces who in Iuly 1624. departs from Bruxels with an Army of eighteen thousand divided into three parts the more to distract the Dutch who in some doubt re-inforces Breda
had we hearts aright to conceive of Gods extraordinary love and such miraculous Mercies as never Nation enjoyed walk over the World peruse the whole face of the Earth from East to West from North to South from one side of Heaven to another you shall not find such another nlightened Goshen as this Island where besides doth the Gospel shine with such Glory Truth and Peace c. We have lived in a time of Miracles Our posterity will hardly believe the wonders done in Our daies c. Was it not a miraculous mercy to have such a King c. who hath already next under that Almighty God by whom Kings reign continued the Gospel unto us and preserved us from the destroying Sword all his blessed Reign over us and what do you think were so many years Peace worth were it to be bought with the Enjoyment of the Gospel to boot He hath enobled this Kingdome for ever by his excellent Writings in the cause of Religion against Antichrist which would have created a great deal of Honour to a private Man minding nothing else How illustrious then do they make Our King The child unborn will blesse King James For his Premonition to all Princes and free States of Christendome and that Royal Remonstrance against the rotten and pestilent Otation of the French Cardinal to the utter and Triumphant overthrow of it penned in that Stile that none can possibly reach but a learned King his Golden Pen hath given such a blow to that Beast of Rome that he will never be able to stand upon his four Legs again He hath shot out of his Royal Bow such keen Arrowes taken out of the Qu●ver of Gods Book which will hang in the sides of that Scarlet Whore and make her lame as long as she lives Hath he not most happily and seasonably stopt the hasty torrent of the Arminian Sect and the domineering Rage of bloody Duels c. And was not the discovery and delivery from the Powder plot that great Astonihment of Men and Angels one of the most unparallell'd and merciful Miracles that ever the Church of God tasted c. And to crown all with wonder of greatest Astonishment do not we all that are of the Kings faithfullest Subjects almost fear still left we be in a dream That King Charles the flower of Christendom c. And concludes Away then with all sowr melancholick causeless sinful discontent And praise ye the Lord sing unto the Lord a New song and his praise in the Congregation of the Saints Let Israel rejoice in him that made him Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King for the Lord taketh pleasure in his People he will beautifie the meek with salvation Let the Saints be joyful in Glory Let them sing aloud upon their Beds c. Sir Francis Bacon in honour of K. Iames. WHerefore representing your Majesty many times unto my mind and beholding you not with the eye of presumption to discover that which the Scripture tells me is inscrutable but with the observant eye of duty and admiration leaving aside the other parts of your virtue and fortune I have been touched yea and possessed with an extreame wonder at these your virtues and faculties which the Philosophers call Intellectuals The largeness of your Capacity the faithfulness of your Memory the swiftness of your apprehension the penetration of your Iudgement and the facility and order of your Elocution And I have then thought that of all the persons living that I have known your Majesty were the best instance to make a man of Plato's Opinion That all knowledge is but Remembrance and that the Mind of man by Nature knoweth all things and hath but her own Native and Original Notions which by the strangeness and darkness of the Tabernacle of the Body are sequestred again revived and restored such a Light of Nature I have observed in your Majesty and such a readiness to take flame and blaze from the least occasion presented or the least Spark of anothers knowledge delivered And as the Scripture saith of the Wisest King That his heart was as the Sand of the Sea which though it be one of thr largest Bodies yet it consisteth of the smallest and finest portions So hath God given your Majesty a composition of understanding admirable being able to compass and comprehend the greatest Matters and nevertheless to touch and apprehend the least wherein it should seem an impossibility in Nature for the same Instrument to make it self fit for great and small Works And for your gift of Speech I call to mind what Cornelius Tacitus saith of Augustus Caelar Augusto profluens u● quae principem deceret eloquentia fuit For if we mark it well Speech that is uttered with labour and difficulty or Speech that ●avoureth of the affectation of Art and Precepts Or Speech that is framed after the imitation of some pattern of Eloquence though never so excellent All this hath somewhat Servile and holding of the Subject But your Majesties manner of Speech is indeed Princelike flowing as from a Fountain and yet streaming and branching it self into Natures Order full of facility and felicity Imitating none and imitable by any And as in your Civil Estate there appeareth to be an emulation and contention of your Majesties Virtues with your Fortunes a virtuous Disposition with a Fortunate Regiment a virtuous expectation when time was of your greater fortune with a prosperous possession thereof in the due time a virtuous observation of the Laws of Marriage with most blessed and happy fruit of Mariage a virtuous and most Christian desire of Peace with a fortunate inclination in your Neighbour Princes thereunto So likewise in those Intellectual Matters there seemeth to be no less contention between the excellency of your Majesties gifts of nature and the Universality and perfection of your Learning For I am well assured of this that what I shall say is no Amplification at all but a positive and measured Truth which is That there hath not been since Christs time any King or Temporal Monarch which hath been so learned in all Literature and Erudition Divine and Humane For let a Man seriously and diligently revolve and peruse the succession of the Emperours of Rome of which Caesar the Dictato● who lived some years before Christ and Marcus An●onius were the best learned And so descend to the Emperours of Graecia or of the West and then to the lines of France Spain England Scotland and the Rest and he shall find this Judgement truly made For it seemeth much in a King if by the compendious extractions of other Mens Wits and Learning he can take hold of any superficial Ornaments and shews of Learning Or if he countenance and prefer Learning and Learned Men. But to drink indeed of the true Fountain of Learning nay to have such a Fountain of Learning in himself in a King and in a King born is almost a Miracle And the more because there
The Queen returns to Scotland Requests a Peace with England Which o●●ends Queen Elizabeth Q. Maries designs to marry And Qu. E. propos●● Husbands Emperours Son And in England Earl of Leicester And in France Dudley preferred Leicester a Suter to the Q. of Scots Q. Mar● in love with Lord Darly Darly's descent And Character His Preferments And mariage with the Queen Scotland in disquiet K. Iames born 1566. Digression The Scots Religion State affairs intermixed Anno 1542. Q. 〈◊〉 comes to the ●●own Romish and Reformed Religions Scots how Christians From Palladius Schism at Rome creats Excep●ions to P●pacy By Wickliff Iohn Hus Ier. of Prag and some Scots First Bishops in Scotland Arch-bishops and Cardinals Popes presents Scotis● Martyrs Of Northern Martyrs Anno 1543. Scots Prisoners promise a Mariage the French interpose 1544. Incense the English to Arms. And land with Fire Sword and return and the like in France Take Bulloign The Scots enter Engl. Scots imbroiled in troubles a home Cardinal Beato● murthered Anno 1546. Io. Knox the Reformers Ringleader First Minister Tumult 1547. H●n 8. dies Antient League with France English Army to ballance differences Sent by K. Edward The Letter of Summons pres●nted to the Scotish Army Anno 1547. Which they neglect The Armies meet The Scots are discom●ited slain 14000. l. 1548. 10000. French come to their aid The Queen at six years of age sent into France Hadington siege French Command English Forces recruit Anno 1548. Io. Knox his travellings and course of Life at Franckford accused of Treason and flies back to France and so to Scotl. 1555. and back again to Geneva and then again to France 1557. and by Letters to his Faction in Scotland they come into Covenant 1558. Presbytery first set up at Dundee Digression Of Geneva and their first Presbytery Church Francis●us Bonivard Simler●● de Rep. Helv. Anno 1558. Farellus thei● Founder Bod. de Rep. p. 353. Calv. to Sa dol p. 172. Bod. de Rep. p. 353. Calv. comes to Geneva and fabricks a Discipline Bez. in vita Calvin Calv. de nec ref eco p. 64. They advise of a Church Discipline Bez. in vita Calvin Capit. to Farel Ep. Cal. 6. Cap. to Fareli Epist. Calv. 6. Beza de vita Calv. Cal. ●● Bullenger Cal. 〈◊〉 Bullenger Ep. 207. Bod. de Rep. ● 2. Calv. 6. Cal. 〈◊〉 Vire●●● Epist. 586. The promu●gation thereof Beza to G●irdal Ep. 8. Anno 1559. Treaty at Cambray Articles of Calice The French King aims at England Quarter the Arms of England K. of France killed at a Tilting Q. Elizabeth of●ended Knox arrives in Scotland Marches in tumult to Sterling called the Congregation and Rebel Ro●● and demolish the Fry●ries Destroy Scone take Sterlin and Edenburgh and are proclai●ed Tray●ors Covenant anew and call in aid of England and the other bring in the French Lords of the Congregation Traytors who publish Decl●rations to depose the Qu. Regent● French Forces Shipwrack● The Kirk ●led Pro●estan●● Support from England Knox his pestilent Pa●phlet Caecils Letter to Knox. Caecils considera●●ion Scots dissemble Gain assistance from Englan Contract amity with the Religion Anno 1560. English Army 10000. under Lord Gray Presbyters 4. Covenant Q Regent dys Peace on all Parts Treaty at Edenburgh 24. to Govern Ministers make work Super-Intendents Crave Liberty of Conscience 25. Articles of faith Frame a Discipline King Francis dies Orders in the Ministery Ambassadour from France to break the League with England Jealousi● between England and Scotland Queen Mary comes home Anno 1561. Mass opposed Q. Eliz. sends to ratifie the peace at Edenburgh Ministers assemble at pleasure and therefore questioned Their Discipline Orders subscribed Maintenance allowed them very small A Scotch Mark is 13. d. ob Sterling 22. ● in gold Modificators Lords comit Riot 〈◊〉 take ●●ms Ar●●● Plot. Anno 1562. Ministers assemble Vote themselves exempt from Justice The Queen opposed Rebels defeated Mess●ns a Super-intendent hath a Bastard Anno 1563. Chatteler executed The Ki●ks justice upon Papists Papists committed Knox insolency to Murray Parliament not piyant to the Kirk Knox. The Queen talks with Knox His answer Insolency at the Altar Mass. Knox his Breves to his Brethren questioned by the Council General Assembly Goodman Anno 1564. Knox his Insolent answer Lenox and Darly from England The Q. affection to Da●ly His de●cent Q● Eliz not displeased with the Match The Ki●k enemy to Mass. Punish a Mass Priest Bothwell called to account flies into France Anno 1565. The Q●een propo●es her Mariage with Darly who is created E. 〈◊〉 Six Articles of the Church National Her answer The Mariage hastened Ross made D. of Rothsay The Mariage in July 1565. The K. and Q. take Arms so do the Lords Knox sermon against the Government Both Armies match in sight The Lords proclamed Rebells Fly into England and get aid but submit General Assembly Rizio the French Secretary The first Publique fast in Scotland Rambullet Ambassadour of France How the King should quarter his Coat arms The K. turns Protestant Banish● Lords sent for K. negl●cted Bothwel advanced The Queen brought to bed of a Son Me●●ans penance Anno 1566. The K. discontented letters intercep●ed Knox procures Geneve Confession Bothwel visited by the Q. Sheprogresses to the Borders at Berwick Borders how bounded Prince baptized James The Kirk have all they desire Manner of excommunicating Ingrateful Prescribe good behaviour in England The King murdered H's Character The 〈◊〉 report of the Kings death Bothwel divorced and maried to the Queen Anno 1567. Summary of the la●e Murders and their Acc●ssaries Buchanan Books Udall Sir Roger A●●o●s repo●t of the Kings Murder A brief Narration of the late Murders and the Queens hasty Mariages and the cause The Q●●aries Bothwel The Lords take Arms. Bothwel is denied the Combate flie● and the Q taken Treat a peace Q. Eliz expostulates these proceedings by Amba●●y See Mar●ins History Buchanans Books Q Mary compelled to resign to her Son Digres●ion of Combates single Duel● The Q. scapes out of prison All parties arm Murray 4000. the Qu. 6000. both encounter The Queen disco●●ited T●● Q● flies 〈◊〉 ●●nger She lands in England and writes to Qu. Elizabeth Commissioners treat about the Scotish Q●een Anno 1568. Regent po●ts to Q● E●iz Reg●●nt 〈◊〉 The Duke of Norfolk committed and his story which Murray plotted Anno 1569. The Earls of Northumb. Westmerland fly to Scod Murray the Regent slain Lenox chosen Regent be●t●●s himself Anno 1570. Bishop Ross Ambassadour examined Pawlet Lord Treasurer his childrens children 103. Parliament surprized Lenox 〈◊〉 R●gent slain S●pt 6 1571. Ma● elected Reg●n Sep● Anno 1572. Duke of N●rfolk arraig●●d Commissioners expostul●te criminally with the Q. of Scot● Morton basely ●ells the E. of Northum unto execution Scotland in faction of the King and Qu. Edenburgh besi●ged Anno 1573. Regent relieved out of England and wins the Castl● His Coyn. Cofins the Kirk Melvin a Geneve Discipl●narian his Rantings Bishop Ross
released out of the Tower and banished The Borderers con●er and quarrel Mor●ons wi●e submission Anno 1574. The Ministers stiled Praecisians Duke Castle-herauld dies His Character and Issue O●mston executed for the Kings murder Heriots death Character● Anno 1575. Inovation in Church by Melvil agai●st Episcopal ●unction The Regent misgoverns Q. of Sco●s designed to dy An●o● d'Peres in Englan Anno 1576. Don John● design bl●sted in th● bud Ma●gari●e old Countess Lenox dies Her Royal descent and Issue Anno 1577. Con●p●rators against the Regent Arguile and Athol at variance Forerunner of the Regents fall Complaint● ag●inst Morton which the Mini●●ry increase Regent offers to resign Is deposed The King 12. years old is Crowned A sactio● Geneve Synod Melvin Morton plots re●enge by the E●rl of Mar. Anno 1578. Randolph Ambassadour Parliament Royal disagree and are made Friends Coyn overvalued The Chancellor impoisoned by Morton Parliament the Kings royal appearance His Speech Act●●or Religion Aubigny Stuart in great favour But disliked there and in England Qu. Eliz. Messenge● neglected Anno 1580. Burleighs speech to the Scots Ambassadour Morton disconten tretires Charged with the late Kings Murther Randolph rides post from Q Eliz. abuses his privilege of an Ambassadour Anno 1581. Mor●on beheaded with his own Ax. His character Ruthen created ●arl of Gowry Q. Mary writes to Q. Eliz. Anno 1582. Which troubles her conscience Surprize of the King at Ruthen Removed to Edenburgh and are confirmed by the Clergy Ambassadours ill used The King Orders to feast them but the Kirk command a fast Buchanans dea●h and Character The King freeth himself Anno 1583. Ambassadour from England plea●s for the Rebels The late D of Lenox children prefe●'d factious Lords submit The Ministers meddle Melvils ill manners Gowry imprisoned His confession Anno 1584. Petition Arraignment His excep●●ons Cond●m●ed and executed His Character Some Ministers for medling fled to England Declarations and Acts of State They reply with Letters to Edenburgh A●d are sharply 〈◊〉 Design● in England for Queen Mary Wade an Envoy to Spain Anno 1585. Mary propose● condition● The Kirk disquiet A Parliament The Kings s●premacy and other Lawes confirmed Ministers fly into England Presbyters equivocation Divers executed for Conspiracies Angu● and other Fugi●ives in Engl. Insol●nt Arran made Chancellour his great p●●r in State Maxwel misused takes arms against the L. Johnston Arran declines in Q●een El●zabeths favo● Holy League Wootton sent Ambass●dour to Scotland Propositions of a Mariage with Denmark The Lords conspire and declare Wotton plo●s with them and posts home The Lords seize the King at S●erlin treat 1567. Parl. cap. 2 1572. Acts 46. 48. 54. 1573. Acts 55. 1578. Acts 63. 1579. Acts 69. Acts 71. 1584. Acts 130. 132. 133. 1587. Acts 23. Anno 1586. 1597. Acts 231. 1606. Act. 2. 6. 1617. Act. 1. Buchanan See his de ju●egni Pag. 50 usque 57. Davison The 〈◊〉 trul● stated Genevians Whittingham Goodman Gilby Whitehead Coverdale Orthodox men Scory Barlow Cox Beacon Bale Parkho●st Grindal Sands Nowel Wisdom Jewel Udal Penry Martin Gilby and others See after anno 1591. Learned Hooker Cartwrights and others League offensive and defensive England and Scotland Against the holy League of Papists Return to Qu●●●aries story Remo●●●● in●o custody ●o Pawlet ●rdundel 〈◊〉 Northumberland pistols himself Babingtons Treason Pooley Be●●ayed by Gifford a Priest Gifford a false Priest Traytors all execu●ed Gifford sent ●nto France and there impoisoned Q● of S●ots c●mes to her Tryal The manner L. Chancello●rs Speech Her Answer Chancellou●s Reply Gawdy Queen Queen Que●n Treasurer Queen Queen Queen Sentence against the Qu. of Scots Opinions of her Sentence A d●legate Parliam●nt require Execution Q. Elizabeth● cunning reply Sentence proclamed King Jame● perplexed ●ends Keith to Q● Eliz With several directions The Queens Answer O●her L●tters more c●lm and Ambass●do●●s Ambassado●rs reason with the Queen The King write● to Gray ●nd Leicester to the King So does Walsingham to the Lord Thirlstan False Tale● Scotland in disorder The Ministers refuse to pray for their Qu. Cooper a saucy Minister Is committed More letters from the K. A Mandate for execution Davison Be●le The manner of her Execution Her featur●● Her apparelled Comes forth of her chamber Commissioners receive her who speaks with Melvin her ma● And to the Commissioners Who denie he● some requests At which she weep● And they yield and she come● to the Scaffold Sits down Beale● speech Dr. Fle●cher Dean of Peterboroughs exhortation She interrupts him He prayed for her Her demeanor in Prayers Executioners and servants disrobe her Her servants sorrowful She kneels at the Block And is executed 46. yeers old 18. yeers prisoner Observable her Dogs d●meaner Her Corps buried in the Cathedral of Peterborough Magnificently removed by K. James to Westminster 1612. Her Epitaphs Q. Elizabeths Letter to the K. of Scots Davison sentenced in Star-chamber His apology unto Walsing Foul play on all hands Walsinghams Letter to pacifie the K. Walsinghams Letter to the L. Thirlstan The King● deportment upon his Mothers death Whom Queen Elizabeth caressed Anno 1587. Designs upon the King to revenge Designs in Scotlaand Earl A●gus dies bewitcht His Character Civil broyl● in Scotland to kill the Lord Thirslton by Gray accused of Treason also He was banished A Parliament the King reconciles the Lords And endeavours to do so by ●he Kirkmen who refuse mediation Borderers in ●●wd Hunsdon Ambassador to Scotla●● Ambassadours about the mariage with Denmark Jesuit● arrive in Scotland Kirk-men insolent Anno 1588. and in mutiny for Gibson Gibsons ab●se of the King He flies into England to the Schismaticks Puritans of England Martin f. 780. Maxwell in Rebellion is pursued by the King Maxwell fli●● Ca●tles rendered Taken Prisoner Rumou● of the Spanish Navy The Kings Speech The Chancellors opinion Bothwell perswades to invade England Col. Semples false designs is rescued by Huntley who is dismissed the Court. Q. Elizabeths message The narration of the Spanish Navy The number of particulars Officers Their Design with Parma The first approach Anno 1589. Defeated by a S●ratagem of fire ships Several Shipwracks Great Losses prophecies Scots Catholiques dis●ayed Huntly writes to Parma So doth Arrol And so do Huntley Crawford and Maxwell Catholique Lords Rebell Design how to meet Queen Elizabeth writes to the King Proclamations against Jesuits who join with the Rebels The King incourages his forces Commission ers sent to ●etch the K. Bride from Denmark Rebells submit and are committed Ministers make work The King● design to meet his Queen in Norway The cause and maner therof with further direction● What Lords shall govern and how He maries the Queen And goes forward to Denmark Anno 1590. And returns to Scotland The Queens Coronation by a Minister E. of Arundel arraigned in England Popes Bull. Condemned pardoned English expedition to Portugal land at the Groyne Col●mella Pl●ni● Navars title to France Holy Leagu●rs Gui●es ●●r●hred Henry 3. mur●hered Justified by the Pope Q. Elizabeth
aids Nava● Spain interessed As●i●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 ballanc●●h her neighbour interests The Assembly petition the King His Answer and advice to suppress ●e●d● Huntley and Murray quarrel Another of the Kers Witches accuse Bothwel who is committed to Prison and escapes Archbish. of St. Andrews die● and abused by the Ministery Secretary Walsingham dies his Character And so does Randolph 18. times Embassadour abroad And the ● of Shrewsbury●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 Bot●wels Treason to seize the King and Court The manner the●eof Fire the Q● lodging● 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 Chu●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 Com●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 r●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 ●nswer Papists banished Remonstrance of the Assembly against Papists And the Remedies The Solemnities of the Princes Baptism named Henry Fred●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 P●actice to impoyson Q. Eliz. by Loper Cullen York and Willians and other fugitive tray●ors Ant Perez infected Essex Spanish de●ignes invasion of Scotland or England Spaniards poo● successe upon England Sr. W. Raleghs Guiana voyage and other attempts in the we●● 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 Q●een offended Backlugh commi●●ed ●●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 Coun●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 r●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 wit● them Both part●e● 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 King● merc● 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 ●haracter The Netherlands called to account 400001 per annum in ten years 4000001 dept Iris●● 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 fals●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 ch● of King James pa● 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
seas 1652. The Kings grace and preferment to all those Rescuers The Tha●ksgiving day settled by Parliament Hendersons confession of the whole matter Testimouy of the Arch-biof St. Andrews The Minist●rs refuse to give God thanks for the Kings delivery They are silenced The King forewarned out of Italy of Poyson Prince Charls born The Life and Death of John Cragg Minister Es●ex his Treason His descent He●r to his Father His entrance into Court by the Earl of Leicester His great ●●ferments His contemporaries Sir Ch. Blunt and Gener●l Norris Essex goes into Ireland and lands at Dublin His M●ssengers Tr●ason● with Tyrone Warrens confession Woods confession Resolves how to return into England And lands with a 100. Gentlemen September The Queen offended He is committed And censured Consults of Treason with Cuff his Secretary Blunt and Davis confession Blunts confession Their plot For the Tower For the Court And for the City Nevils confessions The day of Preparation February ● He is sent for to the Council Earl Rutlands confesion The day of rebellion Council sent to Essex house Essex pretences And Southhamptons The multitude clamour Secures the Counsel and goes into the City Earl Rutlands confe ssion Proclamed Traytor Earl Rutlands Confession Forces oppose ●ssex Encounter at the west end of Pauls some slain He returns home by water and is besieged by land and by water Submits the same day Essex executed Southampton reprieved Blunt sent Deputy of Ireland Tyrone had friends in the English Court The Pop●s pardon to the R●bells Anno 1601. George Carews service Spanish designes Treat with English commissioners at Bulloine Dispute precedencie and titles Priority disputed And defended for England Battel of Newport in Flanders Prince Ma●rice his forces Anno 1601. The Arch-Dukes forces Battel Anno 1600. 1601. The Danes deny the English to fi●h Anno 1601. The King congratulates the defeat of Essex's Treason The Queens Answer Pope Clement his Bulls against Scotland An Assembly Davidson's Letter to them He desires a new Translation of the Bible 1601. The Duke of Lenox Ambassadour into France From thence comes into England and returns home The siege of Ostend Marshal Byron sent to the Queen executed after Iris● money abased 160000. per annum Spanish land in Ireland are defeated 24. December and depart home Ecclesiastick Papists at difference Seculars set out the Jesuites in their Colours Anno. 1602 Both are banished England Geneve besieged the peoples contribution of ●ony The Isle Lewis reduced to the Kings Commands The undertakers Macklond flyes to Sea and takes Balcolmy Mordock Executed The new Planters beaten out of all and again attempted but to no purpose Bruce the Minister his 〈◊〉 Mowbrays intent to kill the King He breaks his own neck Anno 1601. The French Ambasladours in England Delivers Letters to Cecil and discourses with him Cecils answer Anno 1602. The Kings answer to the Earl of Northumberland Spaniards drove out of Ireland Ter Oen submits to mercy Charges of the Irish War in the four last years and a half 1198717. l. 9. s. 1. d. The Queens ominous remove to Richmond in January past hope of recovery The Court custome Counsellours come to her Q. Elizabeth dies on a Thursday so did her Father and all his children Basilicon Doron See Boltons Lectures p. 13 14 x 5. Answer to the Libell of England p. 176 185. W●stonus in peroratione ad Academicos Dilemma in King James What to do in reference to his Inheritance in England The King settles affairs in Scotland in Religion Bacilic on doron And ordering his Nobility He preferred faithfull servants near his person Bazilicon Doron and disposing himself for his Succession Q. Elizabeth not willing to publish her Successor Q. Elizabeth dies King James proclamed and Letters sent to him Anno 1603. The King returns them thanks Borderers executed The King sets out for England With his Lords Howards Caecil At York met by the President of the North. A Notable P. esent The grand Officers meet the King Wiggen Theobalds Counsellors sworn And Knights made De moribus Germanorum The dignity of a Knight The King comes to Charter-house in London and creates Honors Barons created Beaton Arch-Bishop of Glascow dies in France Queen Ann sent for Her desire to seize the Prince See 1595. pa. 183. The Garter sent to the King of Denmark Sir Henry Wootton sent to Venice The Pope and Senate at Variance St George's Feast ar Windsor Order of the Garter Of St George's story Earls created at Windsor Hist. Gr. Brit. p. 7. Of Earls their dignity Barons their dignity The King Q●een cr●wned at W●stminster in that 〈…〉 Hist. Gr. Brit. p. 6. Coronation Oath Knights of the Bath their manner of creation Digression concerning Imperial Rule Emperour Spain France England Charl●s cunning Is made Emperour But to little effect He tacks about with England Queen Mary Queen Elizabeth French interest and condition Empire Dane Swede Switz●rs Italy Muscovite Spain the most Monarchall King James Interest Of the consequences of War and Conquests Peace and the ●ff●cts Of success in evil and the consequence of good Preface to the History of the World Sir Walter Ralegh's Treason Court and Character of King James p. 31. Hist. Gr. Brit. p. 4. His birth and breeding His Imployments Occasion of his preferment Envied in Cour● His Preferments by the Queen His Conspiracy and manner of Treason Laurencie His Arreignment at Winchester His Inditement June 1603. Two parts Brooks his confession Cobham's confession Cecils speech Cobham's confessions Laurencie's confession Ralegh desires his Accusers to be present Ralegh at first discovers Laurencie Cobham singularis testis Cobham's last Letter condemned Ralegh Ralegh desires his Answers to be read Tryalls of the ●●st 1 Sam. 9. The Kings Letter of Reprieve for three of them Court and Charact. p. 35. Hist. Great Brit. p. 4. Observations of the Tryall Presbyterians perplez the King Proclamation against them Knox to the Cominaltie fol. 49. Knox. apeal fol. 30. Knox. Hist. pag. 372. fol. 78. Buch. de jure Regni p● 13. pa. 25. 38. 40. 62. 70. Buch d● jure Regni pa. 49. Knox. apeal fo 26. Buch. de jure regni pa. 53. pag. 57. ibid. 57. ibid. 57. ibid. 57. ibid. 50. 57. Knox. Hist. pa. 504. Declar. B. 1. 2. Knox hist. p. 523. 527. Knox Instit 534. Declar. B. 2. Epistol 79. Declar. B. 3. B. Act Parliament Cap. 4. Declar. B. 3. Declar. 1582. Parl. 1584. Ca. 7. Declar. 1585. Cap. 2. 3. 4. 8. Conference at Hampton-Court See Confer at Hampton-Court The Kings private Demands Confirmation Absolution Opponents Doctrine Answer 1. Elizabeth Falling from grace Licensed Ministers Confirmation Opponent Answer Opponent Catechism Answer Opponent Translation of the Bible Opponent Answe● Opponent Answered Subscription Opponent Answer Opponent Answer Surplice Opponent Answer Of M●t●imony Opponent Discipline Opponent Answer 1 Cor. 14. Acts 11. Answer High Commission Ex officio Opponent Answerr Opponent Answer Proclamation for Uniformity Against Jesuits Presbyters displeased
Hist. Gr. Brit. p. 10. Arch Bishop Whitgift dies The Translation of the Scriptures Gen. 19. Isay 29. Psalm 48. Psalms translated Catechizing commended Hist. of the World pag. 249. Gowries aniversarie day celebrated See 1600. 1608. Hist. gr Br. pa. 12. Comotion of some Commoners Parliaments beginnings Jury were Judges so Lilburn pleaded Parliament of King and Barons onely The Commons taken into Parliament Of the Parliament of England The writ to summon the Peers The writ to summon the Knights and Burgesses Oath of Alleageance Of Supremacy Ecclesiastical matters Lords Privileges Lower House Harmony of all King Queen and Prince ride in triumph First Session of Parliament The Kings speech in Parliament abreviated 2 3. Peace and Unity in Religion and Manners Union with Scotland intended Ambassadours for Peace Co and ch pa. Proclamation to conformity in Church-discipline Assembly of the Church in Scotland in spite of the King Hist. Gr. Brit. p. 27. The Kings second Son Charls created Duke of York Pouder Treason Pouder Treason the story Anno 1605. Fauks his Conf●ssion of the Design Th. Winter's Confession of the Plot discovery and success The story p●t together in brief Second Session of Parliament Three intire subsidies and six fifteens Several Acts. The effect of the Oath of Alleageance Taken by Papists The Popes Bull against the Oath The Kings Apologie and Preface to take the oath Justified by forein Princes Jesuits divide the English into four sects Their opinion refuted See before anno pa. 1542. pa. 9 And Imprisonment as bad Best Counsel to convince them by Preaching Anno 1606. Leptons 〈◊〉 to York 〈◊〉 back King of D●●mark land● 〈◊〉 Graves-end Princes for●●●● their liberties by coming into another Kingdom without leave The Earls of Northumberland and other Lords confederates in the Pouder Treason are committed Of the Star-Chamber beginning and ending The Letter Anno 1607. The union argued The Kings Speech in answer to their Arguments Post-nati confirmed H. G. B● pag 41. Judg Nichols his true justice G●ntry flock to London Proclamation in restraint of new buildings unless of Brick Anno 1608. Hist. Gr. B●it p. 49. L. Treasurer Dorset dies George Sp●ot a Conspirator with Gowry his story and execution His Co●fessions His Trial. Restalrig's Letter to Gowry and after the Treason Other Letters to Gowry as also his 〈…〉 Confesseth the Indictment Jurors names Verdict Sentenced as a Traitor Executed A marvellous sign of guilt Abbot Bishop of Canterbury being present History of the Church of Scotland p. 509. The Kings disbursments already 60000 l. 19000. 17428. 11000. 107428. The Scotish Secretary Balmerino's treacherous Letter to the Pope The occasion 1609. He is sent p●isoner to be tryed in Scotland His indictment His confession And sentence Anno 1609. Is reprieved and dies King James a mercifull Prince and restores his son in blood And he a traytor also to King Charles is also pardoned And proves an ungratefull wretch to his blessed Master The Bishops in Scotland inlarged their power Scots Bishops consecrated in England Who ordain others at home Council Table ordered The Earl of Orkney committed High commission-Court The Session seek for grievances Hist G● B● ubique The Kings Speech to both Houses Of his Government Common Law and Civil Prohibiti●●● 2. Grievanc●● how to present them Not to meddle with his Office High Commission 3. The cause of calling the Parliament The quality how to give The quantity His expences Reasons for his liberality Conclusion 1. Religion The Common-wealth Procl●mation against ●ncrease of buildings about London Truce between Spain and the Netherlands Siege of Juliers Duke of Guelders and Juliers c. his descent last of the race The Netherlands sometime subjects to Spain Henry the fourth King of France stab'd 60000 l. Parliament dissolved Henry created Prince of Wales their dignities See before Knights Bachelors Anno 1603. Ayd mony H. Gr. Br. pa. 52. False suggestions to be impoysoned Court and ch of King James pa. 84. Hist Gr. Br. pa. 52. Nearer Intention for Prince Henry to match with Spain See after anno 1624. Papists persecuted by Pens Chelsey Coledge founded and why H. Gr. Br. pa. 53. The Kings favorite Mountgomery Hist. Gr. Brit. p. 54. See 1612. Masks and Comedies at Court H. G. Br. pa. 54. Discussed Our Adversary a Poet and play-maker Contribution-money 111046. l Suttons Hospitall founded Absurd Excommunication and unchristian in Scotland The three Earls revolt So was Padie Paulo Popis●ly excommunicated Earl of Eglington illegally adopts an Heir to his Honors Arminius Vorstius their Heresies Vorstius his blasphemous Books The Kings message to the States Arminius The States Answer Further accusations And proceedings therein Bookes of Vorstius Heresies The King writes again against them all Vorstius is preferred Professor of Divinity Sir R. Winwoods speech concerning Vorstius His Tenen●s Pag. 210 212. 232 237. 308. 441. 271. Pa. 38. 43. Cap. 16. Pa. 999. Conclusion And Protestation States Answer The Kings Declaration against Vorstius See more in the Kings works And against his Bookes Legat and Whithman burnt for Her●sie Legats Heresies Whitemans Heresies Adamites Incests Wald●nses ●in 〈◊〉 Anno 1612. I may be c●nsured by some Robert Carr a favorite Hist. Gr. Br. pa. 55. Queen Mary of Scotland her corps inte●red at Westminster Anno 1586. Hist Gr. Br. pa. 62. Prince Palatine a suitor to Princess Elizabeth Prince Henryes sickness and death vindicated Hist Gr. Br. pa. 72. Lunary Rainbow His Corps viewed Interred at Westminster His character False suspition of poyson Hist. G. Br. pa. 64. Prince Palatine m●ried to P●inc●ss Elizabeth ●a 65. Sanquair a Scotish Baron hanged for murther Treasurer Salisbury dies His Fat●ers descent And preferments Earl of Salisburies preferments His Merits Court and ch King James pa. 12 13. Hist. Gr. Br. pa. .76 Court of Wards how erected and established Court of Wards how erected and established His Offices disposed to others Suffolk Lord Treasurer Rochester Chamberlain Sir W. Cope Master of the Wards and the Favourite made Secretary Sir T. Overbury his story A Friend to Rochester D●sign'd Ambassadour Refuses to go The King wants money Sir Arthur Ingram Court and Ch. pag. 87. E. of Essex and his Countess Car and Overbury their stories intermixt Lady Rich divorced Hist. Gr. Br. pag. 68. Anno 1613 Hist. Gr. Brit. p. 69. ● of Suffolk petitions for his daughters divorce Delegates in commis●ion The Countesses Libell against her husband Essex's answer She is to be insp●cted by Ladies who repute her a Virgin and so do seven more ●adies Sentence of Nullity Signed by sufficient men Arch-bishop Abbots Arguments against the Nullity Answered The Countess marries Somersct H. Gr. Br. p. 72 Hist. Na● ch 28. Overburie designed to be de●troyed Earl Northampton dies His preferments to honour Against Du●lls Rebellion in Orkney The Earl convicted and executed his descent Oglevy a Jesuit his Examinations Plantations in America Hist. gr Br. p. 75. Cabot Virginia New England Elizabeths Isles Nova Francia Baronets created
Hist. gr Br. p. 76. Court Ch. King James pag. 12. The Kings want of moneys and the reason Expence of the Princess Elizabeths marriage L. Hay Master of the Wardrobe L. Harington 93294. l. Propositions of Retrenchments of Honoraries Houshold The King restrains his former bounties A Benevolence Hist. gr Br. p. 78. Hist. gr Br. p. 78. S●ar-chamber Pawn of Jewels and customs Privy S●als Mulct upon commodities To wait on the Kings service Ingross Trade and license By raising rates Customs to Farm Sale of Offices and Honors Earls Baronets By Coin and Bullion Exchange Coinage Farthings By Parliaments Merchants made friends King of Denmarks second Arrival Overburies death discovered Somersets arreignment The manner of arreigning Peers of this Realm Anno 1616. The Case pleaded The Countess arreigned and both of them condemned reprieved and after pardoned See the Preface Court and Charact. King James Hist. Gr. Brit. p. 83. Somerset's Letter to the King Cabala p. 1. Sir W. Elvish Sir Lewis Tresham Lady Arabella's marriage with Seymer Hist. Gr. Br. p. 90. The Case of the Kings right to Commendams Sir Fr Bacon The ' King Judges meet and examine their Letter Spain and France cross Mariage with Savoy K. James congratulates their Nuptials by Lord Hay Lord Hay his Birth and breding Ambassadour into France Hist. Gr. Brie p. 92. L. Ross sent into Spain Sir H. Rich Baron of Ken sington his birth and breding Court Ch p. 125. Lex terrae what Cancelaria what Authority in Judging Sir F. Bacon succeeds chancelour Co. ch pa. 126. Sir Th Lake hisstory Anno 1617. Bishop of Spalato com●s into Englan● flies back again and 〈◊〉 miserable Marquess D' Ancre murdered in France Q. Mother flies out of France The King's journey into Scotland Hist. Gr. Br. p. 104. The Kings Speech in the Parliament of Scotland First Article for the Kings Prerogative Five Articl●s proposed by the King Produces a Petition The King returns Simson released G Villiers ● Favourite Duke of Buckingham his story De●cent Court Ch. K. James Villiers sudden great pre●erments Court and Character of King James pa. 3 sorts of Noble women Occasion of the allhwance of harmless pastimes The death of Talbot E. of Shrewsbury Sir Walter Raleigh rsleased ou● of the Tower His voyage to Guiana French Ambassadour his Friend His Commission and Expedition Hist. gr Br. pa. 115. T●ey return and he in custody of Stukely committed to the Tower and questioned at the K. Bench-Bar and ●xecuted Hist. gr Br. p● 216. Discourse co●c●rning his Design Hist. gr Br. pa. 116. Anno 1618. Hist. Gr. Br. p. 117. 4 Earls created for mony A monstrou● murther in Cornwal Barnevelt his design fitted for Rebellion By faction of Arminianism The Prince of Orange his Opposite Dort Synod resolves against Arm●nianism Of Synods and Councils their initiation Luthers story Zwinglius Exploded by the diet at Worms And at the Diet at Noremburgh Council at Trent resolvved upon Council of Trent began 1545. The effects of War from the Blazing-star Heresies increase Opinions prophetical Opposers of them Q. Ann dies Her character Hist. Gr. Br. p. 54. 129. Kirk of Scotland The K. lette●s to them Five Articles of Perth 1. Kneeling at the Sacrament 2. Private communion 3. Private Baptism 4. Confirmation of children 5. Festival daies Of Excommunication Of Bohemia and the occasion of the Palsgrave accepting that Crown Ferdinands undue practices to be Ki●g Protestant Princes ●ee● redress Emperour in arms also Their grievances Kings Election and Succ●ssion distinguished Mathias dies Ferdinand succeeds Emperour Anno 1619. King Jame● how concerned Palsgrave elected King of Bohemia Arch-bishop Abbats Letter to Nauton and Crowned Embassadours sent from England to the Emperor Palsgrave proscribed War on both sides Spinola raises Forces in Flanders So does Oxford and ●ss●x in England Hist. gr B● pa. 135. Their march and action in the expedition Convoid by Hen. of Nassaw Joyn with the Princes of the Union Anno 1620 The Emperours General Bucquoy Anholt for Bohemia Is defeated and flyes with the K. and Q The Prin●es submit to the Emperour Sir Henry Wootton Ambassador e●traordinary into G●rm●ny Duke of Lovain 〈…〉 Community of Strasburgh and Ulme Duke of Wittenburgh And to the Duke of Bavaria Without success from any of them Resolves ●pon a Parliament and Match with Spain A Parliament called Hist. gr Br. pa. 150. Hist. Gr. Br. p 144. Buckingham made M●rqu●sse and Master of the Horse The Dignity of a Marquess Montague Viscount Mandevile L. Treasur●r Hist. Gr. Br. p. 152. his falsities Design against Pirates in the Mediterranean Sea Some of them offer submission Sir Robert Mans●l sent to surprize them K. Speech to the Par●ia● It seems so by ours lately not long lasting Hist. Gr. Br. will have it 60000. l. Anno 1621. Digby Extraordinary Ambassadour to the Emperor Sir Lionel Cranfield I Treasurer Co. and ch p. 87. Anno 1620. Petition against the multitude of titles of Honour Hist. Gr. Br. p 189. Petitions against Gri●vances Hist. gr Br. pa. 135. The Kings Speech to the Lords Anno 1621. Co. Ch. p. 156. Hist. gr Br. pa. 158. Yelvertons L●tte● to Buckingham Michel censured and Mompesson His character Co. Ch. p. 126. Hist. G● B● p. 159. Dr. Williams succeeds to be Lord keeper Co. ch pa. 139. Reign of K. Charl●s page 128. Dignity of the Earl Marshal of England L. Keeper his Character The King retires to New Ma●ket in discont●nt Hist. gr B● pa. 172. K. letter to the Speaker The Parliaments petition to the King The Kings Mess●ge by Secretary Calvert The K. Letter to Secretary Calvert The Kings Letter to the Speaker The Parliam return thanks and petition The Parliaments Protestation Dissolved by Proclamation Oxford and Southampton committed Hist. Gr. Br. p. 190 191 192. A design for their Release Oxford supplicates Bu●kingham Busie bodies severally humoured Hist. ●r Br. p 190 191 192. Of Libels The Kinghts Templers Massacre of the English in Virginia Digby sent to Spain to treat in the Match Hist. Gr. Br. p. 193. Arch-bishop Abbot kills his Keeper Ministers ordered in preaching Anno 1622. By 6 Artic●es The misbehaviours of the Pulpit Catechising again commanded Hist. Gr. Br. p. 201. Papist and Puritan coupled Regians and Republicans page 202. A modest defence Calumnies against the K. Spanish match goes on Hist. Gr. Br. p. 203. Digby ordered by Letters how to proce●d Digby is faulty Second Letters peremptory Reign of K. Charls p 3 4. Digby made Earl of Bristol Hist. Gr. Br. p. 212. An Order of Religion bare ●ooted Princes jo●●ney to Spain General Pardon proclamed His entry in Triumph The Queen is visited The Complement Rich Presents to the Prince Triumphant Fire-Works Takes the Ring in presence of his Mistress Buckingham created Duke Hist. Gr. Br. p. 230. The Pope writes to the Prince His Answer Hist. Gr. Br. p. 234 Dispensation is come and Articles ●igned there Hist. Gr. Br. p. 236. and here Hist. Gr. Br. p. 238 239. 240. Anno 1623. Those Articles returned and signe●● The Prince resolves his return The two Favorites quarrel Olivares character Buckingham comes away The Princes parting Presents Escurial Hunt a Stag by the way Their parting Complements The pillar of Parting Danger to be drowned The Strorm Mr. Clark returns to Madrid Bristol is to forbear the Espousals Prince lands October 5. A Parliament designed in February following Bristol hath Audience Duke of Richmond dies suddenly Hist. Gr. Br. p. 258. The K. speech in Parliament The L. Keepers short complement Hist. Gr. Br. p. 262. Buckinghams D●claration to both Houses Hist. Gr. Br. p. 264. Parliaments advice The Kings Speech His Necessities Anno 1624. Council of War Spanish Ambassadour accuses the Duke of Treason Co. C● K. James p 150. Hist. Gr. Br. p. 278. The Truth of the Story See before pa. 74. Sea before anno 1571. Bristol●return Hist. Gr. Br. p. 272. Co. Ch. p. 163. Petition of both Houses against Papists The Kings Answer Hist. Gr. Br. P. 275. The Princes Mariage with France treated by the L. Kensington Madames Character France how affected His Resentment Count Soissons a Pretender to Madame Encounte●s a quarrel with Kensington Cabinet ●unto The Earl of Carsile comes over Commissioner and treat Hist. Gr. Br. p. 178. L. Treasurer Cranfield questioned in Parliament Co. ●ch p. 166. Hist. Gr. Br. p. 278. Mr. Prin c. Hist. Gr. Br. p. 279. The late Treasurers more useful than others better born Digression Apprentiship is no bondage Cruelty of the Dutch in Amboyna Parliament design for war and raise four Regiments Land in Holland and join with the P. of Orange against Spinola Who besieges Breda Maurice encamps at Mede Breda sometime the D. of Brabant Pleasant scituation Arch-duchess Governess of Flanders The condition strength of Breda Justin Nassaw Governor The siege begins 26. Aug. Provisions from several places Sally out of the Town ill success Prince of Poland comes to Spinola Spinola takes in Ousterholt Combating between each Camp Bryante against Count John of Nassaw Anno 1625. Bryante killed Steenhius hurt All retire Bouteville against Beauvoix Anno 1624. Design to surprize the Castle of Antwerp Mis●eport of it at the Camp A second Design Enterprize by Boats to relieve Breda Spinola's prevention Design to draw neer Spinola Anno 1625. Anno 1624. With six Regiments and two Troops Hist. Gr. Br. p. 283. Spinola procures fresh Forces and makes double larger Trenches Anno 1625. Mans●●'d desires passage to the Palatinate Breda's holy day P. Maurice dies Apr. 1625 P. Henry Generalissimo ● of Oxfords Enterprize upon Terhelda Marquess Hameltons sudden death Hist. Gr. Br. p. 285. K. James dies March 27. 1655. His sickness and disease Co. Ch. p. 174. Hist. Gr. Br. p. 287. Egglesham his scurrilous ●●●●phlet Anno 1624. Hist. ●r Br. p. 287. See before of the Kings sickness and death Anno 1625. Boltons Lectures pa. 15 16 c. Advancement of Learning page 2.