Elizabeth partly to requite his warlike exploits for shee imployd him in sundry Sea-seruices to his immortall honour and commendation made him Knight of the Garter Charles Earle of Notingham Baron of Effingham Anno 1597 The 23. of Octob. the Lord Charles Howard for his Princely desert and illustrious birth was created by Q. Elizabeth Earle of Nothingham Likewise for his worthy seruices done to his Prince and Countrie in generously repelling Spaines inuincible Nauy of 88 being Lord High Admirall As also for his Martiall valiancy in the sacking of Cadiz with the Earle of Essex her Maiestie honour'd him with the Gartet the noblest order of Knighthood Iohn Baron of Elsemere Viscont Brackley Earle of Bridge-water This Noble Earles Father Sir Thomas Egerton Viscont Brackley Baron of Elsemere Lord high Chancellour of England was a Noble man of admirable parts excellency well seene in the Lawes of England industrious in State affaires which mou'd Q. Elizabeth to choose him her Maiestie Solicitor Anno 1583. And for his other deserts Anno 1593 she Knighted him Next she made him Master of the Rolls and finally Lord Keeper of the great Seale of England Anno 1594. William Earle of Salisbury c. And William Earle of Excester c. Sir William Cecil for his graue wisedome and excellent vertues was by Q. Elizabeth created Baron of Burghley he was also one of her Maiesties Priuy Councell Lord High Treasurer and Chancellor of Cambridge's Vniuersitie He was these two Noble Earles graâ—â— father both issued of two of his Sonnes William Baron of Compton Earle of Northampton This noble Earles grandfather Sir William Compton waâ— for his worthinesse created Baron Compton by Queene Elizabeth To the no lesse Illustrious than Noble Henry Lord Cary Baron of Hunsdon Viscont Rochford AND The Noble Lady Elizabeth Barkeley now married to Sir Thomas Chamberlaine HENRY CARY Lord Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth His cousin for he was the sonne of William Carie Esquire to the body of King Henry the eight by the Lady Mary Bullen his wife sister to Queene Anne Bullen the mother of Qâ—eene Elizabeth this Henry was by Queene Elizabeth created Lord Carie Baron of Hunsdon Also by her Maiestie made Knight of the Garter one of the Lords of her Priuie Councell and gouernour of Barwicke To this Noble Lord Henry Viscont Rochford hee was Grandfather and this Illustrious Lady Barkley was his only daughter and heire Rob. Lord Willoughby of Eresby Baron of Perke AND Henry West Baron de la Warre Peregrinâ— the Father to this generous Lo Willoughby was restored in his ancestors Honors by Qu. Elizabeth who created him Baron Willoughby of Eresâ—y the 14. of her raâ—gn 1582. before thee sent him with the Garter to the King of Denmarke being the son of the Duchesse of Suffolke sole daughter and heire to the Lo Willoughby of Eresby Also Sir William West This Lord de la Warr's grand Sire was created Baron de la Warre by Queene Elizabeth being Nephew to Thomas West Lord de la Warre and knight of the Garter in King Henry the eight's daies who died without issue Anno 1570. IOHN POVLET Lord Saint Iohn Baron of Basing heire apparant to the Lord Marquesse of Winchester c. Anno 1594. WILLIAM POVLET this Noble Lord's Grandfather was in the time of his Father IOHN Lord Marquesse of Winchester by Queene ELIZABETH made a Petre of England and sate in that High Court of Parliament among the Barons and Peeres of the Realme as Baron Saint Iohn of Basing He died the first day of Ianuary 1598. and was sumptuously buried by his predecessours at Basing The truly Pious Lady Frances Wray Countesse dowager of Warwicke AND The Lady Elizabeth daughter and sole heire to Francis Lord Norice late Earle of Barkshire Viscount Thame and Baron of Ricot wife to the right Noble worthy Edward Wray Esqu Sir Christopher Wray for his great deserts the noble family from whence hee was deriued was by Qu Elizabeth Knighted and for his rare wisedome being expert in the Law was aduanced to his great Praise and immortall fame to diuers Honourable dignities in this Kingdome First he was made Lord Chiefe Iustice of England and then Lord Keeper of the Priuy Seale He was one of her Maiesties most prudent Counsellours and Father to this Religious Countesse Dowager of Warwick Also Grandfather to these Noble Brothers Sir Iohn Wray Knight Edward Wray and Nathanaell Wray Esquires Anno 1572. Sir Henry Norrice was for his Noble worth created by Queene Elizabeth Baron Norrice of Ricot He was this Noble Ladie ELIZABETH WRAY her Grandfather DVDLEY Lord North Baron of Kirtling AND To the vertuous Lady his only Sister the Lady Mary Conningsby Anno 1594. Roger Lord North Baron of the ancient Baronry of Kirtling for his Vertues and Prudency was in gracious fauour neare Q. Elizabeth who respecting him much made vse of his faithfull seruices in diuers honourable affaires of importance Anno 1574. he was by her Maiestie sent Ambassadour Extraordinary into France to giue King Henry the third good Counsell and to condole with his Maiestie after the death of K. Charles the ninth And although this Noble-man was not created Baron by Q. Elizabeth yet I haue erected these lines to his noble and immortall memory for his Vertues sake and for the duty and humble seruice which I must euer owe to his illustrious Grand-Children The Lord North Sir Iohn North Captaine Roger North Gilbert North and the noble Lady Conningsby To the Honour of the right Worshipfull Sir Arthur Capell his noble Sons AND The Nobly desceÌ„ded Ralph Sadleir Esquire of Standen in Hertfordshire This worthy Knight was the last which her Maiesty Knighted Also this noble Esquires Father Sir Thomas Sadleir son to Sir Ralph Sadleir was the last knight banneret of England Chancellour of the Duchy of Lancaster and Priuy Counsellor to King Henry the eight Edward the sixt Queen Mary and Queene Elizabeth A PREPARATION AND INTRODVCTION TO THE HISTORY THE All-glorious All-vertuous incomparable inuict and matchlesse Patterne of Princes the Glory Honour and mirror of Woman kind the Admiration of our Age ELIZABETH Queene of England was by the Fathers side truely Royall being Daughter to HENRY the Eighth Grand-child to HENRY the Seuenth and great Grand child to EDVVARD the Fourth of the Mothers side indeed vnequall yet nobly descended and had many great Alliances spred through England and Ireland Her great-Grandfather was Iefferay of Bolene descended from the famous House of Norfolke who in the yeere 1457. was Maior of London and was then graced with the Dignitie of Knighthood a man of much integrity and of such reputation that Thomas Baron of Hoo and Hastings Knight of the Order of S. George gaue him his daughter and heire to wife he was of so great meanes that he married his Daughters into the famous houses of the Chenies Heidons and Fortescues he left a great Patrimonie to his sonnes and by Will gaue a thousand pounds sterling
this Company might traffique into the North part of Russia and they onely should sell their merchandizes throughout the whole extent of his Empire which is large and spacious as in fit place shall be declared An. Ienkinson returned with these Ambassadours into England who had obseruantly runne ouer all this Countrey he described the same in a Geographicall Map and was the first man of the English that cross'd the Caspian Sea and landed in the Countrey of the Bactrians The Emperour committed vnto him secret matters which hee would by no meanes communicate to any of his owne people which was seriously to treat with Queene ELIZABETH in his name that she would enter into mutuall league with him offensiue and defensiue against all the world and that she would send into Russia Ship-wrights Mariners warlike Munitions and to oblige her selfe by solemne oath courteously to receiue him with his Wife and Children if he were driuen out of his Empire eyther by rebellious Subiects or open enemies And thus this Tyrant whom no man could trust seemed to be distrustfull euen of himselfe and though he were somewhat moued with the short and ambiguous answer that her Maiesty returned yet did he not giue ouer solliciting of her in these things both by Letters and Ambassies as hereafter shall be expressed requesting her continually to send him backe that same Anthony Ienkinson who as he thought had not beene so faithfull as in matters of so great waight was requisite The first Moneth of this yeere dyed Nicholas Wotton a Doctor of the Ciuill Law and Deane of the Churches of Canterbury and Yorke a very honourable person for his parentage but much more for his prudence whereof he had giuen ample testimony both within and without the Realme For hee was one of the Priuy-Councell to the Kings HENRY the Eighth and EDVVARD the Sixth as also to Queene MARY and Queene ELIZABETH Nine times he went Ambassadour to the Emperour the Kings of France and Spaine and other Princes Three times he was a Commissioner to make peace betweene the English French and Scots and one of the sixteene whom HENRY the Eighth chose for Executors of his last Will and Testament There dyed also El. Leyborne third Wife to Thomas Duke of Norfolke and formerly Widdow to the Lord Dacres hauing brought him forth no Children But she had one by her first Husband George the Baron who dyed young with a fall off of a Vauting-Horse of wood when he learned to vaut and three Daughters who were all affianced by promises of performance to the Dukes three Sonnes I told you how Shan O-Neale lawfull Sonne to Cone-Oneale surnamed Bacon that is to say Lame the mightiest man in the North part of Ireland which is called Vlster was come into England and craued pardon for his offence in the yeere 1563. When hee was returned into his Countrey hee valiantly defended that part of Ireland against the Scots which landed there out of Cantria and Hebride and he slew 10. Mac O-Neale his father in Law and Anny his Brother who conducted them This victory causing him to be insolent he began to exercise tyranny vpon other petty Lords of Vlster not of so powerfull a command as himselfe hee burnt Armach the Metropolitane City of Ireland for hatred to the Arch-bishop draue Mac-Guire out of the inheritance of his Predecessors pilled and sacked Mac-Genisse and others and the English receiuing them into their protection hee spred rebellious colours against Queene ELIZABETH But he presently wrapt them vp againe at the instigation of Cusac a Knight of the Order yeelded vp his Sonne in Hostage and submitted himselfe And Queene ELIZABETH to containe him within bounds hauing rent and torne all those Letters by which HENRY the Eighth declared Matthew falsly reputed for his Sonne to be Heire to Cone she resolued to conferre vpon him the honourable titles of Earle of Tyrone and Baron of Dungannon as being the vndoubted Sonne and Heire But this man altogether impatient of repose and peace perceiuing that he was able to bring into the field a thousand Horse and foure thousand foot of his Vassals and Tenants and he had already fiue hundred of his Guard with barbarous pride hee reiected such titles of honour in comparison of the name of O-Neale but caused himselfe by his owne people to be styled King of Vlster He trayned vp the Peasants to War offered the Kingdome of Ireland to the Queene of Scots and conceiued such a mortall hatred against the English that hauing built a Castle vpon the Lac Eaugh he named it Feognegall which is to say the Hatred of the English and strangled some of his people because they ate the bread of the English though hee would neuer speake otherwise than honourably of the Queene Sir Henry Sidney was commanded to arme against him and Randolph a braue Conductor sent by Sea vpon the Northerne Frontiers of Vlster to Derry which is a small Episcopall See neere to Loygh-foy with a troupe of horse and seuen hundred foot to assaile him vpon the backe when the Vice-Roy would come vp and set vpon him in his Van. Shan vnderstanding this hotly beleaguerd Dundalk but was repelled by the Garrison with great losse of men as he was likewise from Wittscastell where hee met with no lesse losse Then being about with fire and sword to waste the Earledome of Louth with the ouerthrow of a number of men he was rowted by a small troupe of the English when making towards Derry he forraged all the Countrey round about and prouoked the English Garrison to fight who ranging themselues in battell fell on all sides vpon this disordered multitude disarrayed ouerthrew and put them to open flight But the victory proued but sorrowfull by reason of a lamentable accident that light vpon Randolph who was slaine fighting valiantly among the thickest of his enemies as braue a Gentleman questionlesse as our present times haue seene and none euer purchased greater respect ioyned with loue among Souldiers than this man had done S. Lo being constituted in his place he much endammaged the Rebels in that quarter till on a day when the Fort by an vnhappy accident was set on fire with all the Munition and Powder which blew vp many Souldiers For then embarking all his foot in shipping and with a wing of Horse commanded by one Haruey he past through the middest of his enemies who continually galled him and by a way of foure dayes iourney went to the Lord Deputy who to honour Randolphs vertue solemnized his Obsequies and was himselfe in mourning And raising forces presently to goe into Vlster Shan retyred with his men into the Woods and Forrests re-amassing againe together at seuerall times here and there the rest of his men about Clogner and Castell Salmon belonging to Turlogh-Leinich who then had left it But when the Lord Deputy had constituted Garrisons settled Odonel againe in his State and was returned to appease the
start-ups and their Countrey yeelded as a prey to strangers This carried them violently into a manifest Rebellion and they were the first who disturbed the publique peace of this Kingdome which had continued vnshaken for the terme of eleuen yeeres vnder the happy Reigne of Queene ELIZABETH they being boldly and powerfully incited hereunto by Nicholas Morton a Priest sent from the Pope to denounce Queene ELIZABETH for an Heretike and therefore depriued of all power and gouernement Suddenly likewise they diuulge by a publique Manifestation That they tooke vp armes to no other end but to set vp againe the Religion of their Ancestors to remoue from about the Queenes bad Councellors to restore the Duke and some other great Men who were dismissed of their places and dignities to former libertie and grace But as for the Queenes Maiestie they would attempt nothing against her but vowed that both then and at all times they would perseuer and continue her most obedient Subiects They writ also to the Papists dispersed throughout the whole Kingdome to ioyne their forces together But in stead of cohering to them the most part sent to the Queene both their Letters and the Bearers All the particular men of the Kingdome and the Duke of Norfolke himselfe both their seruice and meanes and to be employed against them So that vpon this occasion shee made a iust triall of her Subiects singular and vnspotted fidelitie and of Gods rare clemency and protection for which shee gaue him great and vnfaigned thankes The Rebels went presently to Durham the next Episcopall See where they rent and trampled vnder foot the sacred Bibles and Bookes of the Liturgie written in the English Tongue as they light vpon them in the Churches Afterwards they celebrated Masse wheresoere they went they leuied and brought into the field many men vnder flying colours wherein were painted in some the fiue wounds of our Lord in others the Challice of the Eucharist Robert Norton a venerable and graue Gentleman who was old and bald carried the Crosse with the Colonell ensigne they came by small dayes marches to Chiffordmore which is not farre from Wetherbie where making a generall muster of their Army vpon the two and twentieth day of their Rebellion they could make no more but sixe hundred Horse and foure thousand foot and when they heard that the Queene of Scots for whose releasement out of imprisoment they had principally taken vp armes was conducted from Tudberie to Couentrey a strong Citie and committed to the guard and custodie of the Earles of Shrewsburie and Huntington that the Earle of Sussex of the one side of them had raised a mightie Armie to set vpon them that Sir George Bowes lay at their backes with chosen and maine troupes and had fortified Bernard-Castell and how the Earle of Cumberland and the Lord Scrope had manned and secured Carlile and dayly leuied more forces they retired from those quarters and returning speedily in a manner the same way they came they came before Rabie which is the principall house and seate of the Earles of Westmerland from whence departing they straitly beleaguerd Bernard Castle which in a short time yeelded to them for want of prouision victuall all and Sir George Bowes with Robert Bowes his brother and all the Souldiers of the Garison issued out with their Armes They were formerly proclaimed Traitors by sound of Trumpet The same very day my Lord of Sussex accompanied with the Earle of Rutland the Lords of Hunsdon Euers and Willowbie of Parham marched against them with seuen thousand men When they saw they were come to Ackland being terrified and daunted they fell to flight and fell backe toward Hexham which place also leauing speedily they crossed along by vnbeaten paths that so they might creepe couertly vnder the hedges and came to the Castle of Naworth where vnderstanding that the Earle of Warwicke and the Lord Clynton Vice-Admirall followed close at their heeles with twelue thousand men drawne out of the South parts of England the two Earles fled into the neerest parts of Scotland with a few men vnknowne to the rest where the Earle of Northumberland obscured himselfe for a while about Harclaw in the little countrey Hamlets amongst the Grymes most notable Theeues who deliuered him afterwards into the Earle of Murray's hands The Earle of Westmerland found some meanes to hide himselfe about Carry Furnhurst and Bucklie and at last scapt into Flanders with some other English in his company where he liu'd a long but a poore life vpon a small Pension which the King of Spaine allowed him The rest saued themselues some by flight some by lurking in holes and dennes For example and terrour sixe inferiour Magistrates were hanged at Durham and others among which one Plumtree a Priest was a man of greatest note There were formerly executed at Yorke Digbie Falthrope Bishop and Pouenham And certaine moneths after Christopher and Thomas Nortons brethren were put to death at London and some others in other places After this the most apparāt notable Rebels were condemned of high Treason and banisht as namely the Earles of North. Westm the Countesse of North. the Daughter to the Earle of Wigorne Edward Dacres of Morton Iohn Neuill of Leuerserg Io. Swineborne Tho. Marquenfield Egre. Ratcliffe brother to the Earle of Sussex Char. Neuill Ro. Norton of Nortonconniers Christ Marmaduke and Thomas of the Family of the Nortons Ro. and Na. Tempests George Stafford and about some fortie others of Noble and worthie Houses whose conuiction and banishment was confirmed by the whole house of Parliament and pardon granted to some who had no Estates nor euer went out of the Kingdome And thus the flame of this Rebellion was in a short time quencht Chiapine Vitelli who was priuie to it as I told you before openly admiring the same in the presence of her Maiestie and many great men of the Kingdome but no doubt inwardly greeuing this Rebellion was so easily and suddenly supprest and that so his owne comming into England tooke so little effect From the combustions of this Rebellion thus couered and extinguisht as out of the ashes of that former fire a little flame began to kindle at Naworth in Cumberland neere to the Valley of Seuerus which was raised by Lau. Dacres second sonne to Geor. Lord Dacres of Gilesland This man after the death of the young Lord Dacres his Nephew because he was the sonne of his elder Brother being angry that so large a Patrimonie should by Law discend vnto his Neeces whom the Duke of Norfolke their Father in law had betrothed to his three sonnes hee commenced suite against them but perceiuing that it would come to no prosperous issue on his side hee secretly combin'd with the Rebels and attempted to carry away the Queene of Scots but all in vaine But the Rebels being defeated sooner then he expected and proclaimed Traitors openly whilest himselfe
to be examined And yet hardly will that serue because all the world haue their eyes vpon vs Princes as if we were set vpon a Stage and do marke afarre off the least spot or blemish that is on vs so that we had neede to be carefull we do nothing vnbeseeming vs. But you haue by this new law brought me into such a narrow straite that I am to determine vpon the punishment of a Princesse my next kinswoman whose practises haue afflicted mee with so great griefe that not to augment my sorrowes in hearing it spoken of I did willingly absent my selfe from this Parliament not as some thinke for feare of treachery Notwithstanding I will not leaue although I vse few words of it to put this secret out of my heart which I haue seene with mine eyes and read the oath by which some haue bound themselues to dispatch me within one moneth From hence I foresee your danger in my person and certainly I shall be carefull and diligent to repell it I haue not forgot the combination you haue made for my safety of which I neuer thought before I saw it confirmed vnder the signes seales of the most part of you assuredly it hath bound me in strict bonds of loue towards you perpetually who doe affect no greater comfort than in the loue of you and the common-wealth But for as much as the matter now in hand is an example as important as rare I deeme you expect not that I should resolue any thing for the present For My manner is euen in things of lesse consequence to be long in deliberating about that I must once resolue vpon I will pray to God Almightie that he will illuminate My heart to fore-see what is commodious for the Church the Common-wealth your safeties Notwithstanding lest delay should bring danger you shall as the oportunitie of time will serue vnderstand My purpose In the meane time I would you should expect all the goodnesse from Me which good Subiects may look for from a good Princesse Twelue daies after when she had more deeply weighed the matter in her minde seeing her selfe with many doubts and difficulties variously distracted and vnable to counsell her selfe she sent the Lord Chancellor to the Noble men and Pickering to them of the Lower House intreating them to consider more seriously of so weighty a matter and to deuise some more wholesome remedy that the Queene of Scotlands life might be preserued and she secured After they had deliberated a long time and considered that the good or ill of Princes concerneth the Subiects with one-according voice they all put on againe the same resolution which they had before grounded vpon these Reasons THat so long as the Queene of Scotland liued Queene Elizabeth could not bee secure vnlesse shee would become penitent and acknowledge her crimes and that shee should be kept more straitly and bound by oath and writing or that shee should deliuer Hostages or that shee should depart the Kingdome Of her Repentance they had no hope for that shee had beene vngratefull to Queene Elizabeth who had saued her life and would not so much as acknowledge her faults As for a straiter Guard her hand-writing oath or Hostages they would be all as nothing for that Queene Elizabeth being dead all these would vanish away instantly As for departing the Land if shee were out of it they feared shee would raise Armes against it The L. Chancellor and Pickering the Speaker of the Lower House declared these things at large to Queene Elizabeth importuning her earnestly that the Sentence should be put in execution shewing her That if it were iniustice to deny the Execution of the Law to the meanest Subiect much more to refuse to grant it to the whole Body of the People who with one voice will demanded it so iustly To which she answered O how wearisome is that way where We find nothing but irksomnesse whilst we are going in it when t is past vnquietnes I am troubled this day if euer the like whether to speake or hold My tongue if I should speak and not complaine I desemble if I hold my tongue the paines you haue taken is in vaine if I complaine it will seeme strange notwithstanding I confesse that My first request was both for your securitie and mine owne Some other meanes should haue beene found out than that you now propound Insomuch that I cannot but complaine to you though not of you for that I learne by your demands that My safetie dependeth vpon anothers ruine If any thinke that I haue purposely prolonged the time to purchase a counterfeit praise of clemencie vndoubtedly they wrong Mee vnworthily and he that searcheth the depth of all inward thoughts knoweth it well And greater wrong they doe Mee if they thinke that the Commissioners durst pronounce no other sentence for fear of displeasing Mee or seeming to neglect My safetie For either My Officers haue failed Me in their duties or else certified the Commissioners that My will and Command was That euery one should proceede freely according as they thought good and that they should tell Mee in particular what they purposed to publish openly Out of the great affection I bore her it was that I would haue some other means inuented to haue preuented this mischiefe But because it now clearly appeareth that I cannot be safe vnlesse shee die I am touched with a deepe dolour to see that I who haue shewed fauour to so many Rebels wincked at so many treacheries should at the last be seene to deale cruelly with so great a Princesse Since I tooke in hand the managing of this Kingdome I haue seene infamous Libells cast out against Me as a Tyrant Much good may it doe the writers I thought they would signifie som strange thing indeed it was strange to Me to be taxed of tyranny I would it were as strange to heare of their impietie But now what is it they will not put forth in their writings when they shall know that I haue consented that an executioner shall imbrue his hands in the blood of My neerest Kinswoman And in the mean time I am so farre from cruelty that I would not to saue My life doe her any violence nor haue I had so much care to prolong it as in the preseruing of it to preserue hers with intolerable griefe that it cannot be so still I am not so senselesse as not to see the perils which lye before Me so vnaduised to whet the knif that shal cut My throat nor so carelesse not to respect My life But I thinke with My Selfe that there are many which for the safeguard of a Prince's life aduenture their owne but I franckly confesse I am none of that number These things haue I often cast in My minde But forasmuch as diuers haue imployed their tongues and pens against me giue me leaue to defend My Selfe as I may to the end you may see
Annals and then by my last Will to bequeath them to my honorable friend IAMES AVGVSTVS THVANVS who hath begun a Historie of his owne Times with great truth and modestie lest that as strangers are wont he a man most deare vnto me should like a traueller in a forraine Countrie be ignorant of our affaires But this resolution I was forced I know not by what fate to alter for a great part being sent vnto him some few years past wheÌ„ they were like rough-drawn pictures scarcely begun deformed with blots imperfect places swarming with errors patches thrust in as they fell from a hasty pen ill vsed by Transcribers Out of these he took as it were inter-weaued some things into the eleuenth and twelfth Tomes of his Historie hauing first polished them by adding altering substracting but all with good iudgement according to that order of the worke which he proposed to himselfe for he intended a vniuersall Historie of his owne Time selecting some few things concerning ENGLAND and IRELAND ommitting many things not only fit but peraduenture necessary for vs to know and I had heard that beyond the Seas the Historie of English affaires was much and not without reproach desired I therefore betook me to my intermitted study read all ouer againe corrected added diuers things refined the eloquution yet without affectation for it sufficeth me if I may place this Booke like a picture in water colours vnskilfully done in a commodious light But when all was done I was much perplext irresolute whether I should publish it or not But CENSVRES PREIVDICE HATRED OBTRECTATION which I foresaw to display their colors and bid battell against me haue not so much deterred me as the desire of TRVTH the loue of MY COVNTRY and the memory of that PRINCESSE which deserues to be deare and sacred amongst English men did excite me against those who shaking off their allegeance towards their Prince and Country did not cease beyond the Seas to wound aswel the Honor of the one as the glory of the other by scandalous libels conceiued by the malice of their own hearts now which they sticke not to confesse are about to publish a Book to remain to posteritie as a monument of their wickednesse As for me I desire nothing more than to be like my self they like themselues Succeeding ages will giue to euery one their deserued Honor. I confesse with sorrow that I haue not done so wel as the height of the argumeÌ„t requires but what I could I haue done willingly To my selfe as in other writings so neither in these haue I giuen satisfaction But I shall hold it more than sufficient if out of an earnest desire to conserue the memorie of things of truth in relating them instructing mens minds with that which is wise and honest I shall be ranked only amongst the lowest writers of great things WHATSOEVER IT IS AT THE ALTAR OF TRVTH I Dedicate and Consecrate it TO GOD MY COVNTRIE AND POSTERITIE ⧠TO THE TRVE MIRROR AND PATTERNE OF PRINCES THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTY CHARLES PRINCE OF GREAT BRITAINNE c. SIR I COVLD not but shelter this Historie vnder your most renowned Name for to whom can I commit the Story of Her who whilst shee liued was the ioy of England the terror and admiration of the VVorld but to your HIGHNESSE who is the Fame and Honour of this spacious hemisphere Great Britaines both hope solace by your princely valour constant vertues no lesse dreaded and admired abroad than feared beloued at home A true admirer humble Obseruer of your diuine worth A. Darcie To the Highly Borne Princesse Frances Duchesse Dowager of Richmond Lenox This Noble Princesse's Father was Thomas Lord Howard created Viscount Bindon by Queen Elizabeth the first yeare of her raigne second son to Thomas Duke of Norfolke AND To the noble Prince her Cosin Thomas Earle of Arundell Surrey Earle Marshall of England This Duke of Norfolke the Duchesse of Richmond and Lenox's Grandfather had two wiues the first was the noble Princesse Anne Daughter to King Edward the fourth by which he had issue a young Prince who died young The other was the Lady Elizabeth daughter to Edward Stafford Duke of Buckingham by whom he had issue the Lord Henry Hâ—ward whose son succeeded to the Dukedome of Norfolk which Dukes eldest son Philip Howard was by Queen ELizabeth alâ—o created and summoned in Parliament where he sate as Earl of Arundel being the primary Earledome of England in the right of his Mother sole daughter and heire to Henry Fitz-Allen Earle of Arundell He was this Noble Earles Father Thomas Viscont Bindon and a Daughter who was Duchesse of Richmond and Somerset Countesse of Nottingham Aunt to the now Duchesse of Richmond and Lenox This said Duke of Norfolke after a long sicknesse tooke his iourney peaceably to Heauen at his Palace in Kinninghall in Norfolke the first yeare of Queene Mary AND To the Illustrious fauourers of Vertue true mirrors of Honour and exact patternes of Nobilitie William Earle of Hartford c AND To the Noble Lady Frances his Princely Countesse This Earles grandfather Lord Edward Seimor son to Edw. Duke of Somerset was restored to his honours patrimonie by Queene Elizabeth who created him Earle of Hartford and Baron of Beauchamp in the Tower of London the second yeare of her raigne This noble Countesse's grandfather also was created Earle of Essex c. by Qu. Elizabeth the 14. of her raigne he died in Ireland 1575. and was magnificently buried at Carmarden in Wales where he was borne Edward Earle of Dorset Baron of Buckhurst AND To his noble sisters the lady Anne Beauchamp And the Lady Cecilia Compton This illustrious Earle and honourable Ladies grandfather was a most prudent and learned man for his heroick deserts and Princely descent from an ancient and true noble blood was created by Q. Elizabeth Baron of Buckhurst next by her Maiestie enstalled in the royall order of the Garter one of her intimate priuy Counsellors Lord High Treasurer of England c. Chancellor of the Vniuersity of Oxford Hee died in White-hall 1608. Theophilus Lord CLINTON Earle of LINCOLN Anno 1572. Edward Lord Clinton Lord high Treasurer of England was created Earle of Lincolne by Queene Elizabeth for his Noble merits and faithfull seruice to his Soueraigne Lady The same day her Maiesty created Sir Walter Deureux Earle of Essex He died the eighth day of Ianuary Anno 1585. and was with great solemnitie buried at Windsor To this right Honorable Lord Theophilus Earle of Lincolne he was great Grand-father Thomas Earle of Suffolke knight of the most honorable Order of the Garter This worthy Earle second sonne to Thomas Howard the last Duke of Norfolke by his martiall valour was Princely vertue and by Queene Elizabeth created Lord Howard of Walden and tooke place in the high Court of Parliament among the Peeres as Baron of Walden And Q.
order and authority of the States hee had in the name of the whole Kingdome of England offered obedience vnto the Pope and hee could not but acquite himselfe of this promise And therefore he tryed and endeuoured to preuaile so much by Prayers that they would not retyre or draw backe from the Sea of Rome of which they held the Christian Faith which they had alwaies kept But when these things were brought to the Lower House there were many more than in the vpper House that consented ioyntly to these Lawes Wherevpon the Papist murmuring much said that of a deliberate purpose they had elected the most part of the Deputies amongst the Protestants aswell of the Shires as of the Cities Corporations and that the Duke of Norfolke and the Earle of Arundell the most powerfull and mightyest amongst the Peeres had industriously bribed the suffrages for the profit which they drew or hoped to draw thereby Spirits then disagreeing for matters of Religion by one and the same Edict all persons were forbidden to speake irreuerently of the Sacrament of the Altar and permitted to communicate vnder both species And a Conference appointed against the last of March betwixt the Protestants and the Papists in which the States of the Land should bee present and for the same to keepe and hold elect for the Protestants Richard Coxe Whitehead Edmund Grindall Robert Horne Edward Sandes Edward Guests Iohn Elmar and Iohn Iewell For the Papists Iohn White Bishop of Winchester Rad. Bain of Couentrie and Lichfield and Thomas Watson of Lincolne Doctor Cole Deane of Saint Paul Doctor Landgal Arch-Deacon of Lewis Doctor Harpesfield of Canterbury and Doctor Chatsie of Middlesexe The Questions propounded were these following Of the celebration of the Diuine Seruice in the Vulgar Tongue of the authority of the Church for to establish or abolish Ceremonies according as it is expedient and of the Sacrifice of the Masse But all this Disputation came to nothing for after some conference and writings deliuered from the one to the other side and not agreeing vpon the forme of the disputing the Protestants began to triumph as obtayning the Victory and the Papists to complaine of their hard vsage for not beeing aduertised but a day or two before and that Sir Nicholas Bacon the Lord Keeper being a man little read in Theologie and their great Enemie sate as Iudge although he was but meerely appointed for Moderator But the truth is that hauing thought more seriously vpon this matter they durst not without expresse order frō the Pope call in question such high points which are not argued in the Church of Rome And they cryed of all sides When is it that one shall knowe what hee ought truely to beleeue if it be alwaies permitted to dispute of Faith Disputers of Religion alwaies returne to the Scepters and such like things And the Bishops of Lincolne and Winchester were so offended with it that they were of opinion that the Queen and those that had caused her to forsake the Church of Rome should be excommunicated and punished with imprisonment for it But the wiser sort that it must be left to the Iudgement of the Pope for feare that those which were her Subiects should not seeme in doing this to shake off their obedience due to their Princesse and to display the Ensigne of Sedition And that was not hidden to the Pope who beeing also presently moued with Choller commands Sir Edward Carne of Wales a Ciuill-Lawier who had beene Ambassadour at Rome for HENRY the Eighth and MARY and was then for Queene ELIZABETH to quite this charge and to vse the same termes by the vigor or force of the commandement that was made vnto him by the Oracle of the liuely voice of our most holy Lord the Pope in vertue of the most holy obedience and vpon paine of the greatest Excommunication and losse of all his goods not to goe out of the Citie but to take vpon him the administration of the Hospitall of the English And did it to hinder that hee should not giue notice of the secret traines of the French against Queene ELIZABETH as he had done before with a great care for the loue he bore to his Countrey Neuerthelesse some thought that this old man voluntarily chose this exile for the zeale he bore to the Roman Religion In the meane time I omit for a while the affaires of the Church and Parliament to obserue the order of time the Embassadours of England Spaine which treated of Peace in the Citie of Cambray were in debate with the French about the restitution of Calais but they could not in any manner obtaine it although they should haue propounded to quit thē of three Millions of Gold which France ought by lawfull obligation The Spaniard who otherwise altogether different from Peace held the English side and surely with as much trueth as honour because the Queene had lost this Town by his occasion fore saw that it was expedient for Flanders that it should be in their obedience The French interrupted him saying that shee alone could not recompence the damages which the English had done them their Townes beeing taken by the Spaniards by reason of their ayde and many Borroughs in base Brittaine were sackt and burned many Ships taken and their Commerce or Traffique which is the sinewes of War broken That they had disbursed infinite summes of money to hinder their firings that Calais was the ancient patrimony of France and that if it had beene lost by Warre long agoe it had also then beene recouered by Armes therefore that it ought not to be restored and that the States of France had so resolued That surrendring it were to put weapons into their Enemies hands and withdraw for euer the Kings Subiects from his obedience and therefore that it was an vniust thing for the English to demand it The English on the contrary maintained that they demanded it with reason and Iustice because say they during one yea two ages he had tooke Englands part and that they had not onely conquer'd it by Warre but that it was also falne vnto them by hereditary succession and by cession made by vertue of the pactions and agreements in exchanges of other places which the Kings of England had likewise granted to them of France That these damages ought not to be imputed to them but to the Spaniards who against their will had drawne and associated them in this Warre in which through the losse of well-fortified places the taking of many of their Captaines they had receiued much more damage than the French and had had no profit therby That all that the States of France order or decree is not reasonable because it is only profitable and that Calais could not be lawfully or iustly detayned seeing that by the Conditions already agreed vpon all the places that were taken in the late Warres were restored vnto other Princes To which the French replyed
Towne next after they make Trenches and raise Mounts from which they battered no lesse the Towne then the Ships The French make many Sallies out with more courage than strength and shewe many proofes of Magnanimity Amongst others vpon the fifteenth day of Aprill they tooke the Trenches nayled three of the greatest Cannons tooke and led away prisoner M. Berclé But I. Croft and C. Vaghan driue them backe as fast into the Towne and it was not done without losse of men Arthur Gray sonne to the Lord Baron Gray who had the principall command in the Campe was shot into the shoulder After that they bring the Campe neerer to the Towne because the Battery was so farre off that the Bullets for the most part fell without effect and a short time after part of the Towne and a great quantity of Corne was burned by casuall fire which was much encreased by the English who placed on that side their biggest Cānons and being in the meane time entred into the Ditch tooke the height of the Wall and the sixth of May while the English and the Scots were together of accord hauing placed the Ladders on all sides gaue three powerful alssaults to gaine the Wall but because they were too short and the waters higher then ordinary the Sluces beeing shut they were repulsed with a showre of Bullets that ouerwhelmed them from aboue and there were many slaine yet more wounded This check was imputed to Croft's fault because he had stayed in his Quarter with his Armes foulded as if he had reproued this expedition seeing others doe without putting himselfe in action to assist those who had neede thereof and I cannot tell whether hee did it out of iudgement or for affection which he bore to the French or for hatred to Gray But so it is that Norfolke and Gray accused by Letters which they writ to the Queene to haue had secret consultations with the Queene of the Scots and to haue oppos'd this designe and in hauing sequitiuely bin brought in iustice the gouernment of Barwicke was taken from him and giuen to the Lord Baron Gray But the Queene shewing him fauour conseru'd it for him and for his merit established him afterward Controwler of her Maiesties House This first Mis-hap hauing abated the courage of the English and Scots the Duke of Norfolke rais'd them as quickly vp againe by new Troops which hee brought to strengthen and since that time there were some light combates vntill that the King of France hauing aduice that his men were so blockt vp at Lieth that all the Passages by Sea and Land were shut also considering that they could not send him succour in time requisite for the great distance of places and the seditions which augmented from day to day in his Kingdome gaue power to the Bishop of Valence and De la Roche Faucaud to accord the Affaires with Qu. ELIZABETHS Commissioners esteeming and the Queene of Scotland with them that it were a thing vnworthy their Maiesty to enter into equall dispute with their Subiects And Queen ELIZABETH deputed as speedily into Scotland W. Cecill and N. Wotton Deane of Canterburie and Yorke At the same time the C. of Murray made some propositions But Cecill thought that they ought not to be made by Subiects nor agreed on by Princes During these debatings the decease of Queene Marie of Lorraine mother to the Queen and Regent of the Kingdome of Scotland hapned a pious most prudēt Princesse who was neuerthelesse ignominiously and vnworthily handled by hot-headed Preachers as it may appeare euen by the Ecclesiasticall History of Scotland which Queene ELIZABETH caused to be suppressed vnder the Presse and by the Lords of the Assembly who as being borne Councellors of State had vnder the name of Queene of Scotland and her Husband suspended her from all administration as contrary to the glory of God and the libertie of Scotland The Articles of which the Commissioners after the siege begun agreed vpon are these THe treaty of peace made in the Castle of Cambray betwixt Queene ELIZABETH and Henry the Second the French King shall be renewed and confirmed They shall cease both the one side and the other to make preparation of warre The Fortresse of Aymouth in Scotland shall be demolisht The said King and Queene Mary shall quit the title and armes of England and Ireland The strifes touching the recompence of the iniurie done to Queene ELIZABETH and the assurance of the first Article are remitted to another Assembly which shall be holden at London and if they cannot then be agreed of it shall be referred to the Catholique King The King and the Queene shall reconcile themselues with the Nobles amongst their Subiects of Scotland the Confederates shall be therein comprised and aboue all the Catholique King This Treatie shall be confirmed within sixtie dayes the intertayning of it sworne on both sides This Peace is published as well in the Campe as in the City with a common reioycing of all The English growing weary of the warre seeing their neighbouring Countrey vtterly spoyled The French because they were depriued of all traffique commerce and the Scots for not hauing beene payed their wages And indeed it was holden for the weale good and well-fare of Great Brittaine since Scotland retained his ancient liberty and England kept the dignity and surety which it had gotten And since that time she hath beene really exempt and freed from all subiects of feare from Scotland side The English haue merrily acknowledged that Queene ELIZABETH was the founder of the surety and the Protestants of Scotland Restoresse of the liberty During all that time Queene ELIZABETH for the singular loue which shee bore to the parties was so attentiue to the publique good that shee razed from her heart the loue of powerfull Princes who sought her in marriage to wit CHARLES Arch-duke of Austria second Sonne of Ferdinando the Emperour who made this suit by the Count of Elpheston Of Iames Earle of Arran who was recommended by the Protestants the which propounded to themselues to vnite by his meanes the Kingdomes of England and Scotland which were diuided which was also quickly reiected and neuerthelesse to her Maiesty praise Of Erric King of Sueden who to the same purpose imployed Iohn his Brother Duke of Finland to this end sent into England by Gustaue his Father a little before his death and grounding his hopes vpon this that hee was of the same Religion as Queene ELIZABETH was made himselfe so credulously importunate that hee thought of nothing but England notwithstanding that the King of Denmarke his sworne enemy had resolued to take him in the way thinking that it concerned him greatly if England and Sueden betweene which Denmarke lyes should be ioyned by the meanes of a marriage Queene ELIZABETH acknowledged and praised his singular and Soueraigne loue and made him answer that his comming should be very agreeable
the English who prouoked hereat constituted a Faire of English cloth and merchandizes at Embden in East Frizeland as if they feared the Spanish Inquisition which now was entred into the Low-Countries and fore-saw that troubles would presently ensue Against all this the Regent published an Edict importing an expresse prohibition of all men vpon paine of confiscation to entertaine any traffique with the English at Embden or any where else or to transport into the Low-Countries any Merchandizes bought of them Guzman blam'd these proceedings as beeing too strict and rigorous dammageable both to the one and other part For this wise man conceiued truely what wealth dayly came into Flanders by meanes of the English Taffique euer since Lewis Malan Earle of Flanders about the yeere 1338. by a Grant of great immunities had drawne the English to settle a Mart or Staple of English Wools at Bruges for euer since that time in a manner all Nations flocking into Flanders to buy Clothes and other English Merchandizes as also to sell their owne there it is incredible what Traffiques Commerces Nauigations and Fishings haue euer since flourisht among the Flemmings So as this wooll was vnto them a true Golden Fleece and that Noble Order of the Golden Fleece forcheth from hence its originall and the Dukes of Burgundy their great wealth and Treasure And questionlesse in these very dayes wherein wee liue I speake according to the papers of Account the Commerce that is betweene the English and the Flemmings hath amounted to aboue twelue Millions of gold each yeere And the Clothes transported euery yeere to Antwerpe omitting to speake of Lead Tinne and other things is estimated at fiue Millions of gold Wherefore vpon these considerations Guzman employing all meanes possible to atone this difference at last hee obtained that the Commerce lately broken off betweene the two Nations might be resettled in its former state and that whatsoeuer had beene ordained and decreed from the first day of the first yeeres raigne of Queene ELIZABETH both of the one side and on the other should surcease till by Deputies both for the one and the other partie more ample prouision could be made But the yeere following when my Lord Mountaigue Nicholas Watton and William Haddon Master of the Requests Delegates for the English Montigny Assonuil and Io. Egidius for the Flemmings had begunne twice to treate of these matters in the Towne of Bruges the Flemmings falling into their precedent tumules interrupted this Treatie after an Agreement made that this Commerce and Traffique should be free while one of the Princes made an opposite denountiation to the other the Marchants of both parties being aduertised forty dayes before to prouide and take some order for their liuing commodities These things beeing thus ordain'd out of the Kingdome the Queenes Maiesty betooke her selfe to the pleasure and recreations of the Countrey and to this end shee visited the Vniuersity of Cambridge which is one of the two resplendent Lampes of England where beeing entertained of the Schollers with all manner of honours and taken contentment in beholding their Comedies Tragedies and exercises of Armes she personally visited all the Colledges and in a Latine Oration gaue them great thanks for their singular loue and affection highly commended their profound and diuers Eâ—uditions exhorting them to apply their hearts to the studies of piety and learning and for their vertuous stimulation promising alwaies to fauour and cherish them When shee returned the more to honour Robert Dudley Sarlatan a speciall Fauourite of hers whoÌ„ with a secret designe she made choice of for an husband to the Q. of Scots she created him Baron of Denbigh giuing him the Castle of Denbigh in property with all the appurtenances of soyle and Demeanes and the day after Earle of Leicester to himselfe and the heires males of his body lawfully begotten hauing likewise before for his sake confer'd vpon Ambrose his elder Brother the dignities of Baron of Lisle and Earle of Warwicke to him and his lawfull heires males for euer The Lord Dudley exalted by all these supereminent honours and to currey fauour with the Queen of Scots whom he affected and studied by all manner of Offices to deserue well of presently before Queene ELIZABETH he accused Sir Nicholas Bacon Lord Keeper of the great Seale of discussing the point of Succession against the Queene of Scots and that he was priuy to a Libell wherein that same Hales of whom before I spake laboured to intimate that if the Queenes Maiesty of England then liuing dyed without Issue the right of the Crowne came to the House of Suffolke For which cause he was committed prisoner and as for Sir Nicholas Bacon though he absolutely denyed it my Lord Cecill resoluing to conceale what hee thought vntill the Queene whose Maiestie hee was assured would neuer in this case impose on him any demand should command him to speake his minde had much adoe to recouer him her fauour and long time he was a compassing it for nothing could be more distastfull to her then to heare any debatements about this Title of Succession But so the wiser and wealthier sort were more carefull and studious of nothing then of this they obseruing how by reason of the contrariety of Religion the Protestants transported with an ardent zeale held opinion that the Queene of Scots being of an opposite Religion though otherwise her right was neuer so much as called in question ought neuerthelesse by the subtill construction of the Lawes to bee reiected from succession Some Papists againe and those who had reference to that which was iust and equall maintain'd how she was to be receiued as the true right and vndoubted Inheritrix Others there were who prefer'd before her MARGARET her Aunt by the Mothers side and Wife to Mathew Stuart Earle of Lenox and her Children of whom they conceiued good hopes because they were borne in England All this lay not hid from the Queene of Scots who to preuent it so farre as was possible by the Countesse of Lenox her Aunt sent for Mathew Earle of Lenox to come into Scotland vnder pretext to re-establish and settle him in the Inheritance of his Predecessors But this was to consult further with him who by his Wiues meanes obtained leaue and Letters from Q. ELIZABETH after he had bin banisht out of his natiue Countrey for the space of 20. yeeres This Earle of Lenox to the end that relating the same from the essentiall extraction of his eminent Nobility I may giue the better light lustre to things was descended from the very same race of the Stuarts as the Royall Progeny of the Scots came from and moreouer lately by the Hamiltons of the bloud-Royall For Marie daughter to Iames 2. King of Scotland had by Iames Hamilton Iames who was the first Earle of Arraine Mary who was wife to Matt. Stuart first Earle of Lenox of that name Iames Earle of Arraine
to substitute vnderstanding men to answere those complaints which the Queene of Scots would exhibit against him and his Confederates and to yeeld some iust cause and reason of his deposing her If not that herselfe would presently set her at liberty and employ all her forces for her re-establishment And so likewise she admonished him not to sell her precious habits and ornaments though the States of the Kingdome had permitted him Earle Murray obeyed there being no other way to call in question his administration and gouernement but those that came out of England and the great Men of the Kingdome refusing any manner of deputation Wherefore he came himselfe in person to the City of Yorke a place appointed for this proceeding with seuen of his most inward friends being Deputies for the Infant-King that is to say the Earle of Morton the Bishop of Orcades the Gouernour of Dunfermlin the Baron of Lindsay 10. Macgill and Henry Barneuay accompanied with the Earle of Lidington whom Murray drew thither with faire promises in that he durst not leaue him behinde in the Kingdome and George Buchanan who was wholly at his deuotion and becke And the very same day came thither the Duke of Norfolke and the Earle of Sussex who not long before was constituted President of the North and Sir Ralph Sadler a Knight and one of the Priuy-Councell who were nominated to heare and examine the cause why the Queene of Scots was deposed The Bishop of Rosse the Barons of Leuingstone and of Boyd the Gouernour of Kenivinin Iohn Gordon and Iohn Corburne appeared there for the Queene of Scots who was wonderfully wroth that the Queene of England would neither see nor heare her hauing commanded that her owne Subiects should stand vp against her before the Commissaries in that being an absolute Princesse she stood not bound except she listed to make answer to her Subiects accusations and obiections Being assembled on the seuenth of October and read the Commissions both of the one side and the other Lidington who was there present turning towards the Scots admonished them with a marueilous free and plaine discourse That seeing it seemed the Queene of England pretended no other thing by the authority shee had conferred vpon the Commissaries but to staine the honour and impaire the reputation of the Queene the Kings Mother and to interpose herein her owne censure as an honourable Arbitratrix but that they should weigh and well consider what a perill they exposed themselues vnto and how they were like to purchase not onely the hatred of the Scots who continued deuoted and affected to the Queene but further the ill-will of other Christian Princes and of such affinitie as shee had in France in criminally accusing and hazarding her reputation in such a publique and iuridicall Tryall before the English sworne enemies to the Scottish name and what account could they giue to the King of such a presumptuous and insolent accusation which could not but redound to the preiudice of Scotland when being of riper yeeres hee shall repute both himselfe his Mother and countrey hereby dishonoured And therefore hee thought it very fitting to let fall this odious accusation of so great a Princesse except the Queene of England had contracted with them a mutuall League offensiue and defensiue against those that should in case molest or trouble them And thus much said hee out of his loyaltie and dutie a Scottish Secretarie hath aduertised you of Hereupon looking vpon one another they remained not vttering one word The Queene of Scots Deputies who had the honour to speake first before the taking of their Oath protested That though the Queene of Scots thought good to haue the cause betweene her Maiesty and her disloyall Subiects handled before the English yet neuerthelesse they conceiued not themselues herein to be vnder the command of any but their owne Princesse seeing Shee was free and absolute and ought neither faith nor homage to any other The English in like manner protested How they accepted not of this protestation to the preiudice of any right or prerogatiue which the Kings of England haue heretofore challenged as Soueraigne Lords of the Kingdome of Scotland The next day the Queene of Scots Deputies put in their Declaration in writing HOw the Earles of Morton Mar and Glencarne the Barons of Hume Lindsay Reuthen and Sempil and others had raysed an Armie in the Kings name against the Queene her selfe taken her vsed her disgracefully and clapt her vp in prison at Lake-Leuin They broke open the Mint carried away all sorts of Coyne Gold and Siluer Money or no Money crowned the King her Sonne who was yet but an Infant and the Earle of Murray vnder the title of Vice-Roy or Regent vsurped his power and authority and seyzed on all the wealth munition and reuenewes of the Kingdome Afterwards they alledged that the Queene being escaped out of Prison after shee had beene there restrayned for the space of tenne dayes denounced publiquely vpon her oath That whatsoeuer shee had yeelded vnto during her imprisonment was extorted from her against her will by force threats and terrour of death Notwithstanding to prouide for common tranquillitie shee had giuen authoritie to the Earles of Argathel Eglenton Cassil and Rothsay to accord all differences with her Aduersaries who for all this forbare not with a strong and armed hand to seyze on her person as shee retyred by priuy wayes towards Dunbritton they slew the most of her loyall Subiects and for those remayning some they carried away prisoners others they banished and all this for nothing but onely in that they had faithfully serued their Princesse And that for these inhumane outrages shee was constrained to repaire into England to implore of Queene ELIZABETH that ayd and succour which shee had oftentimes promised her that so shee might be restored to her Countrie and former dignitie A few dayes after Earle Murray Vice-Roy and the Deputies for the Infant-King for so they were nominated put in their Answer which was THat Lord Darley the Kings Father beeing slaine Earle Bothwell who was reputed the author of this Murder had so bewitched the Queenes heart as hee carried her away by force remoued her to Dunbar and after a separation from his owne Wife married her That the Nobles of the Kingdome being moued herewith they thought they could not discharge a better office than to punish Bothwell the author of this assassinate for all ouer the Country it was imputed to a generall conspiracy among the principall of the Nobilitie to restore the Queene to her former libertie to dissolue this vniust marriage and to prouide for the young Kings safetie and the quiet and tranquillitie of the Kingdome When the matter was so exasperated as they were readie to come to hand-blowes the Queene caused Bothwell to retire out of the Realme against the Nobilitie shee thundred out such threats and threatned such reuenge as they were enforced to commit her
Reason bids attribute to worth its due And he detracts that spares to speake what 's true How shall I shunne if shunne the Truth to shame A Parasites or a Detractors name Much care I not yet this much dare I say DARSSIE thou hast done well deseru'st thy pay A Guerdon due to thy laborious Pen Raising ELIZA's Royall Fame agen Such as thy worke such honour as is due Shall to thy well-deseruing Pen accrue In making vulgar now this matchlesse Story England shall euer eternize thy glory THOMAS GASNALL To the worthy Patternes of true Nobilitie and Noble Fauourers of LEARNING Theophilus Lord Howard of Walden Heire apparent to the Earledome of Suffolke The Lady Elizabeth Vicountesse of Walingford his noble and vertuous Sister Oliuer Lord St. Iohn Baron of BLETSO Lady Dorothy St. IOHN Countesse of BATH his Right honourable sister George Lord Berkeley Baron of Berkeley-Castell And the most learned Lady Elizabeth Berkley his Most Noble Mother The Lord Mount-ioy Blunt Baron of Mount-ioy SIR Fulke Greuill Baron of Beauchams-Court and Lord Brooke ALthough a History Right Noble Illustrious bee most dangerous and no lesse troublesome to write yet there is nothing more commodious beneficial and salutiferous to men sith it is the Testimony of Time the light of Truth and the preseruer of Life suffering scarce no mens Names to dye nor their renownes to be buried in obliuion for by the recordation of the deedes which they haue inacted in Times past they are committed to future Times eternized to the perpetuall honour of immortall fame and neuer-dying glory Nay more they seeme as Alexander Scipio Pompey Iulius Caesar Charles the Great and diuers other whose memory is fresh and euer-liuing nothing else but the eternall monuments of Annalls deliuered Hercules and freed other worthy men who liued well and singularly profitable to their Countrey from fading and perishing though dead and forgotten It was this therefore which caused Princes and other great men to desire nothing more then that their worthy deedes and noble acts iudiciously performed in time of Peace as well as generously in Warre should be carefully written and so propagated to all posterities by some learned Historiographer as appeareth by Alexander the Great who when a messenger came to him exulting with ioy and running with a chearefull countenance fully to relate the prosperous successe of his fortunate affaires made him this answere What greater and better newes can you participate and vnfold vnto mee vnlesse by certifying mee that Homer is liuing Intimating thereby that all the glory of his Heroicke actions were like to wither and be forgotten except some such a one as Homer was should reuiue to sing worthily his Encomiums sound his Praises and Victories with the shrill sounding Trumpet of Fame Neuerthelesse confessing my selfe vnable though much desirous to doe you that seruice I haue vndertooke the translation of the Heroick Annals of that euer blessed Queene Elizabeth of most happy memory by which I aime at the preseruation of her glory and to the perpetuall honor of your names vnder whose honorable banner I haue sought to shelter these my poore labours To shew aswel the dutiful seruice of a poore Stranger to these Kingdomes in generall as his humble and sincere affection to all your Honours in particular The worthines of the Subiect makes me not doubt of your noble acceptance inuites mee to bring my Oblation to the Temple of your Vertues where after vnfeigned Prayers for your Honours perpetuall happinesse as well spirituall as temporall I with the lowest step of dutie take my leaue vowing euer to remaine Your Honours humblest deuoted obseruant ABRAHAM DARCIE THE HISTORIE OF THE MOST High Mighty and Inuincible Princesse Queene ELIZABETH of most happy and neuer-dying memory OR ANNALLES Of all the most remarkable things that happened during her blessed Raigne ouer the Kingdomes of England and Jreland c. The 13. yeere of her Raigne Anno 1570. REbellion being then extinct in England the Earle of Murray Vice-roy of Scotland with much care and policie perswaded and industriously laboured that the Queene of Scots might bee resigned and deliuered into his hands proffering to that effect hostages and pledges withall the better to incite a condiscending to this his demand hee promised that the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland should be immediately deliuered backe In the meane time he wrought with such diligence that the Bishop of Rosse as an Author Fauourer and Assister of the Rebels was committed into the safe guard and custody of the Bishop of London And further to oblige Queene ELIZABETH by some speciall seruice he powerfully entred with an Armie vpon the frontier Prouinces of England there to seeke out the English Rebells but apprehending some fewe of small note in the conclusion finds out the Earle of Northumberland whom he found hidden and disguised among a company of Out-lawes and Fugitiues by the meanes of his Oast that discouered him The Vice-Roy much reioycing in his Noble Prize sent him as Prisoner to Lake-Leuin safely there to be kept in guard whilest he persisting in his reuenge with much rigour afflicted the inhabitants of those Frontier parts But vnfortunately retyring himselfe to a Towne called Limnuch which vulgarly passeth by the name of Lithquo there resoluing with himselfe after so many wearisome trauails and excessiue iournies to giue a quiet repose to his ouer-charged spirits the neuer-changing doome of heauen had there set downe the period of his dayes for riding through the Streetes little suspecting the disaster that attended him he was suddenly slaine by the stroke of a bullet vnder his nauell sent from the fatall hand of the Lord Hamilton who by present flight saued himselfe in France where he remained certaine yeeres oftentimes protesting that the strength of his patience no longer able to hold out against the many insolent iniuries done him by the Earle he made his owne hands the author of his owne reuenge For the Vice-Roy knowing him to be one of the Queenes partisans banished him and afterwards imprisoned him and by many threats and menaces of seuere punishment constrained him to release to one of his Tenants a little Countrie Farme which befell to him by reason of his wife that became lunaticke These inforst him to such rage that hauing by some strange meanes broke his prison hee committed this murder After this exploit liuing in France he was there reputed to be a very fit and ready instrument for such actions yet could he neuer be perswaded or procured to doe the like to the Admirall Coligni often answering that he had himselfe taken vengeance of his owne iust griefes and iniuries of which he repented himselfe yet neither reward nor intreaties should any way preuaile so much with him as to be the instrument of anothers reuenge The rumor of this murder being straight diuulged and spred ouer Great-Britaine there arose various opinions and
diuers strange iudgements vpon the same and among other surmizes his mothers dreame was then recalled to memory of a Lyon and a Dragon combating in her wombe after she had beene priuately knowne by Iames the Fifth Diuers were the opinions and censures of most men but especially of those of sounder iudgement and apprehension according to their diuers affections of some he was much commended because he was very studious for the expelling of the Romish Recusants out of Scotland for so carefully preseruing the King being yet an Infant and likewise for his great and liberall bounty to men of learning and aboue all to Bucchanan on the contrary part hee was of other-some greatly condemned because he vnder the colour and couerture of Religion enricht himselfe and his friends with the spoiles of the Church and with a most iniurious ingratitude insulted and tyrannized ouer the imbecillity of his Sisters weake Sexe hauing before obliged him to her by many benefits And of these some would presage through their suspicious coniectures grounded vpon the mischieuous inclination which is incident to most bastards That that man would not spare the Sonne that had bereaued the Mother of her Kingdome The Queen of Scots exprest much sorrow for him because such a violent and vnexpected death had snatcht him away before as she said he had by serious repentance expiated the multiplicity of the sinnes hee had committed against God his Countrey and his Prince But forasmuch as hee greatly fauoured such English as were affected to the Duke of Norfolke hee was thought and accused to bee a faigned and dissembling Politician The next succeeding night to this murder T. Carrey of Fernihurst and Walter a Scottish-man of Buchlui two of the hardiest and valiantest of those Frontiers and so much affected to the Queene of Scots that for their deuout following of her faction and party they suffered banishment with the confiscation of their goods breathing forth defiance and vengeance against the Queene of England because the Vice-Roy in her fauour had so cruelly afflicted the Frontier inhabitants they violated the peace and by force entred into England with a rout of Scottish and some English Rebells consuming and deuasting with sword and fire the neighbouring Countries as though they would haue made them desolate like Desarts whereupon T. Randolph was incontinently dispatcht into Scotland there in a publike Assembly of the Lords of the Realme to giue notice of this iniurious outrage And if by reason of the manifold troubles wherewith Scotland was at that present incumbred they could not represse the disturbers of the Peace the Queene would reuenge and right herselfe by force of Armes of that insolent affront which she had receiued without any way indamaging others saue those that had deseruedly incurred her vengeance To this was only answered That as yet there was no Vice-Roy chosen or designed amongst them Neuerthelesse that the iniuries done to the Frontier inhabitants might bee redressed a command was giuen to the Lord of Sussex to leauie a competent Armie and march against the Lords of Buchlui and of Fernihurst to pursue and chase with deserued rigour onely those that with the rebellious English had ouer-run pillaged those of the Frontiers Now the Earles of Huntley and Argathel that had all this while laboured in the behalfe of the Queene of Scots hearing of his approach sent vnto him one Trebon to demand a Truce and that they might obtaine so long respit vntill they should acquaint Queene ELIZABETH with their affaires But they perceiuing that they could by no meanes wrest him from his dessignes they began first to vse threatnings thinking to deterre him but that not preuailing they were enforst to vse submissiue intreaties that he would become an arbitratour for the abolishing of certaine ordinances which had beene created in Scotland some two yeeres before Neuerthelesse Sussex about the midst of Aprill entred into Scotland with the Baron of Hunsdon Drury Marshall of Barwicke and the English Armie where they burned through the whole Countrey of Tiuisdale the houses and villages of Buchlui and Carrey ouerthrew and destroyed their countrey and vtterly ruinated Fernihurst and Craling two of the principal Forts of T. Carrey At the same instant the Lord Scroope likewise entred vpon the East parts of Scotland laying desolate on euery side through the Earledome of Anaudale the possessions of Ionston others that had in like maner fauoured the English Rebells such was his expedition at his first cōming that there were 300. houses consumed by fire 50. Forts at least laid leuell with the earth A few dayes after the Lord of Sussex entred further into Scotland with the Baron of Hunsdon where they besieged the Castle of Hume which was the chiefe refuge of the English Rebels which yeelded vp as soone as the great Artillery were planted against it But there were found in it but two of the Rebells which they caused presently to be hanged and placing a Garrison in it Drury was forth-with commanded to batter downe Fast-Castle which was also a prime Fortresse of the Baron of Hume which likewise without resistance was yeelded vp The English Rebells then retired into the heart of Scotland associated with diuers other Rebels there with fire and sword they threatned the Frontier inhabitants of England and those in like manner of Scotland that were of the Queenes partie the Lord of Sussex againe sent forth Drury who returned within seuen dayes with 1200. foote and 400. horse Drury receiued from Collingham certaine hostages for the Earles of Angus of Morton of Mar of Glencarne and for the Barons of Reuuen and of Lindsay who with diuers others had recalled the English Then Sussex himselfe accompanied with G. Carrey P. Manours R. Constable which hee had honoured with the order of Knighthood with Druray A. Bowes G. Knolles T. Brichwell R. Gam Elrington Carnill with other Captaines and Commanders in the Armie marching toward Edenborrough ioyned his forces with those Earles and the Duke of Lenox then newly returned from England who before was suspected to be of the partie with the Duke of Norfolke and the Queene of Scots Thus marching through Limnuch towards Glasco where the Lord of Hamilton Duke of Chastelraut had retired himselfe and from thence towards the Castle Hamilton which after they had mightily battered with the Cannon and almost beaten it downe was yeelded vp in a small space Then were the houses of the Hamiltons with their stately and magnificent buildings defaced and consumed with remorcelesse fire ransacking their demaines of Cluisdale and at their chiefe Mannour house situated neere Limnuch Thus the Hamiltons with the rest that tooke part with the deposed Queene beeing extirpated and put to flight the Lords of Scotland and those of the Kings part beeing ready to assemble about the election of a new Vice-Roy they sent to demand counsell of Queene ELIZABETH who sent them this answer That because she would not preiudicate against
and Thomas his brother Percy Lowder Powell and Godier who all declared what they knew in hope of pardon Assoone as the Councell had produced their Confessions in the Dukes presence the Queene of Scotland and the Bishop of Rosse's Letters with the said Remembrance hee was very much deiected considering this remembrance and those Letters which through a weake credulity he supposed to bee burned he sighed and brake out into these words I Haue beene betrayed and vndone by mine owne people in fayling to distrust which is the onely sinnewe of Wisedome But he humbly besought the Councell to mediate the Queenes fauour in his behalfe promising to conceale nothing of what he knew and seriously protested that he neuer approued of any thing which was to the preiudice of the Qu. or Kingdome But on the contrary from the very bottome of his heart condemned the designe of seizing vpon the Queenes person or the Towre of London and the setting at liberty of the Queene of Scotland and that hee neuer harboured a thought so much of bringing forraigne Troupes into Great Brittaine but only to suppresse certaine of the Scots rebelling against the Queen Being this day examined vpon 50. Articles or thereabouts hee answered without dissimulation After that they penned the substance of the whole businesse in the Star-Chamber before a great Assembly of Noble-men in presence of the Lord Maior and Shiriffes of the Citie of London from thence in the Palace of London in view of all the inhabitants by G. Fleetwood Recorder of the Citie And forasmuch as by all these confessions especially by the Dukes the Bishop of Rosse was conuicted as Author of these Plots they seriously consulted what was best to bee done For as they doe ordinarily that haue such charges he conceiued that it was lawfull for him to vse any meanes for the aduancement of the affaires of his Princesse and that by the oath and inuiolable right of an Ambassadour he was not bound to acknowledge the authority of any other and relying hereupon exposed himselfe to the liberty of diuers turbulent Actions kindling of seditions and taking counsell in the night with the Earle of Southampton and afterwards inclining to the English Fugitiues in Flanders the Duke of Alua the Spaniard and the Pope about the inuasion of England They proposed hereupon vnto Lewes Dale Drury Aubrey and Iones men of sound iudgement in the Ciuill-Lawes In the first place WHether an Ambassadour mouing sedition against the Prince vnto whom he is sent may enioy the priuiledge of an Ambassadour or not and whether he be not subiect to punishment as an Enemy To which they answered that by the Common Lawe of Nations and Ciuill-Law of the Romanes such an Ambassadour was falne from all priuiledge and was subiect to punishment as an enemy WHether a Minister or Agent of a deposed Prince another being crowned in his place ought to haue the priuiledge of an Ambassadour They answered that if such a Prince be lawfully deposed his Minister cannot challenge the priuiledge of an Ambassadour forasmuch as none but absolute Princes which haue soueraigne power can constitute Ambassadours In the third place WHether a Prince being come into another Kingdome and kept in hold may haue his Agent and if this Agent ought to be accounted an Ambassadour or not They answere That a Prince may prohibit an Ambassadour to enter into his Kingdome and command him out of his Kingdome if he doth not containe himselfe within the limits prescribed to Ambassadours but in the meane time he ought to enioy the priuiledge of an Ambassadour for the authority of his Ambassie Vpon the answers of these Ciuill-Lawiers the Bishop of Rosse being called backe from the Isle of Ely and sharply reprooued the Councell denounced him not to be acknowledged an Ambassadour but to be punished as a pernicious Malefactor To which he answered THat he beeing Ambassadour to an absolute Queene vniustly deposed had according to his duty laboured for the libertie of his Princesse and for the good of both the Kingdomes that hee was come into England with ample authoritie vnder publique testimony which hee exhibited and that the sacred Rites of Ambassadours ought not by any meanes to be violated Whereupon Burghley grauely shewes him that neither the Rites of the Ambassies nor publique Letters of Credit are of validitie for Ambassadours which offend against the publique faith but are subiect to penall actions and that otherwise it should be permitted to wicked Ambassadours to attempt against the life of Princes vnpunished He on the contrary opinatiuely maintained that the authority of Ambassadours had neuer beene violated by way of Rite but onely by way of fact to vse his owne words and boldly admonisheth them not to deale with him more sharpely then the English Ambassadours had beene dealt with Throgmorton in France Randolph and Tamworth in Scotland who had apparantly excited and nourished rebellions and were acquitted vpon command to depart within a certaine time They began to presse him vpon the witnesse of some English-men he gently intreated them not to doe it because saith hee that a receiued custome doth establish it selfe for a Law An Englishman ought not to beare witnesse against a Scottishman nor a Scottishman against an Englishman After some arguings hereupon whether such custome tooke place elsewhere then vpon the Frontiers of both the Kingdomes and whether English Ambassadours had stirred Rebellion or no Rosse is carried to the Tower of London where being straitly kept within a few dayes hee briefly made answere to all the interrogatories with this caution that his answeres might not be preiudicious to any And first he excused the Queene of Scots who being prisoner and in the prime of her age seeking to escape by any meanes ELIZABETH hauing excluded all from seeing her and barred her from all hope of libertie and openly supported all her aduersaries afterwards excuseth the Duke that hee had not treated marriage with her but by the aduice of many that were of Queen ELIZABETHS Councell nor could he relinquish her although he had vnder his owne hand-writing promised to doe it forasmuch as before that promise a former promise of marriage had passed betweene them And finally excuseth himselfe that being Ambassadour and Minister could not without blame leaue the duety of his charge and be wanting to his Princesse in her afflictions and that he had propounded the seyzing of the person of Queene ELIZABETH to no other end but to try whether the Duke had a minde prepared to doe a mischieuous act and verily hee craftily extenuated the offences of the rest and would neuer discouer the names of the Nobles which offered themselues to the Dukes seruice for the seyzing of the Queenes person onely confessed that by the commandement of the Queene of Scots he consulted with the Earles of Arundel Lumley and Throgmorton and by Lumley and the Vicount of Mountague because that he was to deliuer into the hands of the English the
of Spaine the Iudges of England had no power ouer him But hee was condemned according to the forme of Nihil dicit because no man can free himselfe from the Lawes of the Countrey where he is borne nor renounce his naturall Countrey nor his Prince and suffered as a Traytor There was then for certaine yeeres controuersie betweene the Portugals and the English during the commerce betweene them and the Moores for pure Gold from the yeere 1552. in that part of Africa called Guienne and others who had first discouered those Coasts hindered as much as they could by force of armes so as they fought sometimes by Sea and detained Ships on both sides But Sebastian King of Portugall being newly come to age to make a peace sent Francis Gerard into England who made a Couenant with the Queene almost in these very words THat a perfect amitie may be made and free commerce had on both sides the one shall not attempt any thing to the preiudice of the other nor lend succour to their enemies Rebels or Traytors the Merchandize Moneyes and Ships which are vnder arrest to be restored And Queene ELIZABETH to gratifie the King of Portugal prohibiteth the English to vse any Nauigation in the Seas or to the Lands which the Portugals had conquered And that if they should doe otherwise it should be vpon their owne perill if the Portugals should depriue them both of goods and liues The Kingdomes of Portugal and Argarbe also the Iles of Azores and Madera excepted in which free Nauigation was permitted This yere W. Parre Marquis of Northampton being very old peaceably departed this life a man much conuersant and well read in the delectable studies of Musicke and intertainement of Louers and other courtly iucundities who was first raised to the dignitie of Baron Parre of Kendal afterwards he married Anne Bourchier sole daughter heire to the Earle of Essex at the same time when the King married his sister and afterwards bâ— EDVVARD made Marquis of Northampton vnder the reigne of MARIE hee was condemned of High-Treason for taking armes on the behalfe of Iane Grey who was brought in by subornation to be Queene but was shortly after pardoned and restored to his inheritance as he was afterwards to his honours by Queene ELIZABETH He had no Children but left to be his heire Henrie Herbert Earle of Pembroke his other Sisters Sonne Iohn Iewell a man of an excellent spirit and exquisit learning in Theologie and of great pietie died the same yeere being hardly fiftie yeeres of age descended of good Parents in Deuonshire and commendably brought vp in Corpus Christi Colledge in the Vniuersitie of Oxford who in Queene MARIES reigne was banished into Germanie and afterwards by Queene ELIZABETH beeing made Bishop of Salisburie put forth in the yeere 1562. an Apologie for the English Church and most learnedly defended the Protestants Religion against Harding who was falne from it in two Volumes in our owne Tongue which are now translated into the Latine Ireland at that time was quiet enough for Iohn Perâ—t President of Mounster had so ransacked Iohn Fitz-Morris who had pillaged Kilmalocke that hee was constrained to hide himselfe in Caues and in the end as wee shall relate hereafter brought to begge pardon with humble submission Sidney Deputie of Ireland returning into England Fitz-William who had married his Sister succeeded in his place THE FIFTEENTH YEERE OF Her Reigne Anno Dom. 1572. THe beginning of a new yeere brought forth a new Tragicall spectacle to the Inhabitants of London for in the Palace of Westminster a Scaffold was erected from the one end to the other with a Tribunall vpon it and seates on either side the like had not bin seene for eighteene yeeres before Thither vpon the sixteenth day of Ianuary was Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke conducted betweene Owen Hopton Lieutenant of the Tower of London and Peter Carew Knight before whom was borne the fatall Axe with the edge forward vpon the Tribunall was seated George Talbot Earle of Shrewsbury constituted Lord high Steward of England for that day vpon either side of him were placed the Nobles appointed Commissioners which we call Peeres to wit Reynold Gray Earle of Kent Tho. Ratcliffe Earle of Sussex Henry Hastings Earle of Huntington Francis Russell Earle of Bedford Henry Herbert Earle of Pembroke Edw. Seimor Earle of Hartford Ambrose Dudley Earle of Warwicke Robert Dudley Earle of Leicester Walt. Deuâ—reux Vicount of Hereford Edward Lord Clinton Admirall William Lord Howard of Effingham Chamberlaine William Cecill Lord Burghley Secretarie Arthur Lord Gray of Wilton Iea. Blount Lord Mountioy Will. Lord Sands Tho. Lord Wentworth William Lord Bourrowes Lewes Lord Mordant Iohn Pawlet Lord S. Iohn of Basing Robert Lord Rich Roger Lord North Edm. Bruges Lord Chandos Oliuer Lord S. Iohn of Bletso Tho. Sackuill Lord Buckhurst and Will. West Lord De-la-Ware Silence being commanded the Commission was read importing the power giuen to the Iudge Then Carter chiefe King of Heralds deliuered into his hands a white wand which he presently after deliuered to the Groome Porter who standing by did hold it erected the whole time of the Court. Silence againe commanded the Lieutenant of the Tower was bidden to bring forth his charge and present the Duke before the Seat of Iustice who foorth-with appeared on either side were the Lieutenants of the Tower and Peter Carew next of all he that carried the Axe the edge thereof turned from the Duke Silence the third time proclaimed the Clerke appointed for the Acts of Iudgement thus spake to the Duke Thomas Duke of Norfolke late of Kenninghale in the County of Norfolke hold vp thy hand When he had holden vp his hand the said Clerke read aloud the Crimes of which he was accused that is to say That in the eleuenth yeere of Queene ELIZABETH and afterwards the Duke hath treacherously held counsell to depose the Queene from her Kingdome to take away her life and to inuade the Realme by raysing of warre and bringing in troupes of Strangers That notwithstanding he had certaine knowledge that Mary late Queene of Scots had arrogated to herselfe the Crowne of England with the Title and Armes thereof yet hath he treated vnknowne to the Queene of a marriage betwixt them and contrary to the promise vnder his hand and Seale hath lent vnto her certaine large summes of money That hee had assisted and succoured the Earles of Northumberland Westmerland Marquenfield and others notwithstanding that hee had good notice that they had raised Rebellion against the Queene and were chased into Scotland That in the thirteenth yeere of the Queenes Reigne by Letters he demanded succours of the Pope Pius Quintus sworne Enemy to the Queene of the Spaniard and Duke D' Alua to set the Queene of Scots at liberty and re-establish the Romane religion in England Finally that hee had relieued and aided Heris a Scottish-man and others enemies
businesse more deliberately attempted carried with more courage and constancy of the Confederates nor lasted longer time vndiscouered by any of the coniurate-society That their military Companies might in foure and twentie houres space be put ouer out of Flanders into England the Queene and the City of London suddenly surprized Religion restored and the Queene of Scotland settled and crowned in her steade All which were like to haue the better successe for that Thomas Stukeley an English Fugitiue was then in readinesse with three thousand men to bring Ireland in subiection to the King of Spaine and with three Ships that were Spies set the English Fleete on fire Thus H. Catene of which much was vnknowne till the yeere 1588. when he published a booke printed at Rome and priuiledged by Sixtus the Sixth Now returne wee to the purpose if we be digrest Scarce ten dayes after the Dukes death were sent to the Queene of Scots then all mournefull and in sorrow Will. Lord de-la-Warre Sir Ralph Sadler Tho. Wilson Doctor of the Ciuill Lawes and T. Bromley the Queenes Attourney who were so to expostulate with her as to charge her for vsurping the Title and Armes of England nor that she had renounced them according as it was conditioned at Edenborrough and to assume them more freely had secretly contriued to marry with the Duke of Norfolke which the rather to bring to passe shee had left nothing vnassayed by the ministery of her Agents by force and Armes to set the Duke at liberty had raised Rebellion in the North Countrey had succoured the conuicted Rebels of Scotland and Flanders had by Ridolph the Italian his solliciting implored the aydes of the Pope the King of Spaine and others for inuading the Countrey of England they vrged also that shee had receiued Letters from the Pope who had promised to keepe her as safe vnder his wing as the Hen doth her Chickens calling her and her Complices The true Children of the Church And finally that shee had procured a Bull from the Pope against the Queene and and had suffered herselfe by her friends in forraigne parts to be called The Queene of England To all these with a bold countenance and constant resolution hauing first protested herselfe to be a free Prince and subiect to none she answered THat she had not vsurped the Title or Armes of England but that being yet young and vnder the power of her Husband the King of France necessity imposed them vpon her but since her Husbands death shee neuer bore them wherefore it was not to be imputed to her as any fault of hers neither would she take them to her so long as ELIZABETH liued or any Childe shee should beare That in the matching with the Duke of Norfolke shee had no thought of any ill might happen to the Cōmon-wealth but rather much good and if she should renounce the marriage it was contrary to the matrimoniall Vow she had made and that by dutie thereof she was bound to aduertise the Duke of his dangers and to quit himselfe out of prison That she had neuer raised nor consented to the raising of any tumults but was alwaies ready to discouer what plots shee knew of against the Queene or Countrey if she had pleased by her to bee admonished of or to haue admitted her to her sight or hearing nor at any time had succoured the English Rebels but only by her Letters had recommended the Countesse of Northumberland to the Duke D'Alua Of Ridolph she was to haue necessary vse for her pensionary Annuities and in some money-matters whom shee knew to be a great Fauourite of the Popes but neuer had receiued any Letters from him had neuer dealt with any touching her deliuery but indeed had not refused to giue eare to such as had offered the seruice in that kind and for that cause had passed her priuie Seale to Rowlston and Hall She had sometimes receiued Letters consolatory and full of piety from the Pope wherein was no mention of any such matter nor had shee procured any Bull from Rome onely on a time a copie of one of them was shewed her which after she had read shee cast it into the fire But if any out of forraigne Countries shall write or speake otherwise then they ought they ought to answere it and to suffer the penaltie of their faults She neuer sought or sent either to the Pope or K. of Spaine for the procuring any inuasion vpon England but had implored their helpes for her restoring into her owne Realme but not before her Maiestie had preadmonition thereof But if shee were to be called in question concerning these Letters she requested for that shee was issued from the Bloud Royall of England that she might answere for herselfe in person in open Parliament In the meane time was Scotland all vp in Armes miserably troubled with Ciuill Warres whilest on the one side such as fauoured the Queene relying vpon aide from the French and the other party expecting the like from England had dayly encounters together notwithstanding both English and French shewed themselues most desirous to appease and accord their dissentions by the Ambassages which either countrey sent into Scotland Of which France proposed that their most commodious course would bee to elect amongst them some persons of well-known worth and wisedome to gouerne the Kingdome for a time not taking vpon them supreame authority or the names of King or Queene they were not willing to acknowledge for King the King of Scotland for that they held hee had no right but by his mother and that shee was vniustly deposed of her Subiects and therefore shee was iustly to bee reputed their Queene and the ancient League of Alliance betwixt her and France to continue firme and inuiolable Those likewise from England on the contrary maintained by strong argument that such an Administration or popular gouernment would be an Anarchy and that the Commonwealth was not to admit plurality of Gouernours and that Scotland hauing alwaies beene commanded by Kings was not now to haue an election of such Administrators That the States of the Realme had deposed the Queene and lawfully crowned and inthroned the King and that the ancient recited Alliance was a contract not of persons but of the two Kingdomes of France and Scotland alledging also that by an expresse Law the most Christian King was bound to defend the King of Scots in these termes If there happen at any time controuersie about the Kingdome of Scotland the Kings of France shall support ayde and defend him whom the States of Scotland shall adiudge the Title of the Kingdome to And as touching the causes of the Queenes deposing it should bee enquired of of those Scots who haue deposed her The French notwithstanding openly fauouring the partie of the Queene of Scotland became serious intercessours to her Maiestie for to set her at liberty lest that as his Ambassadour did freely hee might
Silua that his power grew too strong and his name aboue his Prince and that by his violent and sharpe command he would cause the Flemmings to reuolt yea to grow to desperation although some thought who were bloody-minded that none was so fit by Warre to bring Holland into subiection Which kinde of men thought their King too mercifull if he intended by meekenesse to bring the Prince of Orange and his confederates who had resolued mindes to retaine their freedome beeing confirmed thereto by their riches and strength of situation Lodowicke Zuniga of Requesen was appointed to take his charge The great Commander of Castile a milder natured man who by all offices of loue desired to oblige Queene ELIZABETH would by no meanes thrust himselfe into the affaires either of England or Scotland I know not whether I should or no call to minde the opinion of Burchet who thought it lawfull to kill those that were aduersaries to the Euangelicall truth who was so transported therewith that hee wounded with a poiniard Hawkins that famous Sea-man thinking him to be Hatton who was at that time one of the Queenes greatest Fauourites of her most intimate counsell and an enemy to Innouators The Queene was so extraordinarily prouoked herewith that shee commanded him to be proceeded against according to the Marshall Lawe vntill shee was aduised by some of her prudent Councellours that this Law had no place but in Warres and turbulent times but at home it ought to bee done by ordinary forme of Iustice Being called to Iustice he maintained that what he did was consonant to Scripture and therefore lawfull Afterwards seeing himselfe neere condemnation for heresie promised to renounce this opinion yet neuerthelesse when hee had a little more debated the case he would not In the end beeing committed to the Towre of London hee killed one of his Keepers with a piece of wood which hee tooke out of a Chimney and threw at his head and beeing condemned of murder had his right hand cut off and being at the Gallowes obstinately maintained his opinion and so was hanged In the beginning of this yeere dyed George Howard Baron of Effingham Lord Priuie Seale sonne to Tho. Howard Duke of Norfolke the famous Warriour by Agnes Tilnie his second wife a man of remarkeable fidelity and of an inuincible courage who first was Gouernour of Calais afterwards made a Baron by Queene MARY Admirall of England and Lord Chamberlaine and likewise by Queene ELIZABETH vntill broken with age he surrendred his Office to Sussex a few daies before he dyed and as I haue said before was made Lord Priuie Seale the fourth degree of Honour in England he had to succeed him in the honour of his Baronie Charles his son who was afterwards Chamberlaine to the Queene and high Admirall of England At the same time dyed likewise R. Gray Earle of Kent whom the Queene from a priuate man had called to this honour when that Title had beene vacant 50. yeeres after the death of R. Gray Earle of Kent who had consumed his Patrimony elder brother to this mans great Grandfather and Henrie his Sonne succeeded him It is not fit in silence to ouer passe I. Caius a famous Phisician who dyed at the same time he was borne at Norwich brought vp at Cambridge and Padua who gaue himselfe wholly to the studie of Phisicke translated and commented vpon the most part of Gallens and Celsus workes and gaue all his meanes to Schollers Adding a new Colledge to the old of Gonuell Hall and 25. fellow Commoners to be perpetually brought vp and of both made but one Colledge called by the names of Gonuell and Caius in which he is intombed with this Epitaph Fui Caius In Ireland the houses of O-Conom and O-More impatient of peace hauing gathered some bands of Theeues and Rebels made outragious incursions rob'd and burned Atlone vpon the Riuer Siney and willing to ioyne their forces with the Rebels of Mounster they were hindred by I. Perot President of Mounster who so ransackt Iames Fitz-Moris and Fitz-Edmonds Seneschall of Imoquell that rebelled by continuall ouer-running them and after hee had killed many of their men and taken the Castle of Maine and the French Garrison he compelled them to craue pardon most submissiuely for their faults within the Temple of Kilmalock called The holy Cell of Malachie At the same time the Earle of Desmond and Iohn his Brother authors of this Rebellion being brought backe out of England into Ireland by Fitton were imprisoned by the said Fitton at Dublin but after a while were let goe In Vlster Brian Mach-phelin who had vsurped the most part of Clandeboy burned the Towne of Knoc-fergus and some others began to trouble the Countrie George Deuereux lately created Earle of Essex by Queene ELIZABETH desired to be imployed against them by the counsell of those who had a designe to haue him farre from the Court vnder colour of increasing his honour to precipitate him into dangers which were not hidden from him But as he was vigilant and from his youth addicted to the Warres continuing constant in his designe agreed with the Queene that if hee draue out the Rebels hee and his partners should haue the halfe of Clandeboy vpon certaine conditions and to maintaine it he would entertaine at his owne charge two hundred Horse and foure hundred Foote To this end he borrowed of the Queene a thousand pounds for which and for Munition hee engaged Lands that he had in Essex G. Fitz-William Deputie of Ireland fearing that the splendor of so great an Earle should dimme his in Ireland counselled the Queene not to send him giuing her to vnderstand that all the Countrie of Vlster would reuolt at his comming Notwithstanding he is sent and to maintaine the honour and authority of the Deputy was to take Letters from him to be Gouernour of Vlster which he obtained though slowly after many importunate sollicitations After hauing bin beaten with a terrible Tempest he was driuen to Knock fergus about the end of August with the Lord Darcy and Lord Rich Henry Knollis and his foure brothers M. and I. Carey Iohn Noris with a company of Souldiers leuied in haste Brian Mac-phelin vnderstanding of his comming draue all his cattle which were all his wealth into the heart of the Countrey for without counting Sheepe and Hogs he had thirtie thousand head of Cattell and seeing him ashore saluted him and congratulated his arriuall and most courteously offered him all dutie and seruice and likewise Mac-Gillespike Mac-Gill Hugh Baron of Dungannon and all of account neere thereabout In consideration whereof he promised him pardon for his rebellion and studied which way he might oblige him But he reuolted and drew his men presently to Turlough Leinich and afterwards made light Skirmishes continually against the English The Lord Riche's particular affaires called him into England and returned within a moneth Henry Knollis in like manner
comfortable securitie by the Queenes children so often times wished for But if these marriages be neglected it was to be feared that the French would be prouoked the Scots alienated the Duke of Aniou marry the Daughter of Spaine with whom hee should haue in Dowry the Low-Country Prouinces draw the King of Scotland to be of their party procure him a Wife to bring him riches abolish the reformed Religion and the English when they should see no hope of Children by the Queene would adore the Rising-Sunne Whereat shee could not chuse but be much tormented in minde and pine away to death As in these dayes very many English feared a change of Religion by the Duke of Aniou so were the Scots afraid it would be with them by another French-man Aimé or Esme Stuart Lord of Aubigny who at the same time was come into Scotland to see the King his Cousin for he was Sonne to Iohn Stuart Brother to Matthew Stuart Earle of Lenox who was the Kings Grand-father and tooke his denomination Aubigni from a House situate in Berri that is so called which Charles the Seuenth King of France gaue in time past to Iohn Stuart of the Family of Lenox who was Constable of the Scottish Army in France defeated the English at Baugency afterwards slaine by them at the battel of Harrans and euer since that house hath descended vpon the younger Sonnes The King embracing him with a singular good affection gaue him rich demains and admitted him into his most intimate consultations established him Lord high Chamberlaine of Scotland and Gouernour of Dunbriton first created him Earle and afterwards Duke of Lenox after hauing directly reuoked the Letters of honour by which in his non-age he had created Robert Bishop of Cathanesse Earle of the same place his Grand-fathers third Brother and had giuen him in recompence the County of March This flourishing fauour with the King procured many to enuy him who murmured because hee was deuoted to the Guizes and the Romane Religion and that hee was sent to subuert the true Religion This suspicion increased in regard hee ioyned himselfe to Mortons aduersaries and did intercede for the reuoking of Thomas Carr of Fernihurst who was most if any were addicted to the Queene of Scots Morton whose power was apparently falling stroue in vaine although it might seeme that he had excellently well deserued in defeating the Hamiltons and taking the Castle of Hamilton and Daffrane There were at that time who stirred vp much hatred in the King against the Hamiltons obiecting and vrging their names as a thing of great terrour so as out of a necessitie they were for their owne safetie compelled to defend the Castle again the King but they were constrained to yeeld it vp and by authoritie of Parliament proscribed for the murdering as well of Murrey as Lenox Regents as a thing by them performed Many of those fled together into England for whom Queene ELIZABETH diligently interposeth by Erington as well for honour as in reason of Iustice that shee had obliged her faith in the yeere 1573. for the settling of peace that they should not be called in question for those matters without her consent Shee also at the same time was vndertaking in another part of the World Amurathes Cham or the Sultaine of the Turkes granted to William Harburne an English-man and to Mustapha Beg Bassa to the TVRKE that the English Merchants euen as the French Venecians Pollanders the King of the Germanes and other neighbouring Natitions should trade freely thorow all his Empire whereupon they by the Queenes authority made a Company which they call TVRKEY MERCHANTS and since that time they haue vsed a most gainefull Trade of Merchandize at Constantinople Angoria Chio Petrazzo Alexandria Egypt Cyprus and other places in Asia for Drugges Spices Cottons Raw-Silke Carpets Indian-Dyes Corinthian-Grapes Sope c. As for that execrable impiety of Hamont brought forth at that time in Norwich against GOD and his Christ and as I hope is extinct with his ashes or rather confounded in obliuion then remembred Neither am I of opinion of those which thinke that the publique hath interest that all sorts of vices poysons and impieties to be made manifest seeing that hee differs little from teaching which shewes such things This yeere was the last of Nicholas Bacon Keeper of the Great Seale of England who by decree of Parliament enioyed vnder this name the honour and dignitie of Chancellor of England a very fat man of a quicke subtill spirit singular wisdome height of eloquence stedfast memory and the other pillar of the sacred Councell whose place Thomas Bromley enioyed with the title of Chancellor of England Bacon is followed by Thomas Gresham Citizen of London a Merchant-Royall and of the order of Knight-hood Sonne to Sir Richard Gresham Knight who built for the ornament of his Countrey and vse of the Merchants of London that beautifull and goodly Walking-place which Queene ELIZABETH named The Royall-Exchange And the spacious Houses which hee had in the Citie hee dedicated to the profession of Learning and constituted in the same Lectures of sacred Diuinitie of the Ciuill Law Physick Astronomie Geometrie and Rhetoricke with honest pensions In Mounster a Prouince in Ireland new rebellion was kindled by Iames Fitz-Morris who hauing before cast himselfe vpon his knees at the feete of Perot President of Mounster and with teares sighes and humble supplications asked pardon made a holy vow of fidelitie and obedience to the Queene Hee I say who found no rest but in troubles with-drew himselfe into France promised the King if hee would lend ayde to ioyne the whole Kingdome of Ireland to the Scepter of France and restore the Romish Religion But wearied with delayes and in the end derided from France he goes to Spaine and promiseth the like to the Catholike King who sent him to the Pope of whom by the sollicitation of Sanders an English Priest and Allan an Irish Priest both Doctors of Diuinitie with much adoe hauing got a little money and Sanders the authority of Legat a consecrated Ensigne and Letters commendatorie to the King of Spaine returnes to Spaine and from thence with those Diuines three Ships and a few Souldiers they came and arriued about the Calends of Iuly at the Village of Saint Marie which the Irish call Smerwick in Kerrie a-pen-Insule in Ireland and after that the Priests had consecrated the place raised a Fort and brought the Ships neere vnto it those Ships Thomas Courtney an English Gentleman made haste with a Ship of warre which lay in a Road neere vnto them by and by to assault and taking them carries them away and barres the Spaniards from all benefit of the Sea Iohn and Iames brethren to the Earl of Desmond with great speed drew together a few Irish ioyne with their Confederate Fitz-Morris and the Earle himselfe who fauoured
darke and thicke cloudes extremity of cold and open Cliffes couered thicke with snow hee landed at the 38. Degree and hauing found a commodious Rode remained there a certaine time The inhabitants of that Countrie were naked merry lusty iumping leaping and dancing perpetually sacrificing and showing by signe and words that they would elect Francis Drake for their King neither could it be coniectured that euer the Spaniard had bin there or so farre in that Countrie Drake named that very countrey being fat and good full of Deeres and Conies The new Albion Causing a great Poste to be there erected vpon which there was ingrauen an Inscription which shewed the yeere of our Lord the name of Queene ELIZABETH and their landing there and vnderneath a piece of siluer of Queene ELIZABETHS Coine was nailed to the said Poste Afterwards hauing weighed Anchor in the moneth of Nouember he arriued in the Ilands of the Mollucques where the King of the I le of Ternata receiued him graciously and from thence sayling vpon that sea full of Rockes and Ilands his ship was the ninth day of Ianuary driuen to the top of a Rocke couered with water where it remained in great danger seuen and twenty houres and was accounted no better then lost by all the men of the ship who fell deuoutly vpon their knees praying hartily vnto the Lord expecting hourely to perish with all the aboundance of riches heaped vp together with so much paine But after they had hoysted their Sprit-Sayle and cast into the Sea 8. Peeces of Ordnance and diuers marchandizes a fauourable wind rose as sent of God which bore the ship aside and withdrew it from aboue the Rocke After this he landed at Iaua major greatly afflicted with the Poxe which the Inhabitants doe cure sitting in the heate of the sunne to drie vp the poysonous and malignant humor Where hauing tryed the humanity of the little King of the Countrey he tooke his way towards the Cape of Bona esperance which was celebrated as very remarkable by the Mariners which had formerly seene it He landed vpon that coast to take in water but found no fountaine there if he had not in time prouided of water when it rained they had all beene in great distresse for sweet water At last he tooke in some at Riogrand from whence hee finished his iourney into England with a fauourable wind which brought his Ship the ninth of Nouember 1580. safe into the Hauen of Plimouth where he tooke shipping after his being abroad about the space of three yeeres during which time he worthily sayled round about the Earth to the admiration and laudable applause of all people and without purchasing blame for any other things than for his putting to death Doughty for leauing at the mercy of the Spaniards that Portugal Ship by him taken at the mouth of Africa neere vnto Aquatulqua and for hauing most inhumanely exposed in an Iland that Negro or Black-more-Maide who had beene gotten with Child in his Ship Queene ELIZABETH receiued him graciously with all clemency caused his riches to be sequestred and in readinesse whensoeuer the Spaniard should re-claime them Her Maiesty commanded likewise that for a perpetuall memory to haue so happily circuited round about the whole Earth his Ship should be drawne from the water and put aside neere Deptford vpon Thames where to this houre the body thereof is seene and after the Queenes feasting therein shee consecrated it with great ceremonie pompe and magnificence eternally to be remembred and her Maiesty forthwith honoured Drake with the dignity of Knighthood As these things were performed a slight Bridge made of Boords by which people went vp into the Ship was broken downe by the Multitude and about a hundred persons fell with it they neuerthelesse receiued no harme at all insomuch that the Ship seemed to haue beene built in a happy coniunction of the Planets That very day against the great Mast of the said Ship many verses composed to the praise honour of Sir Francis Drake were fastned and fixed among which these in Latin were written by a Scholler of the Colledge of Winchester PLVS VLTRA Herculeis inscribas Drace columnis Et magno dicas Hercule maior ero Escri DRAC ces deux mots sur les piliers du Temple Qui sut sacré iadis à Hercule guerâ—ier PLVS OVLTRE quelque grand qu'ait esté son lauâ—ier Di que le tien doibt estre plus grand plus ample DRAKE on the Herculean columnes these words write Thou farther wentst then any mortall wight Though Hercules for trauell did excell From him and others thou didst beare the bell DRACE pererrati quem nouit terminus orbis Quemque simul mundi vidit vterque Polus Si taceant homines faciunt te sydera notum Sol nescit comitis non memor esse sui DRAC qui as parcouru tous les quartiers du monde Et les Poles as vâ—u Quand les gens manqueront A chanter tes vertus les Astres le feront Le Soleil n'oublira celuy qui le seconde Braue DRAKE that round about the world didst saile And viewedst all the Poles when men shall faile Thee to commend the starres will do 't the Sunne Will not forget how with him thou didst run Digna ratis quae stet radiantibus inclyta stellis Supremo coeli vertice digna ratis CE NAVIRE qui rend à tous homines notoire La gloire d'vn grand Chef merite que les Dieux Mettent autour de luy des Astres radieux Et au plus hault du Ciel estre éclatant de gloire THAT SHIP whose good successe did make thy name To be resounded by the trump of Fame Merits to be beset with Stars diuine Instead of waues and the Skie to shine Nothing anger'd worse Sir Francis Drake than to see the Nobles and the chiefest of the Court refuse that Gold and Siluer which he presented them withall as if hee had not lawfully come by it The Commons neuerthelesse applauded him with all praise and admiration esteeming he had purchased no lesse glory in aduancing the limits of the English their honour and reputation than of their Empire Bernard Mendoze then Ambassadour for Spaine in England murmuring at it and as not well pleased demands vehemently of the Queene the things taken But he was answered THat the Spaniards had procured vnto themselues that euil through their iniustice towards the English in hindering against the right of Nations their Negotiations That Sir Francis Drake was alwaies ready to answere the Law if by iust inditements and certaine testimonies they could conuict him to haue committed any thing against equity That to no end but to giue satisfaction to their King the riches he brought in were sequestred though her Maiesty had spent against the Rebels which Spaine had moned and instigated in Ireland and England against her more money than Drake was
accepted the Challenge which two after a while trauersing their ground to and fro without one drop of blood-shed betooke themselues to drinke freely together and so of enemies became friends and parted Yet here wee must not omit to obserue that our Englishmen who of all the Northerne Nations haue beene most commended for sobrietie haue learned since these Low-Country warres so well to fill their cups and to wash themselues with Wine that whilest they at this day drinke others healths they little regard their owne And that this vicious practice of drunkennesse hath so ouerflowed the Land that lawes proscripts of restraint are vsually made for the drying vp of the same But whilest they were all this while contending in the Low-Countries for Dorppes Villages the King of Spaine getteth into his hands the rich Kingdome of Portugall For Henry which was King hauing paid Natures tribute the yeare before left the Realm to diuers Competitors amongst whom Philip King of Spaine sonne of his eldest Sister puissant enough in force though not in right by reason of his priority in blood and descent comming of the elder line and being Male thought with his friends himselfe worthiest to bee preferred to the succession of the said Kingdome before the women the yonger sort and such as did lesse participate of the blood The Duke of Sauoy reiected for that he came of the yonger Sister Farnese sonne to the Prince of Parma borne of the eldest Daughter of EDWARD brother King HENRY and KATHERINE of Brabant second daughter to the said EDWARD grounding themselues only vpon the benefit of Representation a simple fiction could not annihilate the true Title of Inheritance nor intercept the King of Spaines lawfull succession and this the Spaniards stood to maintaine And as touching Don Antonio Prior of Crates sonne to Lewis the second brother of King HENRY he was ipso facto reiected for that he was illegitimate The King of Spaine neuerthelesse propounded the matter twice to his Clergy and men of Law to decide the cause charging them in the name of God and vpon their faith and saluation to tell him freely whether hee had rightfull claime or no to that Kingdome They hauing with vnanimous voice assured him that it was proper to him he quickly putting forth first the Duke of Alua put to flight Antonio elected of the people and within 70 dayes brought all Portugall vnder his iurisdiction But touching the Right of Katherin de Medicis the Queen of France who claimed it from Alphonsus and the Earles of Boulogne for 320 yeares agone that the Spaniards laughed at as a Title out of date and fetcht from the old Prophetesse the Mother of Euander a thing iniurious to so many of the Kings of Portugal which had lawfully and lineally succeeded one another and therefore ridiculous to both Spaniards and Portugals Whereat the Queene incensed with anger and considering how mightily the Spaniard now in his ascendant enriched himselfe farre and neare by the accession or surcrease of this new-got Kingdome his Ilands and the East Indies breeding a feare within her to her selfe and the Princes her neighbouring friends aduised them and amongst the rest the Queene of England that it was already high time to stay the Spaniards in his mounting and to stop him vp within his owne bounds before his ambition should extend any further Queene ELIZABETH who was not to learne what shee had to doe in that nature for her selfe and her friends and foreseeing how dangerous the growing greater of the neighbour Princes would be lent eare thereto with no light attention but with great and Royall kindnesse entertained Antonio banished out of Portugall and recommended to her from France thinking that Spaine could not take exception thereat because hee was of her Alliance issued from the Blood Royall of England and of the House of Lancaster as shee well knew nor in any Treaties that euer had past betwixt Spaine and England was any caueat at all inferred forbidding England to receiue or to haue commerce with the Portugals At the same time for the more confirmation of assured amitie the Queene of France and the King her sonne prosecuting the mariage of the Duke d' Anjou addrest an honourable ambassage into England for the consummation thereof came ouer François de Bourbon Prince of Daulphiné Arthur de Cosse Cont de Secondigny Marshal of France Louis de Lusignan M. de S. Gelais Lansac Salignac Mauuisser Bernarde Brisson President of the Parliament of Paris and one of the learnedest men of France and others who as they they were of Honorable ranke were very nobly receiued and banqueted in a Banquetting-House built on purpose neere Westminster richly adorned with rare and sumptuous furniture and Titls and Tournaments proclaimed which were presented in a most princely manner by Philip Earle of Arundell Fred Lord Winsor Philip Sidney and Fulk Greuill Knights against all commers with sundry other courtly sports and Princely recreations not necessarily coincident to our History To conferre with them concerning these Nuptials were appointed the Baron of Burghley Lord high Treasurer of England the Earles of Sussex Lincolne Bedford and Leicester together with Sir Christopher Hatton and Secretary Walsingham Amongst whom these matrimoniall Contracts following were concluded vpon THe Duke d' Anjou and the Queene of England within six weekes after the ratification of these Articles shall personally contract mariage here in England The Duke and his associates seruants and friends being no English subiects shall haue libertie to vse their owne Religion in a certain place in their houses without molestation or impeachment He shall not alter any part of the Religion now receiued in England Hee shall inioy and haue the Title and Dignity of King after the mariage shall bee consummate but notwithstanding shall leaue intirely to the Queene the managing of affaires And whereas his demand was that immediately after the celebration of the mariage he should be crowned King instantly to inioy the title and dignity during the gouernment of the Kingdome in the minority of their children The Queene answered she would propound and further it at the next high Court of Parliament to be holden within fifteen dayes after the ratification Letters Patents and other things shal be passed in both their names as in the time of Philip and MARIE The Queene by Act of Parliament shall ordaine an Annuall pension for the Duke but the valuation thereof shall bee left to her pleasure she will also ordaine the said Pension to continue if he shall surviue her The Duke in Dowry shall bestow on the Queene to the value of forty thousand Crownes per annum out of his Duchy of Berry and shall forthwith infeofe her therein As touching their Issue it shall likewise be enacted by Parliament in England and registred in the Annals of France as followeth That the Heires of them as well Males as Females by maternall right of
sword This Barnwell reported this to the rest of his fellowes telling thē how easily it might then haue beene done had he had his consorts with him and Sauage said the same After this Babington cast all his care how he might bring in the forraigne power according to his promise For the more certainty hee resolued to passe himselfe into France and to send Ballard before to the same end for whom in an other name he had procured a licence to trauell And for the better auoyding of suspition insinuateth himselfe with Sir Francis Walsingham by meanes of Polly already spoken of whom he earnestly intreated to procure him a Passe from the Queene to goe into France promising him he would be exquisitely industrious to finde out all the hidden plots the English fugitiues had in hand concerning the Queene of Scots He commendeth much the yong Gentlemans purpose promising him not only his Passe but greater matters Neuerthelesse putting off from time to time both the one and the other hauing serued his turne in the meane time by his owne intelligencers who had acquainted him before-hand with all things though they thought themselues as secret as the Sun he who discouered most of these matters to Walsingham was one Gilbert Giffard descended from the noble family of the Chilingtons in Staffordshire neere Chartley where the Queene of Scots had lyen and was then sent by the fugitiues into England vnder the name of Luson to put Sauage in mind of the vow he had made and being now to bee their factor was to keepe himselfe close and the Queene of Scots letters safe which were to bee sent ouer when as they could not in those dangerous times draw in the Countesse of Arondel the Lord Lumley the Lord H. Howard nor Sir G. Shirley The fugitiues to try whether they might safely expect letters out of England from Giffard sent often empty white papers which they call blanckes bound vp in packets like letters which perceiuing by the answers they receiued that they had beene deliuered and now beleeuing their cariers better then before write materially but in characters Whether this Giffard was troubled in conscience or corrupted with money before hee carried ouer his letters or terified with feare I cannot well tell but hee went to Walsingham first in secret to vvhom hee discouered himselfe and for vvhat cause hee was thus imployed into England offering his seruice for the loue hee bore vnto his Princesse and Countrie vvith promise that what Letters so euer from the Fugitiues or the Queene of Scots should come into his hands hee would acquaint him with Sir Fran Walsingham embracing his offer entertaineth him kindely and sending him into Stafford-shire vvrit to Sir Aimé Poulet intreating him to giue this Giffard leaue to intice some of his seruants He vnwilling that any seruant of his as he said should by dissimulation or otherwise bee brought to turne Traitor seemed not to be pleased therewith Neuerthelesse suffered him to practice vntill hee had brought in a Beare-brewer and an Oate-meale-man his neare neighbours whom he made sure Giffard vvith a few crownes had easily corrupted the Brewer who by a hole made artificially in a wall wherein vvas a stone that vvas to be easily put in and out he both deliuered receiued Letters the which by Carriers appointed for the purpose viz. relapsed Priests came to Sir F. Walsinghams hands He opened them tooke Copies of them and by the cunning of Tho. Philips found out the Charactory and by the deuice of Arthur Gregory so closed them vp againe that it was not to be perceiued that they had been vnsealed then sent them to whom they were directed according to their superscriptions In this fashion were the two first Letters intercepted which the Queene of Scots had written to Babington and his answers againe to her wherein in the same Characters was added at the end of the Letter a Postscriptum in which they found sixe Noble-mens names if no more as also other Letters which all in one day were vvritten to the Spanish Ambassador to the Lord Paget Char Paget the Archbishop of Glascow and Sir Francis Inglefield all which were first written out and so sent away againe So soone as the Queene vnderstood by these Letters vvhat a horrible storme vvas ready to light on her as well out of diuers places abroad as at home she commanded out of hand to apprehend Ballard vvho vvas at vnawares taken in Babingtons house being vpon his departure for France This brought a thousand doubts and dreadfull thoughts into the perplexed heart of Babington who hereupon vvent to Tichbourne for his aduice vvhat to doe Tichbournes counsell vvas that euery man should fly out to saue himselfe But Babington vvas of a minde to send forth Sauage and Charnocke to performe the murder But first that he might haue the better accesse in Court to apparell him richly and to this end had conference with the rest in Pauls that day But changing his opinion and hauing hidden in his perplexed heart the thornes of his sorrowes importuneth Walsingham by Letters and intreaties being then at the Court without further delay to let him haue his Licence for France and for that he had speciall vse for Ballard to set him at libertie Walsingham deferred his suit vvith faire promises laying the taking of Ballard vpon Yong the cunning Catcher of the Papists and vpon his Pursuiuants aduising him as it were in kindnesse to keepe him out of the clawes of such as they and this he easily perswaded him to being a yong man and to take his house in London for his lodging for a vvhile till the Queene had signed his Passe and till himselfe returned to London that they might conferre the more priuately together of such great matters and that otherwise by his often goings vp and downe which he must needs vse if he be lodged any where else the fugitiues could not but grow suspitious of him vpon his going into France In the meane time one Scudamore a seruant of Sir Francis Walsinghams vvas commanded to haue an eye to him to accompany him euery where giuing him to vnderstand that this was done to saue him from Pursuiuants and Sergeants This webbe Walsingham had closely wouen vvithout the knowledge of the Queenes Councell and thought to lengthen it a little more But the Queene would not haue it so lest in not seeking to saue her selfe whilest she might her Maiestie should seeme as shee said rather to tempt God then to trust in him Hereupon a letter was sent from Walsingham at Court to his man at home to looke a little more narrowly to Babington then hee had done This vvriting was deliuer'd him vnsealed sitting at table next to Babington who tooke occasion to read it vvith him He hauing a guilty conscience began to suspect that all was discouered so that being the night following vvith Scudamore and two others of Sir Francis Walsinghams seruants
distressed and weather-beaten was it as it was reported that the Queene was constantly resolued not to expect it that yeere and Secretary Walsingham wrote to the Lord Admirall as if the Warre were at an end to send back foure of the greatest Ships Hee a man not very credulous excusing himselfe fairely intreated him not to beleeue anything in so important a matter without mature deliberation and desired that hee might retaine them though at his owne charges And hauing a prosperous winde sayled towards Spaine with hope to surprize the Weather-beaten ships in the Harbours When he was almost vpon the coasts of Spaine the winde became South and hee who was commanded to defend the English shores fearing lest they with the same wind might arriue in England vnespied returned to Plimouth With the same wind the twelfth of Iuly according to the Iulian computation the Duke of Medina with his whole Fleet weighed ancor againe and set forward from the Groin About two dayes after he sent before into the Low-Countries Roderick Telius to aduertize the Duke of Parma of the approch of the ARMADA and to informe him of other needfull businesse For hee had commandement to ioyne himselfe with the Forces and Fleete of the Prince of Parma and to waft them ouer into England vnder the protection of his Armada and to set on shore his land-forces at the mouth of the Thames Now what was done euery seuerall day in this Nauigation according to the most credible relations both of the Spaniards and our owne Countreymen that the truth may more cleerely appeare I wil briefly deliuer The sixteenth day there was a great calme and a thicke cloud couered the sea till noone and then a strong North-winde blew then a South-winde till mid-night and then an East So that the ARMADA beeing much scattered could hardly re-collect it selfe till it came within sight of England which was the nineteenth day of the moneth which day the Lord High-Admirall of England being certainely aduertized by Captaine Flemming that the Spanish Fleet was come into the Brittish sea vulgarly called the Channell and discouered not farre from the Lizard the winde then keeping the English Nauy in the Port with great difficulty and no lesse industry and alacrity of the mariners himselfe not disdaining to pull at the hawser amongst the common Souldiers at length brought them into the open Sea The next day the English came within ken of the Spanish ARMADA built high like Towres and Castles rallied into the forme of a Crescent whose horns were at least seuen miles distant comming slowly on and although vnder full sayles yet as though the windes laboured and the Ocean sighed vnder the burthen of it the English purposely suffered them to passe by them that they might pursue them with a fauouring gale of winde The one and twentieth of Iuly the Lord high Admirall of England sending before him a Pinnace called the Defiance by discharging a peece of Ordnance out of her prouoked them to the fight and presently out of his Ship called the Arke-Royall the Admirall thundred vpon a Spanish Ship which hee thought to haue beene the Admirall of Spaine but was the Ship of Alphonso Leua At the same instant Drake Hawkins Furbisher peale terribly vpon the Reare which Ricaldus commanded who performed all the parts of a valiant and discreete Commander to stay the Ships vnder his gouernement from flying desiring to ioyn with the body of the Fleet vntill his owne Ship extremely battered with shot became vnseruiceable and with much difficulty mingled her selfe with the rest of the Fleet Then did the Duke of Medina re-collect his dispersed ships and with full sayle held on his course Neither could he do otherwise in regard both that the Winde stood faire for the English and that their ships inuaded retyred and re-inuaded them vpon euery quarter with incredible celerity When they had continued the fight sharply two houres the Lord high Admirall of England thought good to retyre in respect that hee wanted forty ships which were not yet come out of the Hauen The night following a Spanish Ship called the St. Katherine being very much battered in this conflict was receiued into the middest of the army to bee repayred And a huge great Cataloniā ship of Oquenda in which was the Treasurer of the Fleet was set on fire with Gun-powder by the deuice of a Flemmish Gunner But the fire was seasonably quenched by other shippes sent in for the purpose amongst which a Gallion of Peter Valdes falling foule with another Ship and her fore-mast intangled broken with the others sayle-yard the Ayre being stormy and the night darke and none able to relieue or succour her was forsaken and became a prey to Sir Francis Drake who sent Valdes to Dertmouth and gaue the Ship to bee rifled and pillaged by the Souldiers And Drake being that night commanded to carry the Lanthorne in the poope lighted neglected it for following certaine Germane Merchants Hulkes whom hee tooke to be enemies it was the occasion that almost all the English Fleet lay still because they could not see the Lanthorne Neyther could hee and the rest of the English shipping come neere the Admirall till the euening following who the precedent night with the ships called the Mary and the Rose hotly pursued the Spaniards All this day the Duke was securely busied in setting his Fleet in array and commanded Alphonso Leua to draw vp and ioyne the auant-gard and the reare together and assigned euery seuerall Ship his station according to the forme prescribed in Spaine with paine of death to euery one that forsooke their stations sends Ensigne Glich to the Duke of Parma to informe him of the estate of the Fleete and committed the Ship of Oquenda in Biscay hauing first remoued into other Ships the Kings treasure and the mariners to the mercy of the Seas Which the same day with fifty mariners and souldiers more or lesse miserably maimed and halfe burnt fell into the English mens hands and sent to the Port of Weymouth The three and twentieth day of the moneth at breake of the day the Spaniards hauing a prosperous North-winde turned sayle towards the English who to get aduantage of the winde easily turned themselues towards the West and after they had contended to preuent each other of the benefit of the winde both parts prepared themselues to the fight and fought confusedly and with various successe while in one place the English valiantly fetched off the London ships dangerously circled in by the Spaniards in another Ricaldus then in danger with no lesse resolution of the Spaniards was disingaged There was neuer more lightning and thundring of the Artillery then there was on both sides most of which notwithstanding went in vaine from the Spanish flying sheere ouer the English Ships Onely Cocke an English-man in a small Barke of his owne dyed gloriously in the middest of his Enemies For the English Ships beeing
much lesse thaÌ„ the Spaniards with great dexterity inuaded the enemy and hauing discharged their Ordnance retyred presently into the open Sea and leuelled all their Shot with a certaine and successefull ayme against the great and sluggish Ships of the Spaniards And yet the English high Admirall thought not fit to grapple and so try the fortune of a fight hand to hand as many inconsiderately perswaded For the enemy had a strong and wel appointed Army abroad which hee wanted their Ships were farre more in number greater of burden and stronger and higher of building and they fighting from aboue threatned nothing lesse than certaine destructioÌ„ to them that fought against them vpon the lower Ships And hee did likewise fore-see that the losse of his men would be much more preiudiciall to him than the victory could be profitable For beeing vanquished hee should haue brought the Queene into almost ineuitable danger and being Victor hee should onely haue a little blaze of glory for the dissipation and discomfiture of his Enemy and slaughter of his Souldiers The foure and twentieth day of the Moneth there was a mutuall intermission of all hostile acts The Admirall sent diuers small Barkes to the next shores of England for supply of ammunition and diuided his whole Fleet into foure squadrons the first of which himselfe coÌ„manded the second Drake the third Hawkins and the fourth Forbisher and appoynted certain Pinkes or Pinnaces out of euery squadron to make impressions vpon the enemy at the dead of night in seuerall quarters but a calme following that counsel wanted successe The fiue and twentieth which was Saint Iames his day a Gallion of Portugall called the S. Anne which could not keepe company with the rest of the Fleete was set vpon by diuers small English Barkes In ayde of whom Laeua and Diego Telles Enriques with three Galleasses made out whom the Lord Admirall the Lord Thomas Howard in the Golden Lyon which by reason of the great calme were faine to be towed by fisher-Boats so battered with the canon that not without great difficulty and with great losse of men they brought off after which time the Galleasses neuer offered to fight The Spaniards report that that day the English at a neerer distance than euer with their great Ordnance extremely rent the Spanish Admirall being at that time in the Rere and hauing slaine many of their men shot downe their maine Mast but that Mexia and Recaldus came opportunely and repelled the English That then the Spanish Admirall accompanied with Recaldus and others inuaded the English Admirall which escaped by the sudden changing of the Winde that thereupon the Spaniards left the pursuit and holding on their course sent another messenger to the Duke of Parma with all speed to ioine his Fleet with the Kings ARMADA and to send supply of Bullets Of this the English were ignorant who write that they shot off the Lanthorne from one of the Spanish Ships the beake-head from another and terribly battered a third that the None-such and Mary Rose hauing had onely a short conflict with the Spaniards left them and with other Shippes went to the rescue of the Triumph then in danger So that the relations of them that were present at the same actions are different for the manner while euery one remembers that which hee obserued of his owne side The day following the Lord High-Admiral of England for their valour and fortitude Knighted Thomas Howard the Lord Sheffield Roger Townesend Iohn Hawkins and Martin Furbisher And it was concluded thenceforth not to assault the Enemy till they came to the Streights of Calais where Henry Seymor and William Winter expected their comming So the Spanish Fleet went on with a full Southwest winde the English fleet following them But so far was the title of Inuincible or their terrible aspect vnable to affright our English shores that the Youth of England leauing their Parents Wiues Children Kindred and Friends out of their dearer loue to their Countrey with Ships hyred at their owne charges ioyned themselues in great numbers with the Fleete with generous alacrity and incredible courage and amongst others the Earles of Oxford Northumberland Cumberland Sir Thomas and Sir Robert Cecill Sir Henrie Brooke Sir Charles Blunt Sir Walter Raleigh Sir William Hatton Sir Robert Carey Sir Ambrose Willoughby Sir Thomas Gerard Sir Arthur Gorge and other worthie Nobles of great note and account The seuen and twentieth day of the moneth towards euening the Armada cast anchor neere Calais being aduized by the Pylots that if they went further it would bee in danger to be carryed into the North Ocean by the tyde and ouer against them within cannon shot lay the Admirall and the English Fleet at anchor to whom Seymor and Winter ioyned themselues Now was the number of the English Ships come to bee one hundred and forty all able for the fight swift of sayle apt to cast about to take any aduantage and yet there were not aboue fifteene of them which bore the weight and burthen of the Warre and repelled it The Spaniards presently as often before by frequent messengers vrged the Duke of Parma to send forty Fly-boates without which he could not fitly fight with the English by reason of the magnitude and sluggishnesse of the Spanish Ships and the great dexterity and agility of the English and earnestly required him to put forth to sea with his Fleete whom the Armada as was agreed should protect as it were with wings till their arriuall in England But he being vnprepared could not readily come his flat-bottom'd Boats being withall very broad were full of leakes victuall was wanting and the mariners detayned a long time against their wills were stolne away Besides the Hollanders and Zelanders ships of Warre which houered about the Ports of Newport and Dunkerke whence they were to set out were so well prouided of great Ordnance and Harquebuzziers that he durst not come from the shores vnlesse wittingly and willingly hee should cast himselfe and his souldiers into visible and manifest danger yet did hee not omit any thing worthy of a diligent industrious and valiant Prince being strongly inflamed with a desire to subdue England The Spanish Forces to assault England The number of the Gallions of Portugall THe Gallion S. Martin as Captaine Generall and principall of the Fleet was of the burthen of one thousand tunne there were in her three hundred choyce Souldâ—ers one hundred and seuentie Mariners and she caried fiftie pieces of Ordnance S. Iohns Gallion called the Admirall generall of the burthen of one thousand and fiftie tunne had in her two hundred thirty one souldiers one hundred seuentie nine mariners and fiftie Canons S. Markes Gallion of the burthen of seuen hundred ninety two tunne with two hundred ninety two Souldiers and one hundred and seuenteene mariners The Gallion S. Philip of eight hundred tunne foure hundred and fifteene souldiers and fortie
Hardinesse is a Vertue which encourages one to blame or defend things iustly her mediocrity is betwixt cowardnesse and temerity To her belong Magnanimity Magnificency Patience and Perseuerance Of True Honour TRue HONOVR which belongeth to Liberality and Iustice is a Diuine Vertue subiect neither to fortune nor force it is that which all good and vertuous men aime at leuell their actions Of Temperance TEMPERANCE is a morall Vertue which moderates sensuall voluptuousnesse and the couetousnesse thereof and the dolour or griefe which is still as it were linked with couetousnes shee mediates or is a meane betweene Intemperancy and Stupidity shee is perfected made whole by Bashfulnesse Honesty shee keepes vnder her AbstineÌ„cy Continency Sobriety and Chastity To her do belong Gentlenesse Clemency Humility Meeknesse and Moderation Of Magnanimity MAGNANIMITY belonges to Force and Courage it is a carefull vertue and as it were a spur to purchase supreme honours her mediocrity or mean is betweene Saperba and â—â—â—â—animity Of Clemency CLEMENCY is a morall vertue which moderating anger quencheth in vs fre or choler to produce pious actions she mediates or is a meane betweene Cruelty and too great Indulgency Of Truth TRVTH by which in all our actions humane society we should make things as they be her meane or moderation is betweene Simulation and dissimulation Of Liberality LIBERALITY is a Vertue truely Noble and most Diuine appertayning to Iustice This excellent Vertue moderating the desire to abound in riches rules the purchasing of goods and orders expences to produce in vs and bring forth to the world rare actions it is a meane betweene Auarice and Prodigality Of Ciuility CIVILITY is also a morall vertue which consisteth in vttering gracefully a speech or discourse in Company by this Vertue both praise and a good opinion is acquired it is a meane betweene Mirth and Melancholy Of Courtesie COVRTESIE is a Vertue truely morall by which we purchase loue in shewing our selues gracious and officious to those who stand in need of vs it is a meane betweene submission and rudenesse or harsh disposition Qu. Elizabeths extraction by the Fathers side The birth of the Lady Anne Bolene The King fals in loue with Anne of Bolone The reason why he puts away his wife The King entreats the Pope for expedition The Prelates and Peeres doe the like The King seeing himselfe contemned renounceth the Pope Marrieth Anne A Nunne of Kent suborned Authoritie of Ecclesiasticall giuen to the King Anne beheaded The King exerciseth his cruelty vpon Papists and Lutherans and his auarice vpon the Monasteries The Law of Six Articles He marries and diuorces Anne of Cleue Katharine Parre Reconciles himselfe with the Emperour Charles Assures the succession to his Children Take Bologne Dyed King Edward the Sixth succeedeth his Father The doctrine of the Gospel is brought in A miserable reigne vnder a King that is a Childe The Protector is sacrificed to death Elizabeth in fauour with her brother Her studies Mary is proclaimed Elizabeth ioynes with her The English with much adoe subiect themselues to the power of the Pope Vpon what conditions they were reconciled to the Church of Rome Reioycing for it at Rome Ireland erected a Kingdome by the Pope The Papists feare Elizabeth They persecute her The Kings of France Spaine comfort her Shee is for feare of death constrained to follow the Romish Religion They goe about to send her out of the Kingdome and exclude her from the succession thereof Calais lost Qu. Mary dyes And Cardinall Pole Booke 1. 1558. Booke 1· 1559. Booke 1. 1560. 1561. 1562. 1563. 1564. 1565. 1566. 1567. 1568. 1569. 1570. 1571. 1572. 1573. 1574. 1575. 1576. 1577. 1578. 1579. 1580. Booke 1. 1558. Queene Maries death is knowne Queene Elizabeth is proclaimed Queene by the Kings Heraulds of Armes Her Maiestie makes choice and election of a priuie Councell Her Maiestie hath a speciall care aboue all things to re-establish the true Religion She ordaines and settles states and domesticall affaires Her Maiestie takes a great care for forraine affaires Queene Elizabeth is earnestly solicited to marriage with Philip King of Spaine her Sisters Widdower Her Maiestie refused to marry with the King of Spaine The reason why Booke 1. 1559. Her Maiesty deliberates and labours for the re-establishment of the Protestants Religion She considers what dangers might happen therby Without the Realme Within the Kingdome Booke 1. 1558. The Queene rebukes and reprehends the impatience of certaine zealous Ministers of the Word of God Queene Elizabeth allowes diuine Seruice to be read in the English Tongue Her Maiestie celebrates her Sisters Funerall and that of the Emperour Charles the Fifth Booke 1. 1559. Queene Elibeth re-establisheth and creates diuers Noblemen On Wednesday the 23. day of Nouemb. Queene Elizabeth remoued from Hatfield vnto the Charterhouse to the Noble Lord NORTHS House where her Maiesty lay fiue dayes and rode in open Charet from the Lord NORTHS House along Barbican entring into the City at Criple-Gate and so came to the Tower from thence to Westminster where she was inaugurated Q. Elizabeths opinioÌ„ concerning sacred things She cals a Parliament which is held the second yeere of her raigne Propositions to reforme Religion The 18. of March. They establish a Dispute betwixt Protestant and Papist The successe thereof Sir Edward Carne is detayned at Rome Disputes and strifes for the Towne of Calais A treaty of peace with the French King The Castell in Cambresis Articles of Peace made and agreed vpon 'twixt the Queenes Maiestie and the French King Henry the second A Peace is concluded agreed vpon betweene the Queenes Maiesty and the Queene of Scotland The Lord Baron Wentworth and others are called in question and brought in compasse of the Law concerning the losse of Calais The whole Parliament doe exhort Queene Elizabeth to marry Thomas Gargraue's Speech made to her Maiesty to that purpose Her Maiesties answer to them all Other Laws and ordinances established by that Parliament The Nobles of the Land reestablished The Lyturgie appointed in English Papist Bishops deposed and discharged from their Benifices Other Protestants learned and zealous Diuines are instituted Bishops in their places By what degrees Religigion was altered here The profit which proceeds from change of Religion Her Maiesties diligent care to defend both the the true Religion and Common-Wealth Qu. Elizabeths Motto or Posey SEMPER EADEM Her answer to forraigne Princes interceding for the Papists The Emperour seekes the Queene for his Son The King of France challengeth the Kingdome of England for the Queene of Scotland Is killed as hee prepared for the war Francis the Second and the Queene of Scotland tooke the title of the Kings of England The original of the hidden hatred which hath beene betweene the Queenes of England and Scotland The French deale vniustly with the English Send men of warre into Scotland The Scots refuse to obey the Queene Regent They seeke helpe of Qu. Elizabeth They deliberate of
and Scottish Iesuits do suggest diuers things to the Queene of Scots The French labour to hinder the League The King of Scots propoundeth conditions He is not deterred by the French King Iames's answer to them The League of fast friendship A conspiracie against Queene Elizabeth How discouered Ballard returneth into France Ballard sent backe into England Meeteth with Babington He instructs him in the stratagem Babington receiueth Letters from the Queene of Scots He writeth back to her She answereth him His associates in the conspiracie Babington giueth to euery one his taske They confer together Their vanity Babington in care to bring in the forraigne aides sends Ballard to worke for him Insinuateth with Walsingham Deceit by deceit deceiued Giffard discouereth all the conspiracy Sendeth the Letters he receiued to Walsingham Ballard vpon his departure is taken Babington soliciteth for Ballards libertie Falleth into the same net Getteth himselfe out Lyeth in a wood Harrow-Hill They are found And all the rest of the conspirators All discouered The Q. of Scots kept with a guard and separated from her seruants Her Cofers with Letters sent to the Queene Giffard sent into France dyeth miserably The Traytors come to Iudgement Are punished The Queen of Scots her Secretaries examined The King of France is aduertised Sundry opinions how to dispose of the Scottish Queene By what Law shee should be iudged Commissioners appointed to heare the cause A Commission granted to that end Booke 6. * William Poulet Marquesse of Winchester Edward de Vere Earle of Oxford Lo high Chamberlâ—ine of England George Talbot Earle of Shrewâ—bury Earl Marshall Henry Grâ—y Earle of Kent Henry Stâ—â—â—â—y Earle of Derby William Somerset Earle of Worcester Edward Manners E. of Rutland Ambrose Duâ—ley E. of Warwick Master of our Ordnance Henry Herbert Earle of Pembroke Robert Dudley E. of Leicester Master of our horse Henry E. of Lincoln Charles L. Howard high Admiral of England Anthony Viscount Montagu Henry Cary BaroÌ„ of Hunsdon Lo. Chamberlaine of our houshold Henry Neuill Baron of Abergaueny Edward Lord Zouch Edward Parker L. Morley Will. L. Cobham Lord Warden of the cinque Ports Edward L. Stafford Arthur Lord Gray of Wâ—lton Iohn L. Lumley Iohn L. Stuâ—ton William L. Sands Henry L. Wâ—ntworth Lodowick L. Mordant Iohn L. Saint Iohn of Bletso Tâ—â—mas Sackvill Baron of Buckhurst Henry L. Compten Henry Lo. Cheney Sir Francis Knolls knight Treasurer Sir Iacob Crofts knight CoÌ„troller Sir Christ Hatton Vice-Chamberlaine Sir Francis Walsingham our Secretary of State William Dauâ—son Esq our second Secretary Sir Ralph Sadler knight Chancellor of our Dutchy of Lancaster Sir Walter Mildmay knight 〈◊〉 Aymâ— Poulet knight gouernor of our Island of sarsey all our trâ—sty beloued priuy Counsellor and Sir Christopher Wâ—ay knight L. chiefe Iustice of the Common plees Iohn Wâ—â—sey esq our Secretary for the Latin Sir Edmund Anderson knight L. chiefe Iust of our Bench Sir Roger Manwood chiefe Baron of our Exchequer Sir Thomas Gawdy and Sir William Pickering Commissioners come to her She answereth the letters vpon the sudden Booke 3. Addeth the next day to her answer She refuseth her tryall Exception against the new-made Law Sir Christopher Hatton perswadeth her to appeare Her tergiuersation Shee yeeldeth at last to appeare and answer The maner of the sitting The Lord Chancellor speaketh to her Her protestation Recorded Proceeding She denieth the former allegation Copies of letters shewed Extracts out of Babbingtons confession She denieth them They vrge her with the confessions of Sauage and Ballard She blames Walsingham Walsingham maketh his Apologie Charles Pagets letters are produced and Babingtons and the testimonies of her Secretaries She obiecteth against their credites Arguing about transferring the kingdome She excuseth her selfe for hauing giuen Morgan an annuall pension by pensions giuen to the Scottishmen She offereth the Duke of Guise and her sonne pledges for her libertie The Lord Burghley answereth She interrupteth him He proceedeth Letters shewed again She interrupteth their reading Affirmeth her Secretaries were not to be credited She is accused againe for transporting the Kingdome She condemnes her Secretaries as periured Sir Thomas Egertons the Q Sollicitors demonstratioÌ„ She crauest a hearing iâ— open Parliament Sentence pronounced against her Some suspect the credite of the Secretaries Or duety Declaration that the sentence against the Q. of Scotts did nothing preiudice her sonne A Parliament held The banishing of traytors confirmed The States approue confirme the sentence and desire the publication therof The Queen answereth She desireth them to find out some other remedie Their Answer to her Her reply to them The Q. of Scotland is certified of her iudgment The Ambassador of France slayeth the publishing of the Sentence Notwithstanding it is published The Queen of Scotland carrieth herself with a resolute courage She moues a request to Queen Elizabeth Opinions of the Q. of Scotl. cause In her behalfe Against her The Q. of Scotland's sonne intercedeth for her Some Scots against her The K. by letters and messages And propoundeth some things considerable As the K. of France did by his Ambassadors Bellieures reasons for the Qu. of Scotland Answers to his Reasons The Ambassadour of France attempteth Queene Elizabeths life Stafford discouereth the enterprise to the CouÌ„cell The Ambassadour denieth it The Ambassadour mildly rebuked Whether an Ambassador be to discouer the attempts if he know any to be committed against the Prince to whom he is sent But Gray the Scot more She weigheth these businesses The Courtiers perswade her By reasons And by examples She is notwithstanding suspensiue perplexed with doubtfull feares She commandeth a Warrant to be drawne for the execution Her Councell send secretly The Q. of Scotl. prepares herself for death Shee is brought to the scaffold Her speeches to Meluine her Steward To the Earles Her last words The Epitaph The prouidence of God plainly seen in her death Elizabeth is sorry therefore and grieueth thereat Is angry with her Councell They vrge him vpon his owne confession The Queen Sergeants reproue him The Iudges opinion vpon his fact The L. Gray defendeth him Sentence giuen against him He maketh request to the Commissioners Dauison his particular Apologie The indignation of the Nation of Scotland Suggestions vsed to the King Qu. Elizabeth indeuoureth to appease them By what reasons Sir Francis Drake is sent into Spaine to preuent the comming of the Jnuincible Nauy for the inuasion of England His expeditions The great Carraque Saint Philip is taken The profit which the English receiued thereby The East Indies Companie Thomas Cauendish circuits the Earth Stanley and Yorke Traitors New kinde of Duels brought into England With what successe The States of the vnited Prouinces doe blame the Earle of Leicester The States send for Leicester again to raise the siege before Sluce Leicester is molested Leicester goes about to make himselfe Lord ouer their Cities He is called home againe The Title of his Excellency Leicester distributes Medailles coyned en memory of his person to those of his faction The Estates doe put in Leicester place Prince Maurice of Nassau Leicesters faction in the Low-Countries Russell suspected Leicester auoids his aduersaries accusation The death of the Lord Neuill Baron of Abergauenny And the Duchesse of Somerset being very aged And Sir Ralph Sadler Also Sir Thomas Bromley The Earle of Rutland dyes And Sir Christopher Hatton is made Lord High Chancellor William Fitz-Williams Lord Deputie of Ireland for the same time The reason why it is a difficult thing to war against Jreland Booke 3. 1588. A wonderfull and admirable Yeere Great preparations are in hand in Spaine to assault and inuade England By what counsell The reason why They consult about the meanes how to assault and subdue England Preparation in Flanders Traytors hated The Popes assistance Preparation in England By Sea And Land Consultation for defence And concerning the Papists at home The King of Scotlands alacrity against the Spaniards Booke 3· Conference of peace in the meane time Commissioners sent to that end into Flanders Propositions of the English answered Complaint made vnto the Duke of Parma The conference breakes vp The Spanish Armada 28. Maij. Sets forth and is dispersed Sets out againe The English Nauy sets out The first fight The ability of the English Flees * Cantabrica Peter Valdes taken The Ship of Oquenda taken The English Admirals prouidence The third fight Knights created for their valours by the Right Honourable Charles Howard Earle of Notingham Lord High-Admirall Diuers Noble-men and Knights of England ioyne themselues with the English Fleet before Calais The Spanish Fleet lyes at anchor and rests betwixt Calais and Douer The Duke of Parma is sent for againe by the Spaniards He is vnprepared The good seruice of the Hollanders who hindred Parma from ioyning his Forces with the Spanish Nauy The Spaniards amazed fly confusedly Hugh Moncada slaine The fourth combate The Spaniards resolue to returne home by the North-Sea The Queene visits her Campe. Conditions offered vnto the King of Scots Money coyned in memory of this famous victory Tout ainsi coÌ„me l'on dit de Caesar IL EST VENV IL A VEV IL A VINCY on peu dire de mesme de L'espagnol auss que IL EST VENV IL A VEV mais qui pis est IL â—'EN EST ENFVY aulieu que Caesar estoit victorieux Misery of the Spaniards in Jreland Causes of the defeat The Spaniard takes patiently this ouerthrow Queene Elizabeth caused a generall thankes-giuing to God for it and publique reioycing in England Praysed those who were of the English Nauy The publike ioy is increased by the good newes which came out of Scotland The death of Robert Dudley Earle of Leicester His dignities and titles His disposition and manners Leicesters goods are sold Berghen ap Zoom besieged by the Duke of Parma Who raiseth the siege Innouations in England Martin Mar-Prelate and other scandalous Bookes Beginning of a great Rebellion in Jreland Ambassadour in Denmarke The Emperour of Russia most fauourable to the English
differences between the Earles of Ormond and Desmond who in an ill time bandied one against another Shan re-assuming courage after he had spoyled and ranged farre vp into the Countrey he againe besieged Dundalch which he was presently constrained to giue ouer with great losse and shame many of his men being slaine insomuch that enraged with fury and madnesse he practised most barbarous cruelty against them for many had forsaken him and he perceiuing that his number was greatly diminished for besides those that left him he lost a thousand in fight and how the passages were stopped and all places of retreat seyzed vpon by the English he resolued to prostitute himselfe at the Deputies feet and to craue pardon with an Halter about his necke But being disswaded by his Secretary and first to try the amity of the Scots of Hebrides who were returned into Clande-boy from whence he had formerly driuen them and were there re-entred into an hot warre vnder the conduct of A. Oge which is to say the youngest and M. Gillespic whose Brethren Anne and Ioh. O-Neale himselfe had slaine in fight he first sent vnto them their Brother Surley-boy that is to say Surley the Redde to recouer their fauour and then went to them himselfe with the Wife of Odonel whom he had stolne away They boyling with choller to bee reuenged for their brethren and cousins whom he had slaine entertayned him but with feigned courtesie but presently leading him into their Tent in drinking they quarrelled with him vpon some obscene speeches he vsed of their Mother and so falling vpon him with their naked swords slew both himselfe and many others of his company And thus you may see what a bloudy end this Shan came to in the middest of Iune after he had taken away all gouernement from his Father and life from his bastard-Brother A man wonderfully polluted with Homicides and Adulteries a great gourmand and an infamous drunkard who to refresh his body inflamed with too-much Wine and Vsquebagh he was faine to bury himselfe often-times in ground vp to the chin He left behinde him Henry and Shan his Sonnes that he had by his Wife and many others whom he begot on the Wife of Odonel his other Concubines His possessions and goods were confiscated by the Parliament of the Kingdome of Ireland and Turlogh-Leinich the mightiest man of the Family of O-Neale and of a stayed spirit proclaimed O-Neale by the Queenes permission and the peoples election Neuerthelesse the Queen for an opposite to him if he should chance to exceed the bounds of his duety receiued to grace Hugon Nephew to Shan by reason of Matthew his Brother who was commonly called the Baron of Dungannon a young man then of small note and yet afterwards he proued the Tempest yea the very Plague and Pestilence of his Countrey Thus peace was concluded vpon Vlster But in the meane while new troubles grew in Munster through the debate and secret grudgings about their seuerall limits and borders which fell out betweene the Earles of Ormond and Desmond so as they came to hand-blowes neere to Dromell and were both summoned into England to plead their causes before the Qu. Priuy-Councell But they the matter much encombred sent them backe to the Vice-Roy in Ireland where they might haue both their titles and testimonies neere at hand Both of them being equall in the number of warlike subiects in courage and friends at Court contemning the decision of Lawes they resolued to end their suite by the sword The Vice-Roy hindred it as much as he could both by his authority and armes But Ormond who would be thought to haue the best cause so wrought that the Vice-Roy was blamed for bearing too-much with Desmond and commanded to seyze his person which he did when hee least thought of it and together with himselfe he tooke Ioh. Desmond his Vnkle by the Fathers side neere to Kilmalec and so he sent them both into England where they had a strong Guard set about them THE ELEVENTH YEERE OF Her Reigne Anno Dom. 1568. WHen Tho. Harding N. Sanders and T. P. Diuines and Fugitiues out of England boldly exercised the Episcopall Authority they had lately receiued from the Pope IN iurisdiction of conscience to absolue all those English that would returne into the bosome of the Romane Church to dispence in cases of irregularity except in poynts proceeding from voluntary manslaughter or growne to a contentious iurisdiction and of irregularitie by reason of Heresie so the absolued abstaine for three yeeres from ministring at the Altar On the other side it hapned that Colman Button Hallingham Benson and some others who with ardent zeale professed the more pure Religion reprehended whatsoeuer was performed without authority out of the holy Scriptures and whether transported with a desire of purer doctrine of nouelty or of dissentions but in the open view of all men they questioned the Discipline of the English Church authorized and receiued the Liturgie and vocation of Bishops expresly condemning them as senting too strongly of the Romane Church with which to hold any thing in common they daily preached to be a singular impiety vsing all meanes and endeuour that matters in the English Church might be reformed according to the forme of Geneua And although the Queene commanded them to be clapt vp in prisons yet they had an incredible number of Followers who were presently branded with that odious style of Puritans And in all places they encreased out of a wilfull obstinacy the imprudence of the Bishops and the secret fauours of some of the Nobilitie who barked at and maligned the riches of the Church And when some French likewise laboured after reformation of Religion and fearing lest the Papists would enter into league against them they repayred to the King with armes in hand by reason of the iust feare they stood in and in this manner presented vnto him a Supplication A second ciuill warre hapned for cessation whereof the Queene commanded her Ambassadour Norris to sollicite the King and so hereupon a Peace was agreed vpon but questionlesse hollow and full of deceit and stratagem At the same time the Queene mother to the King of France shewing great affability and grace both to the Ambassadour himselfe and diuers of the English couertly shee vsed some speech as pretending to treat of other affaires that shee was desirous to marry Henry Duke of Anjou her Sonne to Queene ELIZABETH who was hardly seuenteene yeeres old to diuert her as diuers supposed from assisting the Protestants of France in the third Ciuill-Warre which shee plotted presently to be set on foote But then in Spaine Man the English Ambassadour was disgracefully entreated For it beeing imputed to him that he had spoken vnreuerently of the Pope hee was prohibited the Court afterwards banisht from Madril to a little Village among boorish and rusticall people he is forced to heare Masse and