by the Archbishop of Canterbury and she was euer after to be called the Queene Dowager few or none but are either so farre read in our English Chronicles or may obserue what afterwards became of the Popes vsurped Heptarchie in England and what further followed So here you haue heard the relation of the Story of this great Queene Katherine though infortunate was indeed a mirrour and example of wisedome integritie sincerity and all Royall and Princely vertues Yet it is vnlike but that before her comming ouet into this kingdome she might be detractiuely expostulated of and had not she beene as she is here discribed as the times afterwards were she would assuredly haue had her part of detraction from our Writers as they haue beene some way sparing of her due commendation After her separation and diuorce from the King there is little newes of her but that within some three yeares after at Kimbleton in the County of Huntington Queene Katherine deceased she there religiously liued and dyed and lyeth interred in the Cathedrall Church of Peterborough The next mariage betwixt England and Spaine King Philip the second came ouer into England and married Queene Mary Daughter to Henry the Eight which he had by Queene Katherine of Spaine That Mariage is yet so fresh in memory and amongst the countrie people is indeed a great occasion of producing those feares and doubts they seeme to apprehend these things I must acknowledge are too great a consequence of State for me to meddle withall yet vnder fauour as a Moderator I would willingly the country people should truly know and take it into their considerations that for those persecutions in Queene Maryes time it was thought she was much the more thereunto drawne by her two Bishops that were such bloud-hounds Gardener and Bonner King Phillip was both a mediator and Moderator what he could to stay them the which with the story of the mariage and other passages concerning the same I will here as our owne Writers haue affirmed briefly and truely relate Queene Mary her intent to marry with King Phillip she caused to be published Stephen Gardener then Lord Chancellour made a speech to the Nobilitie in the Chamber of presence setting forth the honour the riches and augmentation of Titles to the Crowne of England yet was it distastefull to many great feares and doubts instantly conceaued would follow as well the Church reformed as for the pollitique and State affaires of the kingdome The first beginners of commotion were Henry Duke of Suffolke and Sir Thomas Wyat making Proclaimations for the abandoning of strangers and to withstand the Queenes mariage with King Philip the reasons they further alleaged and published their proceedings and infortunate ends I leaue the reader to the perusall of their Stories by diuers Written at large The Queene remoued to the Tower The Queens mariage confirmed by Parliament Anno. 2. Ca. 2. Some of the Nobility and Commons much discontented The Queene sent Letters to giue them some content summons a Parliament wherein by Statute the mariage was confirmed to the great contentment comfort and ioy of the then time obseruers But some of the Nobilitie and the Commons for the most part were much grieued and discontented thereat These distastiue stomacks Queene Mary well perceauing therefore to giue them the more content she sent Letters signed with her owne hand into Wales charging the Lord President the Bishop of Oxford and Salisburie to intimate the benefit therof to the whole land as much as might be and especially London whose Lord Maior and Commons were sent for to whom the Lord Chancellour made a Speech told them how by the match all the Realme would be much intiched The Londoners became instantly for the mariage but especially London by their Trade and Traffique with Spaine that was enough not only to alter and reduce but to set them an edge beyond or at least equiuolent with all other respects or considerations whatsoeuer The Earle of Bedford and the Lord Fitzwaters King Phillip sent for were sent into Spaine to conduct King Phillip into England the Lord Admirall with twenty eight ships securing the seas the space of three moneths before All things thus ordered and Phillip in readinesse tooke shipping at Carone in Gallezia and with a Nauie of an hundred and fiftie sailed directed his course for the Queene vpon Friday the twenty day of Iuly he arriued at Southampton King Phillip landed in England and was the first man of the Fleete that set soote on the shore which no sooner done but he drew his Sword and bare it naked in his hand as he went The Earle of Arundle Steward of the Queenes house presented to his Highnesse the George and Garter and the Maior of the Towne of Southaempton the keyes of the Towne thither was sent the Lord Chancellour from the Queene and he againe of his Nobles sent to her who was on the way to Winchester to welcome himselfe Towards which City vpon Munday following he set forth being accompanied with the Marquesse of Winchester the Earles of Arundle Darby Worcester Bedford Rutland Penbroke and Surry the Lords Clynton Cobham Willoughbie Darcy Matreuers Talbot Strange Fitz-warren and North. The Spanish Nobles The Spanish traine were the Dukes of Aluer and Medina Cellina the Admirall of Castilla the Marquesse of Bergnes Piscara Sarra Valli Anguilar the Earles of Egmonde Horne Peria Chinchon Oliuares Saldana Medela Euente Sallida Landriano Castellar the Bishop of Cuenca and others so that more honourable Attendants had sildome beene seene Then there were Articles agreed on which were branched out into tenne propositions whereunto King Philip subscribed they were very honourable for England the perticulars of them I leaue the Reader to Mr. Speede his excellent compendious worke where the whole passages of this affaire and these Articles are at large related Then with the consent of all parties The matriage of King Philip and Queene Mary Anno 1554. the marriage with great state was solemnized at Winchester vpon Wednesday being the 25. of Iuly on Saint Iames day where the Emperours Ambassadours presently pronounced that in consideration of this marriage their Maister had giuen vnto his sonne Philip the Kingdomes of Naples and Ierusalem whereupon their titles by Garter King at Armes was solemnly proclaimed with these stiles as followeth Philip and Mary by the grace of God King and Queene of England Fraunce Naples Ierusalem and Ireland defender of the Faith Princes of Spaine and Cicill Archdukes of Austritch Dukes of Millane Burgundy and Brabant Counties of Haspurge Flaunders and Tyroll In Nouember following the marriage the Queene was reported to haue bene conceiued with Childe for ioy whereof Te Deum was commaunded solemnly to be sung and Processions and Prayers made for her safe deliuerance The Queene tooke her Chamber the Court was full of Midwiues and Gentlewomen Attendants Rockers were prouided the Cradle prepared and all made so certaine that some
deliuered them by their Druides These things being they concerne the breach of the league betweene England and Spaine may be thought too deepe and of too great a consequence of State to be medled withall I hope I shall minister no cause of offence nor innouation but rather giue satisfaction and occasion moderation For here I obserue in the Country the Papists in their discourses magnifying the Royall proceedings of King Philip and the Spaniards in generall lay some taxe and aspersion vpon the late Queene Elizabeth which is very harsh and much displeasing to the Protestants And then on the other side they vrge and agrauate against the Spaniards with much bitternesse and thereupon they fall into expostulation Pro Gon of the Princes match neither vnderstanding nor taking into their considerations more or farther then to make good their owne part conceit which breedeth difference amongst our selues maketh and maintaineth a partition wall betwixt the English and the Spaniards in such loue as should be betwixt Subiects whose Soueraignes are in league amity That the Commons might not so disobediently in their affections muteny against that which the King hath so laboured and doth so much desire to bring to passe as also for their so much expostulation thereof the scope of my endeuours onely end and ayme of my ambition is that these my labours might occasion some moderation therein For the better accomplishing thereof and giuing the better satisfaction in those particulars I will here relate some obseruations which the Papists haue formerly collected and vsually in their discourses will vrge them the vsage and carriage of the Spaniards towards the English and other Nations and the English towards them with some other former passages betweene the two Nations I could wish the Commons would beleeue these things so farre forth as their owne knowledge or true informations doe not extend the contrary and the Papists to doe the like for that which is here alleaged either concerning the late Queene Elizabeth or the King of Spaine neither part to be transported with passion but of those things to make a fauourable and the best construction and mutually to take them into a charitable and reconciliable consideration The particulars are as followeth The Papists alleage The Papists collections that King Phillip had a great desire to continue in league and amity with England and that after he returned into Spaine constantly maintained the same for thirty yeares together would neuer hearken to giue assistance to any the discontented English Nobility that would haue rebelled and in the yeare 1568. absolutely denyed aide to the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland and the Lord Dacres when they rose vp in rebellion in the North parts of England how the King afterwards to wit in the yeare 1575 for contenting her Maiesty at the Perswasion of some of his own Officers but namely the Cōmendador Maior that forthe present gouerned Flaunders was content to yeeld to the banishment of all English Papists out of his estate in Flaunders for the space of two years though he paid them alwaies their pensions to liue on as before And for the same consideration of friendship with the Queene and for keeping his league he denied diuers yeares help to the Irish that desired the same as namely in the yeare 1578. to Sir Iames Fitz-Morris and Sir Thomas Stukely Siukley slaine and to the later of them when afterwards he with some 5. or 600. men that he brought from Italy the King would not grant so much as a port in Spain to enter into wherby he was forced to passe to Lisborne where finding the King of Poxtugall ready to goe with his Army to Barbarie he could not refuse to goe with him was there slaine Sir Iames Fitz-Morris returning againe the next yeare to aske succours for the Irish to haue from Spaine some forces to carie for Ireland denied the same againe vntill at the last at the carnest suite of the Pope for that Doctor Saunders vpon his extreame zeale had aduentured to goe thither before in person to comfort the Irish not hauing with him aboue 50. men the King was contented to winke at and say nothing whiles Sega the Bishop of Placentia the Popes Nuncio vnder certaine of the Italian Captaines did send thither some fiue hundred Souldiers taken vpon the Sea coasts of Italy which were those that were slaine by the Lord Gray in Ireland Then doe the Papists farther vrge the Queenes taking of Flushing Brill and Oste-end and other Townes in Flaunders and likewise the assisting and countenancing of Duke Mathias at his first comming and after Monsicur Duke of Alenson and likewise the setting vp the title of Don Antonio King of Portugale and sending him into his Country with an Army The intercepting the King of Spaine his money first in the Duke of Alua his time and many times afterwards the sending of Hawkins Frobrisher Drake and Candish and others to the Indies and some of them euen to Spaine it selfe For which there were speciall Commissions graunted that whatsoeuer could be taken from the Spaniards to be held as lawfull reprisalls and those Commissions to be specified in Stowe his Chronicles Then they alleadge The breach of the peace between England Spaine that the King of Spaine did thereupon make arrests of the English ships then instantly grew enmity and oepn warres and afterwards viz. in the yeare 1588. the King of Spaine with his great Fleete attempted the inuasion of England which yet with many the English is too fresh in memory The Papists farther vrge and haue collected that in Nouember 1591. Queene Elizabeth published a strict Proclamation for searching out apprehending and punishing of Seminaries and Iesuites and such as receiued and fauoured them in England sharpe seuere lawes made and executed vpon them and further both to put feares and doubts into the heads of the Commons as also to exasperate them against the Spaniards Farther vrging that the King of Spaine his great power forces and wealth were dangerous to England possessing more Crownes Kingdomes and countries then euer any Christian Prince had before and yet ambitiously seeketh more endeauouring to make himselfe absolute Monarch of the world and that his cariage towards other Princes and their subiects was tyrannous and those nations which he subdued were cruelly dealt withall and kept in great slauery The Papists for all these particulars hane collected appologicall defences which in their arguments and discourses they will much insist vpon to the high commendations of the Kings of Spaine their royall and gratious proceedings with other Princes and towards their subiects as also with their owne which are as followeth First they propose and recommend it to consideration For the conceaued opinion amongst the English that the Kings of Spaine their gouernment is strict or rather indeed somewhat cruell the maine occasion thereof is The countries dominions and territories are very large and spacious many of them atchieued by
diminution to the English they haue deserued as much whereof the Spaniards themselues haue had experience The marriage with Spaine was almost seauen yeares in treaty The Spanish match seauen yeares in treaty which was in part caused by the tender yeares of the marriage couple especially of the Prince But the true reason was that those two Princes being Princes of great policie and profound iudgement stoode a great time looking one vpon anothers fortunes how they would goe knowing well that in the meane time the very treaty it selfe gaue abroad in the world a reputation of a straite coniunction and amity betweene them which serued on both sides to many purposes that their seuerall affaires required and yet they continued still free But in the end when the fortunes of both Princes did grow euery day more and more prosperous and assured and that looking about them they saw no better conditions they shist it vp The second day of October Queene Katherine arriued in England in the 17. yeare of the kings raigne the Lady Katherine daughter to Ferdinand and Izabella king and Queene of Spaine arriued in England at Plymouth and she was married to Prince Arthur in Pauls the 14. day of Nouember following the Prince being about 15. yeares of age and the Lady 18. The manner of her receiuing the manner of her entry into London and the celebration of their marriage were performed with great and true magnificence in regard of cost and order The chiefe man that tooke the care was Bishop Fox who was not onely a great Councellour for warre or peace but also a good Suruayor of works and a good Master of ceremonies and any thing that was fit for the actiue part belonging to the seruice of a Court or State of a great king Amongst the deuices and conceits of the tryumphes at the marriage there was a great deale of Astronomy the Lady being resembled to Hesperus and the Prince to Arcturus and the olde king Alphonsus that was the great Astronomer of kings and Ancestor to the Lady was brought in to be Fortune-teller of the match And whosoeuer had those toyes in compyling they were not altogether pedanticall But we may be sure that king Arthur the Brittaine in whose acts were worth enough to make him famous besides that which is fabulous written of him the Prince his discent from him and the Lady Katherine from the house of Lancaster was not forgotten those two particulars had a great part in the play But it seemes it is not good to fetch fortune from the Starres This young prince Arthur drow vpon him not onely the hopes and affections of his Country but the eyes and expectations of Forraigners all frustrated enioying him so little a time as they did the great alterations and strange euents afterwards ensuing The marriage portion the Princesse brought The marriage portion which was turned ouer to the King by renunciation was two hundred thousand Duckets whereof one hundred thousand were payd ten dayes after the solemnization of the marriage and the other hundred thousand at two payments annuall but part of it in Iewels and Plate and a due course set downe to haue them iustly and indifferently prised The Ioyncture Queene Katherines Ioincture or the aduancement of the Lady was the third part of the principalitie of Wales and of the Dukedome of Cornwall and the Earledome of Chester to be after set forth in seueraltie and in case she came to be Queene of England her aduancement was left indiffinite but that it should be as great as any former Queene of England had Prince Arthur imediately after the Solemnization of the Mariage was sent to keepe his rescyance and Court as Prince of Wales at the Castle of Ludlowe after a few moneths in the beginuing of Aprill he there deceased Prince Arthur deceased So that in respect he dyed so young and by reason of his Fathers manner of education that did cast no great Lustre vpon his children there is little particular mention of him onely thus much remaineth that he was very studious and learned beyond his yeares and beyond the custome of great Princes The February next following Henry Duke of Yorke afterward Henry the Eight was created Prince of Wales and Earle of Chester For the Dukedome of Cornewall deuolued vnto him by Statute which was halfe a yeares distance taken for his creation and his Prince Arthurs death which was construed to be to exprect a full time whereby it might appeare whether the Lady Katherine were with childe by Prince Arthur or not when this doubt was cleered Henry the Prince of Wales was presently Contracted to the Lady Katherine his brother Prince Arthurs Widow the reason of the Kings so doing some Writers affirme was because he was close handed and would not part with a second Dowrie some others affirme and it is like they are neerest the truth out of his affection to Ferdinando King of Spaine with whom he had euer a consent euen in nature and customes and out of a politicke consideration to continue his alyance with Spaine being assured that the Lady was of a most worthy vertuous and Princely disposition and in his profound iudgement knew that wiues were casuall commodities both for the loue he bore to his Sonne and the kingdome for that neither of them should runne another hazzard reteyned the Lady to be Queene of England The next instantly taken in hand The King of Scotlands marriage with the Kings eldest Daughter done by Proxie was the worke begun by Hyalus the Spanish Embassador the Solemnization of the Spowsals of Iames the Fourth King of Scotland with the Lady Margarel the Kings eldest Daughter which was done by Proxie and published at Pauls Crosse the 25. day of Ianuary and Te Deum solemnly sung But certaine it is that the ioy of the Citie thereupon shewed by ringing the Bells and Bonfiers and such other incense of the people was more then could be expected in case of so great and fresh enmitie betweene the Nations especially in London which were far enough from the feeling any the former calamities of the Warre and therefore might be truly attributed to a secret instinct and inspiring which many times runneth not onely in the hearts of Princes but in the pulses and veines of people touching the happinesse there to ensue in time to come The Mariage was in August following consumated at Edenborough King Henry bringing his Daughter as farre as Colliweston on the way and then consigning her to the attendance of the Earle of Northumberland who with a great troope of Lords and Ladies of Honour brought her into Scotland to the King her Husband This Mariage had beene in treatie by the space almost of three yeares from the time that Hyalus made the first ouerture and that the King of Scotland shortly after opened his minde to Bishop Foxe The summe giuen in mariage portion by the King The Mariage portion was ten thousand
pounds The ioyncture and aduancement assured by the King of Scotland was two thousand pounds a yeare after King Iames his death one thousand pounds a yeare in present for the Ladies maintenance This to be set forth in lands of the best and most certaine Reuenue The King as it is reported A question proposed by the Lords of the Counsell before this Match was concluded proposed it to his Councell and amongst them it was debated some of the Table in the Freedome of Councellours the King being present did put the case that if God should take away the Kings two Sonnes without issue that then the kingdome of England would fall vnto the King of Scotland The. Kings Reply which might preiudise the Monarchie of England whereunto the King himselfe replyed that if that should be Scotland would be but an accession to England and not England to Scotland for that the greater would draw the lesse and that it was a safer Vnion for England then that of France This passed as an Oracle and silenced those that moued the question This was a kinde of diuine and propheticall proposition made by the Lords of the Councell and so accordingly answered by the King so that the said Iames the fourth King of Scotland had issue by the Lady Margaret Iames the Fift The Kings Discent and he had issue Queene Mary she had issue our now Soueraigne so that he is great Grandchilde of Margaret eldest Daughter to Henry the Seauenth Now seeing I haue gone thus farre in matters of Mariage contrary to my intent as not to haue medled with any but those of Spaine I will now goe through by way of touch rather then by ample discourse of the mariage of the last and indeed of all the Daughters and children of King Henry the Seauenth Henry the Seauenth contracteth Mary his youngest Daughter to the Emperor and the rather for that it was the last act that concluded his temporall felicitie which was the conclusion of a glorious match betweene his Daughter Mary and Charles Princes of Castyle afterwards the great Emperour both being of tender yeares which treatie was perfected by Bishop Foxe Henry the Seauenth dying the Mariage tooke not effect and others his Commissioners at Calice But by reason the King about some yeare after died that mariage did not take effect Mary King Henryes youngest Daughter married to the King of France Afterwards to the Duke of Suffolke she was afterwards maried to the King of France who being aged shortly after died had no issue by her King Henry the Eight her brother sent ouer into France Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke to fetch her from thence who maried her and by him she had issue the farther particulars in those affaires I leaue the readers to the perusall of the workes of many Writers Stowe Holland Speede. that haue written the same at large For Henry the Seauenth I will conclude being he himselfe by the generall concluder of all was concluded Only this he had the fotune of a true Christian aswell as of a great King â—ote in liuing exercised and dying repentant his happinesse was much the more as when he left the world was in great felicitie being as it were at the top of all worldly blisse in regard of the high mariages of his Children his great renowne throughout Europe his great Riches and the perpetuall constancie of his prosperous successes all which were some way a shadow and vaile that it did not so euidently appeare as otherwise it would in what obloquie of the people he notwithstanding liued So that death to him was wonderfull opportune to withdrawe and preserue him from any future blow of Fortune which in all likelyhood would haue fallen vpon him in regard of the great hatred of his people and the Title of his Sonne being then come to eighteene yeares of age and being a bold Prince and liberall gained vpon the people by his very aspect and presence The King according to the contract made by his Father King Henry the 8. married the Lady Katherine his brothers widdow married his Brother Prince Arthurs Widow The secret prouidence of God ordaining that Mariage to be the cause of great euents and changes our Writers doe not lay it to the Ladies charge that she in her particuler ministered any occasion thereof The storie of the Kings life more or otherwise then it shall concerne the diuorce the Ladies life and conuersation I will not here meddle many haue written of him at large but the lesse is the more for his commendation Queene Katherine liued twenty years with the King When this Lady had liued aboue twenty yeares with the King as a vertuous and loyall Wife Cardinall Wolsey we finde had a great part in this play whose discent Pollidor Vigill relateth Parentem habuit virum probum at lanium had an honest man to his Father but a Butcher then for the particular story of his life more then shall concerne this affaire I leaue the Readers to many other Authors that haue written the same at large but in briefe he was intollerable wicked pompous and magnificent and according to the fate commonly of such men his end was infamous and infortunate vpon some priuate grudge he bore to Queene Katherine partly to be reuenged thereby vpon her Nephew the Emperour because he would not make him Pope as secretly he had requested him and partly because often-times in a most secret louing and gentle fashion she had admonished and warned him of his couetousnesse tyranny of his extortions oppressions of his pride and licentious course of life such men when they are told of those things being eminent and powerfull vsually will extend it to the highest to execute their malice which Wolsey so did towards the Queene as it afterwards fell out to bee apparant that to the King in priuate hee had cast some scruples with some subtle disputations concerning the lawfulnesse and nullitie of the Kings mariage who hauing as it seemed a desire to change as by his hauing so many Wiues afterwards it was somewhat probable made a great shew and expressure to the world that he began to be tender ouer his conscience and prouident to establish the true succession of the kingdome in a lawfull heire strucke so great an impression into him and so busied his cogitations and thoughts that a religious sorrow began to seaze vpon him and to auoide the continuance in that incestuous sinne vntill by a iudiciall sentence the doubts were cleered he refrained from the Queenes bed and the Cardinall to make himselfe more great then he was procured a Commission from the Pope to be directed to him and to his ancient brother Cardinall Campeius that before them as supreme Iudges that question by legall processe and proceedings might be heard debated on and censured according to the lawes of God These two Legates hauing receiued their Commission informeth the Queene of their authoritie and