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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06935	Honour in his perfection or, A treatise in commendations of the vertues and renowned vertuous vndertakings of the illustrious and heroycall princes Henry Earle of Oxenford. Henry Earle of Southampton, Robert Earle of Essex, and the euer praise-worthy and much honoured Lord, Robert Bartue, Lord Willoughby, of Eresby: with a briefe cronology of theirs, and their auncestours actions. And to the eternall memory of all that follow them now, or will imitate them hereafter, especially those three noble instances, the Lord Wriouthesley, the Lord Delaware, and the Lord Montioy.	Markham, Gervase, 1568?-1637.	1624 (1624)	STC 17361; ESTC S112100	25,787	50

HONOVR IN HIS PERFECTION OR A TREATISE IN COMMENDATIONS OF THE Vertues and Renowned Vertuous vndertakings of the Illustrious and Heroyicall Princes HENRY Earle of Oxenford HENRY Earle of Southampton ROBERT Earle of Essex AND The euer praise-worthy and much honoured Lord ROBERT BARTVE Lord Willoughby of Eresby With a Briefe Cronology of Theirs and their Auncestours Actions And to the eternall memory of all that follow them now or will imitate them hereafter especially those three Noble Instances the Lord Wriouthesley the Lord Delaware and the Lord Montioy At nunc horrentia Martis Arma virumque Cano LONDON Printed by B. Alsop for Beniamin Fisher and are to be sold at his shop in Pater noster Row at the Signe of the Talbot 1624. TO THE HONOVR AND Eternall Memorie of the Foure Illustrious Great Heroyicall and Noble Houses The House of OXFORD The House of SOVTHAMPTON The House of ESSEX And the House of WILLOVGHBY and to alll the liuing Braunches Males and Females which truly deriue themselues from any of those long honoured and Princely Families IF I should labor right Honourably honourable and you glorious Branches of these goodly Cedars which I would preserue to Eternitie to giue a generall contentment to all which shall vouchsafe to looke vpon this litle Treatise my worke would be infinite and the ende like a shadow euer farthest off when I did couet to be most neere it for it is a maxime That he which did well offended some yet an Apostle Hee that did worst pleased many and yet was but a Beast and He that did best of all could not please all and yet was God So various are the mindes of men and so curious the dyet of those which feede on varietie Besides Slaunder who hath much Tongue and litle Fore-head who is not pleased but in licking of Vlcers Is euer so Impudent that it dare mis-interpret Nick-name and abuse any vertuous meaning therefore to these children of Spleene and Passion who are mouthd like Anius-Satire can blow both hot cold at one instant I direct none of my Labours But to You You that are the Issues of true Honour You in whom they all liue of whom I haue written You whom Goodnesse will not gine leaue to doe or thinke any thing euill to You in all humblenesse I direct this Seruant of your Families Vertues doe not imagine it is a Chronickle of all their Noble Actions farre be it from my weaknesse to aime at a Worke of such merit let it suffice it is but an Essay or Imperfit offer of those excellencies which no doubt will hereafter draw a Penne of Immortalitie to to crowne them Nor was this done so much to extoll and renowne them as to quicken and set on fire the noble hearts of many others which now like some of the Statues or the Monuments in West-Minster lye sleeping on their Elbowes Thus if the Worke bee taken it hath got a true Coniecture if otherwise that men bee couetous and will seeke for more then my Knowledge is able to pay Let them not blame mee if I giue there expectations leaue to perish and only submit my selfe and my Labour to Your noble Censure beseeching Your Charitie to protect it whilst my selfe will euer liue A deuoted and true admirer of your honourd Vertues G. M. THE FOVRE REGIMENTS The Ear. of Southampton Col. Sr. Iohn Burlacy Lieu. col Sr. Iarret Ashley Ser. Maior Lord Wryothesley Lord Montioy Sr. Thomas Littleton Captaine Henry Barkley Captaine Crumwel Captaine Hubbert Captaine Iames Iucks Captaine Goring Captaine Conieres The Earle of Oxford Col. Sr. Iames Leuyston Lieu. col Captaine Seton Ser. Maior Lord Delaware Sir Dudly North. Sir William Heydon Sir William Brunckard Sir Iohn Weintworth Sir Henry Crofts Sir Edward Hawley Captain Henry Weintworth Captaine William Ramsey The Earle of Essex Col. Sr. Charles Rich. Liu. col Captain Swanton Ser. Mai. Sr. Walter Deuoreux Sr. Robert Knolles Sr. Iohn Ouzley Sr. Sigismond Zinzan Captaine Throgmorton Captaine Terringham Captaine Weynman Captaine Higham Captaine Daues The Lord Willoughby Col. Sr. Edw. Conwey Lieu col Cap. Tho. Conwey Ser. Mai. Sr. Peregrine Bartue Sr. Iohn Ratcliffe Captaine Conwey Captaine Hunks Captaine Clapton Captaine Terwitt Captaine Ashburnham Captaine Vane Captaine Goodrycke HONOVR IN HIS PERFECTION THE greatest and most glorious worke that euer the supreame and diuine Maiestie brought to passe was the Creation of the World The most excellentest thing that he therein created was Man And the most necessariest function which he ordained for the propagation both of the one and others Glory was a Souldier Then a Souldier nothing more needfull nothing more absolute more perfit It began with the World for when Adam offended a fierie Sword in the hand of an heauenly Souldier draue him out of Paradise A Souldier is the right arme of Iustice and carries the Sword Wisedome is the left and beares the Ballance without a Souldier no estate no Commonwealth can flourish Who shall vnmaske false pretences but the Souldier who shall confound the secret subtill Traitor but the Souldier who shall tread downe the publike daring Rebell but the Souldier and indeed who shall or can doe right to all men but the Souldier If then the Souldier be thus good thus ancient thus iust and thus needfull how many Glories ought to crowne and attend him why all whatsoeuer that can be accounted Glorious as the conquest ouer Daunger ouer Labour and ouer Passion the defence of true Religion true Titles and true vndertakings He shall haue all the Glories of the Earth as praise from the Greatest reuerence from the wisest and wonder from all he shal haue the Glories of Garments as Crowns Garlands Plumes and Scarfes the glorie of Place as the Chaire for Counsell and the Chariot for triumph the glory of Buriall as Tombes Temples Hearses Epitaphs nay after all the glory of Eternitie that is famous Cronicles to keepe his Name and Reputation to eternall memorie and Heauen for his soule where he shall liue with God for euer But some here wil aske me why shal a Souldier haue all these glories only because he is needfull because he is ancient because he is iust yes for them an infinite number of other Vertues for in the Souldier lies the protection of Ladies the defence of Orphanes the reliefe of Widowes the support of weaknesse the strength of goodnesse the vtter destruction of all that can be named vitious it is his Actions which must make vp the myrror wherein true Honour is to be seene his words that must pull Truth from darkenesse and his Thoughts which being euer busie in Heauen must keepe the Earth in forme and true order It is his Vallour that must make all dangers assaileable his Wisdome that must make a separation betwixt good and euill his Temperaunce that must quench the flames of Princes angers and his Iustice that must distribute to all the portion of equitie Is the Souldier thus excellent

Aubery Vere was created Earle of Oxford and High Chamberlaine of England to him and his heires males for euer in the daies of Henry the first who was sonne to William the Conquerour which is Honour almost as early as could be for before the Conquest there is no certaintie any of Honour hereditarie in this Land and thus they haue successiuely followed till this day Next O Britaine reade vnto thy softer Nobilitie the Storie of the Noble House of Southampton That shall bring new fier to their blouds and make of the little sparkes of Honour great flames of excellency shew them the life of Thomas Wriothesley Earle of Southampton who was both an excellent Souldier and an admirable Scholler who not only serued the great King his Master Henry the eight in his warres but in his Counsell Chamber not only in the field but on the Bench within his Courts of ciuill Iustice This man for his excellent parts was made Lord Chauncelour of England where he gouerned with that integritie of heart and true mixture of Conuience and Iustice that he wonne the hearts both of the King and people After this noble Prince succeeded his sonne Henry Earle of Southampton a man of no lesse vertue prowesse and wisedome euer beloued and fauoured of his Prince highly reuerenced and fauoured of all that were in his owne ranke and brauely attended and serued by the best Gentlemen of those Countries wherin he liued his muster role neuer consisted of foure Lackeys and a Coachman but of a whole troupe of at least an hundred well mounted Gentlemen and Yeomen he was not knowne in the Streetes by guarded Liuories but by Gold Chaines not by painted Butterflies euer running as if som monster pursued them but by tall goodly fellowes that kept a constant pace both to guard his person and to admit any man to their Lord which had serious businesse This Prince could not steale or drop into an ignoble place neither might doe any thing vnworthy of his great calling for hee euer had a world of testimonies about him When it pleased the diuine goodnesse to take to his mercy this great Earle hee left behinde to succeede him Henry Earle of Southampton his Sonne now liuing being then a childe But here mee thinkes Cinthius aurem vellet something puls me by the elbow bids me forbeare for flatterie is a deadly sinne and will damme Reputation But shall I that euer loued and admired this Earle that liued many yeares where I daily saw this Earle that knew him before the warres In the warres and since the warres shall I that haue seene him indure the worst mallice or vengeance that the Sea Tempests or Thunder could vtter that haue seene him vndergoe all the extremities of warre that haue seene him serue in person on the enemy and against the enemy shall I that haue seene him receiue the reward of a Souldier before the face of the Enemie for the best act of a Souldier done vpon the Enemie Shall I be scarrd with shadowes No Truth is my Mistresse and though I can write nothing which can equall the least sparke of fire within him yet for her sake will I speake some thing which may inflame those that are heauy and dul and of mine owne temper This Earle as I said before came to his Fathers dignitie in his childhood spending that and his other yonger times in the studie of good Letters to which the Vniuersitie of Cambridge is a witnesse and after confirmed that Studie with trauell and forraigne obseruation As soone as he came to write full and perfit Man he betooke himselfe vnto the warres was made Commander of the Garland one of Queene Elizabeth of famous memorie her best ships and was Vice-Admirall of the first Squadron In his first putting out to Sea hee saw all the Terrours and Euils which the Sea had power to shew to mortaiitie insomuch that the Generall and the whole Fleete except some few shippes of which this Earles was one were driuen backe into Plimouth but this Earle in spight of stormes held out his course made the coast of Spaine and after vpon an Aduiso returned The Fleete new reenforst made fourth to Sea againe with better prosperitie came to the Ilands of the Azores and there first tooke the Iland of Fiall sackt and burnt the great Towne tooke the high Fort which was held impregnable and made the rest of the Ilands as Pike Saint Georges and Gratiosa obedient to the Generals seruice Then the Fleete returning from Fiall it pleased the Generall to diuide it and he went himselfe on the one side of Gratiosa and the Earle of Southampton with some three more of the Queenes Ships and a few small Marchants Ships sailed on the other when early in a morning by spring of day This braue Southampton light vpon the King of Spaines Indian Fleete laden with Treasure being about foure or fiue and thirty Saile and most of them great warlike Gallioons they had all the aduantage that sea winde number of ships or strength of men could giue them yet like a fearefull heard they fled from the fury of our Earle who notwithstanding gaue them chase with all his Canuase one he tooke and sunke her diuers hee dispierst which were taken after and the rest he draue into the Iland of Tercera which was thē vnassaileable After this he ioyned with the Generall againe and came to the Iland of Saint Michaels where they tooke and spoiled the Towne of Villa Franca and at Porte Algado made a Charrackt runne on ground and split her selfe after being ready to depart the enemie taking aduantage of our rising and finding that most of our men were gone aboard but only the General the Earle of Southamptō Sr. Francis Vere som few others left on Shoare they came with their vtmost power vpon them but were receiued with so hot an incounter that many of the Spaniards were put to the sword and the rest inforced to runne away and in this skirmish no man had aduantage of safetie for the number was on our part so few that euery man had his hands imployment and here the Earle of Southampton ere he could dry the sweat from his browes or put his sword vp in the scaberd receiued from the Noble Generall Robert Earle of Essex the order of Knighthood After this he returned for England and came fortunately home but fel he here a sleep with any inchantment either of Peace or Pleasure O no but here he did as it were but new begin the progresse of his more noble actions for now the wilde and sturdy Irish rebels fatned with some Conquests and made strong with forraigne aide to get more Conquest began to rage like wilde Boares and to root vp euery fruitfull place in that Kingdome so that without a sodaine chastisement it was likely the euill would grow past all cuer To this worke

King of Denmarke stood oppressed with Iniurious Neighbours it pleased him for his Vertues sake to elect this Noble man and made him Generall of an Army which he sent to his succour There this Lord acted all the parts of a most glorious Souldier for he gaue to the King of Denmarke all satisfaction made the enemie feele his courage and his friends taste his loue he cloathed euery great desert with Honour and euery lesse with his Bounty so that after his worke finished he returned home with praise and found fauour in the eies both of his great Master and Royall Mistresse After this expedition the peacefulnesse of the times kept both his body and minde a prisoner till now at last our Neighbours harmes teaching vs how to husband safetie hath giuen libertie to this new Armie in which this Lord is a principall Commander Goe on then braue Lord in this braue designe and make euery obstacle the Enemie would finde to deterre or hinder thee a new spurre to quicken thy resolution a new flame to kindle thine anger thou hast a plentifull Catalogue of presidents in thine owne Bloud reade them ouer and ouer and when this great Substance of Martaill resolutions shall bee brought to a comely and inuincible Body be thou the prosperous and successefull Foote which in despite of all oppositions shall march forward and bring the rest to the long wisht for Palatinate Doe this prosperously doe this bouldly for I presage it is a worke to which God hath called thee and Angels will clap their wings when they see it effected When O Britaine thou hast read these foure Chronicles to thy younger Schollers if thou findest any heauie or vnapt for Noble Action especially where youth and abilitie of body hath giuen incouragement of better hopes then point them out these three young Coesars the Lord Wriothesley the Lord La-Ware and the Lord Montioy let them looke vpon them with admiration and when they haue perfitly viewed them let them sigh and blush for shame that they are not equall partners of their vndertakings let them behold the obiect whereat they looke and they shall finde it is sacred and not profane a marke of holinesse not a blazing meteor of greatnesse looke on the chaine which drawes them and they shall finde it iustice not the quarrel of earthly passion and let them looke at the end whereat they would aime and they shall finde it is Heauen and the Communitie with Saints not the Court which is the Theater of worldly praise nor the Princes fauour But if all this preuaile not but still this secure Slumber of Peace will lye heauy vpon them then stirre vp thy warme bloud and modestly thus chide them Tell them that as the King is the great maine Ocean or Sea of all Honour and may bestow his waters freely at his pleasure so he expects from those which are his pettie Riuers that hourely to him they pay backe their Tributes That hand which giues Honor euer lookes from the honour'd hand to receiue some seruice Then you O you yong men you ablemen you that haue receiued honors beyond expectations fauours past hope and wealth past merit Looke whether your Riuers be not conuerted to standing lakes and no Tribute returned and whether your seruices be not concealed whilest poore barren wishes only make good the place of a dead duty if you finde these falts amend them if you finde these falts forsake them Againe tell these great ones whom hardly Thunder can awaken that when they neglect Honour they neglect and are rebellious against God and it is a meere folly for them to hope to rule men when they will not be ruled by him that made them But they will answere thee that greatnesse of place giues them priuiledge from Censure and so they can cary a faire shew no matter for sufficiencie Reply thou that it is folly to thinke so for assure them that a superficiall shew of sufficiencie is but like small Wines which will not keepe and being once tainted no poison like that of Contempt Say vnto those which are dull and want good matter whereon to build great thoughts that as small springs are soone emptied if they be often drawne so spirits that haue weake foundations silence is good to make them seeme wise but when Wisedome comes to proue them euery imagined good thing in them fals asunder like so many disioyned peices Tell the phantasticke Mimmickes of honour those which are caried away with euery shadow of fauour or fashion that neuer fixe vpon any thing that is constant or serious that alwaies hunt after vanities and thinke no exercise in Armes so meritorious as tossing a Shyttelwike tell them the study of vaine things is a toilesome Idlenesse and a painefull Folly the spirit which is strucke with this disease are very hardly cured neither can their curiositie in this kinde how carefull soeuer afford them any thing but Ignorance and belieue it there is nothing more dishonourable or daungerous either to Court or Common-wealth then an Ignorant great one Tell them that Henry the Great of France call'd Ignorant Noble-men Golden Calues and all that did Reuerence to them were worthy to perish for Idolatrie It was his opinion that Noblemen might bee borne good Generous and capable of Vertue but Instruction only makes them wise Wisedome cannot be gotten without paine she cannot be sold or if she could it is ten to one this sort of Nobilitie would neuer buy her there are so many follies to step betwixt her and them which are both cheape and euer ready to pull downe the market Lastly and for a Conclusion of this small Treatise say to him whatsoeuer hee be that shall taxe me of bitternesse or thinke I haue gone beyond the bounds of good manners in seeking to aduise them who are aboue the rule of my knowledge and that whatsoeuer is aboue me doth nothing belong vnto me tell them they are mistaken Bid them call to minde that the Tree which grew from Romulus Iaueling when he threw it into the ground was walled about by the Romans and kept so carefully that if any man of what degree soeuer saw the leaues begin to wither he presently gaue an allarum to the whole Citie and cryed for water as if all had beene on fire In like manner Subiects haue cause to grieue and call out when as those plants from whence the hope to gather the strength of Protection the fruits of Iustice and the shadow of their rest doe wither either through the negligence of those which should prune and preserue them or through the want of good Sap which might be infused into them by due watering and manuring FINIS The excellencie aed necessitie of a Souldier The antiquity of a Souldier What a Souldier is and his duties What Glories attend a Souldier Why the Souldier is glorified The Reward of a Souldier Fame Wealth Honour What Honour is The difference betwixt Honor and Laude The antiquitie of Honour Honour is eternall Honour vniuersall The priuiledges of Honour Inuocation on Great Britane The foure Vndertakers What they goe to doe 〈…〉 Britaine An Incouragement to her friends Who are her foes Gifts for her friends Difference of gifts The effects of good gifts How to helpe weake minde The Storie of the House of Oxford compared with Caesar. A memorabse note The Storie of Iohn Earle of Oxford the 15. Earle Edward the 4. his opinion of Oxford Oxford against Rchard the third Oxford comes to Earle Richmund Oxford brings Richmund into England Oxfords actions at Bosworth field Oxford leades the Vanguard Oxford wonne the field Oxfords happinesse A discourse of Iohn the 16. Earle of Oxford Oxford kils a Wild Boare The Frenchmens admiration Edward the 17 Erle of Oxford Sir Francis Vere and Sir Horace Vere Henry Earle of Oxford the 18. Earle Sir Horace Vere The Storie of the House of Southampton Thomas Earle of Southamton Henry Earle of Southampton Henry second of that name Earle of Southampton The Iourney to the 〈◊〉 The Earles education His going to the warres Robert Earle of Essex Fiall taken Robert Earle of Essex Spaines Indian Fleete beaten The Earle of Essex Villa Franca taken and a Carrackt split The Enemies assault and are beaten Southampton Knighted Southampton goes to Ireland He appeases Munster The Storie of the House of Essex Walter Deuereux Earle of Essex Robert Earle of Essex The Earles education His seruice in the Low-countries The Earle of Essex seruice in Portugal The Earle of Essex seruice in France The Earle of Essex seruice in France The meeting of the Earle and the King The Earles iourney to Cales The Earles iourney to the Azores The Earles seruice in Ireland Robert second of that name Earle of Essex Mr. Henry Alexander The Earle went a Captaine into the Palatinate The Storie of the House of Willoughby William Lord Willoughby Katherine Duchesse of Suffolke Peregrine Lord Willoughby The Lord Willoughby made gouernour of Berwicke Robert Lord Willoughby A remembrance of the Lord Wriothesley the Lord De-Ware and the Lord Montioy

they came galloping in vnto him and made the wonder in their distracted amazements some twelue times greater then Hercules twelue labours all ioyning in one that it was an act many degrees beyond possibilitie and that he was infinitely beholden to diuine aid for hee had done more then man could promise to himselfe or was likely for man euer to performe hereafter and some of the greater sort who had a stronger tie of his familiaritie began in the way of admiration to reprehend his too much ouer-daring saying O my Lord why would you ingage your person thus dangerously you haue done an act aboue courage and escapt your death beyond hope but the Earle seeing their distraction replyed my Lords what troubles you or what myrackle haue I done of which I haue no feeling is it the killing of this English Pyg why euery boy in my Nation would haue performed it they may be Bug-beares to the French to vs they are but seruants I tel you had an heard of Lyons beene in his place I would haue done as much and said vnto them with the Poet Dominum cognoscite vestrum I tell you man was created Master of all liuing Creatures at this the French were mute and only said amongst themselues that his valour and his Fortune had shakt hands and agreed to raise his name aboue comparison and so they returned to Paris with the slaine Beast where the wonder did neither decrease nor die but to this day liues in many of their old Annals Descend but to the noble Father of this princely Oxford now liuing and you shall finde that although the blessed armes of Peace in the blessed daies of the euer blessed Elizabeth did so foulde and imbrace our Kingdome about that euery valiant arme for want of imployment lay as it were manakled and fettered from the vse of weapon yet this Nobleman breakes off his Gyues and both in Italie France and other Nations did more Honour to this Kingdome then all that haue trauelled since he tooke his iourney to heauen It were infinite to speake of his infinite expence the infinite number of his attendants or the infinite house he kept to feede all people were his president now to be followed by all of his ranke the Pope might hang himselfe for an English Papist discontentment would not feede our enemies Armies nor would there be either a Gentleman or Scholler to make a Masse-Priest or a Iesuite that he was vpright and honest in all his dealings the few debts he left behinde him to clog his suruiuours were safe pledges and that hee was holy and Religious the Chapels and Churches he did frequent and from whence no occasion could draw him the almes he gaue which at this day would not only feede the poore but the great mans family also and the bountie which Religion and Learning daily tooke from him are Trumpets so loude that all eares know them so that I conclude and say of him as the euer memorable Queene Elizabeth said of Sir Charles Blount Lord Montioy and after Earle of Deuonshire that he was Honestus Pietas Magnanimus What shall I speake of the two famous wonders of our Land the euer memorable Sir Francis Vere deceased and Sir Horace Vere now liuing his noble brother to speake of one action were to draw thousands into my remembrance or to name one place were to lay the Map of almost all Europe before me and therefore I will referre you to the Chronicles of Spaine and Portugale where as long as there stands a Cales or abides an Iland of the Azores you shall see a Vere in a Souldiers Triumph Looke in many of the viewes of France and there you shall finde Vere armed see the Stories of the dissentions in Germanie and there you shall finde Vere strugling with Honour nay looke in all that hath beene written in the Neatherlands within the compasse of the longest memory now liuing and belieue it in euery page in euery action Vere cannot be omitted only in that Storie there is one pretty secret or mysterie which I cannot let passe vntouched because it brings many difficulties or doubts into the minde of an ignorant Reader and that is the mistaking of names for the Authour of that Worke bindes himselfe too strictly to the Scripture phrase which is to make one name to containe another as the name Adam to containe the name Eua also and the word man to containe the word woman also and so the Authour speaking of many notable and famous exploits fortunately performed deliuers you peraduenture but the name of Nassau or the Dutch and such like whereas in truth and true meaning the name of Vere should euer be included within them the sence so read the Story is perfect I speak not this to derogate any thing from the excellencies of that most excellent Prince to whose Vertues I could willingly fall down become a bond-flaue for the whole World must allow him a Souldier vnparaleld and a Prince of infinite merit but only to shew that the least spark of Vertue which is cannot chuse but repine when it finds a great Vertue iniur'd by a pen whose blaunching might make the whole World forgetfull Lastly thou shalt not neede to reade but with thy finger point at the life of the now Earle of Oxford of whom but to speake reasonable truthes such is the poison of Enuy euery good word would be accounted flattery and to speake any thing contrary to goodnesse Truth her selfe would swear it were meere Falshood Therefore I will forbeare his Chronicle and only say thus that his Cradle did point him out a Souldier for he brought that spirit with him into the World and that spirit he hath still nourisht for diuide his Age into three parts and I thinke two of them haue beene bestowed on Forraine Nations neither hath he let slip any occasion how great or low soeuer which might put him into action hee hath hung about the neck of his noble Kinsman like a rich Iewell and the one hath so adorned the other the one with Counsell the other with obedience the one shewing what to doe the other doing what was fit to be done that if there be a hope whereon mortalitie may build there is none more strong then that wee haue of this Nobleman Goe on then great Prince in this braue careire of Honour and fixe for thine obiect the designes of thy famous Auncestour and as he restored the lost House of Lancaster so I Prophesie if thou beest not the head yet thou wilt bee the right arme to the body which shall bring backe againe to the royall owner the now wasted Palatinate Now for a Conclusion to this Noble House Know thou whatsoeuer thou art which shalt reade this discourse that albe I nominate here but foure Earles and the first in the daies of Henry the sixt yet there haue beene of the name of Vere eighteene Earles of Oxford of which the first

the Earle of Southampton buckles on his Armour and after the Generall was chosen which was Robert Earle of Essex he is the first tenders his seruice he is instantly made Lieutenant Generall of the Horse prepares for the expedition and with all possible speed came into Ireland there he was a principall instrument in calming all the turmoiles and ceasing the seditions in Munster reducing that fruitfull and well peopled Prouince to their auncient and true obedience and making those which fauour and grace could not reclaime by force of Armes to lye humbly prostrate before him witnesse Mongarret Donna-spaniah the Souggan Oni-mac-Rori and a world of others which being the wickednest of men came and threw themselues at the feete of the Generall and only cryed out for the Queenes and his mercy Thus he also reduced the Country of 〈◊〉 and diuers other places and then returned But is here an end of his progresse in the warres questionlesse the whole world would haue so imagined for his deare and dread Soueraigne the euer memorable Elizabeth dying the next that succeeds is the incomparable King Iames he enters not with an Oliue Branch in his hand but with an whole Forrest of Oliues round about him for he brought not Peace to this Kingdome alone but almost to all the Christian Kingdomes in Europe he closed vp both ours and our neighbours Ianus Temple and writing Beati pacifici found both the worke and the Reward in his admirable proceedings here our great Earle stops but retires not hee keepes his first ground and the King like the Sunne which suruaies althings found hat he was fit for either the one or the other seruice Peace and Warre were to him but a couple of hand-maids and he knew how to employ either according to their Vertue hence he makes him a Priuie Counsellour of the State and in that seruice he spent the marrow and strength of his age Now at last when Mischiefe and Policie went about by delicate and inchanting poisons not only to stifle our Peace but to murther and confound all our louing neighbours which guard vs and that Charitie her selfe complained how our almes were much to penurious he who is one of the first which rises vp to this labour of amendment but our Southampton he whom although the priuiledge of white haires the testimonie of his former actions and the necessitie of his imployments in the present state might haue pleaded many vnrefellable excuses yet he is the sonne of Honour and with her he will liue and die in all occasions hence he embarks himself into this present action Go on then braue Earle and as thou art by yeares experience and the greatnesse of thy former places and commandments in the warres the eldest sonne of Honour in this Army so giue vnto these thy Companions examples of thy goodnesse shew them the true paths of Honour and be thou the Eies and Conduct to leade to the restitution of the lost Palatinate for therein consists my Prophesie After this O Britaine reade to thy growing spirits the euer memorable Storie of the Noble House of Essex euery small tittle of that glory is able to make a very earthy soule glorious how much more then a soule of any reasonable good composition thou needest not reade it in any lowd key for the whole World is but a Theater of their Renowne the Tongues of all people make but vp the Trumpet which speakes them and it is Eternitie it selfe which shall keepe them to euerlasting memorie Speake then first of the Noble Walter Earle of Essex I do not meane that in this Treatise thou shouldst speake of all his Noble actions for great Volumes are to little to containe them But like an Index or Table vnto greatnesse point out where those glories may be better discerned Let it suffice me to say hee was a man compounded of the foure Vertues as of foure Elements Honour Valour Bountie and Humilitie for the first he had it from his Birth and made an augmentation of it in his life for from Vicount he became an Earle the second could neuer be seperated from his Bloud and he exprest it in his profession for he was a Souldier the third was the foundation of his disposition for he could not indure to see merit weeping and the fourth was the Issue of al the others goodnesses for he could neuer indure to imagine his owne shadow a haires breadth greater then those that did walke hand in hand with him This Earle was by Queene Elizabeth of famous memorie made Lord Marshall of Ireland It was he that brought the great O-neale into subiectiō made the first euil Desmund put on the yoake of true obedience and reduced that barbarous Nation to their first rules of noble ciuility which when he had performed to the admiration of all men he then returned to Dublin and there dyed and was buried at Caermarden in Wales where hee was borne and there his memorie will liue for euer After him succeeded in his dignitie his deare sonne Robert surnamed the Great Earle of Essex a man of whom it behoueth euery man to be carefull how to write because his excellent parts were so great and the enuy which attends such excellency is so boundlesse that grow the Rush neuer so smoothe yet there will be a knot and let the speech be neuer so modest yet there will be too much or too little spoken Therefore I will only flye to my Mistresse Truth and vnder her protection giue a glaunce at some part of his Story This Earle was by his father left young vnto the World and therefore by his mother trained vp to the knowledge both of Armes and Letters and that with such a carefull yet Noble seueritie that the Vniuersity wherein he liued will and must confesse that not the porest Pentioner or House-scholler whatsoeuer kept his acts or disputations more duly freely and out of his owne knowledge and readings then this Earle did nor had the Vniuersitie at that time any wit more pretious then other being of his time to which he was not an oponent so excellent ripe was his Vnderstanding so delicate his deliuery of those things which hee vnderstood As soone as he left the Vniuersitie he was call'd for to the Court where his Soueraigne the wisest of all Soueraignes threw vpon him all possible Fauours and although for his youth and beauty he might like Pirocles haue made Basilius doat on his sweetnesse yet such was his caryage that he was able to haue giuen Ornament to any Counsell Chamber In this first flourishing time of his youth Spaine tyranizing too hardly vpon our best Neighbours the Neatherlands the euer memorable and renouned Queene Elizabeth takes them to her protection and with a Royall Army vnder the conduct of Robert Earle of Leicester preuents those Tempests which else might fall vpon them In this Armie Robert Earle of Essex is made Lieutenant Generall of the Horse

returne for England and so shooke hands with the warres for euer After him succeeded in his dignities his sonne Robert Earle of Essex now liuing whom he left vnto the world young and tender yet a Souldier from his cradle for his whole delight was in Martial Exercises of this I dare iudge because I professe it that when he was a very child both in yeares and strength few horsemen in the Kingdome the Gentleman that taught him excepted did ride better valianter or with more discretion and iudgement In the Vniuersitie he spent his first time where he got both admiration loue and Learning and indeed being the sonne of that Father the very naming of his Name was enough to raise an army to gaze vpon him cry out That Heauen would protect him From the Vniuersitie he betook himself to trauell wherin he spent many yeares for the bettering of his knowledge and some in beholding the warres in the Neatherlands being an obiect to which his heart was fixed as soone as occasion was offered he entred himselfe into the lyst of Souldiers like a Soulder humbling himselfe to the lowest degree considering his greatnesse that thereby he might make his Scale more noble and persit In the Palatinate he did both Summer and Winter held out all extremities and in despite of Famine Sword and Sicknesse returned home with Honour Now last of all new matter being offered he hath put himselfe on this present action Proceede in it braue Earle and prosper thou that art the Image of thy Fathers body be the imitatour of his actions and I doubt not but Heauen will powre vpon thee a ten times treble measure of his blest and Glorious Rewards go on I say couragiously and be the Heart of this warlike preparation the large heart the vnyeelding heart that thou maist inflame burne all things before thee till the Enemie be glad that thy Masters Children will receiue their Inheritance for so my hopes Prophesie and so I hope God himselfe hath spoken Lastly reade O Britaine to thine vnkindled spirits the Storie of the House of Willoughby a Storie that whosoeuer will turne ouer that great Volume shall finde it full of Honour full of wonder full of Vertue full of great actions for mine owne part I can but touch at the names the matter and Substance lies at large inrolled by a much better pen-man And first as fittest for this short discourse and omitting many that went before him I will begin with William Lord Willoughby in the daies of King Henry the eight who was a man of infinite courage and vertue of high thoughts deepe wisdome and discreete caryage hee commanded whilest he liued in all the Kings Warres went on euer with renowne and came off euer with glory insomuch that Henry the eight that potent King held him as one of the richest Iuels which adorne his Kingdome and thought no fauour too deare or pretious for such great deseruings but the best things on earth are euer subiect to Mortalitie for it pleased God when this braue Lord was in his greatest prosperitie of Fortune and the highest fauour with his Soueraigne to take him to his mercy and he died without any Issue male of his body and only left behind him a Daughter and heire called Katherine which was maryed to that great heroyicall Lord Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke so that the King seeing the name of Willoughby which he loued so dearely and had so dearely deserued at his Royall hands likely to be lost in this sweete Lady began to take it to his consideration and to make as it were a monument to preserue this great Name and to giue it still a quickning life in his remembrance hee called for a well-loued Kinsman of this Lord Willoughbies and created him in memorie of the other Lord Willoughby of Param But see the effect working of Prouidence after the death of the Duke of Suffolke this Lady Katherine his Duchesse maryed with Bar●ue by whom shee had a sonne borne beyond the Seas which she called Peregrine and was in her right Lord Willoughby of Eresby To tell the Storie of this great Duchesse life how worthily Religiously and bountifully shee liued here in England how malitiously cruelly and treacherously shee was hunted and pursued for her life ouer all Christendome by an whole Kennell of the Popes worst deuouring Woolues to tell the dangers shee escaped the magnanimitie shee vsed the extremities shee was put to to tell the snares that were laid to intrap her and the pretty sleights her sweetnesse vsed to escape them to see how busie the Deuill was to vndermine her and how strong God was to protect her would raise vp amazement euen in stones and make the Earth cry out O Dea certe After her succeeded Peregrine Lord Willoughby the myrror and myrackle of his time This man must needes bee a Souldier for hee was borne in the Warres nurst in the Warres brought vp in the Warres his whole life nothing but a Storie of the Wars and the last act of his life was playd in a Town of Garison Of this mans actions all the Neatherlands can report and especially Bergenupzone for in them where was any fury of Warre out of which hee brought not Triumph and the Duke of Parma himselfe wheresoeuer his Chronickle is read of the Neatherlands must bee contented if Truth bee witnesse to haue this Lord Willoughby triumphant against him France thou must likewise bee a Trumpet of this Noblemans Glory and Paris thou must bee an euidence too strong to bee refelled thou knowest hee blew vp thy Ports and battered downe thy Walls and had not the Kings mercy throwne cold water on his anger t is well knowne hee had wrapt thee vp in a bloudy mantell for exceeding great were his designes and very good both his successe and Fortune so that lawfully without arrogance he might haue assumed Coesars inscription which was Veni vidi vici for althings proued easie to his vndertakings Lastly when hee had performed all his great Mistresses commandements and brought peace to her Neighbours he then returned into England where in recompence of his great seruices she made him Gouernour of her warlike Towne of Berwicke and in that Gouernment with peace of contience and the loue of all sorts of People he died and was exceedingly lamented After him succeeded in his dignitie Robert Lord Willoughby his sonne now liuing who hitherto hath followed his Fathesr step for step to Honor put on his Armour almost as soone and had imployments been as frequent and abundant as in the daies of his Father doubtlesse he had ariued at a great part of his glories notwithstanding he did neither neglect nor loose time but tooke hold vpon all occasions neither did Peace or Ease cast any such mist about him but that our Royall King Iames his great Master found him worthy of imployment so that when his deare Brother the