the Spaniard I leaue to theyr iudgementes that knowe the Countrie For by this rendition of the towne of Alost they were the occasion that hee got Dermounde the Sasse the fortes of Leifkins hooke Saint Anthonies and Saint Margarets the dole the best parte of the lande of Wast and in manner Gaunt it selfe as the sequele verie apparantly shewed notwithstanding all which seruice they were within two yeeres space what wyth hunger the gallowes and rigorous dealing quite consumed and brought to nothing And lastly at Stalbrooke euen agaynst the yeelding vp of Anwarpe when all other Nations whatsoeuer were to receiue theyr count and reckoning they onelye were infamouslye cashierde without anie one monethes paie receiuing onelie euerie one a Ducket And which of all others is most monstrous and scarcely credible whereas some of the Captaines not long before had made them of their own purses new and faire Ensignes those Ensignes were by a Spanish Commissarie called Spinosa who came with order to dissolue the regiment taken violently from those that bare them An exceeding disgrace vsed to the English by the Spaniard in presence of the Earle of Westmerland who was Coronell of the regiment and for a greater disgrace both to him and the rest though both hee Captaine Tresham and the other Captaines complained to the Duke for redres Captain TreshaÌ„ a litle before the breaking of the regiment when Tailor was slain had his companie giuen him which they could not obtaine the Spaniard afterwards made his brags that he turned the English Ensignes into Spanish fieldbeds Somwhat before this time when the whole camp receiued at the siege of Dermounde two moneths pay they onely though of all others most trauelled in the trenches wading euerie night from their quarter to the place where they kept their gard which was vpon a dike or caussey through waters vp to the bosome hauing had more men slaine in that siege than anie other regiment in the whole campe could not receiue one penie notwithstanding that they had passed musters with the rest yea and some of the Captaines had bribed the Commissaries to passe them many places thinking thereby to make a great hand but in sted of monie when they made sute to the Duke There are in the kings army two Contadors whose office is to keepe the Rols and bookes of the armie to make the Patents of captains and coronels to put theyr hands to al such assignations of money as are granted many other the lyke thinges so that their office is of great reâ—lâ—ning and dignitie were scornfully by him poasted off to the Contadores of the armie of whom they receued the most base and opprobrious speeches that were euer giuen vnto souldiers and that can Lieutenant Butlar well testifie for he being then Lieutenant vnto Pigot was one of the number vnto whom they were vsed he is now in her Maiesties seruice and was lately Lieutenant of sir Iohn Poolies horsemen and as I heare hath done her Maiestie many good seruices The conclusion is they were absolutely reiected without euer receiuing one halfepenie And lastly vpon casting of the regiment wheras the paie of a reformed Captaine for so they call them whose companies are cashierd or taken awaie of what nation so euer he bee amongst them is fortie crownes a moneth they gauè onely to our English Captains but fiue and twentie neither that but in paper onely for I thinke some of them neuer receiued anie pennie at all in mony and if they did I am sure it was verie little Thus much as touching the vsage which they receiued from the Spaniard but now keeping the course I beganne I will acquaint you with the punishment which it pleased God to laie vpon the leaders and first seducers of this miserable forenamed troupe Vpon their arriuall in the Spanish campe they were diuided into seuen companies The names of the Captaines and commanders of this Regiment and their miserable endoâ— the one of which was giuen to the Earle of Westmerland who vpon their humble request and sute was made Coronell commander of them all and one Contraras a Spaniard ioyned with him as his assistant or rather as a master and commander both ouer him and the regiment another was giuen to Pigot with the title of Lieutenant Coronell the third to Dalton with the office of Sergeant maior the names of the other four vpon whom the residue of the companies were bestowed were Tailor Vincent Smith and Walsh I will begin with Pigot The strange calamitie death of Pigot because hee onely was the first and chiefe actor instrument in this trecherie abusing with the subtiltie of his fair speech the rest of his countrymen that were by him drawen into this action Pigot after hee had stayed a while in the campe as hee was wilie and full of crafte The strange calamitie death of Pygot so hee quicklye perceiued howe the worlde was likely to go with him and his fellowes and therefore leauing the rest to weare themselues out in pouertie and trauell he while hee had monie in his purse got him into Spaine thinking surely with himself that in regard his seruice had ben so important hee should there haue bene receiued with crosse and candle and besides bee mightily recompensed He would not admit anie other of the Captaines for companion in the iourney fearing least partnership might haue made the merite of his seruice which to himselfe hee attributed alone seeme the lesse Pygots cold entertainment in Spayne and so consequentlie his reward With this craftie intention hee arriued at Madrile where after hee had a while wandered vp and downe vnregarded at length by meanes of sir Frances Englefield to whom he was in that behalfe an earnest suter hee was brought by an interpreter for hee had no other laÌ„guage but plain English to the speech of Don Ioan de Ydeaques being then the kings Secretorie from whom after he had declared his seruice and cause of comming hee receiued this answere that the King had appointed the Duke of Parma to be his lieutenant The answere of Don Iuan De Ydeaques the Kings secretarie and Captaine generall in the lowe Conntries to whose direction and discretion hee referred the consideration of all such lyke seruices as shoulde there fall out wishing him therefore with all speede to returne vnto the Duke who no doubt woulde take notice of his seruices offering him his Letter vnto the Duke in that behalfe This answere was colde and contrarie to Pigots expectations but backe hee must there was no remedye No replye of his coulde alter the Secretories resolution Somewhat beefore his vndertaking this iourney hee had married a handsome young woeman of those Countries whome hee left at Tourney in a Cittizens house and with her in charge all whatsoeuer hee was woorth Shee in the time of his absence beeing verye fearefull to lye alone had entertayned into her bedde a younge man
who was then sir Williams Lieutenant or wyth Captaine Salsburie who are nowe both in England they will satisfie you farther in this matter none can better speake it than they especially the last named because hee opposed himselfe and had sure sunke vnder the burthen if that his wit and courage had not carryed him thorough Once sir William Stanly began to looke it and to auoide both that and other inconueniences tooke some yeres since his iourney into Spaine Sir W. Stanley tooke his iourney into Spain partlye to secure vnto himselfe some estate of liuing of which hee nowe considering this dealing beganne to doubt partly by the inuitation of the Iesuites wyth which order hee is exceedinglie inchanted Sir William Stanley wholie drected by the Iesuites and to them wholye subiected who dealte for him in such sorte wyth the Cardinall that hee presently sent Parsons awaye into Spaine to infourme the King of his worthynesse and vertue and wythall He tooke with him into Spain Hugh Owen George Parsons brother to Parsons the Iesuit He sent E Crisp before to Rome to solicite his matters with the Cardinal who returning thēce met him afterwards in Spain of his experience of the sea coastes of Englande but especially of his intelligence about Ireland which in truth he presumeth to be verie great Parsons plaid his parte in such forte that sir William Stanley was presently sent for who vppon his arriuall dyd what hee couide to perswade the King to sende forces for Ireland but belyke there was not such greate credite giuen him as he expected there should be insomuch that hee wrote Letters to Holte the Iesuite beeing in Brussels which is his countriman and one vppon whom he chiefly relieth of great discontentment signifying that his intertainment was far colder than hee expected Sir W Stanley sent to Coronia Within short space after he was sent downe to the kings nauie lying at Coronia where a while hee remained with the Adelantado In the meane time his regiment began to drop and droup away in such sort that what for lack of sustenāce through ill vsage the number of them was so melted that they were not in all aboue an hundred and fiftie for the chifest captaines leaders and gentlemen they did both so much mislike the base handling of matters also the practises there dayly set abroch against their countrie Sir W Stanley forsaken by his Captaines that they made by means intercession to her maiestie for their pardon which of her mercifull and roiall benignitie she granted so that such of them as remain aliue do inioy their Countrie and can testifie this which I haue sayd to be true But now to returne to Yorke whō I lefte in Dauentre assured both by Verdugos promises and his owne hopes of the towns gouernment when he sawe Graue Harman make his enterie as new created gouernour by the Dukes appointment you must imagine that it grieued him to the verie gall but forced he was to dissemble it with his best patience Neuertheles hauing in the towne a gallant companie of lances in despite of them he florished bare his head aloft ranging and scouring ouer the whole countrie bringing in dayly great booties growing rich This prosperitie of his was a great blemish in their eie for they knew him to be discontented and of a dangerous humour so that they did not greatly trust him him therefore fairely one daie at dinner they caused to bee poisoned where likewise poisoned with him yong Richard Souch and Robert Fenne priest Yorke poisoned by the Spaniard Richard Souch and Robert Fen priest but he belike hauing swallowed the chiefe substance they onely met with the drams so that he died miserably and they fel sicke brake out into many pustules biles yet afterwards recouered and did giue this testimonie his breath was no sooner out of his body but Trias a Spanish Captaine and Graue Harman the newe gouernor rusht into his lodging to breake vp his coffers in which being withstoode by Yorkes Lieutenant Iohn Bowcer and by Edward Bowcer his brother I Bowcer and his borther Edward Bowcer murthered by the Spaniard they caused their gardes at noone daies to enter in vppon them and most inhumanely and barbarously to murther them both in their own presence which worthie exploit beeing perfourmed they brake vp his coffers tooke out his iewells plate and monie of which they found great store appropriating the same to their own vse as likewise they did his horses armes furniture though he by testament had bequeathed them to a litle youth his brothers sonne called Edmond Yorke being then in those partes with him Lastly they chased his whole companie out of the towne Yorkes companie barbarously intreated by the Spaniard and spoyled their baggage at the gates who poore men seeing their Captain poisoned their Lieutenant murthered and themselues so vnchristanly dealt withall repaired to Verdugo imploring his helpe and assistaunce in so hard an extremitie who for recompence verie charitably cashierd them al without the receit of one peny Afterwards when the fame of this poisoning grew rife abroad they gaue out published that some one had done it suborned thereunto by the Councell of England but if there had bin no other proofe as there were infinit yet the sequell of their doings their murthering of his friends and the robbing of his treasure shewed by whom it was done wherat they aimed Thus much as touching the vsage which they receued from the king and his ministers nowe keeping the course I began let vs see with what prosperitie it pleased God to blesse this action of sir William Stanleys those whom he vsed as instruments therein After his comming into the kings seruice he diuided his regiment which was the greatest part Irish into sixe companies The leading of his owne company he gaue to Peter Winne The names of sir W. Stanleys Captaines in which roome afterwardes master Winne discharging himselfe hee placed one Hart an olde souldier and follower of his The other fiue companies he gaue to Gwin Salsburie Eaton Reinolds and Harrison the sargeant maiorship hee gaue to one Simon Scurlocke an Irish Gentleman but aboue all the rest he himself conuersed most in kindnes of loue and affection with one R. Ashton who had bin his bedfellow and the greatest furtherer of him in this enterprise The foure first named after humble suite made vnto her Maiesties honourable councell for their pardon returned into England and imployed themselues with great commendation in her Maiesties seruice Gwin went first with my Lord of Essex lastly with sir Roger Williams ouer into France as sargeant maior of his regiment Captaine Gwin slaine before Roane where beeing wounded in a skirmish before the wals of Roane hee languished thereof grieuously some three or foure weekes and finally ended his daies at Diep Peter Winne likewise went ouer with my L. of Essex into
away into Spaine to informe the King of his worthinesse vertue and experience of the sea coastes of England but especially of his intelligence about Irelande which in truth hee presumeth to bee verie greate Parsons plaide his part in such sort that sir William was presently sent for who vpon his ariuall did what he could to perswade the king to send forces for Ireland but belyke there was not such credite giuen him as hee expected insomuch that he wrote Letters to H. Holt the Iesuit in Brusels which is one of those on whom he chiefly relyeth of great discontentmēt signifieng that his entertainment was far colder than he expected VVithin short space after he was sent downe to the kings nauie lying at Coconia where as yet he remaineth In the meane time his regiment began to drop and droupe awaie in such sort that what for lacke of sustenance what for ill vsage the number of them was melted to an hundred and fiftie which base and villanous vsage the grauest and wisest of his Captains seeing especially abhorring the trecherous practises of their Coronell made by secrete meanes humble intercession to her most gracious MAISTIE to pardon theyr offences committed and to grant them libertie to liue in their Country which of her most princely and royall benignitie shee graunted so as now they liue here in honest and good sort can testifie all this which I haue sayd to be true Hauing gotten sir William out of Deuenter yet Yorke still remained a blemish in their eie who alwais notwithstanding their base vsage stil flourished bare his head aloft ranging ouer the whole countrie with his Companie bringing in daylye many great and rich booties Him therefore fairly on a daie at dinner they caused to bee poysoned where likewise were poisned with him yong Richard Souch Robert Fen priest but he belike hauing swalowed the best Boncon they only met with the drams so that he died miserablie and they fell sick and brake out into many pustles biles yet afterwardes recouered and did giue this testimony His breath was no sooner out of his bodie but Fiorias a Spaniard and Vandenberg the newe gouernour of Deuenter rushte into his lodging to breake vp his coffers in which being withstoode by Yorkes lieutenant Edward Boncer and his brother they caused their gards at noone dayes to enter in vpon them and to murther them both in their owne presence which done they brake vp his coffers took out his iewels plate and mony of which they found great store appropriating the same to their townes vse which he by Testament had giuen to a little youth his nephew being now at this present in England Lastly they chased his whole companie out of the towne and spoiled their baggage at the gates The poore souldiers beeing thus inhumanely depriued of their Captaine and Lieutenant and seeing them selues so vilely dealt with repaired to Verslugo for releefe who for recompence presentlye cashierd them all without receit of one pennie Afterwardes they gaue out and published that Yorke was poisoned by subornation of the counsel of England but if there had bene no other proofes as there were infinite yet the sequele of their doings their murthering of his friends and their robbing of his treasure shewed by whom it was done and whereat they aymed If these examples bee not inough to serue the turne but that perchance you will say he hath delt better with priuate men If you can name me but any one that he hath raised or aduanced to honor or that liueth richly or welthily in his seruice I wil name you an hundred that beeing Gentlemen of good houses and of worthie merite haue consumed languished and beene brought to nothing in his seruice some of them perished died for lacke of sustenance You perchance will name Hugh Owen and in good faith hee is the onely man that euer I knew aduanced credited or graced in his seruice And yet God wot all that hee getteth is no more than to maintaine him in a meane estate and shew with a man only or two to serue him VVhere on the other side I will recken you vp of those that are onely for want of thinges necessarie and of pure pouertie consumed and dead M. Copley L. Dacers Michael Tempest old Norton Tremaine Stradling Henrie Carew Edward Allen Southwell with sundry others of good race and credite in their Countrie Copley being sicke at Beuere and in vnspeakable distresse and calamitie desired a Gentleman his kinsman one Lo. Lewkner to beseech Pedro de Olane who then was treasurer to pay him vpon an assignation which hee had onely fiue pounds protesting that at that present his life might therewith be saued The Gentleman performed his request with all instance and fidelitie as he hath oftentimes told me but coulde not obtaine one pennie VVherevpon hee mooued the Duke but nothing woulde come so that without finding any man that tooke compassion of his distresse his owne Countrie-men being vnable to helpe him hee ended his life though with patience vertuously and well yet the state of so honorable a gentleman considered most pittifully and in great misery To recite vnto you the names of those that doe yet liue so poorely and vncomfortably in his pension would bee too long and therefore take them all in generall Charles Paget onely excepted and examine them one from an other from my Lord of Westmerland downeward euen to the very lowest and if there bee in the whole worlde a more miserable and discontented troupe of Gentlemen than they are let me neuer be credited in any thing else that I shall tel you And because you shal your selfe the beteer iudge I will tell you what payment they haue of such pensions as the king hath giuen them They had graunted them at Bruges the first day of August in the yeere one thousand fiue hundred eighty and eight a generall Liberanca to receyue three moneths pay a peece of their pensions Since that time they haue followed the Duke from Towne to Towne making vnto him sundrie requestes for the payment thereof but if they haue vntill this present day obtayned the same then let mee not be credited in any part of the rest which I shall heere entreate of In deede some small time past Cosimo beeing wearyed with their importunities and lamētations addressed thē to Baptista Spinola a baker dwelling at Antwerp giuing them his Letter and sending the same by one H. Haslwood requesting him to relieue those distressed English Gentlemen and to buy their Liberanca which he doubted not but they would sell good cheap greatly to his profit the whole summe was ten thousand crowns which Cosimo promised him should be allowed and paid in the reckoning he had with the king Haslewood in the name of the rest offered him the sayd summe for sixe hundred But Spinola vtterly refused the same saying he wold not take it for two hundred and withall hee desired that hee might not meddle anie
all this by the goodnes of God hath but serued to discouer their wicked intentions and to animate al true Christian Englishmen to persist with the greater loue vnitie and courage in their obedience to her Maiestie But returning againe my speeches to you O vnnaturall English-men to those whō you should obey trecherous and vnfaithfull and of those that you doe obey contemned and made slaues how can you indure to thirst after the destruction of so sweete a countrie in which you receiued your being that gaue you nuriture being yong VVhat religion must that bee that animateth you to seeke subuersion of so benigne a princesse and of so glorious an estate The olde worthie Romans thought it the most heroycall thing that might bee to vowe themselues sometimes to death for their countrie and euen to spend their liues in defence of their altars temples and monumentes of their Elders and you seeke to see your Countrie bathing in the bloud of your parents kindred and friendes to see your cities temples and auncient monuments flaming in the fire to see your virgins defloured and further to bring the noblest nations to perpetuall slauerie and seruitude yea and that of the most base wicked proude and cruellest nation that liueth a nation not yet fully an hundred yeeres since wholie they receiued Christianitie and as yet are in their heartes a great number of them Pagans and Moores from profession of which they are onely held by the seuere bridle of the sanguinary and most cruell heathen Inquisition But that Paganisme of theirs which in theyr profession they dare not shew they do in their tyranny blasphemy sodomy cruelty murther adultery and other abominations sufficiently discouer If the Nunamantines Saquntines and Nessatiagis burned their townes slew their wiues and children and families themselues rather than they would receyue the yoke of worthy and vertuous Nations that inuaded them VVhat should wee then do whome our vertuous auncestours haue left honoured with the innumerable trophies of many victories rather than to indure the insolent wicked and tyrannous gouernment of that Nation whome all Europe hath in horrour leauing to our posterity after vs a perpetuall seruitude and bondage and an euerlasting memory of cowardise But leauing this vntill a fitter time I hope this that is alreadye sayde shall bee sufficient to make you clearely and plainely vnderstand that there is not to bee obtayned the sweetnesse liberty and tranquility of conscience which you expect and looke for but rather turmoyle and griefe of minde wyth a perpetuall grudging and remorse of conscience scandalized wyth infinite and innumerable examples of euill life impietie sodomye blasphemye defamation and periurie On the other side towardes her Maiestye and the state of your country you shall be helde reputed as a traitor and of those whom you shal here serue no better who make no further reckning of any of vs than as of base people fugitiues out of our cuntry for debt theeuery of some other hainous crime or other thinking it a matter vnpossible howsoeuer we disguise the same vnder pretext of religion that any man beeing in his country of honest calling or meanes to liue should be so senselesse as to exchange the same for a condition so base beggerly and infamous as that which wee doe heere indure And so did a Spanish Captaine in playne tearms signifie to sir William Standley as they passed in the ordinary boote betweene Antwerp and Brussels But now to the third point of my Discourse cōcerning the mislike which sundry of you haue of her Maiesties gouernement and the state of your countrie at this present to seeke to transporte your selues hether as into a hauen of blisse security I will by comparing the one with the other as neere as I cā let you see the difference between thē both and so consequently your errour as neere as I can gesse by report of sundry cōming thence informed this your disliking proceedeth of two points The one that your lawes are too rigorously seuerely executed against such as professe the catholike religion The other that the aduersarie hath buzzed a feare into your heades making you beleeue that the fortes of your state are too feeble to resist so mightye and puisant an enemye as the Spanish king whose mighty treasures many dominions armies of men they magnifie to the skies and therefore perchaunce you couet to ioyne betimes with the partie which you doe thinke most aduantagious for your future security aduancement First touching the persecutions of Catholikes which our traytours here so much exclaime vpon filling whole volumes therewith aggreuating the same in tearmes most bitter and lamentable to foraine Nations Let vs see what reason they haue I would fayne demande one question If euer they did reade heare or knowe of anye one King or Queene that did with greater mildenesse of lenity tollerate or suffer within his or her dominion a sect of religion opposite to the lawes by him or her establyshed especiallye the same hauing sundrye times rebelliously attempted against their crowne state and dignity Let them looke if there be men of iudgement into the ages passed euen amongst the Heathen and into the present time among all the Princes of Europe and if there bee not any to be founde that hath dealt with the like lenity as her Maiesty hath done why then doe they so falsely slaunder her Doe they not know that shee is the sacred and annointed Queene appoynted by God to gouerne them If they doe why doe they not then with all penitencye and humility loue honor and obey her and praying to God to conuert her seeing such is their desire and not by traiterous mischiefe seek to murther and depriue her They learned not that of the ancient Christians in the primitiue church But they will say she hath executed many seminary priests I confesse she hath indeede by cutting them off preserued her realme from many diseases that rankled within the same But yet hath shee proceeded therein in so gracious and mercifull a sort that shee hath witnessed sufficiently vnto the worlde howe loath shee is to come vnto bloud so long as there is any other remedy in the worlde to bee vsed For her Maiesty knoweth her councell knoweth you and I and the whole world knoweth that the comming of these Seminaries priests and Iesuites to reconcile men as they tearme it to the obedience of the Roman Church is directly and obstinately to alienate and diuert theyr mindes from her Maiesty and to encline them to bee ready to assist any enemy eyther within or without the realme that shall colour his cause vnder the pretext of religion Her Maiesty I say and Councell and all good subiects knowing this and foreseeing the danger that might thereof insue forbade by Acte of Parliament these seminaries to enter into her realme or to vse or exercise anye such seditious doctrine limiting therwithal a time to such as were within the realme to