for his Interest in the Netherlands that it should be in the Hands of the English than possessed by the French On the contrary the French maintained that Calice alone was not sufficient to satisfie the Damages the English had done them in helping the Spaniards to take their Towns many places in Brittany having been burn'd by the English Fleet their Ships taken their Trade interrupted and vast Sums of Money spent in hindring an Invasion of the English But the Spaniard in the mean while having discovered Queen Elizabeth's Aversion to a Match with him the Paces she had made towards the introducing the Reformed Religion and her Resolution to treat with the French without Communication first had with him he grew faint and fell off from promoting the English Pretensions which being perceived by Queen Elizabeth and fearing that she should be abandoned if she continued any longer in her demands upon that Point or else preferring Publick Good before Private Interest she came at length to this Agreement That the French King should peaceably enjoy for the Term of eight years the Town of Calice with the Appurtenances and sixteen great Pieces of Ordnance and that when that term was expired he should restore the same with the Town to Queen Elizabeth or otherwise should pay unto the Queen the Sum of five hundred thousand Crowns In Consequence of which Accommodation Peace was proclaimed on the 17th of April between the Queens Majesty on the one part and the Most Christian King on the other as likewise between her and the King Dauphin with his Wife the Queen of Scots and all the Subjects and Dominions of the said four Princes The People were however dissatisfied with this Peace in regard that Calice was not restored and laid the blame thereof upon the Bishops and other Papists But the French King lived not long to enjoy the Benefit thereof he being killed at a Turnament in Paris by the Count de Montgomery and though his eldest Son and Successor Francis caused the Queen of Scots his Wife to assume the Title and Arms of England yet she resolved to bestow a Royal Obsequy on the King deceased which was accordingly performed in St. Paul's Church in a most Solemn manner The Parliament being now to be dissolved the House of Commons made an humble Address unto her in which they most earnestly besought her that for securing the Peace of the Kingdom and the Satisfaction of all her good and loving Subjects she would think of marrying without particularizing to her any one man but leaving to her the Choice of the Person Whereto she made Answer That she was obliged to them for their good Affections and took their Application to her to be well intended and the rather because it contained no Limitation of Time or Person which had it done she should have disliked it very much and have looked upon it as a very great Presumption That she had long since made choice of the State of Life wherein she then lived and hoped that God would give her Strength and Constancy to go thorough with it that if she had been inclined to have changed that Course she neither wanted many Invitations to it in the Reign of her Brother nor many strong Impulsions in the time of her Sister Moreover says she to satisfie you I have already joyned my self in Marriage to a Husband namely the Kingdom of England and behold continued she which I marvel you have forgotten the Pledge of this my Marriage and my Wedlock with my Kingdom and thereupon took the Ring off her Finger wherewith at her Coronation she had in a set Form of Words given her self in Marriage to her Kingdom And then making a Pause And do not said she upbraid me with miserable lack of Children for every one of you and as many as are Englishmen are Children and Kinsmen to me of whom if God deprive me not which God forbid I cannot without injury be accounted Barren And then having promised she would take a Husband in case the good of the State should so require she licensed them to depart to their several Businesses The Queen Coming through the City in Triumpâ— The Return of the Gospell The Poolling down burning of Popish Images Shortly after which came the Duke of Finland as Ambassador from the King of Sweden to propose a Marriage between Her Majesty and Prince Ericus that King 's Eldest Son and this Ambassadour having been magnificently treated by the Queen was at length dismissed with the same Success as all the rest who before and after came upon that Errand And now the Emperour and the Catholick Princes interceeded with the Queen by several Letters that such Bishops as were displaced might meet with a kind Usage and that the Papists might be allowed Churches by themselves in Cities Whereto she made Answer Although those Popish Bishops have insolently and openly repugned against the Laws and Quiet of the Realm and do now obstinately reject that Doctrine which most part of themselves under Henry the Eighth and Edward the Sixth had of their own Accord with Heart and Hand publickly in their Sermons and Writings taught unto others when they themselves were not private Men but publick Magistrates yet would she for so great Princes Sakes deal favourably with them though not without Offence to her own Subjects But grant them Churches to celebrate their Divine Offices in apart by themselves she cannot with the Safety of the Common-wealth and without wrong to her own Honour and Conscience Neither is there any Cause why she should grant them seeing England embraceth no new and strange Doctrine but the same which Christ hath commanded the Primitive and Catholick Church hath received and the Ancient Fathers have with one Voice and Mind approved And to allow Churches with contrary Rites and Ceremonies besides that it openly repugneth against the Laws established by Authority of Parliament were nothing else but to sow Religion out of Religion to distract good Men's Minds to cherish factious Men's Humours disturb Religion and Common-wealth and mingle Divine and Humane things Which were a thing indeed evil in Example worst of all to her own good Subjects hurtful and to themselves to whom it is granted neither greatly Commodious nor yet at all safe She was therefore determined out of her Natural Clemency and especially at their request to be willing to heal the private Insolency of a few by much Connivance yet so as she might not encourage their obstinate minds by Indulgence The Spaniard having lost all hopes of a Match between Queen Elizabeth and himself and fearing lest the Crown of England might happen to be joyned to the Scepter of France he perswaded the Emperour Ferdinand to propose one of his Sons for a Husband to Queen Elizabeth which accordingly he did by an Ambassadour whom he sent to that purpose but all to the same effect as the rest that had been before him In the mean time those of the Reformed
all the French Forces should immediately depart out of Scotland except sixty men only to bâ— left in Dunbar and as many in the Fo 〈…〉 of Nachkeeth that they should be transported for their greater Security in English Bottoms that all matters of Religio 〈…〉 should be referred to the following Parliament that an Act of Oblivion should be passed for the Indemnity of all who ha 〈…〉 borne Arms on either side that a general Bond of Love and Amitâ— should bâ— made betwixt the Lords and their 〈…〉 râ—nts of both Religions And 〈…〉 amongst many other Particulars That n 〈…〉 ther the Queen of Scots nor the French King should from thence forward 〈…〉 the Titles and Arms of England 〈…〉 Articles being signed for both Kin 〈…〉 the French 〈…〉 Scotland 〈…〉 English Army being returned home was thereupon disbanded Shortly after which the Earls of Morton and Glencarn were sent by the Congregation to pay their most 〈…〉 mble Thanks and Acknowledgments to â—er Majesty for her ready and successful Assistance and to implore the Continuation of her Favour and Protection in case they should be invaded by the French or any other Enemies Whereof having received gracious Assurances and being 〈…〉 obly entertained and bountifully rewarded with Gifts and Presents they returned with such Joy and Satisfaction to â—he Congregation that for these Reasons and for the further engaging her Protection they obliged themselves by their Subscription to embrace the Liturgy with all the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England which for a time remained the only Form of Worship retained in the Kirke of Scotland After which they caused a Parliament to be called in Pursuance of the Articles of the Pacification from which no Person w 〈…〉 ed who had any Right of Suff 〈…〉 ose Authority three Acts pa 〈…〉 g wholly to the promoting and establishing of the Reformation The first was for the abolishing the Pope's Jurisdiction and Authority within that Realm the second For the annulling all Statutes made in former Times for maintenance of Idolatry and Superstition and the third for the Punishments of the Sayers and Hearers of Mass. And now let us return to England where the Earl of Arrain being recommended by the Protestants of Scotland for a Husband to Queen Elizabeth by that means to have united the two Crowns this Match was handsomly rejected by her and with great Commendation of the Person The like Address was made by the King of Denmark in Favour of Adolph Duke of Holstein a Prince who had gained great Honours by the Wars and who came himself over for that purpose but was dismissed by the Queen with the Honour of the Garter and a yearly Pension whereby she bound him for ever to her Interests At home Sir William Pickering the Earl of Arundel and Robert Dudley the Duke of Northumberland's younger S 〈…〉 statter'd themselves with the hopes 〈…〉 taining unto the Honour of being her Husband In the mean time the Lord Vicount Montacute the Queens Ambassador in Spain represents to that King the Necessity of the Scotish War endeavours to free the Scots from all Aspersions of Rebellion proving though a zealous Catholick that the Religion that was now introduced into England was wholly consonant to the Sacred Scriptures and the four first General Councils and demanded that the League of Burgundy might be renewed Whereto that King replyed That the confirming of the League was in no wise necessary bemoaneth the Change of Religion in England is troubled at the Expedition into Scotland sendeth back the Order of the Garter and taketh unkindly some Repulses in things of small Moment and though he gave some necessary Cautions as to Clauses to be inserted in the Treaty of Edenborough and for a while opposed the French Practiâ—â— at Rome who endeavoured to proâ—â—â—rt Queen Elizabeth to be excommunicated yet his Ministers incensing him 〈…〉 more and more against the Engl 〈…〉 Affronts were offered to the Queens Ambassador at his Court and he is likewise said to have then endeavoured to perswade the new elected Pope to thunder out his Bulls of Excommunication against her Majesty But the Court of Rome being sensible how little she valued those empty Crackers instead of complying with the Spaniard sent to her the Abbot Vincentio Papalia with secret Instructions and fawning Letters whereof you have here an Abstract To our most dear Daughter Elizabeth Queen of England OUR most dear Daughter in Christ greeting and Apostolical Benediction How greatly We do desire according as our Pastoral Office requireth to take care of your Salvation and to provide as well for your Honour as the Establishment of your Kingdom both God the Searcher of our Hearts knoweth and you your self may understand by the Instructions which we have given to this Our beloved Son Vincentio Papalia Abbot of St. Saviour a man known unto you and of Us well approved to be by him imparted unto You. We do therefore most Dear Daughter exhort and admonish your Highness again That rejecting bad Councellors â—â—â— love not you but themselves and serve their own Deâ—â—â—s You would take the Fear of God to counsel and acknowledging the time of your Visitation oâ—ey Our Fatherly Admonitions and wholsome Advices and promise to your self all things concerning Us which you shall desire of Us not onely for the Salvation of your Soul but also for the establishing and confirming of your Royal Dignity according to the Authority Place and Function committed to Us by God who if you return into the Bosoâ— of the Church as We wish and hope you will are ready to receive you with the same Love Honour and Rejoycing wherewith that Father in the Gospel received his Son who returned unto him although our Joy shall be so much the greater than his in that he rejoyced for the Salvation of one onely Son but You drawing with you all the people of England shall not only by your own Salvation but also by the Salvation of the whole Nation replenish Us and all our Brethren in General whom God willing you should hear shortly to be congregated in an Oecumenical and General Council for abolishing of Heresies and the whole Church with joy and gladness Yea you shall also glad Heaven it self and purchase â—y somemorable a Fact admirable Glory to your Name and much more renowned than that Crown you wear But of this matter the same Vincentio shall treat with you more at large and shall declare unto you our Fatherly affection whom we pray your Highness that you will graciously receive diligently hear and give the same Credit to his Speech which you would do to Our Self Given at Rome at Saint Peters c. The 1.5 day of May 1560. In our first year Notwithstanding all this Cajoslery Queen Elizabeth kept firm to her Motto viz. Always the same insomuch that the Pope was deceived in his hopes The proposals that the Pope is said to have designed to have made by this Abbot were That he would
who was again committed to the same Place it having been discovered by a Pacquet of Letters that he still continued in his Affections Design to marry and free out of Prison the Queen of Scots having for that end kept correspondence with the Pope and the other Enemies of the Crown and traiterously consulted to take away the Queens Life and to bring in Foreign Forces to invade the Kingdom for which being brought to his Tryal he was found guilty by his Peers and accordingly beheaded The Parliament being assembled upon this occasion it was Enacted amongst other Laws that if any man should go about to free any Person imprisoned by the Queens Commandment for Treason or Suspicion of Treason and not yet arraigned he shall lose all his Goods for his life time and be Imprisoned during the Queens Pleasure if the said Person having been Arraigned the Rescuer shall forfeit his Life if Condemned he shall be guilty of Rebellion Presently after the Dissolution of the Parliament a Consultation was had whether John Story Doctor of the Laws the Duke of Alva's Searcher who some time before having been engaged to go on Board a Ship to search for Goods was by that piece of cunning brought into England being an English Man born and having in Brabant consulted with a Foreign Prince were to be held guilty of High Treason which being given in the affirmative by the Learned in the Law he was thereupon brought to his Tryal and Accused of having consulted with one Preshal a Conjurer to make away the Queen that he had Cursed her daily when he said Grace at Table that he shewed a way to the Duke of Alva how to Invade England of which being found guilty he accordingly suffered Death as a Traytor About this time Matthew Stuart Earl of Lenox Regent of Scotland and the King's Grandfather was surprized unawares by the Nobility of the adverse Faction and having yielded himself to David Spence of Wormstone who thereupon lost his Life in his Defence and they were both slain together by Bell and Chaulder after he had with great Pains and care governed the Kingdom for his Grandchild above fourteen Months and in his room was unanimously elected by the Kings Faction the Earl of Marr for Regent of Scotland but the place being two full of troubles for a Man of his quiet Disposition he departed this Life after he had Governed thirteen Months Some few days after the Execution of the Duke of Norfolk one Barnes and Mather were put to Death for Conspireing with one Herle to take away the Life of certain Counsellours and freeing the Duke and at the same time suffered one Rolph for Counterfeiting the Queens hand Shortly afterwhich the Queen conferred new Honours upon several of the Nobility concluded a League with the French King and sent several Persons to expostulate with the Queen of Scots for that she had usurped the Title and Arms of the Kingdom of England and had not renounced the same according to the Agreement of the Treaty of Edenborough that she had endeavoured the Marriage of the Duke of Norfolk without acquainting the Queen and had used all forcible means to free him out of Prison had raised the Rebellion in the North had releived the Rebells both in Scotland and in the Low Countries had implored Aids from the Pope the King of Spain and others had conspired with certain of the English to free her out of Prison and declare her Queen of England and finally that she had procured the Pope's Bull against the Queen and suffered her self to be publickly named the Queen of England in Foreign Countries all which Points she either denyed or endeavoured to extenuate And though as she said she was a free Queen and not subject to any Creature yet she was willing and desired that she might make her personal Answer at the next Parliament In the mean time Scotland was full of Civil Distractions and Dissentions the English countenancing the King's Party and the French the other And the King of Spain having made Complaints to the Queen by his Ambassador that the Low Country Rebells were entertained and harboured in England the Queen caused a severe Proclamation to be put forth That all the Dutch who could in any wise be suspected of Rebellion should immediately depart the Kingdom which proved rather disadvantageous than beneficial to the King of Spain For Count Vander Marea and other of the Netherlanders being hereupon compelled out of England first seised upon the Brid and then upon Flushing the Surprize of which Places being attended by the Revolt of other Towns the Spaniards were in a short time in some kind excluded from the Sea and were never after able to recover themselves in those Countries During these Transactions the French Ambassador here made Intercession in the behalf of the Queen of Scots and likewise endeavoured to promote the Match between the Queen and the Duke of Anjou but perceiving that all his Offices were to no purpose he returned into France where he found that Court very much taken up with making Preparations for the Marriage of the King of Navarr with the Lady Margaret the French King's Sister To this Solemnity were allured by an inviting prospect of perpetual Peace and Amity not only the Queen of Navarr and the Chief of all the Protestants in that Kingdom but likewise the Earl of Leicester and the Lord Burleigh the Elector Palatine's Sons with several of the Principal of the Reformed Party of other Nations were desired to be at the Celebration of that Marriage designing at one Blow to have cut down the Protestant Religion And though those Blood-thirsty Papists could not catch all they aimed at yet as soon as the Marriage was Solemnized there followed that Cruel Massacre of Paris and that terrible Butchering of the Hugonots throughout all the Cities of France but for the extenuating and vindicating of this horrible Fact Proclamations and Edicts were immediately put forth whereby the Protestants were accused of a Conspiracy against the King and the whole Royal Family But the French King notwithstanding his mask of Piety did not escape Divine Vengeance for before a year was expired he fell sick of a Bloody Flux which brought him to his end after long and tedious Torments And now came the Head of the Earl of Northumberland to the Block who Rebelling and then flying into Scotland was by the Earl of Morton delivered for a Sum of Money to the Lord Hunsdon Governor of Berwick and was shortly after Executed at York About this time was Sir William Cecyl Lord Burleigh promoted to be Lord High Treasurer of England upon the Decease of the Marquess of Winchester who a little before ended his days after he had lived Ninety seven years and had seen the Issue of his Body to the number of One hundred and three Persons Not long before which was a motion made to the Queen in favour of a Match between her Majesty and the Duke of
he lost within the space of three years very few of his Family being left alive This Misfortune was brought upon him by his Disloyalty to his Prince through the Instigation of Popish Priests But Ireland and Scotland where lately the Earl of Gowry was beheaded as convicted of several Treasons were not the only Scenes of Plots and Conspiracies but England it self was again filled with Popish Practices against the Queen's Life and in favour of the Queen of Scots But being discovered some of the Nobility and Ring-leaders of the Faction were taken into Custody others confined to their Houses and others made their Escape into France In the mean time some Disputes happening between the Czar of Muscovy and the King of Sweden this King not finding himself able to oppose that Emperour sendeth a Royal Ambassy to request the Queen's Intercession in his Behalf which accordingly her Majesty immediately performed and by her Ambassador accommodated matters between those two Princes upon very reasonable Terms At the same time the Queens Ambassador obtained of the Czar the Confirmation of the Priviledges of the English Merchants in Russia maugre she had denyed him Satisfaction in several points and one of her Subjects to be his Wife and Empress which he had extreamly sollicited Mendora the Spanish Ambassador at this time in England was put out of the Kingdom for joyning with the English Rebells and stirring up the People to Rebellion and an Ambassador sent into Spain to justifie this Conduct who not being admitted to Audiency of the King but referred to the Counsellors he disdained to open himself to them and returned home without declaring the Cause of his Embassy The Papists printed and dispersed Books to exhort the Queens Women to commit the like against the Queen as Judith had done with Commendations against Holofernes The Book-seller for whom these seditious Libels were printed was executed but the Author could not be found out And now farther Discoveries were made of the Practices of the Papists against the Queen and State of a Design of invading England by the Catholick Princes and of the measures that had been taken by the Papists for that purpose which Discoveries being confirmed by the Confessions of some of the Papists themselves all possible Precautions were taken for the preventing the Execution of any such pernicous Designs and amongst other Expedients for the better providing for the Safety of the Queen's Person a number of her Subjects headed by the Earl of Leicester men of all Ranks and Conditions bound themselves mutually to each other by their Oaths and Subscriptions to persecute all those to Death that should attempt any thing against the Queen which League of theirs was called the Association The several Treaties that had been held with the Queen of Scots having proved abortive she fearing that this Association was designed for her Destruction made this Proposition by Nave her Secretary to the Queen and Council That if she might be set at Liberty and be assured of the Queen's Affection she would enter into a strict League and Amity with her and passing by all matters of Offence most officiously love and observe her above all other Princes of Christendom and enter also into the Association aforesaid for the Queens Security and into a League Defensive saving that Ancient League between France and Scotland This seemed to give great Delight and Satisfaction to Queen Elizabeth and she was thought at that time to be really inclined to grant her her Liberty But her Majesty being continually allarm'd with apprehensions from the adverse Party both of Scots and English who exclamed that the Queens Life was in no wise secure while the Queen of Scots was living oâ— at least at liberty insomuch that this Treaty was likewise broken off and upon the Queen of Scots Adversaries suggestions she was taken from the Earl of Shrewsbury and committed to the Custody of Sir Amias Paulet and Sir Drue Drury which rendred her so desperate that she grew the more importunate with the Pope and the King of Spain to put their Designs in execution And now there ran a Report that the Catholicks had entred into a Combination for the depriving Queen Elizabeth of her Crown for the disinheriting the King of Scots of the Kingdom of England as being both of them detected of Heresie the Queen of Scots to be married to some Catholick English Noble-man that this Noble-man should be elected King of England by the English Catholicks the Election confirmed by the Bishop of Rome that his Children by the Queen of Scots should be proclaimed Lawful Successors to the Crown and all this was affirmed by one Hart a Priest About this time dyed in France the Duke of Alanzon for grief and in Holland the Prince of Orange was treacherously shot with three Bullets by one Bethazar Gerard a Burgundian And now the French King being elected by Queen Elizabeth into the Order of the Garter Her Majesty sent the Earl of Derby to invest him therewith with all the usual Solemnity There being a Parliament assembled at Westminster one Parry a Member of the Lower House was first imprisoned for opposing and exclaming against a Bill that was preferred against the Jesuits but being set at Liberty upon his Submission he was immediately after accused by one Edward Nevil of the Earl of Westmerland's Family of having held secret Consultations about taking away the Queens Life which upon his Examination being confessed by him with all the Particulars thereof and being brought to his Tryal and still confessing the same he was accordingly condemned and executed Whereupon the Parliament then sitting made several seasonable Laws for the Security of the Queens Person Thereupon the Earl of Arundel was committed to the Tower In the same Place and at the same time the Earl of Northumberland a man of a lofty Spirit and Courage who had been committed thither upon Suspition of a secret Consultation with Throckmorton the Lord Paget and the Guises for invading of England and setting the Queen of Scots at Liberty was found dead in his Bed being shot with three Bullets under his left Pap his Chamber-door being barred on the inside The Coroners Inquest having examined the matter and all other lawful Scrutinies being made it was found and declared how that for Fear of the Law he had laid violent hands upon himself The Practices of the Papists against the Queen and the reformed Religion being thus dayly more and more discovered the Queen resolved to endeavour the contracting an Offensive and Defensive League with the King of Denmark the Protestant Princes and States of Germany and the Low Countries and with the King of Scotland to which purpose she sent Ministers to their respective Courts but it was delayed in Scotland by some new Commotions which occasioned a change of Ministers and Officers of that Crown till at length all being quieted and accommodated it was unanimously voted by all that a Treaty of a League with the Queen of
to the Invasion of England and the Queens Destruction by the confession of her Secretaries and the rest of the Traytors and which were confirmed by Letters of her own hand writing And having little to say in her own Defence the Commissioners pronounced Sentence against her in the Star Chamber And in a few days after the Parliament being convened at Westminster the Lords petitioned the Queen that the Sentence against the Queen of Scots might be published But the Queen made Answer That she could wish that that Sentence might deterr the Queen of Scots from such like Contrivances for the future and that some Expedient might be found out for the saving her Life and yet secure England and it's Queen from further Attempts and Dangers of that kind But both Houses replyed That neither her Majesty nor themselves were safe as long as the Queen of Scots was living and pressed her so hard that the Sentence might be put in Execution that Commissioners were appointed to admonish her to prepare for Death which News she received without any change of Countenance or shew of Passion And having that Night made her Will she with great Courage and Devotion prepared her self to dye the next day and was then accordingly beheaded in the six and fortieth of her Age and seventeenth year of her Imprisonment in England But what most perswaded Queen Elizabeth to suffer the Sentence to be put in Execution was the French and Scottish Ambassadors finding their Sollicitations in the behalf of the Queen of Scots to be to no purpose the French Ambassador had hired and excited some persons to kill Queen Elizabeth but being discovered both by the Confession of the Parties and the French Ambassadour himself and several Rumours spread abroad that the Spanish Fleet was already arrived at Milford Haven that the Scots were broken into England that the Duke of Guise was landed in Sussex with a strong Army that the Queen of Scots was escaped out of Prison and levyed an armed Power that the Northern men had raised a Rebellion that there was a new Conspiracy to kill the Queen and set the City of London on Fire nay and that the Queen was dead Insomuch that some Change being apprehended the Queen was after much Importunity prevailed with to sign the Sentence of Death And the Scots report that one of the principal Perswaders was Patrick Grey who was sent from the King of Scots to perswade the Queen from putting his Mother to Death Queen Elizabeth was so grieved when she received the News of her Death that she commanded her Counsellors from her Presence caused Davison to be cited in the Star-Chamber and fined ten thousand pounds She likewise sent one to pacifie the King of Scots assuring that it was done against her Meaning and Privity giving him reasons why he should not break out into the revenge he threatned and signed an instrument attested with the Great Seal and with the hands of all the Judges of England that the Sentence against the Queen of Scots could in no wise prejudice his Right to the Succession In the mean time the Queen had supplyed the King of Navarr and the Protestants of France with a great sum of Money And for a Diversion to the Spaniard she sent Sir Francis Drake to the Court of Spain with four Men of War where he chased six Galleys in the Port of Cales took sunk and burnt above a hundred ships set upon their Forts and compelled them to yield took a vast rich Carrack called the St. Philip. Thomas Cavendish with three ships ravaged the West Indies at the same time took and pillaged nineteen great ships burnt and plundred a great number of the Spanish Towns and then returned home after having been the third after Magellan that had sayled round the World During these successes of the English the Officers of the Earl of Leicester had employed having proved Treacherous in several instances the States accused the Earl to the Queen who thereupon called him home and he resigned the Government to the States Maurice of Nassaw Son to the Prince of Orange succeeding in his room at the Age of Twenty Years and the Lord Willoughby was made General of the English Forces in the Low Countries with orders from the Queen to reduce the English Factions into obedience of the States which he accordingly performed with the help of Prince Maurice and was in the Year 1588 which by the German Chronologers was presaged to be the Climacterical Year of the World and indeed the Rumours of War and the extraordinary preparations that the Spaniards were making for an Invasion of England by their Invincible Armado seemed to justify their Predictions At this time there was a Treaty of Peace held near Ostend between the English and Spanish Commissioners but designed by the Spaniards only to lull the English asleep till their Navy was arrived upon the Coast of England This Invincible Armado consisted of one hundred and thirty ships whereof Galleasses and Galleons seventy two in which were nineteen Thousand two hundred and ninety Souldiers eight Thousand and fifty Mariners two Thousand and eighty Gally Slaves and two Thousand six hundred and thirty Pieces of great Canon Twelve of their main ships being christned with the Names of the Twelve Apostles Alphorozo Perâ—z de Gusman being made principal Commander thereof Besides extraordinary Preparations were making in Flanders and the Prince of Parma had orders to joyn them with fifty Thousand Men. In the mean time Queen Elizabeth was preparing with all diligence as good a Fleet as she could making the Lord Howard of Effingham Admiral thereof and Sir Francis Drake Vice Admiral The Lord Henry Seymour second Son to the Duke of Somerset was appointed to lie upon the Coasts of the Low Countries with forty English and Dutch ships for the hind'ring the Prince of Parma's coming forth with his Forces At home along the Coasts were disposed twenty Tousand Men and besides two Armies of the choicest and expertest Men were raised the one under the Command of the Earl of Leicester consisting of a Thousand Horse and two and twenty Thousand Foot which encamped at Tilbury the Enemy being resolved to make their first Attack upon London the other under the Conduct of the Lord Hunsdon consisting of thirty four Thousand Foot and two Thousand Horse for the Guard of the Queens Person A Council of War was likewise established of prudent and experienced Officers All Sea Ports were likewise fortified and provided with all things necessary trusty and prudent Persons put into all Offices of Trust the most suspected Papists committed to custody the King of Scots perswaded to declare in favour of the Queen which he accordingly did with great Alacrity And now at length after several false Rumours and Alarums the two Fleets meet and engage and after several days Fight the Spaniards were utterly defeated Insomuch that of one hundred thirty four ships that set Sayl out of Lisbon only fifty three
returned into Spain Of the four Galleasses of Naples but one of ninety one Gallions and great Hulks from divers Provinces only thirty three returned fifty eight being lost In short the Spaniards lost in this Expedition fourscore and one ships thirteen thousand five hundred and odd Souldiers Prisoners taken in Ireland Zeland and the Low Countries were above two Thousand insomuch that there was no Famous or Noble Family in all Spain but what lost a Son Brother or Kinsman in this Expedition During these Transactions at Sea the Queen went in Person to Tilbury to view the Army and Camp there which she did with a Leaders Truncheon in her hand and with such a Resolution that it strangely animated the Courages of them all And thus was that Invincible Armado utterly defeated that so many Countries had been so many Years preparing that had been sanctified and blessed by the Pope with all the Superstitions of the Church of Rome and though Pope Sixtus Quintus had likewise sent Cardinal Allen an English Man into the Low Countries and renewed the Bulls and Declarations of his Predecessours excommunicating the Queen dethroning her absolving her Subjects from all Allegiance and publishing his Croisado in Print as against Heathens and Infidels giving plenary Indulgences to all that should offer their Assistance For this extraordinary Victory the Queen caused publick Thansgivings to be made to God throughout all England assisting thereat her self with all Humility Acknowledgment and Ceremony imaginable Her Majesty likewise rewarded those who had signalized themselves in this Occasion Shortly after this Success dyed the great Earl of Leicester of a Fever and the Prince of Parma for the regaining again some of the Honour the Spaniards had lost in this Expedition undertook the siege of Bergen-op-zoom but that Place being garrison'd with English he was beaten from before it and forced to raise his siege About this time the Earl of Arundel was brought to his Tryal for conspiring with the Pope against the Queen and was found guilty and condemned by his Peers but reprived by the Queen In the mean time Sir John Norris and Sir Francis Drake undertook an Expedition into Portugal for the establishing Don Antonio a natural Son of a King of that Realm upon the Throne thereof but though they joyned with the Earl of Essex who was put to Sea without the Queen's Leave and advanced to the Gates of Lisbon yet they returned without having effected their Design About this time the Popish Princes of France entred into a new Combination for the extirpating the Reformed Religion of that Kingdom calling this their Association the holy League The Head of this League was the Duke of Guise who finding his Party much the strongest and being above measure extolled by the Catholicks of all Parties it inspired him with the Vanity of aiming at the Crown for himself which the King being sensible of caused him to be put to Death at the Assembly of Blois in the midst of all his Hopes Hereupon extraordinary Combustions and Distractions followed and at length the King himself was most impiously murdered by a Monk after which the Popish Faction proclaimed the Cardinal of Bouillon King of France but the King of Navarr being the next Heir proclaimed King at the same time by all true Subjects and supplyed with Men and Money by Queen Elizabeth he not only maintained his Cause against his Enemies but vanquished them upon all Occasions It was now that the King of Scots contracted Marriage with Ann Daughter of the King of Denmark with Queen Elizabeth's Consent and which was afterwards consummated by him in Norway In the mean time the Queen continued her Preparations against all Surprizes of her Enemies she likewise soon quashed and quieted the Commotions that were then in Ireland composed and reconciled the Differences that were amongst the States of the Low Countries took care to assist them against their Enemies restrained Pyrates and upon the Desire of the French King sent the Earl of Essex with an Army to his Assistance wherein the English performed extraordinary things and Sir Roger Williams in Honour of his Nation sent a Challenge to the Spaniards to encounter two hundred Pike-men of the English and a hundred Musqeteers with as many Spaniards in open Field for which and several other couragious Exploits the French King highly extolled him in his Letters to the Queen The King of Poland and Prince of Moldavia being under ill Circumstances with the Great Turk implored Queen Elizabeths Intercession in their behalf which she readily granted and obtained a Peace for them upon very advantagious Terms At this time Brian O Rorl an Irish Potentate was convicted at Westminster and hanged for High Treason as likewise one Hacket with his Adherents for their blasphemous Carriage and Expressions A new Proclamation came out likewise against the Papists and for the Preservation of the Church of England as established Sir John Perrot was likewise about this time tryed and condemned for Treason but reprieved by the Queen About this time the Colledge of Dublin was constituted an University and then broke out some new Troubles in Scotland through the Instigations of the Lord Bothwell for which he was proclaimed a Traytor In the mean time dyed the Prince of Parma a Person of extraordinary Accomplishments and admired by his very Enemies Just before whose Death the Earl of Essex was recalled home out of France after very great performances and having challenged the Governour of Roà n one of the most considerable Lords of France who thought it not safe to answer him In the mean while Sir Walter Rawleigh was sent into America with a considerable Fleet for the intercepting the Spanish Navy but receiving intelligence that it would not come out that Year he divided his Fleet to see what other Prizes they could get and thereupon took a great Coraque called The Mother of God the Prize being valued at above an hundred and fifty thousand Pounds sterling besides what the Officers and Souldiers had pilfred for themselves Rebells Assascinating the Queen The Spanish Invasion in 1588. The burning of Cadez by the Earl of Essex About this time was executed one Hacket for endeavouring to perswade the Earl of Derby to take upon him the Title of England in Right of Descent from a Daughter of King Henry the Seventh which the Earl refused to do and likewise dyed shortly after At this time broke out several fresh Rebellions in Ireland which were suddainly suppressed through the Queens Prudent Care and Conduct as likewise several Questions were started about the Succession some framing a Right in the Earl of Essex others in the Infanta of Spain and Books were likewise printed in favour of their Titles by the Catholick Party During these Disputes was born Henry Prince of Scotland to whom the Queen was Godmother and now the Papists renew their Attempts against the Queens Life having by a great Sum of Money perswaded one Roderick Lopez a Jew and Physician to
the Queen to Poyson her and had likewise engaged several Portugals in the same Design but this Plot of theirs being discovered by intercepted Letters and afterwards confirmed by their own Confessions they were accordingly executed as likewise one Patrick Cullen an Irish Man who had been sent by the English Fugitives to kill the Queen Amongst other Expeditions and Voyages of the English into America was that of James Lancaster who returned home about this time after having took nine and thirty Spanish ships and loaded fifteen more with the Wealth of an Indian Caraque About this time William Russel youngest Son of the Earl of Bedford was sent Deputy into Ireland in the room of Sir William Fitz Williams who was called home and this new Deputy quickly brought the Rebells there to submission There was likewise a new but false rumour spread abroad that the Spaniards were equipping a Fleet for the invading of England again At which time two Papists were executed for having designed the Death of the Queen The King of Scots was now making Levies all over Scotland for the joyning with Queen Elizabeth and resisting the Spaniard Sir Walter Rawleigh being now under some Disgrace at Court undertook a Voyage to Guyana and though he did considerable dammage to the Spaniard yet this Expedition was of little advantage to the English or himself Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Hawkins with several others went again into America but not meeting with the success they had promised themselves they dyed what of Grief what of sickness and the Fleet returned home without having done any great Exploits During these Expeditions abroad the Combustions in Ireland being grown to a considerable height and those Rebells having craved the assistance of the King of Spain Sir John Norris was sent over thither with new Forces to aid the Deputy The Arch Duke and Cardinal of Austria being now made Governour of the Spanish Netherlands he unexpectedly attacqued and took in Cales Whereupon the Queen sent supplies of Money to the French King and gave order for the immediate raising a choice Army whereof she made the Earl of Essex General and fitted out a Fleet under the Command of Charles Howard Lord High Admiral of England these Forces amongst whom were several Volunteers of the Principal Nobility and Gentry being put on Board the ships they set Sail under the Conduct of the foresaid Lords under Sir Walter Rawleigh Sir Francis Vere and other the Principal Commanders of the Realm and arrived before Cales and having before received intelligence that there lay at Anchor in that Haven several Galleys Men of War and a number of Merchants it was resolved in the Council of War that they should be attacked Whereupon the Earl of Essex flung up his Hat for joy The English thereupon first engaged the Spanish Ships and Gallions which they did with that Vehemence that some were burnt by them others by the Spaniards themselves but the Gallies made their escape by creeping along the shoar When the Sea engagement was at an end the Earl of Essex landed with eight hundred Souldiers at Puntal about a League from the Town of Cales and the Spanish Forces that were there abouts being drawn up between the Town and them with design to have intercepted them the English attacqued them with that fury that they put them to rout but upon consideration they thought fit to make a feigned Retreat that the Fugitives might rally and joyn the Troops of Cales which such a Stratagem was hoped might entice out of the Town Which succeeding accordingly they fell upon them again with that English Fury and Courage that great numbers of them were slain and the rest were forced to take refuge in the Town where the English quickly overtook them for the Gate being broke by Sir Francis Vere and other parts of the Town scaled by the English insomuch that that wealthy Town was taken by Assault and the Castle upon Condition that the Inhabitants might depart with Cloaths on their Back the rest left for Plunder the Castle being to be redeemed for five hundred and fourscore thousand Duckets forty of the Principal Cittizens being sent Hostages for the payment into England a vast quantity of Money and Ammunition being found in the Town The Spaniards likewise proffered Sir Walter Rawleigh two Millions of Duckets to exempt their ships from firing which he would not hearken to saying That he was sent to destroy ships not to dismiss them upon Composition And it was generally calculated and acknowledged by all People that the Spaniard was damnified by this Expedition twenty Millions of Duckets The Fleet being returned home after this Glorious Victory the Queen made Sir Francis Vere Governour of the Briel and rewarded all the rest according to their Deserts The Spaniard in the mean time to repair the Honour he had lost at Cales set forth a new great Fleet for the Invasion of England and Ireland but were most of them castaway by Storm before the News of their fitting out came into England In the mean while the Queen fortify'd her Ports and provided her self against any farther Attempts of that kind She likewise entred into a League Offensive and Defensive with the French King hearing that the Spaniards were preparing a new Navy against Ireland Whereupon the Queen caused a considerable Fleet under the Command of the Earl of Essex to put forth to the Coast of Spain After they had taken and plundered some Towns and likewise made a Prize of some of their India Ships they returned home but not with all the Success they had promised themselves at their setting out by reason of the contrary Winds and Tempests they had met with in their Voyage Essex at his coming to Court was something disgusted to find that some of his Competitors to the Queens Favours had been raised to new Honours Dignities and Places during his Absence but was something pacified by the Queens creating him Earl Marshal of England But during these Transactions the English did extraordinary Performances in France in behalf of that King which he acknowledged in his Letters to the Queen and craved farther Assistance from her Majesty upon the Spaniards having gained some Advantage over him which was accordingly granted But the French a while after upon the Instigation of the Pope concluded Peace with Spain notwithstanding the Instances that were made to him by the Queen and the States General to the contrary Hereupon followed a Consultation whether a Treaty of Peace was to be held with the Spaniard which being opposed by the Earl of Essex was laid aside for som time but then again revived through the Mediation of the French and the Commissioners met accordingly at Bulloign but upon Dispute of Precedency was broken off altogether In the mean time Tir-Oen breaking out into open Rebellion in Ireland and having gained a greater Victory of the English than the Irish had ever done before after some debate the Earl of Essex was sent