the storie of those Princes concerning those affaires PRescription and precedents swaying with the positiue lawes of the Kingdome they may then farre better ouer-rule or at least giue Reall satisfaction in point of meere conceit and late conceiued disaffection reading our owne Annalles and Chronicles we shall there finde many mutuall intermarriages to haue beene betweene the two Royall Crownes of England and Spaine began in the very infancie of our Monarchy running in a long discent chayned and linked together one with another making as it were a golden Orbe and circle of sincere Princely loue and amity so that many mighty Kings of Spaine and Portingale haue had Royall mothers of the English Nation and likewise many Royall Princesses of Spaine haue beene the blessed mothers of some puisant and victorious Kings of England King William surnamed the conquerour by whom England receiued his last subuersion and generall alteration his courses of gouernment institutions and lawes by which wee are now gouerned being exactly executed were as linkes intermutually fastned made so strong a Chaine that it hath euer since held together the whole frame of the state in peace and order as all the politique Regiments vpon earth all the inter-leagued societies of men cannot shew a straighter forme of combination This King first began contracted Margaret his youngest daughter to Alphonsus King of Galicia 1076. Henry the second lineally discended from him a famous and worthy King of England married Elenor his second daughter to another Alphonsus the ninth 1171. surnamed the good King of Castile Richard the first surnamed Cuer de Lyon sonne of Henry the second he tooke to wife Berengaria daughter of Sanctius King of Nauarr. The next intermarriage wee finde to haue betweene those two Nations being England had thereby a Queene therein And so for other in like sort I will be more particular it was in the time of King Henry the third Henry the third raigned 56. yeares who of all the Kings of England since the conquest raigned longest and his troubles therein the greatest not any wayes occasioned by the marriage but for that he would rule and gouerne according to his will and lusts and not by his lawes those that desire to be more particularly informed thereof Stowe Hollinsh Speede. the story of his life written by many will giue them further and full satisfaction for so much as shall concerne marriages and other passages betweene England and Spaine I will onely contract my selfe This King when he had raigned 39. yeares with infinite and daily troubles of ciuill warres with his Barons hee was suddainly called to another seruice from home Alphonso King of Spaine The King of Spaine claimed Gascoyne claymed title to Gascoyne by vertue of a Charter from Henry the second confirmed by Richard and Iohn Kings of England Henry the third fearing the Gascoyners would draw in the Spaniards peaceably as it were in the manner of a Progresse repayred into Gascoyne King of England went into Gascoyney and from thence sent Ambassadors to the King of Spayne to desire that the Lady Elenor his sister might bee giuen in marriage to his sonne Prince Edward Ambassadors sent into Spaine to treat of a marriage which was after Edward the first this motion was well approued besides that they brought Letters Patents with them from the King of Spaine in which amongst all other clauses it was contained The King of Spaine released his claime to Gasconey that the King of Spaine did quit his claime and whole right which by vertue of any graunts from Henry Richard and Iohn Kings of England he had or ought to haue herevpon the King of England sendeth both for his Queene and his sonne whom the King of Spaine desired The King of Spaine sends for the Prince of England might be conuayed vnto him onely with a noble intent to see and doe him honour Among other acts of sincerity and loue Alphonso sent to the King of England good aduice that after the example of good Kings and Princes he should be a Lamb to his Subiects and Seruitors and a Lyon vnto Aliens and Rebels Soone after the Queene and her sonne arriuing in Gascoyne when all things were rightly prepared Prince Edward was thence presently sent into Spaine where at the Citie of Burges he married the Lady Elenor sister to the King with great honour The Prince of England marrieth with the King of Spaines sister hauing first receiued Knighthood at his hands which done returnes to Burdeux from whence they altogether came safe through Fraunce into England the King of Fraunce being not long before returned from the Holy land The Prince of England had great entertainment in Fraunce gaue them both safe conduct in their passage and did to him and all his whole company all the honour with triumphes and feasts which the wit of man or the goodly Kingdome of Fraunce could afford afterwards landed safely at Douer what treasure this noble young Princesse brought in portion to her husband our Writers haue not deliuered vnto vs but the king forthwith gaue to his sonne Gascoyne Ireland Bristowe Stamford and Grantham King Henry liued after the marriage of his sonne seauenteene yeares during which time this Spanish Lady carried her selfe The Spanish Lady a most vertuous Princesse as a most noble and worthy Princesse and afterwards being Queene a more renowned loyall and vertuous wife no age euer afforded This King Edward the first amongst many his enterprises of a Royall and Kingly resolution went in person to Warre against the Sarazenes where that renowned and vertuous Lady Elenor his wife did endure with him an vnseperable companion of all his fortunes and was at Acon deliuered of a daughter there baptized by the name of Ione shee is denoated by our owne Writers to be a matchlesse precedent of coniugall affection the King her husband being trayterously wounded by a Sarazen with a poysoned knife that when no medicine could extract the poyson this Lady Elenor whilest the King her husband slept With her tongue daily licked his ranckling wounds drawing forth the impoysoned matter that soone after hee was fully cured and shee fortunately preserued The King and Queene not long after taking their iourney together towards Scotland the Queene in her way thither-wards sickned and dyed in the yeare 1284. The king almost struck dead with sorrpw alters his resolution returnes backe towards London with a long and sorrowfull iourney in a slowe and stately manner shee being conuayed out of Lincolnshire towards London in her honour the king her husband who loued her aboue all worldly creatures caused those many famous Crosses to bee erected wheresoeuer her Royall corpes did rest Charing Crosse at Waltham St. Albones and Dunstable The King with his whole Nobility and Clergie in a pompeous and Royall manner meetes the body at Saint Albones and with a Noble and generall concourse of his Subiects brings it to the
Royall Sepulture of his Auncestors at Westminster and there in Saint Peters Church it was with all possible Royalty and magnificence honourably interred The King gaue vnto the Abbot there twelue large and rich Lordships charitably to giue Almes and deuoutly to pray for the blessed Queene vntill the worlds end Our owne Writers affirme of this Queene Speede. Walsing Camdens Britania to our Nation she was a louing mother and saith one the Columne and pillar as it were of the whole Realme shee added the vertues of a wife to her sex to them both her immortall fame is a glory and an honour to her Nation King Edward the third 1360. married his daughter Iohanna to Henry the second King of Castile sonne of Alphonsus the 11. Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster fourth sonne of King Edward the third did take to wife Constancia eldest daughter of Peter King of Castile To whom in right of his said wife Constancia the Kingdome of Castile and Leon did discend and they both stiled themselues King and Queene of Castile and Leon which illustrious title is yet to be seene vpon his noble monument in Saint Pauls Church in London Katherine the sole daughter of the said Duke of Lancaster by his aforesaid wife Constancia was married to Henry 1388. the third sonne of king Iohn of Castile and Leon. Edmund Duke of Yorke youngest sonne of king Edward the third 1391. married Isabella youngest daughter of Peter king of Castile King Henry the fourth married Iohanna the daughter of Charles king of Nauarr. 1403. The next intermarriage wee finde betweene England and Spaine was in the time of king Henry the seauenth his owne marriage his sonnes with Spaine and marriages of his daughters are the greatest acts of State our English Annalles doe afford vs first his owne marriage made a Vnion whereupon after the effusion of much bloud to the consumption of the greatest part of the English Nobility there followed and euer since continued a happy peace and then by the marriage of his daughter settled an vndoubted and permanent succession for the Crowne of England the blessed happinesse at this instant wee enioy All which with the patience of the Reader contrary to my intended resolution which was onely for the story of the Spanish matches I will a little digresse and briefly touch hauing one with another dependancy and coherence This king Henry the seauenth for his wisedome was said to be a second Salomon and lay somewhat heauie on his people and was Auncestor to our now Soueraigne who will peraduenture some way both for the mannaging of the State and marriage of his children make him a patterne and precedent But the difference is the more is our happinesse Henry the seauenth his gathering of treasure together was to heape vp in store as appeared being found at Richmond after his decease vnder his owne key and keeping eighteene hundred thousand pounds sterling A huge masse of money for those times Our king hath expressed his Royall and Princely bounty and exposed his treasure vpō important occasions wherevnto his Maiestie hath beene necessitated gathered vp from his Subiects but as showers of raine that falls backe vpon the earth againe But it hath beene of late and it is very like hence-forth it will be imployed to repay support and supply About the ninth yeare of king Henry the seauenth his raigne there was one Peter Hyalus an Ambassador A Spanish Ambassadour sent into England sent from Ferdinando and Isabella king and Queene of Spaine to treate of a marriage betweene Katherine their daughter and Prince Arthur sonne and heire of Henry the seauenth it was obserued this Hyalus was a man of great wisedome that through the present could see farre into the future which king Henry soone perceiued Hyalus instantly became in great fauour and estimation with him brought it so about and yet not seene therein that Hyalus was imployed for him into Scotland both about a treaty of peace as also a marriage for Margaret his eldest daughter with Iames the fourth then king of Scotland it was not king Henry his course to seeke peace at any Prince his hands But it was conceiued hee did it then as not louing the barren warres which hee thought would not bee worth his charge Hyalus so caried himselfe in those Ambassies that it was his master-peece which euer after gaue him the esteeme of an excellent workman which shall bee hereafter more particularly related The warres betweene the king of England and the king of Scots were then at the height when Hyalus was sent but comming as it were from the king and Queene of Spaine as from friends equally well affected to both parties to mediate a peace betweene the two kings of England and Scotland as also about a treaty or ouerture at least of a marriage which perhaps in their owne persons would not haue beene so easily brought about the point of honour might therevnto giue impeachment Hyalus so handled the point of his imployment that immediately after Bishop Foxe was sent as an Ambassadour into Scotland wherevpon followed an honourable truce and shortly afterwards a marriage concluded betweene the king of Scots and Margaret the eldest daughter of Henry the seauenth king of England so that Doctor Morton afterwards Cardinall and this Peter Hyalus the Spanish Ambassadour were two of the happiest instruments that euer were the one for composing and contriuing the marriage betweene king Henry the seauenth and Elizabeth the eldest daughter of Edward the fourth whereby the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster were vnited and Hyalus a fore-runner of good hap was therefore by some called an Elias being the first motiue and speciall meanes of the intermarriage betweene England and Scotland whereby we enioy our now Soueraigne whom God graunt long to raigne ouer vs. The Spaniards are obserued generally to be acute and ingenious and many of them of great wisdome and deepe iudgements some reason thereof conceiued for that they are freer from the dull discease of drinke then other Nations are The great Historians writes in this manner of them The Spaniards are more able Guichardine Biterus then either the French or Germanes to endure the actions of the body and to suffer the passions of the minde Their first founder was a Souldier therefore are they held naturally the more for warre Jgnatius and no Nation hath euer beene therein more exercised They haue a Spanish Prouerbe To haue peace with England doth vs betide warres with all the world beside These our auncient Writers affirme Droder Siculus lib. 6. Strabo lib. 3. Mila lib. 2. that the Spaniard is most patient in want hardnesse hunger thirst heat colde and all other toyle and trouble both of body and minde and most ready and resolute for loue of Country or honour to encounter all dangers whatsoeuer For the last particular wherein the Spaniard hath that height of commendation giuen him it neither can be any detraction or
diminution to the English they haue deserued as much whereof the Spaniards themselues haue had experience The marriage with Spaine was almost seauen yeares in treaty The Spanish match seauen yeares in treaty which was in part caused by the tender yeares of the marriage couple especially of the Prince But the true reason was that those two Princes being Princes of great policie and profound iudgement stoode a great time looking one vpon anothers fortunes how they would goe knowing well that in the meane time the very treaty it selfe gaue abroad in the world a reputation of a straite coniunction and amity betweene them which serued on both sides to many purposes that their seuerall affaires required and yet they continued still free But in the end when the fortunes of both Princes did grow euery day more and more prosperous and assured and that looking about them they saw no better conditions they shist it vp The second day of October Queene Katherine arriued in England in the 17. yeare of the kings raigne the Lady Katherine daughter to Ferdinand and Izabella king and Queene of Spaine arriued in England at Plymouth and she was married to Prince Arthur in Pauls the 14. day of Nouember following the Prince being about 15. yeares of age and the Lady 18. The manner of her receiuing the manner of her entry into London and the celebration of their marriage were performed with great and true magnificence in regard of cost and order The chiefe man that tooke the care was Bishop Fox who was not onely a great Councellour for warre or peace but also a good Suruayor of works and a good Master of ceremonies and any thing that was fit for the actiue part belonging to the seruice of a Court or State of a great king Amongst the deuices and conceits of the tryumphes at the marriage there was a great deale of Astronomy the Lady being resembled to Hesperus and the Prince to Arcturus and the olde king Alphonsus that was the great Astronomer of kings and Ancestor to the Lady was brought in to be Fortune-teller of the match And whosoeuer had those toyes in compyling they were not altogether pedanticall But we may be sure that king Arthur the Brittaine in whose acts were worth enough to make him famous besides that which is fabulous written of him the Prince his discent from him and the Lady Katherine from the house of Lancaster was not forgotten those two particulars had a great part in the play But it seemes it is not good to fetch fortune from the Starres This young prince Arthur drow vpon him not onely the hopes and affections of his Country but the eyes and expectations of Forraigners all frustrated enioying him so little a time as they did the great alterations and strange euents afterwards ensuing The marriage portion the Princesse brought The marriage portion which was turned ouer to the King by renunciation was two hundred thousand Duckets whereof one hundred thousand were payd ten dayes after the solemnization of the marriage and the other hundred thousand at two payments annuall but part of it in Iewels and Plate and a due course set downe to haue them iustly and indifferently prised The Ioyncture Queene Katherines Ioincture or the aduancement of the Lady was the third part of the principalitie of Wales and of the Dukedome of Cornwall and the Earledome of Chester to be after set forth in seueraltie and in case she came to be Queene of England her aduancement was left indiffinite but that it should be as great as any former Queene of England had Prince Arthur imediately after the Solemnization of the Mariage was sent to keepe his rescyance and Court as Prince of Wales at the Castle of Ludlowe after a few moneths in the beginuing of Aprill he there deceased Prince Arthur deceased So that in respect he dyed so young and by reason of his Fathers manner of education that did cast no great Lustre vpon his children there is little particular mention of him onely thus much remaineth that he was very studious and learned beyond his yeares and beyond the custome of great Princes The February next following Henry Duke of Yorke afterward Henry the Eight was created Prince of Wales and Earle of Chester For the Dukedome of Cornewall deuolued vnto him by Statute which was halfe a yeares distance taken for his creation and his Prince Arthurs death which was construed to be to exprect a full time whereby it might appeare whether the Lady Katherine were with childe by Prince Arthur or not when this doubt was cleered Henry the Prince of Wales was presently Contracted to the Lady Katherine his brother Prince Arthurs Widow the reason of the Kings so doing some Writers affirme was because he was close handed and would not part with a second Dowrie some others affirme and it is like they are neerest the truth out of his affection to Ferdinando King of Spaine with whom he had euer a consent euen in nature and customes and out of a politicke consideration to continue his alyance with Spaine being assured that the Lady was of a most worthy vertuous and Princely disposition and in his profound iudgement knew that wiues were casuall commodities both for the loue he bore to his Sonne and the kingdome for that neither of them should runne another hazzard reteyned the Lady to be Queene of England The next instantly taken in hand The King of Scotlands marriage with the Kings eldest Daughter done by Proxie was the worke begun by Hyalus the Spanish Embassador the Solemnization of the Spowsals of Iames the Fourth King of Scotland with the Lady Margarel the Kings eldest Daughter which was done by Proxie and published at Pauls Crosse the 25. day of Ianuary and Te Deum solemnly sung But certaine it is that the ioy of the Citie thereupon shewed by ringing the Bells and Bonfiers and such other incense of the people was more then could be expected in case of so great and fresh enmitie betweene the Nations especially in London which were far enough from the feeling any the former calamities of the Warre and therefore might be truly attributed to a secret instinct and inspiring which many times runneth not onely in the hearts of Princes but in the pulses and veines of people touching the happinesse there to ensue in time to come The Mariage was in August following consumated at Edenborough King Henry bringing his Daughter as farre as Colliweston on the way and then consigning her to the attendance of the Earle of Northumberland who with a great troope of Lords and Ladies of Honour brought her into Scotland to the King her Husband This Mariage had beene in treatie by the space almost of three yeares from the time that Hyalus made the first ouerture and that the King of Scotland shortly after opened his minde to Bishop Foxe The summe giuen in mariage portion by the King The Mariage portion was ten thousand
pounds The ioyncture and aduancement assured by the King of Scotland was two thousand pounds a yeare after King Iames his death one thousand pounds a yeare in present for the Ladies maintenance This to be set forth in lands of the best and most certaine Reuenue The King as it is reported A question proposed by the Lords of the Counsell before this Match was concluded proposed it to his Councell and amongst them it was debated some of the Table in the Freedome of Councellours the King being present did put the case that if God should take away the Kings two Sonnes without issue that then the kingdome of England would fall vnto the King of Scotland The. Kings Reply which might preiudise the Monarchie of England whereunto the King himselfe replyed that if that should be Scotland would be but an accession to England and not England to Scotland for that the greater would draw the lesse and that it was a safer Vnion for England then that of France This passed as an Oracle and silenced those that moued the question This was a kinde of diuine and propheticall proposition made by the Lords of the Councell and so accordingly answered by the King so that the said Iames the fourth King of Scotland had issue by the Lady Margaret Iames the Fift The Kings Discent and he had issue Queene Mary she had issue our now Soueraigne so that he is great Grandchilde of Margaret eldest Daughter to Henry the Seauenth Now seeing I haue gone thus farre in matters of Mariage contrary to my intent as not to haue medled with any but those of Spaine I will now goe through by way of touch rather then by ample discourse of the mariage of the last and indeed of all the Daughters and children of King Henry the Seauenth Henry the Seauenth contracteth Mary his youngest Daughter to the Emperor and the rather for that it was the last act that concluded his temporall felicitie which was the conclusion of a glorious match betweene his Daughter Mary and Charles Princes of Castyle afterwards the great Emperour both being of tender yeares which treatie was perfected by Bishop Foxe Henry the Seauenth dying the Mariage tooke not effect and others his Commissioners at Calice But by reason the King about some yeare after died that mariage did not take effect Mary King Henryes youngest Daughter married to the King of France Afterwards to the Duke of Suffolke she was afterwards maried to the King of France who being aged shortly after died had no issue by her King Henry the Eight her brother sent ouer into France Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke to fetch her from thence who maried her and by him she had issue the farther particulars in those affaires I leaue the readers to the perusall of the workes of many Writers Stowe Holland Speede. that haue written the same at large For Henry the Seauenth I will conclude being he himselfe by the generall concluder of all was concluded Only this he had the fotune of a true Christian aswell as of a great King â—ote in liuing exercised and dying repentant his happinesse was much the more as when he left the world was in great felicitie being as it were at the top of all worldly blisse in regard of the high mariages of his Children his great renowne throughout Europe his great Riches and the perpetuall constancie of his prosperous successes all which were some way a shadow and vaile that it did not so euidently appeare as otherwise it would in what obloquie of the people he notwithstanding liued So that death to him was wonderfull opportune to withdrawe and preserue him from any future blow of Fortune which in all likelyhood would haue fallen vpon him in regard of the great hatred of his people and the Title of his Sonne being then come to eighteene yeares of age and being a bold Prince and liberall gained vpon the people by his very aspect and presence The King according to the contract made by his Father King Henry the 8. married the Lady Katherine his brothers widdow married his Brother Prince Arthurs Widow The secret prouidence of God ordaining that Mariage to be the cause of great euents and changes our Writers doe not lay it to the Ladies charge that she in her particuler ministered any occasion thereof The storie of the Kings life more or otherwise then it shall concerne the diuorce the Ladies life and conuersation I will not here meddle many haue written of him at large but the lesse is the more for his commendation Queene Katherine liued twenty years with the King When this Lady had liued aboue twenty yeares with the King as a vertuous and loyall Wife Cardinall Wolsey we finde had a great part in this play whose discent Pollidor Vigill relateth Parentem habuit virum probum at lanium had an honest man to his Father but a Butcher then for the particular story of his life more then shall concerne this affaire I leaue the Readers to many other Authors that haue written the same at large but in briefe he was intollerable wicked pompous and magnificent and according to the fate commonly of such men his end was infamous and infortunate vpon some priuate grudge he bore to Queene Katherine partly to be reuenged thereby vpon her Nephew the Emperour because he would not make him Pope as secretly he had requested him and partly because often-times in a most secret louing and gentle fashion she had admonished and warned him of his couetousnesse tyranny of his extortions oppressions of his pride and licentious course of life such men when they are told of those things being eminent and powerfull vsually will extend it to the highest to execute their malice which Wolsey so did towards the Queene as it afterwards fell out to bee apparant that to the King in priuate hee had cast some scruples with some subtle disputations concerning the lawfulnesse and nullitie of the Kings mariage who hauing as it seemed a desire to change as by his hauing so many Wiues afterwards it was somewhat probable made a great shew and expressure to the world that he began to be tender ouer his conscience and prouident to establish the true succession of the kingdome in a lawfull heire strucke so great an impression into him and so busied his cogitations and thoughts that a religious sorrow began to seaze vpon him and to auoide the continuance in that incestuous sinne vntill by a iudiciall sentence the doubts were cleered he refrained from the Queenes bed and the Cardinall to make himselfe more great then he was procured a Commission from the Pope to be directed to him and to his ancient brother Cardinall Campeius that before them as supreme Iudges that question by legall processe and proceedings might be heard debated on and censured according to the lawes of God These two Legates hauing receiued their Commission informeth the Queene of their authoritie and
conquest formerly gouerned by Roitelets as petty Kings and now inhabited by seuerall nations of seuerall natures So that the nature necessitie and disposition of the Kings of Spaine their affaires requireth that they must carry somewhat a harder hand in their gouernment then ordinarie otherwise they cannot secure nor make good their plantations nor retaine their subiects in obedience And the very name of conquest imports violence and misery and is of so harsh a sound and odious in nature that from a Nation subdued detractions will suppresse all commendations a Conquerour shall any waies deserue Though their gouerning of such like subiects may be particuler yet the aspersion in that kinde will runne in the generall and a long time as it were in discent especially amongst malignant dispositions In remote parts of Kings Dominions where the gouernment by them is committed to subordinate Officers Commanders sometimes barbarous and in humane acts may be done by them the cōmon people which Kings in their nature may much abhorre and detest yet for the same in their honour and reputation they often suffer Then they further alleage that the Kings of Spaine to the Turkes Moores and such like Infidels haue beene many times a scourge But then in particular with the Italians Portugals French English Scottish and Flemmish their dealings with them to haue beene most honourable quiet iust and without iniurie offered to any which is said to appeare by their owne testimonies and witnesses also of many Writers For the warre Thillip the second and other affaires that haue passed in Portugall they were so carried and no otherwise for the iustification thereof out of Hieromme Francht a Genoes that was present and wrot the storie and in other points sheweth himself no great friend to Spaniards yet doth he so iustifie all the Kings actions in these affaires euen by the testimonie of the Portugals themselues as they seeme rather ouer-scrupulous then onely iustifiable Then there is further cyted Genebrard a French Writer that setteth out the King of Spaine his noble proceedings with France in all the times of the minorities of King Henry the second his children to wit Francis Charles and Henry the third and how he neuer sought either to profit himselfe or to impaire the kingdome of France during those troubles and thereupon giueth a touch by way of taxe for the taking of Newhauen by the English further alleaging that the King of Spaine at his owne charges sent aides of men horse victuals and money often times to the succours of those young Princes notwithstanding the old enmities and emulation betweene those two Crownes of France and Spaine and the cruell warres that had passed betweene them many yeares And maketh further relation of the king his clement proceeding with his owne subiects that rebelled in the low Countries as appeared by his many pardons peaces and tollerations made with them his liberall and noble dealings with the English Irish and Scottish especially such as were subiect to troubles for their conscience at home those he sustained liberally without requiring any seruice at their hands And lastly for the great wealth forces strength Note and power of the King of Spaine being a friend and temperately vsed cannot be fearefull to any good man but rather comfortable nor to be dangerous to Christendome but rather a great and singuler stay and prouidence of Almighty God who foreseeing the tumults and reuolts that heresies might bring in and the dangers Christendome might be subiect vnto by the great power and strength of Infidels the Turkes and Moores hath prouided so potent and opulent a Prince as the king of Spaine for the defence of the Catholike Church For the manifestation thereof two speciall obseruations worthy of note haue beene collected and cited the first after that interleaged and indissoluable knot of amity and alyance which was betweene Henry the seauenth Ferdinando and Isabella King and Queene of Spaine there mutually passed betweene them many Letters congratulatory amongst which there came Letters from Ferdinande and Isabella signifying the finall conquest of Granada from the Moores which action it selfe so worthy King Ferdinando whose manner was as indeed the nature is neuer to lose any vertue for the shewing expressed and displayed in his Leters at large all the particularities and religious punctures and ceremonies that were obserued in the reception of the Citie and king dome shewing amongst other things that the King would not by any meanes in person enter the City vntill he had first aloose seene the Crosse set vp vpon the greater Tower of Granada whereby it became Christian ground That likewise before lie would enter he did homage to God alone pronouncing by an Herauld from the height of that Tower that he did acknowledge to haue recouered that kingdome by the helpe of God Almighty and the glorious Virgin and the vertuous Apostle S. Iames and the holy Father Pope Inocent the eight together with the aides and seruice of his Prelates Nobles and Commons that he stirred not from the campe till he had seene a little armie of Martyrs to the number of seauen hundred and more Christians that had liued in bonds and seruitude as slaues to the Moores passe before his eies singing a psalme for their redemption and that he had giuen tribute to God by almes and reliefe extended to them all for his admission into the City these things were in the Letters with many more ceremonies of a kinde of holy ostentation King Henry euer willing to put himselfe into the consort or quier of religious actions and naturally affecting much the King of Spaine as much as one King could affect another partly for his vertues and partly for a counterpoise to France vpon the receipt of these Letters sent all his Nobles and Prelats that were about the court together with the Maior and Aldermen of London in great solemnity to the Church of Pauls there to heare a declaration from Bishop Morton then Lord Chancellour and Cardinall standing vpon the vppermost step or halfe pace before the Quier and all the Nobles Prelats and Gouernours of the Citie at the foot of the stayres made a speech vnto them letting them know that they were assembled in that consecrated place to sing vnto God a new song for that said he these many yeares the Christians haue not gained new ground or territorie vpon the infidels nor enlarged and set further the bounds of the christian world But this is now done by the pronenesse deuotion of Feredinando and Isabella King and Queene of Spaine who haue to their immortall honour recouered the great and rich kingdome of Granada and the populous and mighty citie of the same name from the Moores hauing beene in possession thereof by the space of seauen hundred yeares and more For which this assembly and all Christians are to render laud and thankes to God and to celebrate this noble act of the King of Spaine who in this is not onely
the English onely to thanke God for their deliuerance If the Spaniards will forget and passe it ouer as being farre the greater loosers it is both charity and religion for the English to doe the like And the rather for that and such like hostile actions passing betweene the two Nations in the time of warre and now in peace in all Christian and religious considerations enuie and hatred should haue an end and not be continued States are subiect to the wheele times haue their turnings and great Princes themselues not free from calumny and detraction and many times with much agrauation therein For these particulars I will conclude with that graue and sage obseruation of Cornelius Tacitus that free tongued Romane that wrote they made it a custome to make Kings the instruments of oppression they may many times seeme so and yet they themseues of a most gracious and Royall disposition Queene Elizabeth therein not second to any and yet according to the fate and fashion of great princes by some great and graue Councellours neere about her and by some that could thriue onely by warre she was much swayed and ruled which she thought was no diminution to her commendation though it made not so much for her absolutenes yet it seemed she held it the more for her safety Let vs not be transported with passion and doubts beyond reason good ground or probability the Kings and Monarchies of England in their whole choise of wiues made from all parts of Europe were neuer more fortunate and happy in any then in those Royall Queenes which they had from Spaine The first in this Scene of honour shall be the Royall Queene Elenor wife to Edward the first formerly mentioned what was shee but the wonder and myracle of her Sex The next Queene Katherine wife first to Prince Arthur afterwards to Henry the eight shee was the cleare mirrour and example of wisedome integrity sanctity and all Royall and Princely vertues in all which she was farre more precious and excellent being so tryed as she was with the touchstone of fortune Constancia Izabella Beringaria and Ioanna Spanish Princes all these were proper and peculiar to our English Monarchy our owne Chronicles telleth vs no otherwise of them but that they were as so many glorious and conspicuous lights of matrimoniall faith loue piety and chastity And lastly King Philip the second that married Queene Mary our own Writers leaues him to posterity highly commended So that for those Princes that we haue formerly had from Spaine England hath had ioy and comfort of them we haue loued them and they vs. Wherefore should we now so much doubt and feare for the future the like successe vnlesse we will conclude our dispositions are growne worse and that the then times deserued a great part of their commendations So that here you may see that no Nations in former times did euer more faithfully and entirely loue each another or were in more straighter leagues and bonds of friendship vnited together then the English and Spaniards vntill by the late warre they were â—â—â—oynted Seuere iudgement threatens high places Sa. ca. 6.4.8 The greatest happinesse of great Kings and Princes is to make happy their Subiects and that happinesse on eath is esteemed greatest which commeth neerest to that in heanen consisting onely in the eternity of blessed peace then consequently those Princes must be deemed most blessed who doe chiefly direct their Royall cares and endeuours to bring glory to God on high peace and good will to those on earth Our now gracious King hath so gouerned vs this 21. yeares that we haue enioyed that happinesse as God hath beene truly honoured he obayed and we haue liued in quiet vnder our own Figge trees and Vines eating the fruites of our owne labour4s free from those calamities and miseries of warre some of our neighbour Nations are subiect vnto and by Gods grace he will so continue vs whereby he will be worthily held in the esteeme and deemed one of the most blessed Princes according to the position before mentioned How willing desirous and obseruant the Spaniards haue beene to bee in peace and amity with vs let the Reader but duly consider that which hath beene formerly related and for farther satisfaction to an ocular experience we late had thereof The Xing of Spaine his desire to be in league and amity with England No sooner then our now gracious Soueraigne came to the Crowne but the King of Spaine Philip the third instantly sent ouer his Ambassadours sought peace at his hands and had it which euer since hath beene religiously nobly muioable kept and so continued his sonne now King of Spaine Philip the fourth An ouerture of marriage long time in treaty for our now Royall Prince Charles with the Lady Maria daughter of the said Philip the third by him much desired and now as much as her brother Philip the fourth as it is generally conceiued that those two Royall Scepters should be now conioyned in the sacred knot and bond of marriage thereby to strengthen their auncient Alliances and make a perpetuall league and indissoluble confederation of blessed peace and friendship betwixt them Seeing many excellent learned men meerely out of zeale and some others wise and polliticke in the affaires of State that are true louers of their countrie haue written and spoken freely proposing doubts feares and dangers that may come and ensue to England with the mariage with Spaine and also others of both those sorts of like ranke and quality only in religion contrarily affected haue written and will speake as much for the approbation and commendation thereof proposing the infinite vnspeakable good the match may be to the Kingdome of England Without farther intermedling I will leaue those things to their learnings and iudiciall experiences that which I relate may be as materials for them to worke on and is intended but as home made stuffe for the Country people who in State affaires sees no farther then the Rhine and many of them wade not so deepe as into the point of Religion yet in their affections haue beene very auerse and expressed vnwillingnesse for our Princes Royall match I would herewithall cloathe or at least someway couer their bare opinions that there is no such great cause of feares doubts and dangers as they seeme to apprehend though the Spaniards were lately our enemies yet aunciently they were our friends and seeme to desire to be so againe to liue in league and amity with vs I would gladly so moderate and reclaime the disaffections of the common people that they might forget and remit all former occasions conceaued of distaste and not in their affections and discourses so disobe diently mutinie and dispute against our Soueraignes high commands and Royall intentions It is incident for men so to doe of some one of the dispositions following A kingdome composed of men of diuers humours and dispositions whereof some doe burne in hatred some busied in