Annals and then by my last Will to bequeath them to my honorable friend IAMES AVGVSTVS THVANVS who hath begun a Historie of his owne Times with great truth and modestie lest that as strangers are wont he a man most deare vnto me should like a traueller in a forraine Countrie be ignorant of our affaires But this resolution I was forced I know not by what fate to alter for a great part being sent vnto him some few years past wheÌ„ they were like rough-drawn pictures scarcely begun deformed with blots imperfect places swarming with errors patches thrust in as they fell from a hasty pen ill vsed by Transcribers Out of these he took as it were inter-weaued some things into the eleuenth and twelfth Tomes of his Historie hauing first polished them by adding altering substracting but all with good iudgement according to that order of the worke which he proposed to himselfe for he intended a vniuersall Historie of his owne Time selecting some few things concerning ENGLAND and IRELAND ommitting many things not only fit but peraduenture necessary for vs to know and I had heard that beyond the Seas the Historie of English affaires was much and not without reproach desired I therefore betook me to my intermitted study read all ouer againe corrected added diuers things refined the eloquution yet without affectation for it sufficeth me if I may place this Booke like a picture in water colours vnskilfully done in a commodious light But when all was done I was much perplext irresolute whether I should publish it or not But CENSVRES PREIVDICE HATRED OBTRECTATION which I foresaw to display their colors and bid battell against me haue not so much deterred me as the desire of TRVTH the loue of MY COVNTRY and the memory of that PRINCESSE which deserues to be deare and sacred amongst English men did excite me against those who shaking off their allegeance towards their Prince and Country did not cease beyond the Seas to wound aswel the Honor of the one as the glory of the other by scandalous libels conceiued by the malice of their own hearts now which they sticke not to confesse are about to publish a Book to remain to posteritie as a monument of their wickednesse As for me I desire nothing more than to be like my self they like themselues Succeeding ages will giue to euery one their deserued Honor. I confesse with sorrow that I haue not done so wel as the height of the argumeÌ„t requires but what I could I haue done willingly To my selfe as in other writings so neither in these haue I giuen satisfaction But I shall hold it more than sufficient if out of an earnest desire to conserue the memorie of things of truth in relating them instructing mens minds with that which is wise and honest I shall be ranked only amongst the lowest writers of great things WHATSOEVER IT IS AT THE ALTAR OF TRVTH I Dedicate and Consecrate it TO GOD MY COVNTRIE AND POSTERITIE ⧠TO THE TRVE MIRROR AND PATTERNE OF PRINCES THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTY CHARLES PRINCE OF GREAT BRITAINNE c. SIR I COVLD not but shelter this Historie vnder your most renowned Name for to whom can I commit the Story of Her who whilst shee liued was the ioy of England the terror and admiration of the VVorld but to your HIGHNESSE who is the Fame and Honour of this spacious hemisphere Great Britaines both hope solace by your princely valour constant vertues no lesse dreaded and admired abroad than feared beloued at home A true admirer humble Obseruer of your diuine worth A. Darcie To the Highly Borne Princesse Frances Duchesse Dowager of Richmond Lenox This Noble Princesse's Father was Thomas Lord Howard created Viscount Bindon by Queen Elizabeth the first yeare of her raigne second son to Thomas Duke of Norfolke AND To the noble Prince her Cosin Thomas Earle of Arundell Surrey Earle Marshall of England This Duke of Norfolke the Duchesse of Richmond and Lenox's Grandfather had two wiues the first was the noble Princesse Anne Daughter to King Edward the fourth by which he had issue a young Prince who died young The other was the Lady Elizabeth daughter to Edward Stafford Duke of Buckingham by whom he had issue the Lord Henry Hâ—ward whose son succeeded to the Dukedome of Norfolk which Dukes eldest son Philip Howard was by Queen ELizabeth alâ—o created and summoned in Parliament where he sate as Earl of Arundel being the primary Earledome of England in the right of his Mother sole daughter and heire to Henry Fitz-Allen Earle of Arundell He was this Noble Earles Father Thomas Viscont Bindon and a Daughter who was Duchesse of Richmond and Somerset Countesse of Nottingham Aunt to the now Duchesse of Richmond and Lenox This said Duke of Norfolke after a long sicknesse tooke his iourney peaceably to Heauen at his Palace in Kinninghall in Norfolke the first yeare of Queene Mary AND To the Illustrious fauourers of Vertue true mirrors of Honour and exact patternes of Nobilitie William Earle of Hartford c AND To the Noble Lady Frances his Princely Countesse This Earles grandfather Lord Edward Seimor son to Edw. Duke of Somerset was restored to his honours patrimonie by Queene Elizabeth who created him Earle of Hartford and Baron of Beauchamp in the Tower of London the second yeare of her raigne This noble Countesse's grandfather also was created Earle of Essex c. by Qu. Elizabeth the 14. of her raigne he died in Ireland 1575. and was magnificently buried at Carmarden in Wales where he was borne Edward Earle of Dorset Baron of Buckhurst AND To his noble sisters the lady Anne Beauchamp And the Lady Cecilia Compton This illustrious Earle and honourable Ladies grandfather was a most prudent and learned man for his heroick deserts and Princely descent from an ancient and true noble blood was created by Q. Elizabeth Baron of Buckhurst next by her Maiestie enstalled in the royall order of the Garter one of her intimate priuy Counsellors Lord High Treasurer of England c. Chancellor of the Vniuersity of Oxford Hee died in White-hall 1608. Theophilus Lord CLINTON Earle of LINCOLN Anno 1572. Edward Lord Clinton Lord high Treasurer of England was created Earle of Lincolne by Queene Elizabeth for his Noble merits and faithfull seruice to his Soueraigne Lady The same day her Maiesty created Sir Walter Deureux Earle of Essex He died the eighth day of Ianuary Anno 1585. and was with great solemnitie buried at Windsor To this right Honorable Lord Theophilus Earle of Lincolne he was great Grand-father Thomas Earle of Suffolke knight of the most honorable Order of the Garter This worthy Earle second sonne to Thomas Howard the last Duke of Norfolke by his martiall valour was Princely vertue and by Queene Elizabeth created Lord Howard of Walden and tooke place in the high Court of Parliament among the Peeres as Baron of Walden And Q.
loued him affectionately though hee stood zealously affected to the Romane Religion Hee left behinde him Henry and Thomas his Children who succeeded him one after another in his dignity of a Baron Charles who purchased renowne to his name and some Daughters who were married into honourable Families Henry Mannors or Manners Earle of Rutland died who was Sonne to Thomas the first Earle of that Family Nephew to Iames Baron of Rosse who came of the Daughter of Thomas S. Leger and Anne his wife who by reason she was Sister to EDVVARD the Fourth gaue wonderfull lustre and splendor to that name Cousin-germaine to Robert who hauing married the Daughter and Heire to the Baron of Rosse an honourable and ancient Family augmented his owne with mightie reuenewes and the title of Baron of Rosse and he had by the Lady Neuill Daughter to Ralph Earle of Westmerland two Sonnes Edward and Iohn who were each of them in their due times Earles of Rutland and a Daughter who was married to William Courtney of Powderham Frances Duches of Suffolke Daughter to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke and Mary second Sister to HENRY the Eighth and Queene Dowager of France died who was afflicted with many miseries during her life She saw her eldest Daughter Ianes head cut off after shee had beene proclaymed Queene and presently after her Husbands her second Daughter married to the Earle of Pembroke to be diuorc'd and imprison'd and her third Daughter meanly married to Key who in his time was Master of the Reuels at Court And then her selfe forgetting from what degree she descended to her great dishonour yet notwithstanding for her best security married with Andrew Stoakes a meere priuate Gentleman THE SEVENTH YEERE OF HER RAIGNE Anno Domini 1564. FRance then reioyced for the peace shee enioyed which in some manner was maintayned with the Queene of England as being established to shut vp all entry to the English who began to flye out in calling to mind the cruell slaughters made by them in former ages when the Duke of Burgundie called them in for reuenge of his peculiar rancours and hatreds But this peace hauing rather slaked the feruent heat of warre than fastned any true concord or amity betweene the English and the French and the Queenes Maiesty perceiuing how the Protestants neglected and contemned her ingratefully returning those pleasures and fauours shee had done them resolued to trouble her selfe no more in others behalfe to the preiudice and hinderance of her owne proceedings Wherefore she bent all her care and thoughts to her owne occasions deliberated to make peace commended the ouerture thereof to Sir Thomas Smith a wise and learned man and the French lending a ready eare to the same gaue him Throgmorton for his Assistant who was then in France a prisoner at large to the end they might both together negotiate and procure the same The French King for his part assigned a Commission to Moruillier Bishop of Orleance and to Iohn Bourdin one of his Secretaries You may hereunder see the Articles whereupon they came to an accord in the moneth of Aprill within the Towne of Troyes in Champaigne THat one should not violently assaile the other neither yeeld succours to any other that made assault either vpon the one or other particulars onely should be lyable to their peculiar insults and offences No Traytors nor Rebels of eyther side were to be receiued All former iniuries were to be buried in obliuion Excepted all rights actions suites and pretensions which eyther they haue or pretend to haue respectiuely one against another shall remaine forcible and entire and so likewise all exceptions and prohibitions to the contrary These Articles concluded vpon the day following they annexed these Couenants separately and apart That a certaine summe of money should be payd to the Queene of England at daies constituted and appointed The Hostages in England were to be deliuered after the satisfaction of fiue hundred crownes And so this Treaty being ratified and confirmed Throgmorton might freely returne into his Country The King of France made Bone-fires of ioy according to the custome and after the Queene of England had ratified the same by oath in the presence of Gunor and Foix himselfe likewise within a very small time confirmed it in the presence of the Lord of Hunsdon who hauing at the same instant admitted his Maiesty to the Order of S. George he solemnely invested him with the Garter the Robe of honour a Collar of Esses whereat hung the picture of Saint George and other ornaments belonging to that Order In those dayes there arriued in England clad in the habit and grauity of a Priest to appeare more venerable Diego or Drilaco Guzman de la Forresta a Canon of Toledo sent in stead of the Bishop of Aquilar deceased some moneths before during which internall Roderic Gomez de la Forresta out of an hatred to Religion had bin the procurer of some rude entreaties of the English in Spaine who notwithstanding was much qualified by the Duke of Alua no man being able truely to say whether hee did it out of any loue he bare to the English or hatred to Gomez The like ill entreaty they also found in the Prouinces of the Low-Countries that liued vnder the Spanish gouernement at the instigation of the Cardinal of Granuella who to sow dissention betweene them and the Flemmings who held friendly and neighbourly commerce together in hatred to the said Religion he so brought it to passe that the yeere before the Flemmings complayned by Assonuil that the customes of England were enhaunst though this was performed during the reigne of Philip and MARY and that by Act of Parliament many of their handy-workes were there interdicted The English on the other side they exhibited also Bills of complaint how for small and trifling occasions their goods were confiscated in Flanders by vertue of new Edicts which also prohibited the bringing in of certaine merchandizes or to goe into Italie and Germanie by way of Flanders with horse Salt-Peter and Powder That they iniuriously exacted of them greater Imposts than euer were so much as mentioned in former times and all this against that Treaty of Commerce heretofore concluded on which was called the Grand Intercourse In the meane while the Princesse of Parma Regent of the Low Countries caused publique prohibitions to be diuulged first that no forbidden merchandize should be transported into England and then presently after for the importing of any English clothes into Flanders colouring it with the pretext of the plague which not long before had spred it selfe all England ouer But the naked truth is all these things were managed by the cautelous counsels and stratagems of Cardinall Granuelle to cause the Clothiers and other workemen depending on them to rise when they saw no clothes to be transported and yet the traffique of Clothes was established in Flanders to the preiudice of
to the poore of London and two hundred to the poore of Norfolke Hee had to Sonne William Bolene who was made one of the eighteene selected Knights of the Bath at the inauguration of Richard the Third To whom Tho. Earle of Ormond who was had in so great estimation with the Kings of England that hee only of all the Peeres of Ireland had place and voice in the Parliament and before the Barons of England gaue him his Daughter and Coheire to wife he had by her besides the Daughters which he married to Shelton Caltrop Chaire and Sackuil beeing very rich and of renowned Race Tho. Bolene who beeing but a Youth Thomas Howard then Earle of Surrey and afterwards Duke of Norfolke a famous Warrier chose him to bee his Sonne in Lawe and gaue him his Daughter Elizabeth to wife HENRY the Eighth employed him in two honourable Embassies after hauing made him Treasurour of his House Knight of the Order of Saint George and Vicount Rochford afterwards Earle of Wilton and Ormond and Lord Priuie Seale He amongst other Children had Anne Bolene who beeing sent in her tender yeeres into France was seruant to Mary of England Wife to Lewis the 12. afterwards to Claudia of Brittaine wife to Francis the First and after her death to Mary of Alanson who from her cradle was a speciall fauourour of the Protestants Religion in France Afterwards she being returned into England and entertained to be one of the Queenes Maids of Honour in the twentieth yeere of her age King HENRIE being eight and thirtie fell vehemently in loue with her for the modest behauiour which accompanyed her beauty and the French iollity which seasoned her modesty but not being able to ouercome her chastity he sought to haue her to wife in hope to haue a Linage by her Now before to take this matter a little more deepely after he had liued seuenteene yeeres with Katherine his wife who was of a pious conuersation and of the Spanish grauitie but subiect to aborsements that of all her Children shee brought foorth none liuing but MARIE he begunne to distaste her by the cunning practice of Cardinall Wolsey who was then raised to the highest degree of power and authority about the King but in some fort ouer swayed by his owne affections For being displeased with Charles the fifth Emperour Nephew to Katherine because he had denyed him the Arch-bishopricke of Toledo and then aspiring to the Papasie his hatred to him and his loue so affectionately carried toward the French King he so wrought that he purposed a wife for Henry out of France The King beeing prone to his pleasures prepared this scruple of conscience That the marriage which he had contracted with Katherine who before had beene wife to his brother Arthur was forbidden by the Diuine Lawe although Pope Iulius the second had giuen a Dispensation for it Afterwards he did inculcate into the Kings eares how greatly he had offended God in marrying Katherine and how grieuous a sin he should wallow in if hee kept her that hee had incurred the Sentence of Excommunication that God had powred his wrath vpon so vnlawfull a Marriage not suffering a Male to liue that was begotten of her and that if there were not a lawfull Heire assigned to the Kingdome no other thing was to be expected but that those mortall and cruell wars which had beene but lately lul'd asleepe should be awakened with new slaughters of his people and therefore that he ought for the taking away of all scruple from his conscience to repudiate her and that by assuring himselfe of a Successor in a lawfull line he should prouide for the safety of his soule which and likewise yeeres had been polluted with incest for so many of his Kingdome These reasons caused the King to entreate Pope Clement the Seuenth to depute some to take knowdedge of this cause and either to confirme the Dispensation by authority of holy Scriptures or absolue him of the Sentence of Excommunication and to declare this marriage to be of no force and that it might be lawfull for him to marry any other woman whom he should thinke fit notwithstanding any Canon to the contrary Hereupon the Pope delegates Cardinall Wolsey and the Cardinall of Campepe to whom he secretly gaue a Bull to this effect that he approued of the Kings vowes and granted his requests so farre as God would giue him leaue if the marriage which he had contracted with Katherine should be found vnlawfull and so declared to be But this Bull was to bee conceal'd or publisht according to the successe of the Emperours Affaires in Italy Then these questions begun to be moued euery where whether it were lawfull for a man to take his brothers wife or it beeing prohibited by the Diuine Law whether the Popes Dispensation could make it lawfull or no And when many Academies of Christendome and the most learned men had giuen their opinions and resolued that such a Marriage was repugnant to the Laws both of the Old and New Testament howsoeuer the Popes Dispensation might legitimate it The King became more passionatly amorous of the Lady Anne of Bolene then euer and the Cardinall repenting himselfe too late of what hee had begun grew discontented and wrought so vnder hand that the Pope by his pontificall authority refused to confirme the opinions of the Academies and by delayes after delayes the busines was drawn into length both at Rome in England The Cardinall feared Bolene who for the loue that shee bore to the Euangelicall Doctrine hated his proud and insolent carriage and the Pope feared the Emperour who at that time was powerfull in Italy who maintained to his vtmost power the cause of Katherine his Aunt neither would the Pope prouoke HENRY because hee had lately employed both his paines and pence to redeeme him from the Emperours men who kept him prisoner HENRIE boyling in choler for this refusall yet dissembling it both by Ambassadours and Letters continually solicited and humbly prayed the Pope and after him the Prelates and Peeres of England by request signed with their owne hands which they caused to be carried and presented at his feete to confirme by his Apostolicall Authority what the two Academies of England of Paris and many others and very learned and most entire men both within and without the Realme had set down for a truth and were ready to mainiaine it both by word and writing representing vnto him that it would be a remarkeable vnhappines if He should not obtaine this fauour from the Apostolicall Sea He beeing the onely man that had employed his Sword his Pen his word and power to defend the authority of the Pope and resisting many that stroue against it should bee the onely man to bee denyed the benefit of it and therefore they coniured him to grant it for feare that intestine warres should rise for the right of Succession Notwithstanding the Clergie fearing lest the
security she should in her life-time set her winding-sheete before her eyes yea she should likewise make her own funerall liuing and seeing it Hauing made this answere she sweetly admonisheth her againe by Letters which were deliuered her by Peter Meutis to confirme the Treatie which she refused not directly but gaue him to vnderstand that she could not commodiously doe it vntill the Affaires of Scotland were well established In the meane time Queen ELIZABETH with all maner of courtesie entertaines Monsieur le Duc D' Aumale the Grand Prior and Monsieur le Duc D'elbeuf her Vnkles and other French Noble-men which had conducted her into Scotland And yet notwithstanding Monsieur de Guize behaued himselfe in that sort that the English Ships are taken vpon the Coasts of Brittanie and the Marchants vnworthily handled and labours againe closely at Rome to procure Queene ELIZABETH to bee excommunicated Howbeit the Pope Pius the fourth aduised that it behoued to deale more gently with her Maiesty and as he had already sought by courteous Letters as I haue said vpon the last yeere hauing then also to appease the discords which were for matter of Religion assigned a day to the Councell of Trent long sinnce begunne and broken off by continuall Warres and drawing gently thither all the Princes which had forsaken the Romish religion hee deputed into England the Abbot of Martinegues with Letters full of assurance of loue But because that by an ancient Law it is most expressely forbidden the Popes Nuncio's to goe thither before he had obtained leaue from thence and taken Oath not to worke any thing by subtilty there tending to the preiudice of the King and Kingdome The Abbot being vpon the way stayed in Flanders and demanded leaue to come hither But Englands Councell of State iudg'd that it was not safe to admit him hither in regard that so many people from all parts nourished in the Romish religion laboured carefully both within and without the Realme to trouble the affaires thereof The Abbot not being permitted to come into England the Bishop of Wittenberg the Popes Nuncio with the King of France labours that Queene ELIZABETH should send Ambassadours to the Councell and many Princes of Christendome viz. the Kings of France of Spaine and of Portingall Henry Cardinall of Portingall and aboue all the Duke of Albe who yet bore good will to her Maiestie counselled her that in matters of Religion which is the onely Anker of Christians and stay of Kingdomes she would rather asscent to the Oecumenique Councell of Trent than to the particular opinions of a few men although they be learned She answers them That shee desired with all her heart an Oecumenique Councell but that shee would not send to that of the Popes with whom she had nothing to doe his authority being vtterly beaten downe and reiected in England with the consent of the States of the Kingdome That it is not for him but for the Emperour to assigne a Councell and that he hath no greater authority then any other Bishop At the same time that this Abbot was denyed accesse into England beeing the last Nuncio that the Popes of Rome haue sent hither Sir Edward Carne aforementioned being a most iudicious and wise man very well vnderstood in the right of Emperours by the Emperour Charles the fifth honoured with the dignitie of Knight-hood he dyed at Rome and was the last Ambassadour sent from the Kings of England to the Pope Chamberlaine Ambassadour for England in Spaine perceiuing that this answere did more and more alienate the affection of Spaine who iudged it to bee iniurious to the Pope and fearing no more that England Scotland and Ireland should fall into the hands of the Kings of France since that King Francis was dead began to make no more account of the English tooke leaue of him and returned into England Thomas Chaloner is sent in his place who as he was impatient of iniuries and had beene many times Ambassadour in Germany where he had receiued all manner of courtesies as soone as he was arriued in Spaine instantly besought by Letters to be reuoked complaining that according to the custome of the Countrey they had searched his Trunkes But Queene ELIZABETH admonished him that an Ambassadour must support all that which is of equity prouided that the honour of his Prince were not wronged Queen ELIZABETH being then capable of good counsell and very prudent and prouident and Religion somewhat wel established to strengthen her selfe with remedies against forces prouides for the safety of her selfe and of her Subiects and to enioy Peace more sweetly although she found the Coffers empty at her comming began to establish a Magazin of all sorts of Instruments of War and to that end employed great summes of money in Germany The Spaniard retained those Furnitures which shee had agreed for at a price at Antwerpe causeth many Cannons of Brasse and Iron to be cast discouers in the Country of Cumberland neere Keswicke by a speciall fauour from God on what occasion how farre and at what time shee should vse her liberality and indeed was prouidently bountifull to those that deserued it For notwithstanding that King HENRY her Father howsoeuer charged with three Children and EDVVARD and MARIE who had none had beene bountifull of the Crowne Land shee neuerthelesse hauing none neither gaue very little of it and yet what she gaue was vpon condition that for default of issue it should returne to the Crowne for which both the Realme and their successors ought to remember her and thanke her as a carefull fore-seer Whilest this good correspondencie was betweene the Queene and her people the Common-wealth seeming to take life and strength to the common ioy of all fell out a sad accident A most rare Piramide of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul in London which was frō the ground to the top of the square Tower 525. foote from thence 260. and was couered with wood ouer-laid with Lead was strucken at the top with fire from heauē which was so deuouring and burnt downeward with such violence to the great terrour of all the Inhabitants that in the space of fiue houres it reduced it to ashes with the whole couering of the Church which was most ample and spacious but the vaults which were of solid stone remained entire Notwithstanding all this couering was new made by the Queenes liberality and to the effecting of the same gaue great quantity of money and materials beside the collection of Ecclesiasticicall persons and others So all was repaired saue the Piramide This yeere dyed Iohn Bourchier a man of ancient Nobility Earle of Bath second of that name and Baron of Fitzwarin who by Elenor daughter of George Baron of Rosse had a great Progenie and left his Sonne William yet liuing his Successor THE FIFTH YEERE OF HER RAIGNE Anno Domini 1562. THe troubles of France begunne then to
earnestly with Queene ELIZABETH for the re-establishment of the Queene of Scotland complayning that she was more strictly handled then formerly vnder the custodie of the Earle of Huntington her sworne enemie and emulator who as well as she had secret aimes to the Kingdome of England The Ambassadour of Spaine also at the sollicitation of the Bishop of Rosse prest that point very hard in the name and behalfe of his King But the Queene after shee had seriously reuolued the cunning deuices that they all practised to free the Queene of Scots and had couertly giuen out that she was ioyned with them in the Rebellion lately appearing answered him THat it was an inconsiderate and dangerous folly to free one that so apparantly aspired by ill practice to the Crowne of England That she had need more straightly then ordinary to looke vnto her and discharge some of her Seruants whom she had for the most part chosen for her own proper dessignes and to giue for an assistant to the Earle of Shrewsbury whom she had appointed for her Keeper who began to suspect the loyaltie of these people the Earle of Huntington whom she neuer knew to haue any title to the Kingdome but onely out of some relation to her in affinity and that neuerthelesse she had discharged him long sithence promiseth to omit no meanes of agreement with the Scots and protesteth to prosecute no iniuries receiued by her That she euer hoped that the King of France the King of Spaine and the Queen of Scotland would not take it in ill part that she onely prouided for the peace and safety of her selfe her subiects since nature reason and the honour of her Royall Name did of right require the same at her hands And that if any of them knew any way more expedient to preuent that imminent menacing danger shee would not onely heare but most willingly embrace it After this they sate in Councell often hereupon at the Court whether it were best to send the Queen of Scotland backe into her Countrie or retain her stil in England and how they might best prouide for the safegard both of the Queene and their Religion Whiles they were consulting hereabout William Herbert Earle of Pembroke happened to dye being issue to Richard son to R. Herbert the eldest Earle of Pembroke being in the Climactericall yeere of his age as if he had presaged what mischiefe should befal him if hee had longer liued leauing behinde him three children Henry Edward and Anne Hee was buried in S. Pauls Church with stately and honourable Rites and a most glorious Tombe erected for him a Noble person who out of his owne meanes rais'd a Fortune to himselfe For he so wrought into the fauour of HENRY the Eighth that he made him one of the Gentlemen of his Chamber and by his owne prudence increased his meanes especially after the King had married Katherine Parre his wiues Sister And vnder EDVVARD the Sixth hee procured whiles the Court was distracted in seuerall factions to be of the Order of Saint George Knight of the Garter the honour to be the Kings Squire the Title of Baron Herbert of Cardiffe and the dignity of the Earle of Pembroke He was Generall vnder Queene MARY of her Troopes she sent against Wyat and for the English Armie at S. Quintin President of Wales twice Gouernour of Calais vnder Queene ELIZABETH he was constituted Steward of her houshold whose fauour he lost for a time in regard that hee was the first moouer of the match betweene the Duke of Norfolke and the Queene of Scotland notwithstanding his intention and will were no way ill affected therein and failed narrowly a little before his death of being questioned vpon certaine euidences at large dilated and presumptions secretly found out Hitherto Pope Pius the Fifth had laid a foundation of abstruse darke conspiracies for Queene ELIZABETH and the yeere before she hauing no warning thereof nor cited by a Bull declaratorie priuily sends forth an Anathema and excites Rebellion and causeth the said Bull to be fixed to the Palace Gates of the Bishop of London in these words THE SENTENCE Declaratory of the Holy Father Pope Pius the Fifth against ELIZABETH the pretended Queene of England and those Heretiques adhering to her And finally all such as obey her to be insnared in the same PIVS Bishop a seruant of the seruants of GOD for the future memory of the businesse HEe that rules in the Heauens aboue and to whom all power is giuen both in Heauen and Earth gaue vnto one onely vpon Earth viz. to Peter the chiefest amongst the Apostles and to the Pope of Rome Peters Successor a holy Catholique and Apostolique Church without which there is no Saluation to gouerne it in the fulnesse of power And this he ordayned as chiefe aboue all Nations and Kingdomes to pull downe destroy disseuer cast off plant and erect to combine in the vnitie of spirit his faithfull people connext together through mutuall charitie and present them whole and sound to his Sauiour Which charge Wee who through the grace of GOD are thereunto called submitting our selues to the gouernement of the same Church cease not with all our best labours and indeuours to preserue this vnitie and Catholique Religion which hee who was the Author thereof so suffered to be incumbred for the triall of the faith of his and for our correction But the number of the ungodly is so great in power that there is not a corner left vpon the whole Earth now vntainted with their wicked Doctrines Amongst which ELIZABETH pretended Queene of England is aboue all the shelter and refuge of Error and most noysome enemies It is She who after shee had possessed the Kingdome vsurping monster-like the place of the chiefe Soueraigne of the Church in England and the principall iurisdiction and authoritie thereof hath throwne into miserable ruine the whole Kingdome when it was euen brought to the Catholique faith and began to bring forth good fruits For shee with a powerfull hand prohibiteth the exercise of the true Religion which was heretofore ouerthrowne by HENRY the Eighth the forsaker therof and afterwards repayred with the helpe of this See by MARIE lawfull Queene of England of famous memorie and embraceth the Heresies of obscure persons the Royall Councell once composed of the English Nobilitie shee hath broken off oppresseth such as made profession of and exercised the Catholique Religion re-established the wicked Ministers and Preachers of impietie abolished the sacrifice of the Masse Prayers Fastings the diuiding of the Meates the Celibate and all Catholique Ceremonies sent Bookes ouer her whole Kingdome containing manifest Heresies commended to her Subiects the prophane Mysteries and Institutions which shee had receiued and obserued from the decree of Caluin displaced the Bishops Rectors and Catholique Priests from their Churches and Benefices and disposed of them to Heretiques and is bold to take vpon her to iudge and determine Ecclesiasticall affaires forbade the
Prelates the Clergie and people to acknowledge the Roman Church or obserue her Commandements and canonicall duties inforced diuers to sweare obedience to her detestable Ordinances to renounce the authoritie due to the Roman dignitie and acknowledge her the onely Soueraigne ouer temporall and spirituall things imposed penalties and taxes vpon such as were refractory to her Iniunctions inflicted punishments vpon those who persisted in the vnitie of the faith and obedience imprisoned the Prelates and Gouernours of the Catholique Churches where diuers being with a tedious languishing and sorrow miserably finished their vnhappy dayes All which things beeing thus euident and apparant to all Nations and so manifestly proued by the graue testimony of diuers that there is no place left for any excuse defence or tergiuersation Wee perceiuing that these impieties and mischiefes doe still multiply one by another and that the persecution of the faithfull and the affliction of the Church doth daily increase and waxe more heauy and grieuous and finding that her heart is so obstinate and obdurate that she hath not onely despised the wholesome Prayers and admonitions which the Christian Princes haue made for her better health and conuersion but that shee hath denyed passage to the Nuncio's who for this end were sent from this siege into England and being compelled to beare the armes of Iustice against her Wee cannot moderate the punishment that Wee are bound to inflict vpon her whose Ancestors merited so well of the Christian Common-wealth Being then supported by His Authoritie who hath placed Vs vpon this Soueraigne Throne of Iustice howsoeuer incapable of so great a charge out of the fulnesse of our Apostolicall power doe pronounce and declare the said ELIZABETH an Heretique and fauourer of Heretiques and those who adhere vnto her in the foresaid things haue incurred the Sentence of Anathema and are cut off from the vnitie of the bodie of Christ That shee is depriued of the right which shee pretends to the foresaid Kingdome and of all and euery Seigniorie Royaltie and priuiledge thereof and the Peeres Subiects and People of the sayde Kingdome and all others vpon what termes soeuer sworne vnto her freed from their Oath and from all manner of dutie fidelitie and obedience As Wee doe free them by the authoritie of these Presents and exclude the said ELIZABETH from the right which shee pretendeth to the said Kingdome and the rest before mentioned Commanding moreouer enioyning all and euery the Nobles as Subiects people and others whatsoeuer that they shall not once dare to obey her or any her directions Lawes or Commandements binding vnder the same Curse those who doe any thing to the contrary And forasmuch as it may seeme difficult for them to obserue these Presents in euery place where they haue occasion for them Our will is that Copies hereof being written by some publique Notarie and sealed with the Seale of some Ecclesiasticall Prelate or of his Court shall be of as good effect through the whole World as these Presents might doe if they were exhibited and represented Giuen at Rome at S. Peters the 5. of March in the yeere of the Incarnation of our Sauiour 1569. and of our Pont. the 5. Caesar Glorianus This caused new iealousies to increase that some Monster was a breeding also it manifested a new Rebellion presently begun in Norfolke which neuerthelesse was assoone extinct as kindled Certaine of the Nobles of Norfolke to free the Duke whom all the World did with an especiall loue affect practised a designe of collecting a great number of people together at the instant as they were flocking to a Faire at Harleston vnder colour of expulsing the Flemmings out of England who to escape the tyranny of the Duke of Alua were fled into this Country in great numbers Some of them being apprehended were brought to iudgement and condemned of high-Treason ELIZABETH neuerthelesse to testifie her clemency would suffer but onely three to be punished amongst whom I. Throgmorton was most remarkeable who being examined by the Iudge would answer nothing but being brought to execution cleared the rest and acknowledged himselfe the principall author and perswader thereof I. Felton who stucke vp the Popes Bull vpon the Bishop of Londons Gate making no great difficultie of retyring and sauing himselfe was presently taken and brought to iudgement and confessing boldly the deede howsoeuer no way acknowledging it as a fault was hanged hard by the place where hee had stucke vp the Bul affecting a vaine kinde of shew of a glorious Martyr For the rest the modester sort of Papists misliked this Bull because no lawfull admonition had preceded that She had formerly granted to them free exercise of their Religion in their particular Houses with securitie or such as made no scruple of conscience to bee present at the Seruice in the English Church fore-seeing a huge weight of dangers thereby to hang ouer their heads continued euer after firme in their due obedience perceiuing that the neighbour Princes and Catholique Prouinces neglected not the Queene notwithstanding this Bul but seemed to contemne it as a vain sound of words The same day that Felton was arraigned the Duke acknowledging his errour to proceed from inconsideration testified his repentance so farre that hee did not onely seeme to disclaim any thought of marriage with the Queen of Scotland but that his eares abhorred the remembrance of it and promised vnder his hand neuer to thinke further of attayning it was freed out of the Tower of London where the plague was already begun and sent to his owne House to the great ioy of euery one to be vnder the free custodie of Henry Neuill Neither truely could they plead against him by right of her Maiesties Law from the 25. yeere of Edward the Third as Cecill aduertiseth who out of the affection he bare vnto him laboured to espouse him to another Wife to the end to put by his thought of compassing the other and to prouide for the publique peace But after a few daies many things that hee suspected discouered themselues and their faith who were of his most secret counsell either with hope or by corruption was broken The times then were full of suspitions and conspiracies For T. and Ed. Stanley the two youngest sonnes of the Earle of Darbie by the Duke of Norfolkes Daughter Gerrard Rolston Hall and others of the Countie of Darbie conspired to free the Queene of Scotland out of prison but Rolstons Sonne who was one of the company of the Gentlemen guarders discouered the conspiracy and the rest were imprisoned except Hall who saued himselfe at the I le of Man and from thence was sent ouer to Dunbritton with re-commendation to the Bishop of Rosse where hee was afterwards taken at the surprize of the Castle and lastly put to death at London The Bishop of Rosse himselfe being lately in custodie and set at libertie is againe committed to the custodie of the Bishop
Westmerland and the Countesse of Northumberland and others whom the Pope had supplyed with 12. thousand Crownes by the Bishop of Rosse were come backe out of Scotland It is cleare that this Treaty brought forth nothing but that ELIZABETH euen as one chosen by consent to sit at the Sterne of all Great-Brittaine commands by her owne authority that the Assembly of the States of Scotland should be prorogued and Truce often talked of The Commanders doe grieuously vexe and torment all parts of Scotland Rosse sends the Articles of this Treaty to the Pope to France and to Spaine and certified that the Queene must necessarily consent vnto them vnlesse their succour and counsell came in time to relieue her which he vehemently craued but in vaine For indeed their heads were possessed with other affaires Spaine was preparing to marry Anne of Austria daughter to Maximilian the Emperour his Niece by the sister-side who at the same time departed from Zealand to goe for Spaine To whom ELIZABETH for a chiefe testification of honour and loue to the House of Austria sent Charles Howard with a warlike fleete and choyce Nobilitie to conduct her thither through the English Sea The twelfth yeere of ELIZABETHS reigne beeing now happily finished in which the Papists expected according to the prediction of their Diuines the euent of a golden day as they said all good people were ioyfull and happy and with a delightfull ioy began to celebrate the seuenteenth day of Nouember being the day of her comming to the Crowne with Prayers and Thankes-giuing which were performed in the Churches vowes were multiplied ringing of Bells Carrolls Turneyes and publique solemne ioy euery-where And this hath continued euer sithence she liued in testimony of the loue and obedience that her Subiects did beare her In the middest of these things dyed H. Clifford Earle of Cumberland the Second of the name Henries Sonne whom HENRY the Eighth had raysed to the honour of an Earle in the yeere 1525. being otherwise of a very noble and ancient House and hauing gotten a great increase of honour by marriages which he contracted with the heires of Vesciores and Viponts or Vieux-ponts who had beene anciently hereditary Vicounts of Westmerland who by his first Wife begot Eleanor the second daughter of C. Brandon Duke of Suffolke and of Mary Sister to HENRY the Eighth Margaret who was married to Henrie the Earle of Darbies Son of much hope and with great pompe beeing the onely heire of that House But hauing by his second Wife Anne Dacrey two Sonnes who were successiuely heires to their fathers honour this hope vanished There dyed also N. Throgmorton of whom I haue often spoken the fourth Son of G. Throgmorton the Golden Knight and of Katherine daughter of N. Baron of Vaux a man of great experience of solid iudgement and of a singular dexteritie of spirit who stirring many things vnder the reigne of MARY with great difficultie by his prudence and eloquence saued his life afterwards vnder ELIZABETH hee was imployed in many Ambassies wherein he got much honour vntill for the gaining of the Earle of Leicesters fauour hee opposed Cecill who was his Emulator for thereby hee could attaine but to very small meanes and triuiall preferments as chiefe Butler of England and Treasurer of the Queens Chamber Being at Supper in the Earle of Leicesters House and eating sallads hee was suddenly taken with an inflammation of the Liuer as some haue affirmed or with a Catarre as others say and not without iealousie of being poysoned whereof hee dyed in a good time both for himselfe and his being then in great danger both of losing his life and goods beeing a man of a stirring and working spirit In Ireland Connogher O-Brien Earle of Twomond not able to endure Edward Fitton Gouernour of Connaught who began to gouerne the Prouince something more seuerely and to take away from the great Ones and chiefe of the Countrey all hope of polling the Subiects of Ireland had secretly plotted Rebellion with others but it was preuented by a happy chance For hauing appointed the day to take armes comes in Fitton who knew nothing and courteously aduertised the Earle that he would lodge the morrow following with him with certaine of his friends The Earles conscience accusing him and beeing possest with a strange feare an ill signe in doubtfull things thinking that he was now discouered and that the Gouernour came to him rather like an enemy then a guest retired himselfe forth-with into France leauing them all in doubt what was become of him The Conspirators fearing that he was gone into England to discouer the plot continued in obedience whereof he vnderstanding shewed himselfe wise at last and hauing confest all the busines to Norris then Ambassadour in France imployed him to mediate Queene ELIZABETHS fauour with whom he found such Grace that he was restored againe to his Estate But Stukeley an Englishman a riotous Prodigall and vaine-glorious fellow who after he had consumed all his estate retired into Ireland hauing lost all hope of getting the Marshall-ship of Wexford and perceiuing himselfe to be despised of euery one and being vnable to raise any commotion after belching vp most vnworthy reproches of his Princesse who had done him many fauours slipped ouer into Italie to Pope Pius the fifth and by his flattering tongue insinuated beyond all credit into the fauour of this pernicious old man who breathed out the ruine of Queene ELIZABETH making great blags and promising that with three thousand Italians he would driue all the English out of Ireland and burne the English Fleet which he afterward villainously attempted but to his owne ruine as hereafter we will shew THE FOVRETEENTH YEERE OF Her Reigne Anno Dom. 1571. IN the first moneth of the yeere Queene ELIZABETH entring into London in Royall State visited that faire Cloister called the Bourse which T. Gresham Knight a Citizen and a Marchant Royall of London had caused to be built for the vse of Marchants and by the voice of a Cryer and with sound of Trumpets in dedicating thereof named it The Royall Exchange A few dayes after howsoeuer She were very sparing in the disposing of Honours hauing made in twelue yeeres space not aboue foure Barons she solemnly graced William Cecill with the Title of Baron of Burghley hauing on Barons Robes and with these formall words AS well in regard of the long seruice which he hath done in the time of our Progenitors the Kings of England as also for the faithfull and agreeable obedience which he hath alwaies and in diuers waies testified vnto vs from the beginning of our Raigne not ceasing dayly not onely in our great and waighty affaires to afford vs counsell but generally in all dessignes concerning the Kingdome as also in respect of his vigilancy valour prudence dexterity integrity of life fore-knowledge care and fidelity out of our speciall fauour certaine testimony and meere motion
accepted the Challenge which two after a while trauersing their ground to and fro without one drop of blood-shed betooke themselues to drinke freely together and so of enemies became friends and parted Yet here wee must not omit to obserue that our Englishmen who of all the Northerne Nations haue beene most commended for sobrietie haue learned since these Low-Country warres so well to fill their cups and to wash themselues with Wine that whilest they at this day drinke others healths they little regard their owne And that this vicious practice of drunkennesse hath so ouerflowed the Land that lawes proscripts of restraint are vsually made for the drying vp of the same But whilest they were all this while contending in the Low-Countries for Dorppes Villages the King of Spaine getteth into his hands the rich Kingdome of Portugall For Henry which was King hauing paid Natures tribute the yeare before left the Realm to diuers Competitors amongst whom Philip King of Spaine sonne of his eldest Sister puissant enough in force though not in right by reason of his priority in blood and descent comming of the elder line and being Male thought with his friends himselfe worthiest to bee preferred to the succession of the said Kingdome before the women the yonger sort and such as did lesse participate of the blood The Duke of Sauoy reiected for that he came of the yonger Sister Farnese sonne to the Prince of Parma borne of the eldest Daughter of EDWARD brother King HENRY and KATHERINE of Brabant second daughter to the said EDWARD grounding themselues only vpon the benefit of Representation a simple fiction could not annihilate the true Title of Inheritance nor intercept the King of Spaines lawfull succession and this the Spaniards stood to maintaine And as touching Don Antonio Prior of Crates sonne to Lewis the second brother of King HENRY he was ipso facto reiected for that he was illegitimate The King of Spaine neuerthelesse propounded the matter twice to his Clergy and men of Law to decide the cause charging them in the name of God and vpon their faith and saluation to tell him freely whether hee had rightfull claime or no to that Kingdome They hauing with vnanimous voice assured him that it was proper to him he quickly putting forth first the Duke of Alua put to flight Antonio elected of the people and within 70 dayes brought all Portugall vnder his iurisdiction But touching the Right of Katherin de Medicis the Queen of France who claimed it from Alphonsus and the Earles of Boulogne for 320 yeares agone that the Spaniards laughed at as a Title out of date and fetcht from the old Prophetesse the Mother of Euander a thing iniurious to so many of the Kings of Portugal which had lawfully and lineally succeeded one another and therefore ridiculous to both Spaniards and Portugals Whereat the Queene incensed with anger and considering how mightily the Spaniard now in his ascendant enriched himselfe farre and neare by the accession or surcrease of this new-got Kingdome his Ilands and the East Indies breeding a feare within her to her selfe and the Princes her neighbouring friends aduised them and amongst the rest the Queene of England that it was already high time to stay the Spaniards in his mounting and to stop him vp within his owne bounds before his ambition should extend any further Queene ELIZABETH who was not to learne what shee had to doe in that nature for her selfe and her friends and foreseeing how dangerous the growing greater of the neighbour Princes would be lent eare thereto with no light attention but with great and Royall kindnesse entertained Antonio banished out of Portugall and recommended to her from France thinking that Spaine could not take exception thereat because hee was of her Alliance issued from the Blood Royall of England and of the House of Lancaster as shee well knew nor in any Treaties that euer had past betwixt Spaine and England was any caueat at all inferred forbidding England to receiue or to haue commerce with the Portugals At the same time for the more confirmation of assured amitie the Queene of France and the King her sonne prosecuting the mariage of the Duke d' Anjou addrest an honourable ambassage into England for the consummation thereof came ouer François de Bourbon Prince of Daulphiné Arthur de Cosse Cont de Secondigny Marshal of France Louis de Lusignan M. de S. Gelais Lansac Salignac Mauuisser Bernarde Brisson President of the Parliament of Paris and one of the learnedest men of France and others who as they they were of Honorable ranke were very nobly receiued and banqueted in a Banquetting-House built on purpose neere Westminster richly adorned with rare and sumptuous furniture and Titls and Tournaments proclaimed which were presented in a most princely manner by Philip Earle of Arundell Fred Lord Winsor Philip Sidney and Fulk Greuill Knights against all commers with sundry other courtly sports and Princely recreations not necessarily coincident to our History To conferre with them concerning these Nuptials were appointed the Baron of Burghley Lord high Treasurer of England the Earles of Sussex Lincolne Bedford and Leicester together with Sir Christopher Hatton and Secretary Walsingham Amongst whom these matrimoniall Contracts following were concluded vpon THe Duke d' Anjou and the Queene of England within six weekes after the ratification of these Articles shall personally contract mariage here in England The Duke and his associates seruants and friends being no English subiects shall haue libertie to vse their owne Religion in a certain place in their houses without molestation or impeachment He shall not alter any part of the Religion now receiued in England Hee shall inioy and haue the Title and Dignity of King after the mariage shall bee consummate but notwithstanding shall leaue intirely to the Queene the managing of affaires And whereas his demand was that immediately after the celebration of the mariage he should be crowned King instantly to inioy the title and dignity during the gouernment of the Kingdome in the minority of their children The Queene answered she would propound and further it at the next high Court of Parliament to be holden within fifteen dayes after the ratification Letters Patents and other things shal be passed in both their names as in the time of Philip and MARIE The Queene by Act of Parliament shall ordaine an Annuall pension for the Duke but the valuation thereof shall bee left to her pleasure she will also ordaine the said Pension to continue if he shall surviue her The Duke in Dowry shall bestow on the Queene to the value of forty thousand Crownes per annum out of his Duchy of Berry and shall forthwith infeofe her therein As touching their Issue it shall likewise be enacted by Parliament in England and registred in the Annals of France as followeth That the Heires of them as well Males as Females by maternall right of
contract a mariage betweene her and Philip. Then againe into Spaine to the said Philip there to cause him to ratifie the conuented Articles Also for Queene ELIZABETH he went Ambassador to the Emperour Maximilian there likewise to contract a match betweene her and Charles Duke of Austria Hee was Lord Deputy of Ireland Gouernor of the Northerne Prouinces of England also the Queenes Chamberlaine chiefe Iustice in Eire of all her Maiesties Forests Parkes and Chases beyond the Riuer Trent famous for the victories hee had obtained against the Hebrides and Scots that made spoile of the frontiers Dyed at London after he had been afflicted with a long disease leauing no issue behinde him albeit hee had had two wiues the Lady Elizabeth Wriothesly and the Lady Francis Sidney and his brother Henry succeeded him in the Earledome Henry Wriothesly likewise Earle of Southampton paid like tribute vnto death a man much deuoted to the Roman Religion and to the Queene of Scots which hee bought with the anger of his Queene and restraint or libertie He was sonne to Tho Wriothesly who for his tryed vertues by Henry the 8 from the dignitie of Baron of Wriothesly of Tichfield and Knight of the Order of the Garter was aduanced to that soueraigne greatnesse of being Chancelor of England and appointed him one of the supervisors of his last Will. And by Edward the 6 he was graced with the style of Earle of Southampton Hee left by his Wife Daughter of Anthony Browne Viscount Mountague Henry his sonne that succeeded him and a Daughter maried to Thomas Lord Arundel Baron of Wardour About the same time Sir Humphrey Gilbert Knight a man acute and deliberate esteemed industrious both in Peace and Warre was by the raging Ocean depriued of life returning from the North parts of America which we call New-found-Land whither he a little before hauing sold his patrimonie made a voyage in hope to build there a Colonie And there by the sound of a Trumpet proclaimed the Countrey to be vnder the English regency For Sebastian Cabot in the yeare 1497 vnder the Reigne of Henry the 7 made the first discouery therof And then diuided the Land seuerally to his companions But he was taught too late by the deuouring seas and default of meanes which forc'd him to breake off his designes teaching others also by his example that it is a matter of greater difficulty by the expences of a priuate man to plant a Colony in farre distant Countries then he and others blind in their owne errors haue to their vtter ouerthrow perswaded themselues Vpon the same instant Edmund Grindal Archbishop of Canterbury Metropolitan and Primate of England being blind and aged aboue sixty yeares breathed his last Who at his returne from exile which hee endured vnder the Reigne of Queene MARY was first inuested Bishop of London then Archbishop of Yorke and finally of Canterbury liuing much honoured with the fauour of Queene ELIZABETH vntill by the foule deceits and treacheries of his enemies hee was suspected to be a fauourer of the Conuenticles of those turbulent Ministers and such as were called Prophets But the reason was indeed because hee condemned as vnlawfull the mariage of Iulius an Italian Physician with another mans wife which much distasted the Earle of Leicester Such small meanes as he had gathered he bestowed in the founding of a Schoole at Saint Bee in Cumberland where hee was borne and to the aduancement of Learning on both the Vniuersities The English besides is bound to him for the bringing in of Tamariske or Tamarin into England for hauing found by experience that it was a soueraigne remedie against the great and indurate passion of the Spleene hee was the first that caused it to be planted there Iohn Whitgift was his successor being aduanced from the Sea of Worcester to the Archbishopricke of Canterbury a man of singular goodnesse and learning He obtained much commendation for his Iustice in the precedencie of Wales and likewise for his great doctrine in the defence of the Ecclesiasticall policy which by his worth wisedome and patience he dayly increased The Queene who held for a maxime that she ought not to be more remisse in Ecclesiasticall affaires then in politick aboue all cōmanded him to re-establish the discipline of the Church of England that as then lay dismembred by the conniuency of Prelates the obstinacie of innouators and by the power of some great ones whilst some Ministers couertly impugned the authoritie of the Queene in things Ecclesiasticall separating the administration of the Sacrament from the preaching of the Word vsing to their owne fantasie new rites of seruices in their priuate houses vtterly condemning the Lethargie and the appointed manner of adminishing the Sacrament as being in many things contrarie to the holy Scripture and therefore many refused to goe to Church but openly became Schismaticks the Papists all this while applauding them and drawing many to their party as though there had been no vnity in the Church of England To abolish which things and to reduce them to an vnitie Hee propounded these Articles to the Ministers by them to bee subscribed FIrst That the Queene had Soueraigne power ouer all those that were borne within her Dominions of what conditions so euer they were and that no other Stranger Prince or Prelate ought to haue any power either Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall within her Maiesties Realmes Secondly that the Booke of Common Prayers and that of the ordination of Bishops and Priests contained not any thing contrarie to the Word of God but might be lawfully vsed and that they should vse that and no other forme of Prayer or administring of the Sacraments Thirdly That they should approue and allow of the Articles of the Synode holden at London the yeare 1562 published by royall Authoritie and should hold them as conformable to the Word of God But it is incredible what Controuersies and Disputations arose vpon this what hatred and reproach hee endured of the factious Ministers what troubles and iniuries hee suffered of certaine Noblemen who by placing men vnfit in the Church increased their estate or else had hopes vpon the goods of the Church But by his constancie and patience he ouercame all difficulties vsing for his Motto this which he chose not rashly Vincit qui patitur Neither was the Church onely tossed and turmoiled by those people within the Realme but by others who had left the Kingdome as by R. Browne a Cambridge Diuine of whom the new Sectaries were called Brownists and by R. Harison Master of an inferiour Schoole For these men presuming to iudge of Religion according to their owne imaginations by certaine books which they set forth at that time in the Countrey of Zealand and dispersed through many places in England vtterly condemned the Church of England as no Church Which bookes notwithstanding were prohibited by Royall Authoritie and strongly confuted by many learned men and two
and Leicester his brother Tho Starkey Gerard Gore and other Merchants of London to recompence their losses which they had sustained in Africa being to all others prohibited to traffique in Mauritania Cesariense for the space of ten yeares Which Mulley Hamet Xerisi receiued into protection In the beginning of this yeare dyed Edward Lord Clinton High Admirall who in the yeare 1572 was by Queene ELIZABETH created Earle of Lincolne He was honorably interred at Windsor Henry his sonne succeeded him in his honours but Charles Howard Lord of Effingham Chamberlaine to the Queene in the Admiralty And to him in his Office succeeded the Lord Carie Baron of Hunsdon Gouernour of Barwick who a few yeares before supplyed the place of Fra Russell Earle of Bedford the second Earle of that Family a Nobleman true professor of Religion and vertue who hauing ouer-liued three of his sonnes Edward Iohn and Francis and had but one liuing who was Lord Russell Baron of Thornaugh and three daughters all three Countesses one maried to the Earle of Warwicke the second to the Earle of Bathe and the third to the Earle of Cumberland hee dyed of a Gangrene the next day after his sonne Francis was slaine vpon the borders of Scotland as before is related and was interred with Iohn his father at Cheney in Buckingham-shire to him succeeded Edward sonne to Francis his third sonne About the end of this yeare the Earle of Leicester being out of an itching desire of rule and glory easily perswaded by those which studied more to assure their owne fortune and power in the Court then his Honour passed with great pompe and state into the Netherlands with this Title Generall of Her MAIESTIES auxiliary troops Hee had also some command ouer the Nauy-Royall His Lordship was accompanied with the Earle of Essex the Lord Touchet Baron of Audley and the Lord North Baron of Kertling vvith Sir William Russell Sir Tho. Sherley Sir Arthur Basset Sir Walter Waller Sir Gernase Clifton and many other Knights attended on by a chosen company of fiue hundred Gentlemen The Queene at his departure forbade him to entertaine a thought of any thing which vvould bee vnworthy either of her or of the place which he vvas seated in Shee commanded him to learne vvith all possible diligence vvhat Garisons the Estates maintained how and by vvhat means And her Maiestie still being carefull good to the Souldiers charged him to know by vvhat Art they inhaunced put down the value of their money for in that Art they excelled all others lest the Souldiers should receiue that at a higher rate then they could put it off for She admonisht him to cut off all prouision from the enemy and to his power restraine the Dunkerks vvhich much infested the seas Finally shee recommended to his trust the Nobilitie of that Country and aboue all the children of the Prince of Orange THE NINE AND TWENTIETH YEERE of Her Raigne Anno Dom. M.D.LXXXVI DVDLEY Earle of Leicester landing at Flushing was first by his Nephew Sir Philip Sidney Gouernor of that Citie honorably receiued and after by all the townes of Zeland and Holland with all sorts of honours acclamations triumphs deuoted panegyricks Banquettings and such like things And being in the moneth of Iuly come to the Hage the Court of Holland the Estates generall so they are called by Letters Patents gaue to him the soueraigne command and absolute authoritie ouer the Vnited Prouinces with the Title of Gouernor and Captaine Generall of Holland Zeland and the vnited and confederate Prouinces Then being saluted of all with the attribute of His Excellence and tickled with flatteries as if hee had beene seated in the highest and amplest degree of honour he began to assume royall and Kingly thoughts of Maiesty But the Queen being highly offended that the Estates had imposed and receiued him with such exceeding honours with a little letter abated the swelling winde wherewith hee was puffed vp then when he least thought thereof And these were the contents YOu shall vnderstand by this messenger which wee haue expresly sent vnto you with what contempt you haue behaued your selfe against our pleasure Wee had not thought that you a man we haue raised from the dust and fauoured aboue all others would haue violated in so great a matter our command with so great contempt euen in a matter which so much and neerely concerneth vs and our honour But though against your duty you haue made so little respect of our honor yet thinke not that we are so grosly negligent in the repairing thereof that wee can passe ouer so great an iniury with silence and obliuion Therefore we command you that you setting apart all excuses incontinently according to the faith and duty wherein you are bound vnto vs performe all whatsoeuer Heneage our vnder-Chamberlaine shall in our name declare vnto you except you will draw vpon your head a greater danger In other Letters which she sent to the Estates generall she thus reasoned THat they without her aduice or priuity had to her reproach transferd vpon Leicester the absolute rule of the vnited Prouinces notwithstāding she herselfe had refused the same and had manifestly declared to all the world that she had but onely giuen ayde and succours to her afflicted neighbors and not in any wise taken any command vnto her And therefore she aduised them To dispoile Leicester of that absolute authoritie since she had prescribed to him his limits not that she thought their cause was not to be defended but that she might keepe safe her honour which then her life she rather esteemed The Estates answered THat they were much agrieued that in giuing to Leicester without her aduice the absolute rule they had offended her Maiesty and requested her to mitigate the offence by the necessity of matter remonstrating to her that of necessity that authority must haue been transferd vpon one or other for the auoyding of troubles neither was the authority such as that word Absolute did seeme to inferre seeing that principality and seueraigne rule with the dignity of Gouernor still remained intire amongst the people But to reuoke the power which had already been transferd would be a meanes to precipitate the Netherlands into extreame dangers By these letters of the Estates and those of Leicester which hee as one well skil'd how with feigned teares and griefe to re-obtaine the fauour of so gracious and milde a Princesse had written in a sorrowfull stile this offence by little and little vanished into obliuion In the meane space Leicester receiued the contributions of of the Prouinces and established military lawes and whilst he laboured to impose new taxes vpon their commerce hee stirred vp the hate of the people against him Now had Charles Earle of Mansueld by order from the Duke of Parma Gouernor for the Spaniard in Flanders for the space of some few moneths beleagerd Graue a towne in Brabant situated
Elizabeth partly to requite his warlike exploits for shee imployd him in sundry Sea-seruices to his immortall honour and commendation made him Knight of the Garter Charles Earle of Notingham Baron of Effingham Anno 1597 The 23. of Octob. the Lord Charles Howard for his Princely desert and illustrious birth was created by Q. Elizabeth Earle of Nothingham Likewise for his worthy seruices done to his Prince and Countrie in generously repelling Spaines inuincible Nauy of 88 being Lord High Admirall As also for his Martiall valiancy in the sacking of Cadiz with the Earle of Essex her Maiestie honour'd him with the Gartet the noblest order of Knighthood Iohn Baron of Elsemere Viscont Brackley Earle of Bridge-water This Noble Earles Father Sir Thomas Egerton Viscont Brackley Baron of Elsemere Lord high Chancellour of England was a Noble man of admirable parts excellency well seene in the Lawes of England industrious in State affaires which mou'd Q. Elizabeth to choose him her Maiestie Solicitor Anno 1583. And for his other deserts Anno 1593 she Knighted him Next she made him Master of the Rolls and finally Lord Keeper of the great Seale of England Anno 1594. William Earle of Salisbury c. And William Earle of Excester c. Sir William Cecil for his graue wisedome and excellent vertues was by Q. Elizabeth created Baron of Burghley he was also one of her Maiesties Priuy Councell Lord High Treasurer and Chancellor of Cambridge's Vniuersitie He was these two Noble Earles graâ—â— father both issued of two of his Sonnes William Baron of Compton Earle of Northampton This noble Earles grandfather Sir William Compton waâ— for his worthinesse created Baron Compton by Queene Elizabeth To the no lesse Illustrious than Noble Henry Lord Cary Baron of Hunsdon Viscont Rochford AND The Noble Lady Elizabeth Barkeley now married to Sir Thomas Chamberlaine HENRY CARY Lord Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth His cousin for he was the sonne of William Carie Esquire to the body of King Henry the eight by the Lady Mary Bullen his wife sister to Queene Anne Bullen the mother of Qâ—eene Elizabeth this Henry was by Queene Elizabeth created Lord Carie Baron of Hunsdon Also by her Maiestie made Knight of the Garter one of the Lords of her Priuie Councell and gouernour of Barwicke To this Noble Lord Henry Viscont Rochford hee was Grandfather and this Illustrious Lady Barkley was his only daughter and heire Rob. Lord Willoughby of Eresby Baron of Perke AND Henry West Baron de la Warre Peregrinâ— the Father to this generous Lo Willoughby was restored in his ancestors Honors by Qu. Elizabeth who created him Baron Willoughby of Eresâ—y the 14. of her raâ—gn 1582. before thee sent him with the Garter to the King of Denmarke being the son of the Duchesse of Suffolke sole daughter and heire to the Lo Willoughby of Eresby Also Sir William West This Lord de la Warr's grand Sire was created Baron de la Warre by Queene Elizabeth being Nephew to Thomas West Lord de la Warre and knight of the Garter in King Henry the eight's daies who died without issue Anno 1570. IOHN POVLET Lord Saint Iohn Baron of Basing heire apparant to the Lord Marquesse of Winchester c. Anno 1594. WILLIAM POVLET this Noble Lord's Grandfather was in the time of his Father IOHN Lord Marquesse of Winchester by Queene ELIZABETH made a Petre of England and sate in that High Court of Parliament among the Barons and Peeres of the Realme as Baron Saint Iohn of Basing He died the first day of Ianuary 1598. and was sumptuously buried by his predecessours at Basing The truly Pious Lady Frances Wray Countesse dowager of Warwicke AND The Lady Elizabeth daughter and sole heire to Francis Lord Norice late Earle of Barkshire Viscount Thame and Baron of Ricot wife to the right Noble worthy Edward Wray Esqu Sir Christopher Wray for his great deserts the noble family from whence hee was deriued was by Qu Elizabeth Knighted and for his rare wisedome being expert in the Law was aduanced to his great Praise and immortall fame to diuers Honourable dignities in this Kingdome First he was made Lord Chiefe Iustice of England and then Lord Keeper of the Priuy Seale He was one of her Maiesties most prudent Counsellours and Father to this Religious Countesse Dowager of Warwick Also Grandfather to these Noble Brothers Sir Iohn Wray Knight Edward Wray and Nathanaell Wray Esquires Anno 1572. Sir Henry Norrice was for his Noble worth created by Queene Elizabeth Baron Norrice of Ricot He was this Noble Ladie ELIZABETH WRAY her Grandfather DVDLEY Lord North Baron of Kirtling AND To the vertuous Lady his only Sister the Lady Mary Conningsby Anno 1594. Roger Lord North Baron of the ancient Baronry of Kirtling for his Vertues and Prudency was in gracious fauour neare Q. Elizabeth who respecting him much made vse of his faithfull seruices in diuers honourable affaires of importance Anno 1574. he was by her Maiestie sent Ambassadour Extraordinary into France to giue King Henry the third good Counsell and to condole with his Maiestie after the death of K. Charles the ninth And although this Noble-man was not created Baron by Q. Elizabeth yet I haue erected these lines to his noble and immortall memory for his Vertues sake and for the duty and humble seruice which I must euer owe to his illustrious Grand-Children The Lord North Sir Iohn North Captaine Roger North Gilbert North and the noble Lady Conningsby To the Honour of the right Worshipfull Sir Arthur Capell his noble Sons AND The Nobly desceÌ„ded Ralph Sadleir Esquire of Standen in Hertfordshire This worthy Knight was the last which her Maiesty Knighted Also this noble Esquires Father Sir Thomas Sadleir son to Sir Ralph Sadleir was the last knight banneret of England Chancellour of the Duchy of Lancaster and Priuy Counsellor to King Henry the eight Edward the sixt Queen Mary and Queene Elizabeth A PREPARATION AND INTRODVCTION TO THE HISTORY THE All-glorious All-vertuous incomparable inuict and matchlesse Patterne of Princes the Glory Honour and mirror of Woman kind the Admiration of our Age ELIZABETH Queene of England was by the Fathers side truely Royall being Daughter to HENRY the Eighth Grand-child to HENRY the Seuenth and great Grand child to EDVVARD the Fourth of the Mothers side indeed vnequall yet nobly descended and had many great Alliances spred through England and Ireland Her great-Grandfather was Iefferay of Bolene descended from the famous House of Norfolke who in the yeere 1457. was Maior of London and was then graced with the Dignitie of Knighthood a man of much integrity and of such reputation that Thomas Baron of Hoo and Hastings Knight of the Order of S. George gaue him his daughter and heire to wife he was of so great meanes that he married his Daughters into the famous houses of the Chenies Heidons and Fortescues he left a great Patrimonie to his sonnes and by Will gaue a thousand pounds sterling
meanes she adorned her tongue with pure words and instructed her mind with the best documents and good learning not for pompe or ostentation but to recreate her life and frame her selfe to vertue that among the learned Princes of her time shee was held Miraculous But the death of EDVVARD interrupted the studies of the Liberall Arts For scarce was he expired but Dudley Duke of Northumberland who earnestly coueted the Kingdome for Iane Gray to whom he had affianced his Sonne vsed some persons to perswade her to quit the right which shee had to the Kingdome for a certaine summe of money and great possessions in Land She modestly answered that they ought first doe well to agree with Mary her elder Sister because that during her life she could pretend no right to it Anon after by the publike voice of a Cryer Iane Gray HENRY the Eighth's Neece by his second Sisters Daughter was proclaimed Queene of England the cause thereof being sought out was found to bee that in regard of a Lawe by Act of Parliament which had neuer been duely abrogated MARIE and ELIZABETH had beene declared illegitimate although that by the same Lawe the King their Father had declared that after EDVVARD the Sixth if Issue fayled that they should succeede him in order and that by the Ciuill-Law of England such Sisters could not hereditarily succeede EDVVARD because they were not Cousin Germanes but as our learned in the Law say of the halfe Blood They adde likewise that HENRY the Eighth had by his last will nominated Iane Gray Moreouer it was shewed what danger there were if MARIE and ELIZABETH should marrie stranger Princes which would re-establish the Popes authority which was reiected out of the Kingdome And to that purpose they produce Letters Patents that EDVVARD the Sixth a little before his death had perfected and many of the Peeres Bishops Iudges and others by their signes in writing had fortified neuerthelesse the good-will that the Lords and the Commons bore to the Daughters of HENRIE the Eighth within twentie dayes had driuen away this storme and MARY proclaimed Queene through all parts of England who comming toward the Citie of London with an Armie ELIZABETH not to bee wanting her Sisters cause and hers being yet disquieted went accompanied with fiue hundred Horse to meet her vpon the way In the first Assembly of the Parliament that MARY caused to bee holden what things soeuer had beene decreed against the marriage betweene Qu. Katharine and HENRY the Eighth were abrogated and it was iudged lawfull by the Diuine Law and at all times and at all places auaileable for these reasons Because it had bin contracted by the consent of both their Parents of most Illustrious Princes of most graue Personages as well of England as Spaine and with a graue and constant deliberation of the learnedest men of Christendome and consummated by the procreation of Children The same religious Seruice and administration of the Sacraments which were in vse at the decease of HENRY the Eighth are re-established notwithstanding without any mention of acknowledging the Popes authority which thing put the Queene and Cardinall Pole into great trouble and vnquietnesse who thinke that for matter of the marriage consent of Parents and the iudgement of the wise did but onely depend vpon the Dispensation of Pope Iulius the second and were very angry that the vse of the Sacraments were permitted to those who were not as yet well and duely receiued into the Church without the authoritie of the Pope But the States of the Kingdome and MARY bethought her selfe of it feared to receiue and acknowledge the Popes authority which they had already shaken off neither could they suffer that the Queene should quit the Title of Soueraigne head of the Church of England to which the most part of them Prelates Peeres and Common-people had sworne to HENRY the Eighth his heires and successors and there were many of them that had got their riches from those of the Church But tooke it greatly to heart to forsake him perswading herselfe that all the right that she had to the Kingdome of England was vpholden by no other meanes then by the power of the Pope who gaue sentence of her side after her Father had declared her illegitimate Verily many at that time had the Popes power in such hatred and a strangers yoke that within tenne dayes after that MARY was married to Phillip King of Spaine Tho. Wyat and many others of Kent brake out into rebellion perswading themselues that this marriage was made to no other end but the more rigorously to presse them downe vnder the Romane yoke by the strength of Spaine and dispatch ELIZABETH out of the way who was next heire to the Kingdome of England Charles the fifth Emperour knowing what spirits were in England and that Cardinall Pole was going with power of Legate from the Pope cast a blocke in the way not without the Queenes counsell lest he should trouble businesse not as yet established that he should not come into England till fifteene moneths were expired when the third Parliament was ended and the marriage of MARY and Philip should be celebrated by the Dispensation of Pope Iulius the third because they were allied in the third degree and that the Emperour Charles himselfe had heretofore contracted to marry her being then vnder age for time to come At last being dismissed from the Emperour he came into England by demands and obtestations propounded orders that the lawes against Heretikes might be re-established all Lawes published against the Sea of Rome since the twentieth yeere of Henrie the eighth abolished and the whole body of the Kingdome reconciled to the Church of Rome The which with great difficulty he obtained yet not before the goods taken from the Monasteries Colledges Bishops c. by Henry the eighth and Edward the sixth were confirmed vpon like Couenant to the Queene and the possessors lest the Kingdome should be disquieted Foorthwith hereupon he absolued both the Clergie and people of the crime of Schisme and Pope Iulius the third himselfe with great ioy celebrated a solemne Masse at Rome ordained Prayers published a Iubile and granted a plenarie Indulgence to all who had giuen God thankes for the revnion of the Kingdome of England Then is sent vnto him Anthony Viscount Montaigue Thomas Thurlbe Bishop of Ely and Edward Carne to giue thankes for the pardon which he had granted for the Schismes and in the name of the King the Queene and the Kingdome and that due submission and obedience should be performed to the Pope and See of Rome Iulius then being deceased Paulus 4. gaue them audience and publike conference in the Apostolike Palace and in the Hall of Kings receiued their obedience approued the pardon and absolution granted by Cardinall Pole And for the well deseruing of Mary and Philip he out of the fulnesse of his power erected for euer Ireland to be a Kingdome and adorned
that it was done in consideration of the marriages which ought to be contracted with the other Princes and hereupon propounded to marry the first Daughter who should issue by the mighty Princesse Mary Queene of Scotland and the Dolphin of France with the first Sonne that might be procreated by Queene ELIZABETH to whom she should bring in dowry the Towne of Calais and that for this cause the Queene of Scotland should quit her right which shee had vnto the Kingdome of England or otherwise to marry the first Daughter which should be borne of Queene ELIZABETH with the eldest Sonne that should descend from the Queene of Scotland and hereupon the English should renounce the right which they pretend vnto the Realme of France and the French should be discharged of all the debts they ought to England and that Calais should in the meane time remaine in their hands But these propositions being vncertaine for another time they sought to win time and increase the delayes but were contemned by the English who made as if they seemed not to haue heard them As they stood vpon these termes the Spaniard hauing aduice that Queene ELIZABETH did not onely breake the marriage which hee had offered her but likewise changed many things in Religion began to giue ouer the desire which he seemed to haue before the restitution of Calais and his Ambassadours almost losing their patience were somewhat of accord with the French for the rest made account to continue the warres no longer for Calais vnlesse the English would contribute more men and money as before and would aduance it for sixe yeere This raised the heart of the Cardinall of Lorraine who assured the Spaniards that the Queen of Scotland his Niece was truely and vndoubtedly Queen of England and therefore that the King of Spaine ought to imploy all his forces if he made any account of iustice to cause Calais to be deliuered into the hands of his Niece the direct Queene of England But the Spaniards which suspected the power of France not hearing that willingly tryed secretly to draw out of England the Lady Katherine Gray the yonger Niece of King HENRY the Eighth for his Sisters sake to oppose her to the Queene of Scotland and the French if Queene ELIZABETH should happen to decease and to hinder thereby that France might not be augmented by the surcrease of England and Ireland And strongly insisted that there should be a Truce betwixt England and France vntill such time they should agree together and that in the meane time Calais should be sequestred in the hands of the King of Spaine as an Arbitrator of honour But that was refused as much by the French as the English Queene ELIZABETH had well presaged that for shee could not hope for any good from the Spaniards side seeing that she had contemned and despised to marry with their King and changed Religion She also had knowledge that the treatie of Cambray was not made for any other purpose but to exterminate roote out the Religion of the Protestants And truely the consideration of her Sex and the scarsitie of treasure made her Maiesty finde that peace was more to be wisht for than warre though most iust Also it was her ordinary saying that there was more glory in settling a peace by wisdome than in taking vp armes to make warre neither did shee thinke that it was beseeming either to her dignity or to the dignity of the name of the English to relye vpon the defence of the Spaniard And she thought therefore that it was better for her to make a peace aside and separably and to go thorow and conclude for Calais with the King of France being sollicited thereunto by continuall Letters from the Duke of Mont-morancy Constable of France and the Duke of Vandosme as also by message of the Duke of Guise who sent the Lord Gray who had beene taken prisoner at Guienne and released to that end And for to conclude this agreement B. Caualcance a Lord of Florence was employed who from his infancy had been brought vp in England with whom the French King hauing conferred in secret did hold that it should be safer to treat thereof by new Commissioners in such priuat Country-houses of the Kingdomes of England or France that were of no great note But Queene ELIZABETH being mooued shewed her selfe to be of a manly courage in declaring that shee was a Princesse absolutely free for to vndergoe her affaires either by her owne selfe or by her Ministers and although that during the reigne of her Sister nothing was concluded but according to the Spaniards aduice and that shee would neuerthelesse without giuing him the least notice or taking his counsell dispatch these affaires betweene the Deputies of both sides not in an obscure and priuate place but openly in the Castle of Cambresis neere Cambrai This offended no lesse the Spaniard than the refusall and contempt of his marriage with her Maiestie with the alteration of Religion had done heretofore Neuerthelesse the French who was crafty and cunning enough to discouer how she was affected to match with Spaine prayed her Maiestie first of all to take away two scruples from them before the yeelding of Calais to wit that they forsaking that Towne before they were assured whom shee should marry it might easily fall into the hands of the Spaniard because that he would haue her Maiestie if possible vpon any condition and that there is nothing so deare but women will part with it to their beloued husbands the other whether as the Spaniards boast that the English haue such neere alliance with them that they ought to ioyne in armes with them against all Nations whatsoeuer to these it was answered that her Maiestie bore such motherly affection toward the Kingdome of England that she would neuer part with Calais for to fauour a husband and that although her Matie shold grant it yet England would neuer suffer it Moreouer that betwixt her Maiesty and Spaine there was not any such alliance but a meere forced amitie and that her Maiesty was most free for any contract with any Prince which might be commodious and beneficiall to England Vpon this it was thought good and expedient that the Commissioners of each part should equally vse their vtmost endeuours in the Castle of Cambray to agree all differences and to conclude a peace Therefore Queene ELIZABETH sent for England as Commissioners Thurlbie Bishop of Elie the Lord Howard Baron of Effingham Lord high Chamberlaine to her Maiesty and Doctor Wotton Deane of the two Metropolitan Sees of Canterburie and Yorke For the French King Charles Cardinall of Lorraine Archbishop and Duke of Rheims the chiefest Peere of France Anne Duke of Mont-morancy Peere Constable and great master of France Lord Iames Aulbon Lord of Saint Andrewes Marquis of Fronsac and Lord Marshall of France Iohn of Moruillier Bishop of Orliens and Claude Aubespine Secretary of the Priuy-Councell of France These ioyntly
with wisedome and kept by care was firme and lasting Now how by her Masculine care and counsell she surmounted her Sexe and what shee did most wisely in preuenting diuerting and powerfully resisting the attempts of her Enemies those that now liue and shall hereafter will bee able to iudge of what I shall drawe out and set forth of things if I may call them so in the Kingdomes owne memory At that time the Emperour and the Christian Princes interceding by continuall Letters that she would vse the Bishops which were retyred out of her Realme gently and suffer the Papists to haue Churches in Townes by the Protestants She answered that although the Bishops had in the sight of all the world against the Lawes and Peace of the Kingdome and obstinately reiected the same Doctrine which the most of them had vnder the Raigne of HENRY the Eighth and EDVVARD the Sixth propounded to others voluntarily and by publike writings that she would vse them meekely for those great Princes sakes notwithstanding shee could not doe it without offending her Subiects But to let them haue Churches by the others shee could not with the safety of the Common-wealth and without wounding of her Honour Conscience neither had shee reason to doe it seeing that England imbraced no new Religion nor any other then that which Iesus Christ hath commanded that the Primitiue and Catholike Church hath exercised and the ancient Fathers haue alwayes with one voice and one mind approued And to allow them to haue diuers Churches and diuers manners of seruice besides that it is directly oppugnant to the Lawes established by the authority of the Parliament it were to breede one Religion out of another and drawe the spirits of honest people into varieties to nourish the designes of the factious to trouble Religion and Common-wealth and to confound humane things with Diuine which would be ill in effect and worse in example pernicious to her Subiects and not assured at all to those to whō it should be allowed and aboue all at their request she was resolued to cure the particular insolency of some by winking at something neuerthelesse without fauouring in any sort the obstinacie of their spirits The Spaniard hauing lost all hope to marry her and beeing ready to marry the Daughter of France notwithstanding thinkes seriously of England nothing desirous that it should be ioyned to the Scepter of France and to retaine the dignity of so great a Kingdome in his House obtained of the Emperour Ferdinand his Vncle that he would seeke her to wife for his second Sonne which he as soone did by very louing Letters and followed it very carefully by Iasper Preimour a resolute Baron of the Countrey of Stibing The Spaniard himselfe to bring her to that promised her speciall affection and she of her side made him offer by Thomas Chaloner of her Ships and commodity of her Hauens for his Voyage for Spaine which he was about with all remarkable duties of Friendship The French on the other side casting an eye vpon England left the French Garrison in Scotland in fauour of the King Dolphin his sonne and Mary Queene of Scotland which hee had promised to take from thence vpon the agreement before mentioned and sent thither vnder-hand supplies sollicites the Pope of Rome more vehemently than euer to declare Queene ELIZABETH an Heretique and illegitimate and Queene Mary of Scotland legitimate of England and although the Spaniard and the Emperour hindered by their contrary and most strong practices though secretly by the Agents which they had at Rome neuerthelesse the Guizes carried their credulous ambition with such a flattering hope to ioyne Englands Scepter to France by the meanes of the Queene of Scots their neece that hee came so farre as to challenge it for his Sonne and for his Daughter in Law and commanded them in all their Royall Letters to take this Title Francis and Mary by the grace of God King and Queene of Scotland England and Ireland and to let the Armes of England be seene in all places causing them to be painted and grauen together with the French Armes in their moueables and vtensils in the walls of their houses in their Heralds coates of Armes notwithstanding any complaint that the English Ambassadour could make that it was a notorious wrong to Queene ELIZABETH with whom hee had newly contracted a friendship being manifest that hee had not done it during the reigne of Queene MARIE though she denounced warre against him Hee also leuied horse and foote in France and Germanie to goe to the Territories of Scotland neerest adioyning to England insomuch that Queene ELIZABETH had good cause to apprehend it seeing that he breathed nothing but after the bloud slaughter of the Protestants But these enterprizes were broken by his vnlooked-for death hapning at the Tilting which was for the recreation and solemnizing of the marrriages of his Daughter with the King of Spaine and of his Sister with the Duke of Sauoy And much to the purpose it fell out for Queene ELIZABETHS businesse whom hee resolued to set vpon with all his forces as well for being an heretique as also illegitimate on the one side by Scotland and on the other side by France Neuerthelesse to giue him royall honours after his death shee caused his funerall solemnities to be performed as to a King a friend with the greatest pompe in Saint Pauls Church in London and forthwith sent Ch. Howard Effinghams sonne now great Admirall of England and Ireland to condole with him for the death of his Father and to congratulate his succession to Francis his Sonne and Successour exhorting him to entertaine inuiolably the friendship which had lately beene begun But Francis and the Queene of Scotland his wife by the counsell of the Guizes who then had some power in France behaued himselfe publiquely as King of England and Ireland kept alwaies the English Armes which hee had vsurped and made shew of them more than euer and N. Throgmorton ordinary Ambassadour a wise but a hote man complained to them of this They first answere him that the Queene of Scotland had right to carry those Armes with a barre to shew the proximity of bloud which shee had with the royall Race of England After when he had maintained that by the Law which they call the Law of Armes it is not permitted to any to take the Armes and Markes of any House vnlesse hee be descended of some of the Heires of it obseruing to tell him that shee carried them not but to cause the Queene of England to leaue those of France But hauing vpon that put them in minde how D. Wotton had afore-time treated at Cambray how twelue Kings of England had carried the Armes of France and by a right so seldome called in question that by any of the treaties which were made betweene the English and the French nothing had beene resolued to the contrary hee gained in the end
of Saint George For hee seemed hereby vtterly to breake off all amity and friendship with England but shewed it much more by the refusall which was made him afterwards how he practised by his Ambassadour as hee did intercede by Count of Feria who had married the Daughter of W. Dormer which hee had by the Lady Marie Sidney for that the Queene permitted certaine men women and Children to stay in Flanders who for Religion were retired without leaue viz. to the Lady Iane Dormer Daughter of Thomas Newdigate and Widdow to Sir Robert Dormer Knight and to the Lady Clarence Grand-mother to the Count of Feria being very olde who had beene Fauourite to Queene MARIE and Almoner for the particular reliefe of poore women to Richard Shelley Prior of the order of Saint Iohn in England of which wee will speake hereafter and to Thomas Haruie all which were zealous professors of the Romish Religion and well beloued of the Spaniard This refusall was grounded vpon a restraint by the ancient custome Lawes of England prohibiting any person the Nobles and Peeres of the Kingdome excepted vpon paine of confiscation of their goods to depart out of their Countrey without speciall licence from the King and to reside in forraine parts beyond a certaine time prefixed and that either for the recouery of their health vnder a more warme climate or for the aduancement of their studies in the Academies or for their practice in militarie Discipline Whereof there was no president extant of any toleration granted to women to be continually absent from their Countrey and that moreouer the thing in it selfe seemed to be of no great importance Neuerthelesse in respect that those who desired it reaped not so much benefit thereby applying it to their owne particular ends as others were animated by their example to the detriment of the common good it was vnreasonable to condiscend vnto as the Queene signified to the King of Spaine The Earle stomaking this as a particular iniury to reuenge himselfe caused to be apprehended as an Heretique one of the seruants of Chamberlaine being there then Ambassadour ordinary for England and cast him into the Inquisition and rather as it were enuying the Queene and the English than the King himselfe added more fuell to his fire notwithstanding all the meanes his Wife vsed to disswade him It was also knowne that he was imployed to Pope Pius the Fourth in the beginning of his Papacy to presse the Excommunication of the Queene yet neuerthelesse the Pope vpon what good hope I know not sent vnto her Vincent Parpalia Abbot of Saint Sauiours with diuers secret aduertisements with a kinde Letter all which I will here at large insert howsoeuer I may seeme to sinne against the Law of Historie TO OVR MOST DEARE DAVGHTER IN CHRIST ELIZABETH Queene of ENGLAND MOST deare Daughter in Christ Salutation and Apostolicall Benediction God the searcher of all hearts knoweth and you may perceiue by the aduice that wee haue giuen you to behaue your selfe towards this our eldest Son Vincent Parpalia whom you know well how much we tender and desire according to the duty of our Office of Pastorship to prouide for your saluation honour together with the establishment of your Raigne thereby exhorting and admonishing your Greatnesse most deare Daughter that in reiecting those lewd Councellors who loue themselues better thâ—n you and aime but at their priuate ends You implore the feare of God to your Councell and remembring the time of your visitation you obserue our fatherly admonitions wholsome Counsels and we will promise you of our part all th' assistance you can desire not onely for the comfort of your soule but for th'establishment and confirmation of your royall dignities according to the authority place and charge committed to vs from God And if as wee most feruently desire and hope you returne into the bosome of the Church We will receiue you with the like affectionate loue as the Father of whom it is spoken in the Gospell receiued his Sonne when he returned to him and our ioy shall be farre greater then the ioy of a Father for his sonne onely But you in drawing after you the whole people of England shall heape with ioyes not onely to your owne particular saluation but to your whole Nation Vs and the Vniuersitie of our Brethren whom you shall shortly God willing heare to be assembled in an Aecumenique and generall Councell for th'extirpation of Heresies and the whole Church together You shall also cause the Heauens to reioyce and by such a memorable act purchase renowned glory to your name and a far more glorious Crown then that wherewith you are already crowned But of that the said Vincent shall more amply certifie you and fully demonstrate our fatherly affection toward you whom we desire your Highnesse to receiue courteously and graciously hearing him attentiuely and giue such credit to what he shall declare vnto you as you would vnto our selfe Giuen at Rome at Saint Peter's Palace the fifth day of May 1560. and of our Papacy the first I haue not found what Propositions were made by Parpalia for I cannot thinke that he was put in writing neither doth it please me to suppose as ordinarily Historians doe All the world knowes Queene ELIZABETH liued like her selfe and ALWAYES THE SAME and that the busines succeeded not to the Popes expectation The common fame also went for truth that the Pope promised to cut off as a thing vniust the sentence giuen against the marriage of Queene ELIZABETHS Mother to confirme out of his owne authority the English Liturgie and to allow in England the vse of the Sacrament vnder both kinds prouided that her Maiesty should ranke her selfe with the Roman Church and to giue some thousands of Crownes to such as laboured in these things The time of confirming the Treatie of marriage at Edenborrough was then come Queene ELIZABETH hauing by solemne Oath confirm'd and sent vnto the King and Queene of France also to ratifie the same on their part as it was meete Throgmorton Ordinary Ambassadour in France and Sir Peter Meuté Knight dispatched after him for the same purpose laboured to bring them to it But they preuailed not notwithstanding they had in expresse words vpon the Faith and royall word of a King by Commission from the Bishop of Valence deputed for passing this Treaty promised to confirm it The reasons they alledged to exempt themselues were That the Scots had past thorow Barwicke with the English not by Royall Licence but of themselues which they ought not to doe that they past like Rebels and that vnder colour of being Subiects they falsly profest themselues loyall and had no way shewed the obedience promised by it Whiles they were disputing hereupon Francis the second king of France not being yet eighteene yeeres of age left the most high and mighty Princesse Mary Queene of Scotland a Widdow at which
waxe hot in the minority of Charles the Ninth the Princes which enuied one another pretending on both sides the specious name the defence of Religion and those of the reformed Religion beeing grieuously oppressed And herevpon the Papists of England by I knowe not what hope which they had conceiued thereby to oppresse the Protestants many discourses of importance were whispered very secretly in priuate assemblies and all full of suspicion Margaret Countesse of Lenox who had a secret intelligence with the Queen of Scotland and the Earle of Lenox her husband were for a time put and detayned vnder the custodie of the Master of the Rolles Arthur Pole and his Brother Nephews sonnes to George Duke of Clarence King Edwards Brother Anthony Fortescue who had married their Sister and others were brought into examination for hauing conspired to withdraw themselues into France to the Guizes and from thence to returne with an Armie into Wales and declare the Queene of Scotland Queene of England and Arthur Pole Duke of Clarence as they at their Tryall ingenuously confessed neuerthelesse protesting that they intended not to doe it while Queene ELIZABETH liued and that they had been seduced by diuiners to beleeue that shee should dye that yeere for which they were condemned to dye notwithstanding for the respect which was had vnto their bloud they were suffered to liue But as many haue thought they vsed Katherine Gray very seuerely though she was much neerer of kinne to the Queene being Daughter to the Duke of Suffolke For hauing beene married to Henry eldest Sonne to the Earle of Pembrooke by him lawfully repudiated and left long time in great contempt finding her selfe with child neere her lying down was put in the Tower of London although shee protested that she was married to Edward Seimor Earle of Hertford and great by him Hee himselfe being returned from France whither he went for his pleasure by the Queenes permission hauing made the like acknowledgement was also imprisoned in the same Towre the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and others were appointed to examine and decide the Cause without appeale and when hee could not produce witnesse of his marriage within the time prescribed him the Arch-bishop by a definitiue Sentence pronounced That the Carnall company which he had had with her was illegitimate and vnlawfull and that for this offence they ought both to be punished This Sentence was impugned as wicked and vniust by Iohn Hales a man very opinatiue but otherwise very learned who maintained that their sole consent did legitimate their coniunction for which reason he himselfe was committed She was deliuered in prison of her first-borne and afterwards her Keepers being corrupted by the Earle of Hertfords deuice Edward Warner Lieutenant of the Towre was punished as conscious of the fact and displaced Hertford is accused in the Starre-Chamber of three crimes that he had deflowred a Virgine of the Bloud-Royall broken the Prison and had accompanied with her since Whereupon after hauing protested that hee was lawfully married to her he confessed that hauing found the doores of the Prison open hee had visited her in the affliction which was caused by the sentence pronounced against them and had payed her the duty of wedlocke For which cause hee was fined fiue thousand pound for euery offence and kept Prisoner nine yeeres Yet neuerthelesse by perswasion of Lawyers hee insisted against the Arch-bishops sentence by interiecting an appeale and continued to visit her priuily But in this time hee voluntarily and publiquely left it off and she after some yeeres to the end I may in the time of their separation speake ioyntly of them fell into a grieuous sicknesse after hauing in the presence of Hopton Lieutenant of the Towre demanded pardon of the Queene in regard shee had married without her aduice and with Prayers re-commended her Children to her trust and Hertford his libertie She dyed in Christ piously and peaceably Warre renewing then in France betweene the Princes of the Bloud and the Guizes vnder a feigned pretence of Religion as I haue said one sought for to strengthen both parties Queene ELIZABETH began to feare lest neighbour-warres should intangle England therein For she had learned that the Guizes to draw Anthonie of Burbone to their partie had boasted to put him in possession of Nauarre to marry him to the Queene of Scotland and to giue him in dowry the Kingdome of England at the expence of the Spaniard and by the authority of the Pope who would breake the marriage because his Wife was an Heretique and by the same meanes depose Qu. ELIZABETH of her Kingdome as being so Vpon that she sent H. Sidney a man of great renowne that he might informe himself more surely of these things to exhort vnto peace the Conductors of these seuerall parties But the businesse was come to such a passe that the eares of both parties were shut against peace Sidney being returned from France is forthwith sent to the Queene of Scotland that the Colloque which shee desired to be holden in England with Queene ELIZABETH might be prorogued vntill the yeere following or vntill the Warres in France were abated Now it is consulted on whether it were expedient or not that these two Princesses should speake together in that the Queene of Scotland desired it the first it was not without suspition she did it to serue her owne ends and sought out stratagems in their season or to affirme the right which shee pretended to haue in England or to giue hope and increase of courage to the Papists of England and to the Guizes in France Some thought the contrary that this would be a meanes to vnite them with a firme friendship to decay by little and little the alliance with France and to draw the Queene of Scotland to the Protestants Religion Others obserued that such communications might rather sow seedes of emulation than of loue and that the shew of riches and power of the one would euer excite the enuy of the other and that the presence not answering to the opinion and reputation of the body of the grace in speaking and of the gifts of the spirit would leaue both to the one and the other some thing of reprehension The Queene of Scotland did likewise iudge that it were not safe for her to expose her selfe into the power of Queene ELIZABETH with whom shee had contended for the right of the Kingdome and as shee had learned that shee had openly declared her selfe for the Protestants of France shee was likewise in doubt on what side to ranke her selfe considering how shee her selfe had written that of the Father side she had drawne her extraction from England and of her Mother side from France that shee had beene crowned Queene of France and was Dowager of it that shee was the most certaine Heire of England and looked for the succession that if shee were obliged to her Vnkles of France who
this Company might traffique into the North part of Russia and they onely should sell their merchandizes throughout the whole extent of his Empire which is large and spacious as in fit place shall be declared An. Ienkinson returned with these Ambassadours into England who had obseruantly runne ouer all this Countrey he described the same in a Geographicall Map and was the first man of the English that cross'd the Caspian Sea and landed in the Countrey of the Bactrians The Emperour committed vnto him secret matters which hee would by no meanes communicate to any of his owne people which was seriously to treat with Queene ELIZABETH in his name that she would enter into mutuall league with him offensiue and defensiue against all the world and that she would send into Russia Ship-wrights Mariners warlike Munitions and to oblige her selfe by solemne oath courteously to receiue him with his Wife and Children if he were driuen out of his Empire eyther by rebellious Subiects or open enemies And thus this Tyrant whom no man could trust seemed to be distrustfull euen of himselfe and though he were somewhat moued with the short and ambiguous answer that her Maiesty returned yet did he not giue ouer solliciting of her in these things both by Letters and Ambassies as hereafter shall be expressed requesting her continually to send him backe that same Anthony Ienkinson who as he thought had not beene so faithfull as in matters of so great waight was requisite The first Moneth of this yeere dyed Nicholas Wotton a Doctor of the Ciuill Law and Deane of the Churches of Canterbury and Yorke a very honourable person for his parentage but much more for his prudence whereof he had giuen ample testimony both within and without the Realme For hee was one of the Priuy-Councell to the Kings HENRY the Eighth and EDVVARD the Sixth as also to Queene MARY and Queene ELIZABETH Nine times he went Ambassadour to the Emperour the Kings of France and Spaine and other Princes Three times he was a Commissioner to make peace betweene the English French and Scots and one of the sixteene whom HENRY the Eighth chose for Executors of his last Will and Testament There dyed also El. Leyborne third Wife to Thomas Duke of Norfolke and formerly Widdow to the Lord Dacres hauing brought him forth no Children But she had one by her first Husband George the Baron who dyed young with a fall off of a Vauting-Horse of wood when he learned to vaut and three Daughters who were all affianced by promises of performance to the Dukes three Sonnes I told you how Shan O-Neale lawfull Sonne to Cone-Oneale surnamed Bacon that is to say Lame the mightiest man in the North part of Ireland which is called Vlster was come into England and craued pardon for his offence in the yeere 1563. When hee was returned into his Countrey hee valiantly defended that part of Ireland against the Scots which landed there out of Cantria and Hebride and he slew 10. Mac O-Neale his father in Law and Anny his Brother who conducted them This victory causing him to be insolent he began to exercise tyranny vpon other petty Lords of Vlster not of so powerfull a command as himselfe hee burnt Armach the Metropolitane City of Ireland for hatred to the Arch-bishop draue Mac-Guire out of the inheritance of his Predecessors pilled and sacked Mac-Genisse and others and the English receiuing them into their protection hee spred rebellious colours against Queene ELIZABETH But he presently wrapt them vp againe at the instigation of Cusac a Knight of the Order yeelded vp his Sonne in Hostage and submitted himselfe And Queene ELIZABETH to containe him within bounds hauing rent and torne all those Letters by which HENRY the Eighth declared Matthew falsly reputed for his Sonne to be Heire to Cone she resolued to conferre vpon him the honourable titles of Earle of Tyrone and Baron of Dungannon as being the vndoubted Sonne and Heire But this man altogether impatient of repose and peace perceiuing that he was able to bring into the field a thousand Horse and foure thousand foot of his Vassals and Tenants and he had already fiue hundred of his Guard with barbarous pride hee reiected such titles of honour in comparison of the name of O-Neale but caused himselfe by his owne people to be styled King of Vlster He trayned vp the Peasants to War offered the Kingdome of Ireland to the Queene of Scots and conceiued such a mortall hatred against the English that hauing built a Castle vpon the Lac Eaugh he named it Feognegall which is to say the Hatred of the English and strangled some of his people because they ate the bread of the English though hee would neuer speake otherwise than honourably of the Queene Sir Henry Sidney was commanded to arme against him and Randolph a braue Conductor sent by Sea vpon the Northerne Frontiers of Vlster to Derry which is a small Episcopall See neere to Loygh-foy with a troupe of horse and seuen hundred foot to assaile him vpon the backe when the Vice-Roy would come vp and set vpon him in his Van. Shan vnderstanding this hotly beleaguerd Dundalk but was repelled by the Garrison with great losse of men as he was likewise from Wittscastell where hee met with no lesse losse Then being about with fire and sword to waste the Earledome of Louth with the ouerthrow of a number of men he was rowted by a small troupe of the English when making towards Derry he forraged all the Countrey round about and prouoked the English Garrison to fight who ranging themselues in battell fell on all sides vpon this disordered multitude disarrayed ouerthrew and put them to open flight But the victory proued but sorrowfull by reason of a lamentable accident that light vpon Randolph who was slaine fighting valiantly among the thickest of his enemies as braue a Gentleman questionlesse as our present times haue seene and none euer purchased greater respect ioyned with loue among Souldiers than this man had done S. Lo being constituted in his place he much endammaged the Rebels in that quarter till on a day when the Fort by an vnhappy accident was set on fire with all the Munition and Powder which blew vp many Souldiers For then embarking all his foot in shipping and with a wing of Horse commanded by one Haruey he past through the middest of his enemies who continually galled him and by a way of foure dayes iourney went to the Lord Deputy who to honour Randolphs vertue solemnized his Obsequies and was himselfe in mourning And raising forces presently to goe into Vlster Shan retyred with his men into the Woods and Forrests re-amassing againe together at seuerall times here and there the rest of his men about Clogner and Castell Salmon belonging to Turlogh-Leinich who then had left it But when the Lord Deputy had constituted Garrisons settled Odonel againe in his State and was returned to appease the
start-ups and their Countrey yeelded as a prey to strangers This carried them violently into a manifest Rebellion and they were the first who disturbed the publique peace of this Kingdome which had continued vnshaken for the terme of eleuen yeeres vnder the happy Reigne of Queene ELIZABETH they being boldly and powerfully incited hereunto by Nicholas Morton a Priest sent from the Pope to denounce Queene ELIZABETH for an Heretike and therefore depriued of all power and gouernement Suddenly likewise they diuulge by a publique Manifestation That they tooke vp armes to no other end but to set vp againe the Religion of their Ancestors to remoue from about the Queenes bad Councellors to restore the Duke and some other great Men who were dismissed of their places and dignities to former libertie and grace But as for the Queenes Maiestie they would attempt nothing against her but vowed that both then and at all times they would perseuer and continue her most obedient Subiects They writ also to the Papists dispersed throughout the whole Kingdome to ioyne their forces together But in stead of cohering to them the most part sent to the Queene both their Letters and the Bearers All the particular men of the Kingdome and the Duke of Norfolke himselfe both their seruice and meanes and to be employed against them So that vpon this occasion shee made a iust triall of her Subiects singular and vnspotted fidelitie and of Gods rare clemency and protection for which shee gaue him great and vnfaigned thankes The Rebels went presently to Durham the next Episcopall See where they rent and trampled vnder foot the sacred Bibles and Bookes of the Liturgie written in the English Tongue as they light vpon them in the Churches Afterwards they celebrated Masse wheresoere they went they leuied and brought into the field many men vnder flying colours wherein were painted in some the fiue wounds of our Lord in others the Challice of the Eucharist Robert Norton a venerable and graue Gentleman who was old and bald carried the Crosse with the Colonell ensigne they came by small dayes marches to Chiffordmore which is not farre from Wetherbie where making a generall muster of their Army vpon the two and twentieth day of their Rebellion they could make no more but sixe hundred Horse and foure thousand foot and when they heard that the Queene of Scots for whose releasement out of imprisoment they had principally taken vp armes was conducted from Tudberie to Couentrey a strong Citie and committed to the guard and custodie of the Earles of Shrewsburie and Huntington that the Earle of Sussex of the one side of them had raised a mightie Armie to set vpon them that Sir George Bowes lay at their backes with chosen and maine troupes and had fortified Bernard-Castell and how the Earle of Cumberland and the Lord Scrope had manned and secured Carlile and dayly leuied more forces they retired from those quarters and returning speedily in a manner the same way they came they came before Rabie which is the principall house and seate of the Earles of Westmerland from whence departing they straitly beleaguerd Bernard Castle which in a short time yeelded to them for want of prouision victuall all and Sir George Bowes with Robert Bowes his brother and all the Souldiers of the Garison issued out with their Armes They were formerly proclaimed Traitors by sound of Trumpet The same very day my Lord of Sussex accompanied with the Earle of Rutland the Lords of Hunsdon Euers and Willowbie of Parham marched against them with seuen thousand men When they saw they were come to Ackland being terrified and daunted they fell to flight and fell backe toward Hexham which place also leauing speedily they crossed along by vnbeaten paths that so they might creepe couertly vnder the hedges and came to the Castle of Naworth where vnderstanding that the Earle of Warwicke and the Lord Clynton Vice-Admirall followed close at their heeles with twelue thousand men drawne out of the South parts of England the two Earles fled into the neerest parts of Scotland with a few men vnknowne to the rest where the Earle of Northumberland obscured himselfe for a while about Harclaw in the little countrey Hamlets amongst the Grymes most notable Theeues who deliuered him afterwards into the Earle of Murray's hands The Earle of Westmerland found some meanes to hide himselfe about Carry Furnhurst and Bucklie and at last scapt into Flanders with some other English in his company where he liu'd a long but a poore life vpon a small Pension which the King of Spaine allowed him The rest saued themselues some by flight some by lurking in holes and dennes For example and terrour sixe inferiour Magistrates were hanged at Durham and others among which one Plumtree a Priest was a man of greatest note There were formerly executed at Yorke Digbie Falthrope Bishop and Pouenham And certaine moneths after Christopher and Thomas Nortons brethren were put to death at London and some others in other places After this the most apparāt notable Rebels were condemned of high Treason and banisht as namely the Earles of North. Westm the Countesse of North. the Daughter to the Earle of Wigorne Edward Dacres of Morton Iohn Neuill of Leuerserg Io. Swineborne Tho. Marquenfield Egre. Ratcliffe brother to the Earle of Sussex Char. Neuill Ro. Norton of Nortonconniers Christ Marmaduke and Thomas of the Family of the Nortons Ro. and Na. Tempests George Stafford and about some fortie others of Noble and worthie Houses whose conuiction and banishment was confirmed by the whole house of Parliament and pardon granted to some who had no Estates nor euer went out of the Kingdome And thus the flame of this Rebellion was in a short time quencht Chiapine Vitelli who was priuie to it as I told you before openly admiring the same in the presence of her Maiestie and many great men of the Kingdome but no doubt inwardly greeuing this Rebellion was so easily and suddenly supprest and that so his owne comming into England tooke so little effect From the combustions of this Rebellion thus couered and extinguisht as out of the ashes of that former fire a little flame began to kindle at Naworth in Cumberland neere to the Valley of Seuerus which was raised by Lau. Dacres second sonne to Geor. Lord Dacres of Gilesland This man after the death of the young Lord Dacres his Nephew because he was the sonne of his elder Brother being angry that so large a Patrimonie should by Law discend vnto his Neeces whom the Duke of Norfolke their Father in law had betrothed to his three sonnes hee commenced suite against them but perceiuing that it would come to no prosperous issue on his side hee secretly combin'd with the Rebels and attempted to carry away the Queene of Scots but all in vaine But the Rebels being defeated sooner then he expected and proclaimed Traitors openly whilest himselfe
bee thought not to respect her who had been wife to the King his brother and now the Dowager of France and to neglect the now puissant Family of the Guizes in France or to approoue that pernicious example of deposing of Kings And which was the most capitall point of all that shee finding her selfe abandoned of the French in her aduersity might seeke Patronage from Spaine and that by her meanes the three prepotent Realmes of England Scotland and Ireland might colleague them in amity with Spaine to the no small endamagement of the State of France To these Qu. ELIZABETH with milde alacrity answered THe King of France will be well aduised what or how he shall doe with the Queene of Scotland notwithstanding she was their Queene and now is their Dowager howbeit for the dissoluing of the Duke of Aniou's mariages she hath held secret cōsultation with the Spaniard He will also consider whether that ancient Law of Alliance be violable and whether he be bound therby or no to defend the King in his nonage He will also bethinke him how much France is beholden or obliged to the Family of the Guizes by whose practices the Countrey hath beene afflicted with long and bloody wars the French haue beene forced to lose the loue of Scotland and the poore Queene brought into this calamitable case she is in In very deed the example of deposing Kings I hold a thing most pernicious and well deseruing infernall punishment but for that the Scots are to answere And for mine owne part I call to mind the things which grieue my heart to remember But notwithstanding I know not how the French in old times allowed of Pepin when he supplanted Childeric Hugo Capet Charles of Lorraine depriuing them of their ancient successions descended to them from a long-continued Race of Ancestors to transferre the Scepter to new-erected Families As also Philip surnamed the good Duke of Burgundie exiled Iaquette from his countries of Hainault Holland or the Danes when they expulst from his Kingdome Christianus the second and his Daughters Or the Spaniards who imprisoned the Queene Vraca after they had put her from the Crowne It is no nouelty for Sonnes to succeed their deposed Mothers So Henry the Second was admitted King of England Alphonsus the yonger Sonne of Vraca King of Castill and of late memory Charles the fifth King of Spaine and Sicily their Mothers then suruiuing The world is full of examples of many Queenes that haue exchanged their Diademes for prisons which France doth testifie at large hauing imprisoned not to say further the wiues of three of their Kings one after another Lewes Hutin Philip the long and Charles the faire For my part I detaine the Queene of Scots vnder a reasonable Guard but I doe it for the preseruation of England and mine owne safety after the example of the French who for their better security of affaires put Chilperic into a Monasterie Charles of Lorraine into a safe and straite prison and Lodowicke Sforza Duke of Mylan into a Dungeon with Iron grates Whereunto as she was very conuersant in the Histories of all Nations shee annexed other examples of the same nature drawne out of the Historie of Spaine and finally concluded that true it was such Presidents carried euer with them some semblance of Iniustice but she required that the King of France would vndertake the defence of the Queene of Scotland euen as he was bound by his Allyance intimating that it would bee an action of greater glory to the French than all those vnhappy enterprizes they assumed in the cause of that infamous woman Iane of Naples But when it was discouered that at the same time the Queene of Scots practised secretly to confirme an alliance with the Spaniard by the negotiations of the Lord Seton who arriuing in Essex disguised in the habit of a Mariner and returning from thence into Scotland through England hee had promised succours in the Duke of Aluaes name to the Scottish partakers with the Queene shee was kept with a straighter Guard and the affection borne to her by the French by little and little waxed cold And certainely as the Duke of Alua omitted nothing wherein he might vent his hatred to Queene ELIZABETH so was shee no lesse cautelous to preuent it and frustrate his dissignes For in the first moneths of this yeere hee complained by the Spanish Ambassadour in England that the Flemmish Rebels bought all their warlike munition there and were receiued into all her Ports and Hauens shee presently by a strict Proclamation commanded that all Flemmings any wayes suspected of sedition should depart out of England and that their ships of warlike equipage should be seysed vpon in her harbours All which returned to the dammage of the Duke of Alua. For Humes Earle of March and other Flemmings reduced as it were to a desperate poynt whether they were terrified by this Proclamation or that they were vnder-hand admonished to retyre but they presently surprised the Breele which is seated vpon the mouth of the Meuse caused Flushing forthwith to reuolt and other Townes which expelled the Spaniards as they were in hand to make cittadels to captiuate their libertie in a short time cut off the Duke of Alua by Sea and through the meanes they had to make it good for themselues had a power to molest and detaine the Spaniard with a long and tedious warre wherein Souldiers haue obserued that hee shewed for his part such palpable carelessenesse and negligence as was not beseeming so great a Generall who for the space of foure whole yeeres grossely ouer-slipt the maritime affaires and expeditions of Flanders At the same time there was a famous generall muster before the Queene at Greenwich with a pleasant trayning in Armes by the Citizens of London and after their returne from thence martiall men who began to rust and corrupt in their owne houses began to flow out of England into Flanders and according as they stood affected betooke themselues some to the Duke of Alua and others the farre greater number to the Prince of Orange who opposed his proiects for the defence of Religion and his Countries libertie Amongst whom Sir Thomas Morgan was the first that brought three hundred men into Flushing vpon the report whereof the Duke who intended the recouery of it forbare and retyred Further hee vsed such expedition and diligence as hee caused greater troupes to come for after himselfe there landed nine Companies more of English conducted by Humfrey Gilbert who being consorted with the French first attempted to surprize Scluse and Bruges then hee set vpon Tergow in Suethebenelant But their scaling-Ladders being too short hollow correspondancie betweene the French and the English and Mondragon comming on with fresh succours for the assieged they retyred to Flushing of which both the one and the other sought to make themselues masters each to themselues But the Prince of Orange made good vse of this
to preuent the mariage the Vice-Chamberlaine Hatton and Walsingham were most of all malecontented as if the Queene Religion and Kingdome had been vndone Her women which were about her fell all in sorrow and sadnesse and the terror they put her into so troubled her minde that she passed all that night without sleepe amongst her houshold seruants who made a consort of weeping and sighing The next morning finding the Duke and taking him aside had serious discourse with him The Duke retiring himselfe after hee left her into his Chamber plucketh off the Ring casteth it on the ground taketh it vp againe rayleth on the lightnesse of women and inconstancie of Ilanders As she was perplexed with these passions shee called to minde what once the Lord Burley and the Earle of Sussex had told her that there was no Alliance offensiue to bee hoped for without marying with the Duke nor being alone and without assistancy was able to withstand the greatnesse of the Spaniard That the Spaniard offering his daughter in mariage to the King of Scots hee would easily draw the Papists in England to be his adherents and all the Fugitiues Rebels discontented persons and such as were sine spe sine re whereof the number was great to be on his side that al good people were now out of hope euer to haue issue of her body of the Blood Royall by this mariage and now hauing their hearts alienated from her hereby would cast their eyes and affections vpon some other of her Competitors That also shee could not but highly displease the King of France and the Duke his Brother who after the imploiment of so much time the holding of so many Counsels the sending of such honorable Ambassadors and the expences of so much money could hardly endure to finde himselfe in fine derided what colour so euer should be cast ouer the matter And to raise mony for the Duke of Anjou to imploy him in the warres of Flanders assigning him an annuall Pension for the time to come There remained also a scruple vpon her conscience that he so deluded of her might match himselfe in Spaine and then shee should bee in danger on both sides as well from France as from Flanders as euery one could breathe into her eares and her selfe presage Some thought that amidst this anxiety of doubtfull thoughts which troubled her minde about this mariage the necessitie of the time and matter made her put on a resolution that it would stand more with her honour and the good of her Common-weale to liue single then to be maried foreseeing that if she should marry with a subiect from such disparitie would grow disgrace to her selfe and kindle heart-burnings secret displeasures and domestique troubles and hatred If with a stranger she should bring her selfe and subiects vnder a foraine yoake and Religion in hazard remembring withall how vnfortunate that match of her Sister MARIES with King Philip was and that of her great grandfather EDWARD the fourth who was the first English King since the Norman conquest which tooke a subiect to wife She feared also to transfer vpon a husband that glory which whilst she liued vnmarried remained with her entire withall she was diuerted in minde from mariage by reason of the great perils she should be subiect to by conception and child-bearing as diuers women and Physicians bore her in hand Her Maiestie likewise burned with choller that there was a booke published in print inueighing sharply against the mariage as fearing the alteration of Religion which was intituled A gaping gulfe to swallow vp England by a French mariage In this Pamphlet the Priuy Councellors which fauoured the Match were taxed of ingratitude to their Prince and Countrey the Queene as not vnderstanding well her selfe by the way of flattery is tauntingly touched the Duke d' Anjou and his country of France in contumelious tearmes shamefully reuiled the mariage condemned for the diuersitie of Religions by poisonous words and passages of Scripture miserably wrested would seeme to proue that the Daughter of God being to match with the sonne of Antichrist it must needs bee the ruine of the Church and pernicious to the State neither would Queene ELIZABETH bee perswaded that the Author of this booke had any other purpose but to bring her into hatred with her subiects and to open a gap to some prodigious innouation it being so that shee neuer had respected so much the power shee had ouer her people as the loue they bore to her and as Princes are accustomed was neuer more carefull then of her royall reputation notwithstanding the writer of that booke neuer once made mention of meanes to establish in future securitie her selfe or Realme or for auoiding danger or how the States of the Land had in former times most importunately perswaded her Maiestie to mariage to giue an assured remedy against imminent euils And this she published in writing condemning the Author of the Libell made knowne the Dukes propensitie of minde towards her selfe and to the Protestants Religion grieuing to offer iniury to so worthy a Prince who neuer had once motioned to haue any change in State Common-wealth or Religion Shee also commended Sir H. Simier the Duke's Agent for his modesty and wisedome whom some had before in malignant speeches calumniated intimating to the people also that this Libell was a deuice of Traitors to stir vp hatred abroad seditions at home commanding it should be burnt in the presence of Magistrates Since that shee begunne to bee the more displeased with Puritans then she had been before-time perswading her selfe that such a thing had not passed without their priuitie and within a few dayes after Iohn Stubbes of Lincolnes Inne a zealous professor of Religion the Author of this Ralatiue Pamphlet whose Sister Thomas Cartwright the Arch-Puritan had maried William Page the disperser of the Copies and Singleton the Printer were apprehended against whom sentence was giuen that their right hands should be cut off by a law in the time of Philip and MARIE against the Authors of Seditious Writings and those that disperse them Some Lawyers storming hereat said the iudgement was erroneous and fetcht from a false obseruation of the time wherein the Statute was made that it was onely temporarie and that Queene MARIE dying it dyed with her Of the which Lawyers one Dalton for his clamorous speeches was commited to prison and Mouson a Iudge of the Common-pleas was sharply rebuked and his place taken from him after that Sir Chr. Wray chiefe Iustice of England had made it manifest by Law that in that Statute there was no errour of time but the Act was made against such as should put forth or divulge any seditious writing against the King and that the King of England neuer dyed yea that Statute likewise in the first yeare of Queene ELIZABETH was reuiued againe to the Queene and her Heires for euer Not long after vpon a Stage
nor acquainted with Court-tricks was purposely brought vpon the Stage as diuers haue thought to be an actor in this Tragedie and being put out of his part as being at a non plus in the last Act was for a long time after shut vp in prison to the great griefe of many Hitherto hath beene related what was publikely done against him Now obserue in briefe how he excuseth himselfe as I haue collected out of his owne accusation and the Apologeticall discourse which he made thereof to Sir Fr. Walsingham The queene said he after the Ambassadors of France and Scotland were departed wished me to shew her the Warrant for the execution of the sentence pronounced against the queene of Scotland Hauing shewed it she willingly set her hand thereto and bid me likewise affixe the great Seale of England and iestingly said You will shew this now to Walsingham who is sicke already but will dye when he sees it She added by and by That she had put it off so long because shee would not seeme to be carried away by violence yet knowing well the necessitie thereof Then blaming Sir Ayme Poulet and Sir Drue Dâ—ury for not hauing eased her of that care and trouble commanded Walsingham to know the cause of their cessation and delay The day after I had sealed the Warrant she forbade me by Killegray to doe it then telling her that it was done already shee checkt me for my diligence saying That by some wise-mens aduice another course might haue beene taken I answered that iust courses are alwayes good and sure But fearing she would cast some blame on me as she had formerly done vpon the Lo. Burghley about the Duke of Norfolks death I disclosed the whole matter to Sir Christ Hatton protesting that I would neuer hereafter be so forward in so weighty a busines Hatton presently discouered it to Burghley and he to the rest of the Councell who all concluding vpon the dispatch of the execution vowed as reason was to be faulty alike and to effect it sent Beale instantly away with the Warrant and Letters The third day after I perceiuing the Queene to be troubled in minde to haue the precedent night as her MAIESTY sayd dreamed of the Queene of Scotland's death I asked her if shee had changed her purpose She answered me That some other meanes might haue beene vsed and then inquiring of me Whether I had receiued any answer from Sir Ayme Poulet I shewed her his letters wherein he refused to vndertake the execution as vniust to which in great choler she replyed He and his confederats are all faithlesse periured in promising great matters and not performing but she should find some that for her sake would doe it As for my selfe I told her how ignominious it was and into what perills shee should bring Poulet and Drury If she approued the deed being done her renowne would be blasted with iniustice and disgrace besides other dangers and in disallowing it she should ruinate men of worthy merite and their posterity for euer would be vndon To conclude the very day that the queene of Scotland dyed her Maiesty checkt me iestingly for that it was not yet dispatched Now setting aside to speake of the anger and sorrow which the Queene of England conceiued for the death of the Queene of Scotland and her anger against William Dauison the truth is that the King of Scotland her onely Sonne drew thereof extreme anguish bitter and passionate torments shewing himselfe a more pious Son then any that can be heard or read of he lamented night and day his deare Mothers lamentable end in weeping and shedding many sad and brinish teares in his bitter agony not thinking that Queene ELIZABETH in regard of the mutuall loue which was betwixt them the late and strait contracted league of amity and the intercession of so many mighty Princes would haue suffered his Mother to haue beene exposed into the cruell hands of an Executioner she beeing a Princesse of coequall Maiestie of her neerest alliance and consanguinity from the Blood Royall nor could he receiue in Scotland Sir Robert Carie Sonne to Henry Baron of Hunsdon who was sent with Letters from ELIZABETH to excuse her Maiestie and to cast the fault vpon Dauison and the Councell He heard him but hardly from the mouth of another and hardly receiued the Letters he brought He reuok't the authority of his Ambassadour in England and thought of reuenge For there was no want of folke which were busie to egge him on by perswasions that the Christian Princes would not leaue vnreuenged so great and grieuous an iniury offered to Royall Maiesty and to the Royall Name The Estates of Scotland which were then gathered together in multitudinous numbers protested to his Maiestie that they were ready and prest to reuenge this death to defend the rightfull Title which hee had vnto England and in that to hazzard both life and goods and that they could not digest this iniury offered not so much to his Maiestie as to the whole Nation of Scotland Some perswaded him to demand Nauall assistance of the K. of Denmarke with whom he had then begun a Treaty touching marriage with his Daughter Others addicted to the Roman Religion exclaiming against the Queene of England that She which had slaine the Mother would willingly slay the Sonne too put it into his head to ioyne rather with the Kings of France and Spaine and with the Pope of Rome and that he might easily by this meanes possesse himselfe of England Aboue all he should not trust the Protestants of England That they were now at the full height of their power and sought secretly his ruine Others admonished him not to shew himself openly inclin'd to any party but to hold both Papist and Protestant in suspence Because that if he should openly ranke himselfe with the Protestants all the Papists of Europe in their practices would make him their marke to shoot at and would prouide them in England some other Support then he to rely vpon which could not be without danger to him Others aduised him to continue constant in amity with England not to expose or put foorth a certaine hope into the vncertaine hazzard of warre and to perseuer in the Religion now receiued wherein if he should seeme to wauer he could neither purchase friends nor put off enemies These were the things propounded to him by one and other as euery mans particular pleasure or desire carried him The King himselfe of perspicuity and politique apprehension aboue his age beeing some times alone by himselfe and sometimes with some few others not with precipitate rashnes which is alwayes blind but with deliberate consideration at many times and for a long space together cast these things in his mind But Queene ELIZABETH after shee had laid all the fault vpon Dauison and the rash credulity of her Councell seeketh by little and little to weare away his griefe lest consolations vntimely applyed