brought her vp she would be no lesse to the loue of her Sister Queene ELIZABETH Notwithstanding as shee was subtill of spirit shee was afraid if shee should tye her selfe with a stricter friendship to Queene ELIZABETH to incurre the disgrace of the King of France and to be abandoned of the Guizes her Vnkles and lose the money which shee drew from France for her dowry while shee should preferre this friendship which was vncertaine and as shee said her selfe there is none but transgresseth and of the friendship of the French she was assured And that that was the cause why the interuiew which had beene in deliberation many moneths came to nothing chiefly after she had declared by Letters that shee altogether refused it vnlesse that for to ground a certaine peace and the vnion of the two Kingdomes so much desired she were by authority of the Parliament designed Heire of the Kingdome of England or adopted Queene ELIZABETHS Daughter and that if these things were granted her she promised to be wholly at the deuotion of Queene ELIZABETH though she quitted all consideration and respect to the Guizes her Vnkles Furthermore she assured that she did not presse these things but vpon aduice which she had giuen her of the secret practices of some vnder pretence of religion intended to suborne some other Successour than her selfe howbeit she tolerates the Protestants Religion in Scotland But as the Cardinall of Lorraine treated at the same time with the Emperour Ferdinand to marry her with Charles his Sonne Arch-Duke who then sought to haue Queene ELIZABETH ELIZABETH declareth vnto her by Thomas Randolph that if shee lent any eare to this marriage to the Cardinall capitall enemy to the Engglish she might dissolue the amity betweene England and Scotland and peraduenture therewith to include the losse of the Kingdome of England admonisheth her amiably not to fall off but to chuse her a Husband in England first to please her selfe and afterwards for the contentment of her owne Subiects and of the English and to intertaine the friendship which was betweene them and to prepare her selfe a way to a certaine assurance of the succession of England of which declaration could not be made if it did not first appeare with whom she meant to marry All these cares held Queene ELIZABETH in great suspence neuerthelesse she was altogether attentiue to the warres of France to hinder that the flames of it in Normandie should not be blowne into England and after mature deliberation receiued into her protection the King of France his Subiects which were in Normandie and implored her succour by a Couenant which shee passed with the Princes of Condé Rohan Coligni and others to this effect That shee would send them a hundred thousand crownes and passe ouer sixe thousand Souldiers of which three thousand should be employed for the defence of Deepe and Roüan That they would put into her hands for assurance Ville-Franche which is situated at the mouth of Sene and was built by King Francis the First the French calling it Haure de grace and the English New-Hauen to be kept by a Garrison of three thousand Engglish Souldiers vnder the name of the King of France vntill Calais be rendred The same day that this agreement past to giue a reason of her designe shee published a manifestation to this effect That shee sent not an armie into Normandie to recouer this Prouince an ancient patrimony of England which had been wrongfully vsurped but to conserue it for the King of France being but yet a Childe and to warrant it against the Guizes who had begun cruelly to ouer-runne those who professed the pure Religion and iniustly to robbe her of her right which shee had to Calais and to take possesssion of the Ports of Normandy from thence they threaten next to fall vpon England which they haue by hope deuoured already insomuch as shee could not chuse but meete their attempts vnlesse shee should seeme to be fayling to the young King her Brother and Confederate and his Subiects that are oppressed to enuy the quiet of Christendome and which is more cowardly betray her Religion her securitie and her saluation And as Paul de Foix Ambassadour of France in England summoned her by vertue of the Treaty of Cambray to deliuer into the Kings hands the Vidame of Chartres of Hai and others who had signed the accord as Traitors to their Countrey shee excused her selfe of that by her Letter to the King discharging them of the crime and charged the turbulent spirits of the Guizes for it who had wrapped in the tempest of warre the Kings Father and Brother and the King himselfe In the moneth of September one part of the English Army landed at New-Hauen vnder the conduct of Adrian Poining who was appointed Marshall where they were with ioy receiued by the inhabitants the other part landed at Deepe The Earle of Warwicke Generall of the Army arriued there later hauing been by contrary windes twice driuen backe into England Afterwards they made diuers incursions into the Countrey neere thereabout but to hinder the same the Ringraue came and camped neerer The English and the French had notwithstanding often light skirmishes and those which were men of warre vpon the Sea brought in rich spoyles taking and bringing in euery day French ships from the neighbouring harbors This yeere Iohn Vere the Earle of Oxford died the sixteenth of that illustrious House who by his first Wife Daughter to Ralph Neuill Earle of Westmerland had Katherine who was wife to Edward Baron of Windsor by his second Wife Margaret Goulding Edw. Earle of Oxford who ouer-threw and wasted his Patrimony and Mary who was married to Peregrine Bartie Baron of Willoughbie At the same time Shan O-Neale came out of Ireland to performe that which he had promised the yeere before hauing for his Guard a troupe of Galloglassorum who had their heads naked and curled haire hanging on their shoulders yellow shirts as if they had beene died with Saffron or steeped in Vrine wide sleeues short Cassockes and rough hairy Clokes The English admired them no lesse than they should doe at this day to see those of China or America Hauing beene receiued with all courtesie hee cast himselfe at the Queenes feete and with teares acknowledged his crime asked pardon and obtained it After being graciously questioned Wherefore he had excluded Matthew his Brother from the succession of his great Grand-father answered fiercely as hee was vsed to doe in Ireland that it was his right and being the certaine and lawfull sonne and Heire of Cone borne of a legitimate woman he had taken his succession That Matthew was the issue of a Lock-Smith of Dundalke married with a woman named Alison after this marriage and notwithstanding had beene deceitfully supposed by his Mother Cone to be her sonne to the end falsly to take away the dignity of O-Neale And although he should suffer it some of the House
order and authority of the States hee had in the name of the whole Kingdome of England offered obedience vnto the Pope and hee could not but acquite himselfe of this promise And therefore he tryed and endeuoured to preuaile so much by Prayers that they would not retyre or draw backe from the Sea of Rome of which they held the Christian Faith which they had alwaies kept But when these things were brought to the Lower House there were many more than in the vpper House that consented ioyntly to these Lawes Wherevpon the Papist murmuring much said that of a deliberate purpose they had elected the most part of the Deputies amongst the Protestants aswell of the Shires as of the Cities Corporations and that the Duke of Norfolke and the Earle of Arundell the most powerfull and mightyest amongst the Peeres had industriously bribed the suffrages for the profit which they drew or hoped to draw thereby Spirits then disagreeing for matters of Religion by one and the same Edict all persons were forbidden to speake irreuerently of the Sacrament of the Altar and permitted to communicate vnder both species And a Conference appointed against the last of March betwixt the Protestants and the Papists in which the States of the Land should bee present and for the same to keepe and hold elect for the Protestants Richard Coxe Whitehead Edmund Grindall Robert Horne Edward Sandes Edward Guests Iohn Elmar and Iohn Iewell For the Papists Iohn White Bishop of Winchester Rad. Bain of Couentrie and Lichfield and Thomas Watson of Lincolne Doctor Cole Deane of Saint Paul Doctor Landgal Arch-Deacon of Lewis Doctor Harpesfield of Canterbury and Doctor Chatsie of Middlesexe The Questions propounded were these following Of the celebration of the Diuine Seruice in the Vulgar Tongue of the authority of the Church for to establish or abolish Ceremonies according as it is expedient and of the Sacrifice of the Masse But all this Disputation came to nothing for after some conference and writings deliuered from the one to the other side and not agreeing vpon the forme of the disputing the Protestants began to triumph as obtayning the Victory and the Papists to complaine of their hard vsage for not beeing aduertised but a day or two before and that Sir Nicholas Bacon the Lord Keeper being a man little read in Theologie and their great Enemie sate as Iudge although he was but meerely appointed for Moderator But the truth is that hauing thought more seriously vpon this matter they durst not without expresse order frō the Pope call in question such high points which are not argued in the Church of Rome And they cryed of all sides When is it that one shall knowe what hee ought truely to beleeue if it be alwaies permitted to dispute of Faith Disputers of Religion alwaies returne to the Scepters and such like things And the Bishops of Lincolne and Winchester were so offended with it that they were of opinion that the Queen and those that had caused her to forsake the Church of Rome should be excommunicated and punished with imprisonment for it But the wiser sort that it must be left to the Iudgement of the Pope for feare that those which were her Subiects should not seeme in doing this to shake off their obedience due to their Princesse and to display the Ensigne of Sedition And that was not hidden to the Pope who beeing also presently moued with Choller commands Sir Edward Carne of Wales a Ciuill-Lawier who had beene Ambassadour at Rome for HENRY the Eighth and MARY and was then for Queene ELIZABETH to quite this charge and to vse the same termes by the vigor or force of the commandement that was made vnto him by the Oracle of the liuely voice of our most holy Lord the Pope in vertue of the most holy obedience and vpon paine of the greatest Excommunication and losse of all his goods not to goe out of the Citie but to take vpon him the administration of the Hospitall of the English And did it to hinder that hee should not giue notice of the secret traines of the French against Queene ELIZABETH as he had done before with a great care for the loue he bore to his Countrey Neuerthelesse some thought that this old man voluntarily chose this exile for the zeale he bore to the Roman Religion In the meane time I omit for a while the affaires of the Church and Parliament to obserue the order of time the Embassadours of England Spaine which treated of Peace in the Citie of Cambray were in debate with the French about the restitution of Calais but they could not in any manner obtaine it although they should haue propounded to quit thē of three Millions of Gold which France ought by lawfull obligation The Spaniard who otherwise altogether different from Peace held the English side and surely with as much trueth as honour because the Queene had lost this Town by his occasion fore saw that it was expedient for Flanders that it should be in their obedience The French interrupted him saying that shee alone could not recompence the damages which the English had done them their Townes beeing taken by the Spaniards by reason of their ayde and many Borroughs in base Brittaine were sackt and burned many Ships taken and their Commerce or Traffique which is the sinewes of War broken That they had disbursed infinite summes of money to hinder their firings that Calais was the ancient patrimony of France and that if it had beene lost by Warre long agoe it had also then beene recouered by Armes therefore that it ought not to be restored and that the States of France had so resolued That surrendring it were to put weapons into their Enemies hands and withdraw for euer the Kings Subiects from his obedience and therefore that it was an vniust thing for the English to demand it The English on the contrary maintained that they demanded it with reason and Iustice because say they during one yea two ages he had tooke Englands part and that they had not onely conquer'd it by Warre but that it was also falne vnto them by hereditary succession and by cession made by vertue of the pactions and agreements in exchanges of other places which the Kings of England had likewise granted to them of France That these damages ought not to be imputed to them but to the Spaniards who against their will had drawne and associated them in this Warre in which through the losse of well-fortified places the taking of many of their Captaines they had receiued much more damage than the French and had had no profit therby That all that the States of France order or decree is not reasonable because it is only profitable and that Calais could not be lawfully or iustly detayned seeing that by the Conditions already agreed vpon all the places that were taken in the late Warres were restored vnto other Princes To which the French replyed
and not willing to violate the Peace newly agreed vpon they refused it Neuerthelesse Martigues being yong and liuely did so burne in desire to attempt England that with much adoe was he hindred by the wholsome councell of the Queene Regent but this heat was quickly quenched when it was knowne that a storme had so beaten the Marquis D'elbeuf vpon the coasts of Holland who sayled towards Scotland with greater Forces that he was constrain'd to returne to Diepe froÌ„ whence he departed with losse of some Ships of many Souldiers At that time Ph. Stauel of Glâ—ion Knight of the Golden Fleece and Master of the Artillerie was sent into England employed from Spaine to expose the complaints that the French made against the Queene touching the Affaires of Scotland and to counsell in the name of the King to Peace and concord yet neuerthelesse hee secretly counselled the Queene to pursue with courage what she he had begun in Scotland though contrariwise the Spaniard had openly forbidden to transport into England those munitions of War which she had couenanted for at Antwerp insomuch as she was constrained to make a new prouision thereof in Germany And the Proposition that Stauel made was not without suspition that some Companies of Spaniards should be sent into Scotland together with the French to suppresse the Scottish Rebels and by the same meanes the French themselues if they should attempt any thing vpon England At the same time M. Seuerin ordinary Embassadour of the King of France instantly sollicited the Queene to call backe her Armies both by Sea and Land from Scotland which she willingly accorded vnto prouided that the French should be recalled but by delayes sought out of the one side and the other the businesse is drawne into length till the comming of I. de Mouluc Bishop of Valence who differed not much from the Protestants Religion who vpon his arriuall from France being carried vnto the place said that he was not furnished with any power for this busines and notwithstanding he was very eloquent strained himselfe to his vttermost that those Armies should be recall'd from Scotland and maintain'd that it was not to defraud the Queene of England that the King and Queene of Scots carried the Armes of England but by that rather to honour the Royall House But not beeing able to perswade the one as being absurd nor the other as dangerous Seuerin desired Stauel and the Bishop of Aquilé Embassadour ordinary of Spaine in England to bee present and witnesses when he should protest against the Queene of England that shee had violated the Treatie of Peace to which they refused him because they had it not in Commission Neuerthelesse he made by a discource prolixe enough his protestation to which the Queene made an Answere which was published and set foorth by which shee testified to all the world That the violating of the Treaties proceeded only from the French and that nothing could happen to her more vexing and odious then this Warre and such like things which might easily be drawne from what had beene spoken heretofore and by a declaration in writing which she had formerly caused to be published Notwithstanding that although she had receiued many wrongs and iniuries in that they had vsurped the Title and Armes of her Kingdome she could not for all that beleeue that it had beene done with the consent of the King or Queene of France or the Princes of the Blood but by the wicked deuices of the Guizes who abusing the King and riches of the French were ready to wound England through the sides of Scotland That shee could not abandon her safety nor her Subiects And surely it is not to be doubted that the Guizes for the loue which they bore to the Queene of Scotland the hatred to Queene ELIZABETH in regard of Religion and the ambition to oblige France by adding new Kingdomes vnto it being assured of an English party of contrarie Religion to the Protestants linckt themselues together obstinately to ruine Queene ELIZABETH But they were diuerted by meanes of discontentments and hidden hatreds which grew vpon the Subiect of the administration of the affaires which were put into their hands after they had taken them from the Princes of the Bloud And the QVEENE went so prudently to worke and vpon the nicke to meete the designes of her Enemies that she hath beene alwayes had in admiration of her friends and in terrour to her Enemies The same day that Gray entered into Scotland with an Armie Seuerin and Mouluc earnestly sollicited Queene ELIZABETH to call it backe giuing her hope that Calais should bee rendred if shee did it But shee answered very plainely That she made no account of Calais a small Fisher-Towne in comparison of the safety of all Great Brittaine And the same day sent into Spaine Anthony Browne Vicount of Montaigue a man very remarkable for his wisedome but very zealous in the Romish Religion thinking that for that consideration he would bee more pleasing to the King of Spaine together with Tho. Chamberlaine Embassadour Ordinary to iustifie vpon how many iust causes she had sent an Armie into Scotland to wit those that I haue heretofore declared and to shew the Queen of Scotland had beene married very young to a sickly King vvho was without hope to leaue Issue that Hamilton Duke of Chastelraut hauing beene by the authority of the Parliament designed of the Kingdome of Scotland the Guizes had prepared Ambuscadoes for his Sonne as he should passe through France their designes were bent to ioyne the Crowne of Scotland to the Crowne of France and to conserue it for the Queene This matter the King of Spaine examined seriously how dangerous it was to the Prouinces of the Low-Countreys and of Spaine that it behoued not blast with Rebellion the assembly of the great ones in Scotland which was made for no other end but to keepe as by duty they are bound the Kingdome for the Queen and her lawfull successors not induring to permit that by the wiles of the Guizes it should be ruined or transferred to the French without wronging them or theirs Vpon the beginning of Aprill the English Armie composed of an hundred Horse and sixe thousand Foote marcheth toward Lieth which is a place situated neere Bodir where all the Seas of Great Brittaine doe beate and the Riuer of Lieth spreading broader dischargeth it selfe and makes a commodious Rode for Ships scarce two miles distant from Edenborrough the Capitall Towne of Scotland The French knowing this commodity had fortified it to retire thither and there receiue the succour which might be sent vnto them the English shewing themselues there Martigues goes as speedily out vpon them with some companies of Foote to hinder their approach to a Hill vpon which he supposed they intended to Campe but after a Skirmish of foure houres where some were slaine they driue them backe into the
had spread vpon the Queene or to cleanse it with his bloud vnlesse as he said himselfe his slanders might be accounted vaine by reason of his doting age Giue me leaue that the other side may be heard by diuers that writ thereof and at that time publisht it in print but such writings were soone call'd in both in fauor of the Earle of Murray and in hatred of the Queene and likewise by Ambassadours Letters worthy to bee beleeued In the yeere 1558. at the marriage of Francis the Dolphin of France and Mary Queene of Scotland Iames the Queenes Bastard-Brother commonly called the Prior of Saint Andrewes Metropolitan of the Order of Saint Andrewes despising that title was ambitious after a more splendid one but when the Queene by the aduice of the Guizes refused it him hee returned into Scotland discontented wherein vnder a faire pretext of reforming Religion and to establish the liberty of Scotland hee begun to trouble the State and effected it and so brought it to passe without the knowledge of the Queene in a Conuenticle of Confederates Religion was changed and by the calling in of ayde from England the French were driuen out of Scotland Francis King of France being dead he presently went to his Sister into France and hauing put away all suspition tending to her preiudice or dis-reputation for the affaires of Scotland swore vnto her calling GOD to witnesse to performe all dueties that a Sister could expect from a Brother and vpon the hope which he had that shee being brought vp from her tender age in the delicacies of France would not returne into Scotland workes with the Guizes to appoint some Noble-man of Scotland to be Regent there and almost poynted at himselfe to be the fittest man of all But hee being sent backe into Scotland without any authority but Letters of Commission by which the Queene gaue power to the States to assemble and consult for the good of the Kingdome and seeing himselfe deiected from his hope returned much vexed and passing thorow England made it there knowne that if they wished well to Religion in Scotland to the peace of England and the security of Queene ELIZABETH they ought by all meanes to hinder the Queene of Scotland to passe into Scotland Shee neuerthelesse being safely arriued in Scotland the English Ships being disappointed by obscure weather and being there embraced her Brother with all signes of fauour and good-will and in a kinde of manner committed vnto him the generall administration of affaires Notwithstanding all this the branches of his ambition are not cut off which grew daily and appeared both in words and deedes For hee could not containe himselfe but often among his friends deplored that the warlike Scottish Nation was no lesse subiect to the command of a Woman than the English was and by the instruction of Knox whom he esteemed as a Patriarke often debates that Kingdomes were due to merit and not to linage and that Women should be excluded from succeeding and that their gouernement were monstrous He treated likewise with the Queen by his friends that she should substitute foure of the Royall House of the Stewards who if she dyed without issue should succeed to the Crowne one after another without regarding who were legitimate or no thinking he should be one seeing he was the Kings Sonne though vnlawfully begotten But the Queene wisely considering that such a substitution was contrary to the Lawes of the Kingdome to defraud the right Heires a most pernicious example dangerous for her Subiects and would be an hinderance to her selfe for her second marriage she mildely answered That she would more aduisedly deliberate with the States of the Kingdome about a matter of such weight consequence and to testifie her fauour and bounty towards her Brother shee honoured him with the title of Earle of Mar afterwards with the Earledome of Murray for the dignity of Mar was then in controuersie being ignorant all this while that he aymed at the Kingdome and affirmed himselfe to be the lawfull Sonne of Iames the Fifth To make the easier way hereunto by meanes of the extraordinary fauour the Queene shewed to him he supprest the most noble Family of the Gordons powerfull in vassalage and command whom he both feared in respect of themselues as also by reason of the reformed Religion which adhered vnto him he expelled Hamilton Duke of Chastelraut out of the Court who was reputed next Heire to the Crowne imprisoned the Earle of Arraine his Sonne banished Count Bothwell into England dismissed all opposites of their honourable offices and places and retained the Queene vnder his power and suruey as a Gardian might doe his Ward aboue all other things being carefull that Shee might not negotiate nor intend any marriage And when he saw that of the one side the Emperour sollicited her for his Brother and the Spaniard on the other part for his Sonne he absolutely disswaded her both from the one and the other alledging vnto her how the ancient immunities of Scotland would not permit nor indure a strange Prince and whensoeuer the Scepter fell into the hands of Women they neuer made choyce of an Husband but within their owne Countrey of Scotland But in conclusion he perceiuing that all the Scots generally affected her marrying and discerning that by the perswasion and inducement of the Countesse of Lenox she desired to marry with the Lord Darley hee himselfe likewise then commended him vnto her for an Husband hoping in respect of his youth and for that he was of a tractable nature and disposition he would be euer at his direction and dispose Neuerthelesse when hee saw how dearely the Queene loued him himselfe to fall by little and little out of her fauour and grace hee repented of the counsell and aduice he had giuen and admonished Queene ELIZABETH to crosse this marriage by all the meanes possible that she could Presently after the Nuptials were accomplished and the Lord Darley proclaimed KING the King then presently reuoked such gifts as during his minority the Queene had conferred both vpon him and others whereupon being nigh associated with them he tooke vp armes against the King and the Queene pretending that this new King was dis-affected to the Protestant Religion and how she contracted this marriage without the consent of the Queene of England But hauing scarcely made any triall of the fortunes of warre he fled as I said into England where despayring of all succour he laboured by Letters to Morton a man of great subtilty and another like himselfe to effect that seeing the marriage could not be broken off yet that the affection and loue of the married couple might be abated by some secret practices and a fit occasion offered it selfe for after some domesticall and priuate grudgings to quaile the courage of this young King which boyled a little too hot and to preserue entyre her owne Royall prerogatiues in
condemned committed to perpetuall prison and her Sonne crowned KING Finally there wanted not others who for her summary chastisement and punishment would haue had her depriued both of her Royall Authority and life And this was vsually preach'd and diuulged by Knox and some other Ministers in the open Pulpit Throgmorton produced against this many reasons and Arguments taken out of the holy Scriptures touching due obedience and submission to superiour power who retaine the Sword of Authority in their hands arguing very strongly and constantly How the Queene was vnder no other Tribunall but that of the heauenly IVDGE neither could shee iuridically be constrayned to appeare and answer in the Court of any earthly Iudge That in Scotland the same authoritie which the Queene had not delegated nor made ouer to any other was nothing and by her reuocable But the Scottish-men replying alledged the peculiar rites and priuiledges of Scotland and that in extraordinary occurrents they might extraordinarily determine euen as they had collected out of Buchanans reasons who by the Earle of Murrayes perswasion then writ that Dialogue of the Right of Reigning or gouerning among the Scots who was condemned wherein he maintained against the Testimony of the Scottish Histories that the people were priuiledged to create or depose their Kings Notwithstanding Throgmorton ceased not importunately to sollicite them for the Queenes re-establishment and that himselfe might visit her though he no sooner opened his mouth in this poynt but they all replyed how this by no meanes could be granted him because herein they had denyed the French and that by this meanes they would not distaste the King of France to please and satisfie the Queene of England who as often experience heretofore had taught them laboured for nothing but her owne peculiar interests when shee was a meanes to driue the French away out of Scotland and lately shewed her selfe but niggardly and sparing of her fauours towards the Scottish Exiles Whereupon he thought it fit to take heed lest this importunity might vrge them to embrace the amity of the French and shake off that of the English when according to the French Prouerbe Qui quicte la partie la perd He that leaues his partie loseth it aduised and counselled the English to be carefull and iealous how they forsooke and lost the Scots After this by a Writing vnseal'd filled with variety of discourse which they committed to Throgmortons hands they vowed and protested that the Queene was remoued and restrained to a close place for no other end but to disioyne her from Earle Bothwell whom shee most entyrely loued till this heat of affection and her wrath conceyued against them might somewhat slacken and therefore they requested him to be satisfied in this Answer while some other Nobles of the Kingdome were assembled and yet neuerthelesse they restrayned the Queenes liberty euery day more and more though with teares shee intreated them to vse her more fauourably if not as Queene yet as shee was a Kings Daughter and Mother to their Prince and so hee many times requested that hee might goe and visit her but all in vaine Briefly not to rip vp in particular all the iniuries and disgraces offered her at last they made triall whether by milde and faire meanes they could induce her freely to giue ouer the gouernement either by reason of her weakenesse and indisposition or in respect of the trouble and annoyance it brought her to to reigne and gouerne which indeed they deuised for an excuse or else as others counselled her with more drift and subtilty to the end that being more weakly and gracelessely garded shee might the more safely and easily make her escape But when all this tooke no place they threatned to bring her to a publique triall to accuse her that shee had led an incontinent life murdered the King her former Husband and practised tyranny in violating the Lawes and ancient priuiledges of their Country especially those which De R. and De Oisel had enacted in the King of France his name and her owne Finally through feare of death and without euer hearing her answers they forced her to seale three Patents the first of which contained that shee assigned the gouernement ouer to her Sonne who was scarcely thirteene moneths old the second comprehending how shee constituted Earle Murray to be Vice-Roy during her Sonnes minority and the third implyed that in case Murray refused this charge shee ordayned for Rectors and Protectors of her Sonne the Duke of Chastelraut and the Earles of Lenox Arguile Athol Morton Glencarne and Mar But then shee presently certified the Queene of England by Throgmorton how shee had surrendred the gouernement of the Kingdome by compulsion and against her will subscribed to the Patent thereof by Throgmortons perswasion who informed her that any Grant extorted from her during imprisonment which causeth a iust and true feare was inualidious and of no effect But I will relate these things more at large in the yeere ensuing according as they may be faithfully extracted out of the Accusations and Answers of parties which were propounded at Yorke before the Commissioners to whom the absolute determination of this businesse was referred Fiue dayes after this Resignation or Grant IAMES Sonne to the Queene was consecrated and crowned King Iohn Knox then preaching publiquely after the Hamiltons had protested how it was without any manner of preiudice to the Duke of Chastelraut in the right of Succession against the Family of Lenox But Queene ELIZABETH forbade Throgmorton to be present hereat to the end that by the presentiall assistance of her Ambassadour shee might not seeme to approue this vniust deposition of the Queene Twenty dayes after Murray returned out of France into Scotland where hauing remained onely three dayes he went to the Queene with certaine of the Conspirators in his company he obiected vnto her many crimes and like a religious Confessor layd open vnto her many demonstrations to moue her to conuert vnto God with true repentance and to implore his mercy Shee shewed her selfe penitent for the sinnes of her life past confest part of them obiected to her extenuated some and excused others out of humane fragility and weakenesse but absolutely denyed the greater part entreated him to assume the mannaging of affaires vnder her Sonne and coniured him to be tender of her reputation and life Whereunto he made answer how this lay not in his power but shee must sue for it from the Estates of the Kingdome perswading her notwithstanding to obserue these things if she regarded either her life or honour That she should not disturbe either the peace of the King or Kingdome not to attempt the breaking of her imprisonment no wayes to excite the King of France or Queene of England to any domesticall or externall Warre no more to affect Bothwell and neuer to seeke any reuenge against them that were his enemies So soone as he was proclaimed Vice-Roy or
English in England should surprize and leade into Scotland the Gouernour of the Meridional frontier and of Barwick and others and not release them before they had promised in writing to returne Shee tooke all this as a great iniury and a disgrace done to the name of the English and to her honour And so much the more because the Regent had constituted that inquisition should be made vpon the borders of Scotland whether those which were of the Commission did come to the place armed This proposition she iudged to come from a heart puffâ— vp with enmitie but that other with ambition that is to say that the Regent should prescribe a place of meeting to the Queene of England notwithstanding that shee had not long before appointed a meeting-place in the City of Yorke to the Regent Murrey Neither could the affrighted Regent satisfie the Queene vntill hee vnarmed had met with Huntington Deputy for England at Bonderod a Towne vpon the Borders and there promised with good offices to salue this hurt and for the reparation of the English name he sent Carmichel his indeered friend into England who for a space was detayned there in free imprisonment at Yorke and soone after was sent backe with honour and rewards For the fault was found to be sprung from Forster whilest hee aboue measure sustained the Cause of a notorious Malefactor Thus was the Queene reconciled to the Regent who remained euer after constant in his friendship chastising the Fugitiues of either side to his great praise and the good of both the Kingdomes In this yeere dyed not any in England of any noble remarke or note But in Scotland the thrice-Noble Iames Hamilton Duke of Castell-Herauld who being sonne to the Daughter of Iames the second King of Scotland was giuen as a tutor to Mary Queene of Scots appointed Gouernour and Heire to the Kingdome so long shee was vnder age and when he had deliuered her to the French he was created Duke of Castell-Herauld in France afterwards was constituted the chiefe of the three Gouernours of Scotland during Queene Maries imprisonment whose Cause whilest he constantly defended being an open man and of a nature peaceable he was much afflicted by the iniuries and plots of some troublesome spirits The Earle of Essex perceiuing himselfe much troubled aswell by the Ambushes of Turlogh and the Lord of Dungannon as also by the obiected Difficulties in England and learning that it was deliberated in England concerning his repeale he silently deplored the misreies whereinto by extreme iniurie he was precipitated he complained of the losse of his owne and his mens fortunes hee lamented Ireland which he perswaded himselfe that with two thousand Souldiers he could reduce into obedience he instantly demanded that for his honour he might compound the matter with Turlogh and hauing giuen vp to the Vice-Roy his command in Vlster because that with that small Company of men which he had assigned him he was not of power sufficient to prosecute what he had begunne hee was presently commanded to resume the same But hee had scarce resumed it and began to march against Turlogh but he receiued Letters of Command wholly to with-drawe himselfe from that warre and in as honourable termes as he could to conclude a Peace Which beeing presently performed he charged vpon the Scots of Hebrides which had seized vpon Clandeboy and forced them to fly into Caues and hauing with the ayde of Norris surprized the Island Rachlin and slaine 400. of the Islanders hee forced the Castle to yeeld and there placed a Garrison And beeing now in the middle course of victory hee was againe commanded beyond his expectation to resigne his authority and onely as a priuate Captaine had command ouer three hundred men And sure nothing was omitted by the close and subtill dealings of Leicester with continuall troubles to oppresse the milde and peaceable spirit of this Noble Worthy Henry Sidney was then sent the third time Vice-roy into Ireland when the Plague made large hauock of the Isle neuerthelesse he passed to Vlster where many humbled themselues to him and requested with Prayers their safe-guard to wit Mac-Mahon Mac-Guir Turlogh Leinich and others as many also in Lemster of the seditious Family of O-Conor and O-Mor who by force of Armes had holden their ancient Possessions in Leise and Ophale whereof by an Ordinance they had beene dispossessed Beeing arriued at Mounster he assisted as a mourner to honour the Funerals of Peter Carew a true Noble Knight and of memorable vertues who as heire to Stephanide and Reymond Crasse who were the first Conquerers of Ireland and of the of Ydorne had conquered by the Rites of Warre part of his Patrimony Comming to Corcagh the Earle of Desmond visited him and with great respect offered vnto him all willing and ready seruices From thence being carried to Connach he receiued Homage of the sonnes of Clan-Richard which were Rebels and pardoned all their offences after they had humbly implored the same in the Church of Galloway and so hee gouerned the Prouince with great and worthy applause THE NINETEENTH YEERE OF Her Reigne Anno Dom. 1576. ANew yeere beginning the two match-makers for the Duke of Alanzon la Mottefenelon and la Porte began to charme the eares of Queene ELIZABETH with sweete and amorous discourses To whom reply was made That it was then no time for such talke the Duke being so farre ingaged in the Ciuill Warres wherewith France was infested that he could not readily come into England Neuerthelesse two Ambassadours were sent into France one after another to renewe a fraternall friendship betweene the King and the Duke and to dehort them from the affaires of the Netherlands lest the Spaniard should kindle a new war in France shewing them how easie a thing it would be to him hauing then a puissant Army in Italy to surprize Saluces or beeing with his forces possest of Prouence to command the entry of the Mediterranean Sea especially the treasury of France being so neere exhausted of other semblable matters she admonished them to deterre them from the Low-Countries For the Prince of Orange for his owne particular profit and the hope of retaining the Principality of Orange which was situate in France hee ceased not to inuite the French into the Netherlands and promised to the Hollanders and Zelanders who as if they were borne to the Sea did infest the Sea with their Vessels purposely built for their Pyracies the pillaging of the shipping of the English Merchants vnder a pretext framed that they relieued the Dunkirkes their enemies with victuals and vnder borrowed names transported into Spaine the merchandizes of Antwerpe and other places which themselues were accustomed to transport thither and for their owne profit but now durst not by reason they knew themselues guiltie of reuolt Holstock was forthwith sent with Ships furnished for the warres to represse them who tooke aboue two hundred
caried her selfe more difficultly neither would she heare those which would assure the Lady Arbella borne in England to be next to King Charles her Vnkle to the Inheritance in England nor Embassador which would make it appeare by Historie that the Kings of Scotland borne in Scotland had in time past by hereditarie right succeeded in the Countie of Huntington and he instantly besought her that she would not denie a Prince her neerest Kinsman that right of inhabitance which she vouchsafed to vnknowne Strangers But she commanded that the Reuenues should be sequestred in the hands of the Lord Burghley Gardian of the Pupils and warneth the King to satisfie Creditors out of the Earle of Lenox his goods in Scotland She tooke it impatiently that it should be suggested that the King would reuoke the infeoffement of the Earledome of Lenox to the preiudice of the Lady Arbella although by the Regall right of Scotland it alwaies hath beene lawfull to reuoke Donations hurtfull to the Kingdome and done in minoritie The Counsell of England doe not hold it conuenient and fit that the Treatie of Edenborough should be confirmed thinking it yet to stand firme They require that the Embassadour would propound something that might somwhat recompence the fauors and friendship that the Queen had manifested to the King who spared not the Blood of the English in his defence and consolidate a friendship Whereupon he propounds according to his instructions That a League may be made not Offensiue but Defensiue and with mutuall succours against the Pope and his confederates with certaine Lawes against those which should attempt any thing against either Kingdome and Rebels vnder pretence of Religion But besides these the English thinke it Iust that seeing the Queene had not omitted nor would omit any thing for the defence of the King and that for this cause she had incurred the Indignation of many That the States of the Kingdome of Scotland should giue caution that so long as the King is vnder age he should not contract nor renew couenants with any neither to marrie nor be sent out of Scotland without the Queenes aduice But these things being of such moment require to be exactly and circumspectly considered and are put backe to Scotland till another time In the meane time Morton who indeed was of a most eager and sharpe disposition trusting in his long experience and multitude of his vassals thinking nothing wel done but what he did himselfe not being able to endure to be lesse than he had been contemning his Colleagues and reiecting the manner of administration prescribed tooke againe the managing of affaires and detained the King in his power in the Castle of Sterlin admitting and denying entrance to whom he pleased The Peeres prouoked therewith tooke the Earle of Athole to be their Generall and in the Kings name summoned all that were aboue fourteene yeeres of age and vnder sixtie to meete together with Armes and Victuals to deliuer the King and true many came and hauing displaid their Colours marched towards Faukirk where Morton presented himselfe with his men But Sir Robert Bowes the English Embassadour interceding hindered them from comming to blowes Morton being vext to see how matters went presently retires to his House The Earle dyed as quickly and left a suspition that he was poysoned Which thing those that were moued against Morton tooke that aboue all to increase their hatred vntill they brought him to his ruine as we shall say hereafter This yeere nothing of note was done in Ireland But the Spaniard and Pope Gregorie the thirteenth prouiding for their owne profit vnder shadow of restoring Religion held secret counsell how at one time to inuade both Ireland and England and dispossesse Queene ELIZABETH who was the surest defence of the Protestants Religion The Pope he was to conquer Ireland for his Sonne Iames Bon-Compagnon whom he had created Marquis of Vignoles The Spaniard secretly to succour the Irish Rebels as Queen ELIZABETH had done the Hollanders while he entertained Parlies of friendship with her to enioy if he could the Kingdome of England by the Popes authoritie and then the States her confederates he could easily reduce to a course which he despaired to doe vnlesse he were Lord of the Sea and this hee saw could not be done vnlesse hee were first Lord of England And it is not to be doubted but that as he holds Naples Sicilie and Nauarre of the Popes liberalitie so most willingly would he hold England as a Beneficiarie ought to doe Those which know the principall strength of England consists in the Nauie Royall and in Merchants Shippes which are built for Warre thought it were good to fraught the Merchants Shippes for some long voyage by Italians and Flemmish Merchants and whilest they are vpon their voyage this Royall Fleet might be ouer-whelmed by a greater At the same time Thomas Stukeley an English Fugitiue of whom I haue spoken in the yeere 1570 ioyned to his Forces the Rebels of Ireland by this notable subtiltie and his great ostentation and shew and the promises which he made of the Kingdome of Ireland to the Popes base Sonne he had so wonne the fauour of this ambitious old man that he honoured him with the Titles of Marquis of Lemster Earle of Wexford and Caterlaughie Viscount Mourough and Baron of Rosse all of them remarkeable Places in Ireland and made him Generall of eight thousand Italians payd by the King of Spaine for the Warres of Ireland With which Forces hauing weighed Anker from the Ciuita Vecchia in the end he arriued in Portugal at the entry of Tage where a greater power by the Diuine Prouidence puft downe these that threatned England and Ireland For Sebastian King of Portugal to whom the whole expedition was committed because in the heate of his youth and ambition he had promised the Pope to goe against the Turkes and Protestants and employ all his power being drawne into Africa by Mahomet Sonne of Abdalla King of Fesse by great promises treates with Stukeley to goe before with these Italians to Mauritania And Stukeley being easily wonne to that knowing that the Spaniard disdaining that the Sonne of a Pope should be designed King of Ireland had consented to it hoisted saile with Sabastian and by an honest Catastrophe there he ended a dissolute life in a memorable combate Wherein dyed three Kings Sebastian Mahomet and Abdalemelech If this fate of Sebastians had not altered the King of Spaines mind from inuading England in hope of the Kingdome of Portugal England had felt a terrible storme of warre if credit may be giuen to English Fugitiues For they report that the great forces which hee had begun to rayse in Italy to showre vpon England were stayed for the taking of Portugal And being that his minde was wholly bent vpon that hee could not be made to thinke of England although the English Fugitiues earnestly sollicited him and for that businesse the Pope
in them lay to be in hatred within the Kingdome and accused him to Qu. ELIZABETH to be sent by the Guizes to ouerthrow Religion to procure the liberty of the captiue Queene and to disunite the amitie which was between the Kingdomes of England and Scotland They are easily beleeued and notwithstanding that he purged himselfe by Letters to the Queene and made profession of the Protestants Religion serious deliberation is hereupon taken in England The Councell of England was afraid that he would oppresse those Scots that stood best affected to the English and fauour the incursions which were made vpon the Borders and allure the King to marry in France or else-where vnknowne to the English and that the King now in his youth would molest the affaires of England and beeing come to more maturitie of age would assume the title of King of England as his Mother had done Which if he did the danger would fall more heauily from him than from his Mother in regard his birth gaue him an assured hope of two Kingdomes and gaine more friends to fauour his cause and that the Scots trayned vp in the ciuill warres and the warres of the Low-Countries were more expert to learne warlike offices Therefore from hence it is thought good by some meanes or other to infringe the fauour and authoritie that Lenox had with the King or to driue him out of Scotland and that without delay because rumours were giuen out that Balfour was sent for out of France who had found I know not what Writing of his owne hand to conuince him of the Murder of the Kings Father to ruine Morton and that he had for no other end obtained the gouernement of the Castle of Dunbriton but to set in stranger-forces into Britaine or to transport the King into France It was likewise said that he had perswaded the King to resigne the Kingdome to his Mother who had beene vniustly and by a most wicked example deposed by her Subiects after hauing taken her faithfull promise to resigne it by and by after vnto him againe by a lawfull resignation which would be a solid confirmation to him and a meanes to extinguish all factions and make him knowne to all to be lawfull King After this Sir Robert Bowes Treasurer of Barwicke is sent into Scotland to accuse Lenox of these things before the King and his Councell and to aduertise the King of the eminent dangers thereof As soone as hee had beene admitted hee demanded that Lenox might for a while be remoued from that place but the Councell would not agree vnto it as being a thing new and vnheard of to cause one of the Kings Councell to be put out from the Councell without shewing cause Also they made a doubt whether or no the Queene had giuen him that in charge expresly and therefore willed him to shew his instructions which he refused to doe saue to the King and to one or two others And seeing that he could not be heard hee was presently called backe and tooke leaue of the King when it was little thought on complayning that the wholesome admonitions of a well-deseruing Queene were reiected Shortly after Alexander Hume is sent from Scotland to excuse these matters hee had not admittance to the Queene but was sent to the Lord Burghley Treasurer who grauely and succinctly gaue him to vnderstand THat it was not any contempt of his person that was cause why the Queene would not permit him to see her knowing very well by experience that he was well affected to Religion to his Prince and Countrie and most studious for the peace of both the Kingdomes but out of a iust sence and sorrow for the contempt which was shewed towards her Maiestie and of the trust of her Ambassadour who had contained himselfe within the prescribed bounds of his Legation Layes all the blame vpon the new and ill-aduised Councellors excuseth the King as not being of age to haue much experience and wished him to lend an eare to the holy and wholesome counsels of the Queene who truely bare him a maternall affection and not to make lesse account of them than of those from a French kinsman the King of France his subiect who laboured to marry him to a French woman of the Romish Religion and peraduenture goes about now the Hamiltons exulting to be designed the Kings Lieutenant Let the King saith he remember that no passion is more feruent than ambition and let the Scots remember what troubles the French had caused in ScotlaÌ„d if the Queen by her wisdome and power had not preuented it So Hume was sent backe into Scotland and all of purpose to strike terrour into the King and to make him beleeue that the Earle of Lenox had some pernicious designe against him and the Kingdome Neuerthelesse within a while after Morton who was most addicted to the English was accused by Arran Laesa Maiestatis and cast into prison The end of the second Booke of the Annals and History of that mightie Empresse Queene ELIZABETH of most happy and blessed memory THE HISTORIE OF THE MOST HIGH MIGHTY AND Euer-glorious Empresse ELIZABETH Inuincible Queene of England Ireland c. True Defendresse of the Faith of immortall Renowne and neuer-dying Fame and Memory OR ANNALLES OF ALL SVCH REMARKable things as happened during her blest Raigne ouer her Kingdomes of England and Ireland as also such Acts as past betwixt her MAIESTY and Scotland France Spaine Italy Germany and the Netherlands The third Booke Fâ—â—thfully translated out of the French and â—â—â—â—isht in English with the KINGS leaue and Authority granted by his most Excellent Maiestie to ABRAHAM DARCIE To the euery way Noble and accomplished with all vertues Sir EDVVARD CONVVAY the Kings Secretary of State Sir WILLIAM HARVEY Lord HARVEY Baron of Rosse Sir ORACE VERE Sir ARTHVR THROCKMORTON Sir ROBERT MAVNCELL Sir FRANCIS POPHAM Sir WILLIAM MOVNSON Sir RICHARD WESTON The Right vertuous generous Sir THOMAS HATTON AND CHRISTOPHER HATTON Sir CARIE RAVVLEIGH EDVVARD WRAY Esquire I Here presume to consecrate to your perpetuall Honour this Booke which vnder the Honourable Shield of your Noble protections I haue sought to shelter knowing the Fame of this Heroicke Empresse to be no lesse deare vnto you then your Illustrious Persons are carefull to propagate to all Posterities your cleere and vntainted Names which by your pious liues and religious conuersations you haue engrauen in the Temple of Eternity your vertues cannot but cherish this History which containes the life of so matchlesse a Queene whose Diuine perfection the whole world admired as one who was the perfect Patterne of Princesses and the true Mirour Honour of Virgin-kinde I confesse many far better able then I a Stranger could haue discharged this Enterprise with far more skill and both in smoother and more elegant termes if they had beene willing to honour their Labours and Industries with so rare
Inheritance should succeed to the Crowne of England And if there bee two males the elder shal succeed to the Crown of France and the yonger shal haue the hereditary Right of his Mother And if one sole male he shal come to both the Crownes and shall resyde in England euery two yeares eight moneths And if the Duke shall not attaine the Kingdome of France the children shall succeed in Appanage If he suruiue the Queene he shall haue the tuition of his children till the sonnes shall accomplish the age of eighteene yeares and the daughters fifteene But if hee die before the tuition shall be left to the Authoritie of the Parliament Hee shall not promote any stranger to any Office in England nor shall hee change any ancient Rite or Custome He shall at no time carry the Queene or her Children out of the Realme without consent of the Nobilitie If shee dye issuelesse hee shall no longer challenge any right in England nor carie or conuay any of her Iewels out of the Land he shall suffer euery one and all places of the Kingdomes to bee guarded kept by the natiue English shall not take or cause to be taken away any munition of Warre Hee shall not engage England into any foraine warres Hee shall to his power procure the Land peace with other Nations The Queene shall onely enioy the Supremacie nor shall assume any Title which may happen to fall vpon the Duke as it were holding by the custome of England The Duke by this match intendeth not to preiudice the Right of his succession to the Kingdome of France The present Contract shall bee read published and kept vnder Record in all the Courts of France and England within six moneths after the Espousals with the Authoritie of the most Christian King for the ratification of these Articles There shall bee made a Treatise Confederation and League betwixt England and France These things shal be confirmed de bona side with an Oath on the part of the King of France as well for him as for his Heires who shall deliuer Letters of the confirmation thereof with all possible expedition hee may carying assurance that the Articles in the present Treaty contained shall be kept inuiolably also A reseruation apart was added vnder the hands and seales of all the Commissioners implying thus much That ELIZABETH was not bound to the consummation of the mariage till the Duke she should haue commutually satisfied and reciprocally setled each other in certaine things betwixt themselues and concerning these points they were within six weekes by writing to certifie the King of France Before the six weekes were expired Secretarie Somer was sent into France about this businesse But the King refuseth to giue him audience vrging the instant celebration of the mariage already concluded as if there had been nothing else remaining to bee done Somer shewing vnder signe and seale that there was first a defensiue league offensiue to bee performed maintaineth the contrary To moderate the matter there was sent ouer Sir Fran Walsingham with Sir Henry Cobham Leiger Ambassador in France and Somer who deliuered this or the like speech ALthough the vulgar sort doth censure hardly of the procrastinating of this contracted mariage Queene ELIZABETH intendeth nothing more then to content her people who are instant to haue her marry that they may be secured of a succession in her children Her Maiestie being sought to by the Duke of Anjou by good right hath his loue preferred before all other Princes by reason of his vertues and resplendent race and shee protesting to beare vnto him most soueraigne loue holding off from the consummation of mariage onely vntill she could haue knowledge from her people how they stand affected thereunto holding it a point of wisdome in the meane time rather to foresee then to repent too late seeming in these respects to demurre the more by reason of the ciuill warres in France the vnfortunate Duke of Anjous vndeseruedly falling out of the Kings fauour and in England an auersion of heart in most of the best of her Subiects since the first motion of the mariage yet all this breeds nor brings no diminution of true loyall loue in her Maiesty towards the said Duke Also it was at this time out of season for the French King to vrge a present consummation knowing the Duke was newly entred into warre against the King of Spaine the which he might not suddenly abandon or relinquish without great dishonour to himselfe discommoditie to the Kingdome of France and England as also the ruine of Flanders the Spaniard there growing dayly greater and greater Moreouer in stead of continuing peace at home for which the people prayeth they must of necessitie bee brought to bloody warres the Queenes husband being so deepely engaged thereinto For these reasons from henceforth that Treaty of sudden mariage is to surcease vntill the Duke of Anjou were dis-intangled out of these warres and that interchangeable conditions of Offensiue and Defensiue Alliance bee passed betwixt the two Kingdomes of France and England And assuredly the Queene desired it aboue all things But the French would promise no other thing but to passe to couenants of mutuall defensiue and as for the offensiue would heare it no further spoken of vntill the Nuptials were celebrated Within a short space after the Duke whom the States had elected Gouernor of Flanders comes into England after he had happily raised the siege of Cambray at the charge and cost of Queene ELIZABETH who had supplyed him with great summes of money by the hands of Henry Seimor Palauicine an Italian and Bex a Frenchman The hope he relyed vpon was this that if he should not presently dispatch the mariage yet should hee so effect that by the fauour of the Queene whom the Dutch honoured as an earthly Goddesse he should bee the better welcome to the Low-Countri-men at his returne He ariued safe in England and was magnificently entertained and receiued with all royall courtesies could be expected euident testimonies of honour and loue which her Maiestie shewed apparantly insomuch that on a time on the day of the solemnization of her Coronation he being entred into amorous Discourse with her Maiestie the great loue which shee bore him drew a Ring from her finger which shee gaue him vpon certain condâ—tions meant and agreed vpon betwixt them The assistants tooke that for an argument and assurance that a mariage was by reciprocall promise contracted betweene them Amongst others Aldegondy Gouernor of the City of Antwerpe dispatched messengers suddenly ouer into the Low-Countries where for great ioy at the hearing thereof both in Antwerpe and all ouer Flanders were made bonefires and their great Artillerie shot off But this bred sundry opinions among the Courtiers For as some reioyced exceedingly others were astonisht at it some quite strucke downe with sadnesse The Earle of Leicester who had laid a secret plot
for the rebellion had spoiled and deuasted the same But some of those that had Commission for the enquiry and searching out of the possessions of the Rebels and others that were to prize and set the same to hyre began to expell and chase from their possessions with such violence those who were true subiects that the Queen was constrained to represse them by an Edict lest the violent auarice of some particular men might kindle and inflame a new rebellion In which the Vice-Roy tooke much laudable paines although by the English he was accused and blamed for being too indulgent and fauorable to the Irish and too too rough to them But he equally distributing iustice to either part by fauouring as well the Irish as the English brought the Prouince into a most desired tranquilitie and with a milde and gentle command subiected to the obedience of the Lawes the most barbarous inhabitants of the same holding the Scotchmen of Hebrides that from their Ilands did breake into Ireland to a hard taske And inforc'd Donel Gormi that is to say blue with his brother Mac-Conel who had possest thēselues of the little Country of Glinnes and Surley-boy that is to say Red their Vncle that had inuaded the Countrey of Rout neighbouring and adioyning to the Iland Richnee now called Raclis to such a point that after many of their kindred were ouercome and slaine by the valorous exploits of Captaine Meriman they receiued the oath of allegeance to the Queene accepting from her Maiesty certaine Lands in that corner vnder conditions that they should serue the Kings of England onely in their warres and not any other whatsoeuer without their permission that they should furnish forth vpon any expedition a sufficient number of horse and foot and that a certaine number of Beeues and Hawkes should euery yeare be truely paid Thus much for what hath past in Ireland THE SEVEN AND TWENTIETH YEERE of Her Raigne Anno Dom. M.D.LXXXIV DIVERS Scots that had compacted with Gowry who now againe was plotting of new stratagems to get the King of Scots into his power secretly returned from Ireland into Scotland vpon the entrie of the Spring There they protested openly that their intent was onely for the honour of God the truth of Religion and to secure the King the Realme and the League with England against those that with wicked deuices would seduce the King not being as yet of sufficient age The King hauing notice of these things hee forthwith commanded Colonell Stuart to apprehend before all Gowry the chiefe Architect of the conspiracy who presently retired himself to a Port called Dundey as though he would haue departed the Kingdome where he knowing himselfe guilty despising the Kings authoritie obstinately withstood them and defended himselfe in his lodging but after two houres he was apprehended and led to prison In the meane while the Conspirators surprising the town of Sterlin they constrained the Castle to yeeld But vnderstanding that the King was marching towards them in person with an armie and finding themselues but weakely accompanied in respect of the number vvhich Gowry had promised them also in vaine attending succours out of England they forsooke their hold And as euery one being full of feare sought to shift for himselfe the Earles of Marre Glan and Angus holding together vvith others took their flight through many by-wayes into England humbly requesting the Queene to releeue them in their afflictions and bee an intercessor for them to their King seeing that they vvere depriued both of their fortunes and the Kings fauour by endeuouring for the good of her and her Kingdome The King on the contrary accused them to the Queene of many hainous things demanding according to the league of alliance betweene them that they might bee deliuered into his hands But there were some about the Court that perswaded the Queene that they were men most obedient to their King and most desirous of his welfare that hauing him vnder their custody and power yet neuer attempted any thing against his state or person and that law which was vsually expressed in leagues concerning the deliuerie and restoring backe of Rebels was long since abolished and out of vse amongst Princes These men also endeuoured to perswade the King of Scots that he should deale more mildly and gently with men of such and so great ranke and not to driue them as it were headlong through despaire to more bad designes Remonstrating to him that terrour and violence vvere but feeble and vnhappy props of power alledging to that end two tragicall examples drawne out of the Scottish History attributing great praises to his mother Francis her husband that at the first rising of the French ciuill war past ouer the iniuries and offences of the Nobility without regard Walsingham that studiously fauoured the fugitiues by letters commanded that they should bee receiued into the Island called the holy Iland but Hunsdon who shewed himselfe a greater friend to the King of Scots then any other opposed it because the iurisdiction of the place appertained to him as gouernor of the East frontiers hee thought it altogether vnfit that any entrance should be permitted to the Scots in a place of strength neither would he obey the letters of the Secretary without expresse command from the Queene From hence arose a controuersie whether a Secretary could by his authority direct or execute the affaires of his Prince without receiuing speciall command from him and without the counsell of the gouernor of the place What was determined thereupon is not manifest but the Scots were not admitted into the Isle Neuerthelesse it was esteemed expedient that they should be in some sort fauored to oppose the contrary faction which arose in Scotland which was that the Ministers had spred rumored abroad that the King was about to forsake his religion but they could not produce or alledge any argument probable although they had framed many but onely that he was wholy transported with a filiall loue towards his mother and receiued as a most indeered to him those which he knew were affectionate to her In the meane space Gowry was brought to iudgment before the Peeres at Sterlin And was accused to haue plotted a new conspiracy against the King after he had been confin'd prisoner to his house Notwithstanding that the King had lifted him vp to great honours riches and Commands and accounted of him as a kinsman To haue consulted by night which the seruants of Angus for the taking of Perth Sterlin To haue resisted by force of Armes the authority royall at Dundey To haue concealed the conspiracy which was complotted to ruine the King and the Queene his mother And lastly To haue consulted with the sorceresse Maclene To all this he pleaded innocency and an vnspotted faith towards the King He acknowledged the benefits which hee had receiued He complained bitterly of the Earle of Arran as
either Prince or suffer any such person or persons in publike or in priuate to make stay or aboade in their Dominions But either of the said Princes vpon the first notice or request of the Prince from whom they haue reuolted offered shall deliuer or cause to be deliuered vp the said conspirators or Rebels without any delay or procrastination according to the Conuentions in our former Treaties betweene our selues and our predecessors expressed or at least shal compell them to depart out of the bounds of their Dominions And furthermore so long as the said Rebels or conspirators shall remaine in the said Dominions either of the said Princes shall giue reasonable satisfaction for all the wrongs and damages done by the said Rebels The ninth THat to compound for all and singular the iniuries and controuersies which haue hapned since the time that the most excellent King of Scots tooke the gouernment of the Kingdome vpon him and for the space of foure yeares before by reason of the frontier limits or amongst the borderers The Princes shall on either side within six moneths after this league concluded send capable Commissioners desirous of peace well instructed with commands sufficient and proper for the same affaires to some commodious place vpon the frontiers of both Kingdomes which shall determine and end all causes controuersies by a friendly and honorable composition The tenth THat neither of the said Princes shall contract any League or confederation with any other Prince Common-wealth or Communalty whatsoeuer to the preiudice of this present League and vnion without hauing and obtaining an expresse consent from the other by Letters either subscribed with his hand or sealed with his Priuy Seale That both Princes when either of them shall bee duely requested by the Ambassadors or Commissioners of the other shall approue and confirme this holy League of Society both by Oath and vnder the Great Seale And further for the greater assurance and stabilitie of the same shall deliuer or cause to be deliuered Letters Patents at a certaine time which by the mutuall consent of either Prince shall be constituted The eleuenth THat all the precedent Treaties of friendship and Conuentions of Leagues betweene the Predecessors of the said Princes their Kingdomes and Dominions though now seeming out of vse shall remaine in their vertue force and vigour And likewise this present treaty of mutuall alliance and fast friendship shall not derogate in any manner from the precedent Treaties and confederations passed by the said Princes with other their Allies or diminish in any part their waight and authoritie onely excepted the defence of the pure Religion which the said Princes doe defend and exercise at this present in their Kingdomes in which manner we vnderstand that this present League of offence and defence in its owne force shall remaine ratified and inviolable That when the King of Scotland shall come to the age of fiue and twenty yeares he shall so soon as he conueniently may approue and confirme by a publique assembly of his Kingdome this present League Likewise the Queenes Maiestie shall doe and accomplish the same thing and shall cause to be done and accomplished in the Court of Parliament by the Nobility and other states of the Kingdomes of England and Ireland In the same moneth that this League was concluded of a most pernicious conspiracy was discouered against Queene ELIZABETH of which in as few words as may possible be I will expound the originall and progresse according to that which I haue extracted out of the voluntary confessions of the conspirators Some out of the English Seminarie at Rheims admiring as it were with astonishment a certaine omnipotency in the Pope of Rome beleeuing that the Bull of Pius Quintus against Queene ELIZABETH was dictated to him by the Holy Ghost perswaded themselues and others also that desired the glory of being Martyrs that it was a meritorious thing to murder such as were excommunicate yea and a martyrdome to dye in such a cause Giffard Doctor in Diuinity Gilbert Giffard and Hodgeson Priests so farre possessed the minde of Iohn Sauage with these things who was reputed to be a bastard a man ready at all assayes that hee freely and voluntarily vowed to murder Queene ELIZABETH And to make men beleeue that they desired to assure the Queene and her Counsellors they published a booke at the same time wherein they admonished the Papists of England not to enterprize any thing against their Queene but with their teares which are the weapons of Christians to combate against her enemies And also by this meanes they dispersed a false rumor that George Giffard a Gentleman of the Queenes Guard had sworne to murder her and to that end was by the Guise hyred with large summes of money In Easter Holydayes Iohn Ballard Priest of the same Seminary after hee had visited many Papists in England and Scotland and had sounded their minds hee returned into France accompanied with Maude Walsinghams Spy a most crafty dissembler that had seduced his easie nature and treated vvith Barnardino Mendoza then Leidger for the King of Spaine in France and Charles Paget who was wholly deuoted to the Queene of Scots about the meanes to inuade England representing to him the apt opportunitie of the time which then vvas because the men of warre were then absent and busied in the Low-Countries neither was there a fitter time to bee hoped for because the Pope Spaniard Guise and Parma had then determined to inuade England to diuert the warres from the Netherlands But Paget clearely demonstrated that it would be in vaine to goe about to inuade England so long as the Queene was liuing Ballard neuerthelesse was sent backe after hee had sworne to procure speedy succours to them that should inuade and the liberty of the Queene of Scots At Whitsontide this Priest ariued in England apparelled in Silks in the habite of a Souldier and by a borrowed name called himselfe Captaine Foscue Hee consulted at London about these things with Anthony Babington of Dethicke in Darbyshire a yong man of a famous house of a haughty spirit in learning surpassing his age and very zealous to the Roman religion who without leaue had before passed into France vnknowne and there became familiar with Thomas Morgan a seruant to the Queene of Scots and the Bishop of Glasco her Ambassador who continually sounded in the eares of his ambitious yong man the heroicall vertues of the great Queene of Scots in whose seruice hee might obtaine the meanes to rise to great Honours Whereupon the yong man conceiued a certaine hope and Morgan without his knowledge commended him by Letters to the Queene For after that he was returned into England the Queene of Scots graciously saluted him with her Letters after that Morgan made vse of him for conueyance of Letters to and fro vntill such time that she was deliuered into the custody of Poulet then he perceiuing the danger
should the more irritate and attended till the dolour being appeased by the protraction of time would suffer it selfe to be dealt withall For perceiuing then that the French did sharpen and incitate the young King to reuenge and fearing that through suttle sleights and eager desire of reuenge he might be diuerted from the Protestant Religion and from louing the English she imployed all her possible industry and Princely meanes to cure his wounded heart and alienated from her And for that cause propounded to him by such Agents as shee had in Scotland as also by the Lord of Hunsdon Gouernour of Berwicke FIrst what danger there was in making warre vpon England for this cause which now to all the Estates of England seemed necessary for the good of the whole Iland and most iust And whether hee were of power to goe thorow withall England being then neuer more potent in military men money and munition and Scotland neuer weaker being brought low and exhaust by ciuill and intestine broyles If hee would haue the assistance of forreine powers let him learne by the experience of his Mother who so long and often implored that in vaine what labour and trouble he would haue to obtaine it And if he should procure it what successe could he hope for by it seeing that England ioyning with the shipping of Holland and Zeland feared not the most puissant Princes of Europe What hope could he put the King of France or the King of Spaine in sith his power being once increased with the addition of England and Ireland to his Crowne ought to be contrary to their designe and that his Religion was so directly opposite to theirs that they could not ayde and succour him but to their owne preiudice That the King of France could not behold but with griefe the King of Scotlands Dominion augmented by the Kingdome of England without feare that he should pursue the ancient right which the English haue in France or giue assistance to the Guizes his Allies who at this instant gape for the Kingdome of France That the King of Spaine who would questionlesse giue place to his ambition because that he brags though falsly to be the first Catholique King issued from the Bloud-Royall of the English and of the house of Lancaster That to this purpose some Iesuites and others haue with their vttermost power endeuoured during the life of Queene MARY of Scotland to enthrone him by election in the Kingdome of England as most fit to re-establish there the Romane authoritie in eiecting from the Crowne both Mother and Sonne Nay moreouer they begun to perswade the Queene of Scotland to make him thereof a legacy by her Testament if King IAMES her Sonne would still perseuer in the Protestant Religion Let the King consider whither these things doe tend what succour hee can looke for from Spaine and to what ignominy hee will precipitate his Soule to his eternall damnation and all Great-Britaine to his vtter ruine if hee forsakes the true Religion in which hee hath beene educated That the Peeres and States who haue giuen sentence against his Mother seeing that hee meditates vpon a reuenge will not fayle to exclude him from the Crowne of England by a new Act of the right of Succession That in giuing place to necessity and keeping in the agitation of his courage hee will mediate easily their loue sith that which is done cannot be vndone Let him then expect to possesse in his time the most flourishing Kingdome of England and enioy in the meane while a Crowne of securitie and beleeue that those which can tell well how to weigh and prize things will iudge that hee hath sufficiently fore-seene to his honour in not fayling in due opportunitie to doe his Mother all the dutifull seruices of a most pious sonne Moreouer let him likewise assure himselfe that the Queene of England will accounnt hold and esteeme him as her owne sonne and will doe him all offices of amity and vse him as a Mother her dearest sonne These are the things that Queene ELIZABETH endeuoured with great care to possesse the King with and to the end hee should not doubt but that his Mother had beene put to death without Queene ELIZABETHS consent shee resolued to send him the sentence pronounced against William Dauison sealed with the broad Seale of England and all the Commissioners hands subscribed therunto and to appease his Maiestie the more another iudgement signed by all the Iudges of England certifying that that sentence pronounced could in nothing hinder or bee preiudiciall to his right to the Kingdome of England In the mean time that Q. ELIZABETH by these or such like reasons endeuoured gently to calme the King of Scotlands agitations fore-seeing the warre wherewith she was furiously threatned by the King of Spaine whose hopes to frustrate shee sent Sir Francis Drake with foure Royall Ships well appoynted to the Coast of Spaine and elsewhere with command to take burne and pillage all such Ships as hee could finde as well in the Harbours and Port-Townes as on the Ocean Drake arriuing in the Streight of Gibraltar entred the Hauen thereof where after he had caused sixe great Ships to flye vnder the Forts protection hee tooke and burnt a hundred Ships more or lesse in the which there was infinite prouision of warlike munitions victuals and among others the Great Gallion of the Marquis of Santa Cruz called Rageusa richly loaden with merchandize From thence returning to Cape S. Vincent hee there burnt all such Ships and Fisher-boats which lay in that Rode And then went to Cascalet Hauen which is situated at the mouth of Tage he vrged there the Marquis Santa Cruz to fight but hee not daring stirr'd not but let Drake freely sayle along that Coast and take their Ships without the least impeachment Then hauing turned saile to the Iles of Azoris met by chance which he tooke with ease a great and lusty Ship most rich and well furnished called Saint Philip which was returning from the East-Indies This act caused the vulgar sort of Mariners of diuers Countries to take the name of Philip for an ill signe or prognostication against Philip King of Spaine By this Drakes worthy though briefe expedition England was much enriched and the Spaniards sustayning so great a losse of munition and warlike preparations were constrayned to giue ouer their designe they had to inuade England for that yeere Since which time the English begun with alacrity couragiously to assault those great and huge Ships most like vnto Castles which they before did much dread and feare and discouered so plainely the opulent and rich commodities of the Indies the meanes how to trade and traffique in those Easterne parts in such sort that they haue since established an aduantagious trade and profitable nauigation in those Countries hauing established an East-Indie Company of Merchants At that very time Thomas Cauendish a Suffolke man which two
and likewise for the Kingdome of Scotland Yet they neuerthelesse would not agree thereunto but meerely for those foure Cities which the Queen then had in possession as Ostend Flushing Bergen vp Zoom and the Breele and that during the said Treaty and twentie dayes after prouided that in the meane while it was lawfull to the Queene of England to assault Spaine and to the King of Spaine to inuade England as well out of Spaine as of Flanders During that time thus runned in speech about this Truce and the place appoynted for the conference which at last was appoynted at Bourbourgh Sir W. Crofts who for the great desire hee had of peace was gone to Bruxels without the knowledge of the rest of the Commissioners propounded in particular some Articles for which hee afterwards was imprisoned vpon the Earle of Leicesters accusation though that to the iudgement of others hee ought not to haue beene reproued or disauowed yet it is not lawfull to Commissioners to exceede the limits of their Commissions prescribed vnto them Finally the English seeing they could not obtaine a full and intyre cessation of Armes nor to see at all the Commission containing power for the Duke of Parma to treat of peace they propounded THat the ancient alliances betweene the Kings of England and the Dukes of Burgundie might be renewed and confirmed That the Flemmings might peaceably enioy their priuiledges and serue God with libertie of conscience That the Spaniards and other strangers might be sent out of Flanders to ridde the Flemmings and the neighbouring-Prouinces of all feare And that if they would grant these things the Queene to shew that shee had not taken vp Armes for her owne particular interest but for the necessary defence both of the Flemmings and her selfe would willingly hearken vnto any reasonable conditions touching the Townes which shee then possessed in the Low-Countries paying the mony which shee had laide out about them Whereunto the Dukes Deputies answered THat when it would please them friendly to conferre with them about the renewing of their ancient alliances there should be no disagreement in that regard That stranger Princes had nothing to doe with the Flemmings priuiledges of grace graunted as well vnto the reconciled Townes and Prouinces as vnto the rest which by force of Armes haue beene brought vnto obedience That their stranger-Souldiers were of necessitie retained there because they were vp in armes both in Holland England and France As for Townes taken from the King and expences of money the King of Spaine might well demand recompence of the Queene of many thousands of Crownes spent in the warres of the Low-Countries since her assisting and taking into her protection the rebellious Flemmings About this time Dr. Dale by the Queens cōmandement was sent vnto the Duke to make a friendly complaint vnto him of a Booke lately set forth by one Allin an English Cardinall by which hee admonished the Nobles and people of England and Ireland to ioyne with the forces of Spaine vnder the Dukes conduct for the execution of Pope Sixtus the Fifth his Sentence published by a Bull against the Queene by which he declared her an Heretique illegitimate and cruell against the Queene of Scots c. and commanded her Subiects to assist the Duke against her Many of those Bulls were printed at Antwerpe to be dispersed in England The Duke made him answere that hee had not seene any such Booke or Bull and that hee would not vndertake any thing in the Popes name yet that hee was to obey his King Moreouer that he honoured and admired so much the Queene for her Royall vertues that next vnto the King he made more account of her Maiestie than of any other Prince That hee had counselled the King to treate of that peace which would be more profitable to the English than to the Spaniards for quoth hee if the Spaniards be ouercome they can easily recouer their losse again but if you be once vanquished your Kingdome is vtterly lost Whereupon Doctor Dale replyed That the Queene was powerfull enough to defend her Kingdome and that himselfe might well iudge according to his graue wisdome that shee could not easily be ouerthrowne by the losse of one battell seeing the King of Spaine himselfe by so long a warre could not as yet recouer the inheritance of his Ancestors in the Low-Countries Well said hee these things are in the hands of the Almightie God Afterwards the Commissioners had many conferences and alterations and as it were weaued the same webbe againe When the English desired a toleration of Religion to be granted but for two yeres to the Vnited Prouinces it was answered That as the Spaniard interceded not in the like kinde for the English Catholikes so they hoped that the Queene in her owne wisedome would forbeare to request any thing of the Spaniard preiudiciall to his honour his oath and his conscience When they required re-payment of the money which the States of Brabant owed the Queene they answered That that money was lent without the Kings priuity or authoritie But all accounts beeing cast vp it might appeare both how much that money was and how much the King had spent in this warre to whom more ought to be paid By such kinde of answeres they deluded the English vntill the Spanish ARMADA approched the coast of England and the thunder of their Ordnance was heard from the Sea Then receiuing a conuoy from the Prince who during this treatie had brought almost all his forces to the shore by his Commissioners were honourably conducted to the borders neere Calais So vanished this treatie into nothing vndertaken by the Queene as the wisest sort of men iudged to auert the Spanish Fleete continued by the Spaniard to surprize England vnawares vnprouided so that both of them seemed to sew the Foxes tale to the Lyone skin That Spanish ARMADA the greatest and best furnished with men munition and all warlike preparations that euer the Ocean did see and arrogantly named Inuincible consisted of one hundred and thirtie ships in which were nineteene thousand two hundred and ninety souldiers eight thousand three hundred and fiftie Mariners two thousand eightie Gally-slaues chayned two thousand six hundred and thirty peeces of great Ordnance The Generall was Alphonsus Perez Guzman Duke of Medina Sidonia For Antonius Columna Duke of Palian of S. Cruz or of the holy Crosse designed Generall dyed during the preparation and vnder him was Iohn Martinus Recaldus a most skilfull Nauigator The third before the Calends of Iune they loosed from out of the Riuer of Tagus and bending their course towards the Groin in Galicia by a strong tempest they were dispersed three Gallies with three Oares on a seat beeing by the industry of Dauid Guin an English slaue and the perfidiousnesse of the Turkish Gally-slaues carried to the coast of Frāce after some time with great difficulty met at the Groin and the Hauens thereabouts So
Hardinesse is a Vertue which encourages one to blame or defend things iustly her mediocrity is betwixt cowardnesse and temerity To her belong Magnanimity Magnificency Patience and Perseuerance Of True Honour TRue HONOVR which belongeth to Liberality and Iustice is a Diuine Vertue subiect neither to fortune nor force it is that which all good and vertuous men aime at leuell their actions Of Temperance TEMPERANCE is a morall Vertue which moderates sensuall voluptuousnesse and the couetousnesse thereof and the dolour or griefe which is still as it were linked with couetousnes shee mediates or is a meane betweene Intemperancy and Stupidity shee is perfected made whole by Bashfulnesse Honesty shee keepes vnder her AbstineÌ„cy Continency Sobriety and Chastity To her do belong Gentlenesse Clemency Humility Meeknesse and Moderation Of Magnanimity MAGNANIMITY belonges to Force and Courage it is a carefull vertue and as it were a spur to purchase supreme honours her mediocrity or mean is betweene Saperba and â—â—â—â—animity Of Clemency CLEMENCY is a morall vertue which moderating anger quencheth in vs fre or choler to produce pious actions she mediates or is a meane betweene Cruelty and too great Indulgency Of Truth TRVTH by which in all our actions humane society we should make things as they be her meane or moderation is betweene Simulation and dissimulation Of Liberality LIBERALITY is a Vertue truely Noble and most Diuine appertayning to Iustice This excellent Vertue moderating the desire to abound in riches rules the purchasing of goods and orders expences to produce in vs and bring forth to the world rare actions it is a meane betweene Auarice and Prodigality Of Ciuility CIVILITY is also a morall vertue which consisteth in vttering gracefully a speech or discourse in Company by this Vertue both praise and a good opinion is acquired it is a meane betweene Mirth and Melancholy Of Courtesie COVRTESIE is a Vertue truely morall by which we purchase loue in shewing our selues gracious and officious to those who stand in need of vs it is a meane betweene submission and rudenesse or harsh disposition Qu. Elizabeths extraction by the Fathers side The birth of the Lady Anne Bolene The King fals in loue with Anne of Bolone The reason why he puts away his wife The King entreats the Pope for expedition The Prelates and Peeres doe the like The King seeing himselfe contemned renounceth the Pope Marrieth Anne A Nunne of Kent suborned Authoritie of Ecclesiasticall giuen to the King Anne beheaded The King exerciseth his cruelty vpon Papists and Lutherans and his auarice vpon the Monasteries The Law of Six Articles He marries and diuorces Anne of Cleue Katharine Parre Reconciles himselfe with the Emperour Charles Assures the succession to his Children Take Bologne Dyed King Edward the Sixth succeedeth his Father The doctrine of the Gospel is brought in A miserable reigne vnder a King that is a Childe The Protector is sacrificed to death Elizabeth in fauour with her brother Her studies Mary is proclaimed Elizabeth ioynes with her The English with much adoe subiect themselues to the power of the Pope Vpon what conditions they were reconciled to the Church of Rome Reioycing for it at Rome Ireland erected a Kingdome by the Pope The Papists feare Elizabeth They persecute her The Kings of France Spaine comfort her Shee is for feare of death constrained to follow the Romish Religion They goe about to send her out of the Kingdome and exclude her from the succession thereof Calais lost Qu. Mary dyes And Cardinall Pole Booke 1. 1558. Booke 1· 1559. Booke 1. 1560. 1561. 1562. 1563. 1564. 1565. 1566. 1567. 1568. 1569. 1570. 1571. 1572. 1573. 1574. 1575. 1576. 1577. 1578. 1579. 1580. Booke 1. 1558. Queene Maries death is knowne Queene Elizabeth is proclaimed Queene by the Kings Heraulds of Armes Her Maiestie makes choice and election of a priuie Councell Her Maiestie hath a speciall care aboue all things to re-establish the true Religion She ordaines and settles states and domesticall affaires Her Maiestie takes a great care for forraine affaires Queene Elizabeth is earnestly solicited to marriage with Philip King of Spaine her Sisters Widdower Her Maiestie refused to marry with the King of Spaine The reason why Booke 1. 1559. Her Maiesty deliberates and labours for the re-establishment of the Protestants Religion She considers what dangers might happen therby Without the Realme Within the Kingdome Booke 1. 1558. The Queene rebukes and reprehends the impatience of certaine zealous Ministers of the Word of God Queene Elizabeth allowes diuine Seruice to be read in the English Tongue Her Maiestie celebrates her Sisters Funerall and that of the Emperour Charles the Fifth Booke 1. 1559. Queene Elibeth re-establisheth and creates diuers Noblemen On Wednesday the 23. day of Nouemb. Queene Elizabeth remoued from Hatfield vnto the Charterhouse to the Noble Lord NORTHS House where her Maiesty lay fiue dayes and rode in open Charet from the Lord NORTHS House along Barbican entring into the City at Criple-Gate and so came to the Tower from thence to Westminster where she was inaugurated Q. Elizabeths opinioÌ„ concerning sacred things She cals a Parliament which is held the second yeere of her raigne Propositions to reforme Religion The 18. of March. They establish a Dispute betwixt Protestant and Papist The successe thereof Sir Edward Carne is detayned at Rome Disputes and strifes for the Towne of Calais A treaty of peace with the French King The Castell in Cambresis Articles of Peace made and agreed vpon 'twixt the Queenes Maiestie and the French King Henry the second A Peace is concluded agreed vpon betweene the Queenes Maiesty and the Queene of Scotland The Lord Baron Wentworth and others are called in question and brought in compasse of the Law concerning the losse of Calais The whole Parliament doe exhort Queene Elizabeth to marry Thomas Gargraue's Speech made to her Maiesty to that purpose Her Maiesties answer to them all Other Laws and ordinances established by that Parliament The Nobles of the Land reestablished The Lyturgie appointed in English Papist Bishops deposed and discharged from their Benifices Other Protestants learned and zealous Diuines are instituted Bishops in their places By what degrees Religigion was altered here The profit which proceeds from change of Religion Her Maiesties diligent care to defend both the the true Religion and Common-Wealth Qu. Elizabeths Motto or Posey SEMPER EADEM Her answer to forraigne Princes interceding for the Papists The Emperour seekes the Queene for his Son The King of France challengeth the Kingdome of England for the Queene of Scotland Is killed as hee prepared for the war Francis the Second and the Queene of Scotland tooke the title of the Kings of England The original of the hidden hatred which hath beene betweene the Queenes of England and Scotland The French deale vniustly with the English Send men of warre into Scotland The Scots refuse to obey the Queene Regent They seeke helpe of Qu. Elizabeth They deliberate of
Chronology Chronicles Ephemeride Epitomies Rhopsodies Abridgment History and ANNALS Chronology hath two conditions both particular and necessary called by the Greekes Alathea and Apathia which is the truth of things set forth without any passion The Chronicle aymes at the originall of matters and to seeke the immemoriall Time from the first antiquity and foundation of peoples and Nations as Herodole for Greece Titus Liuius for the Latine Lemaire in the illustrations of the Gauls Mr. Speed for England and others The Ephemerides describes that which hath been said or done betwixt two persons Rhapsodis and Epittonnes are short obseruations of History Annalls and History is different from all those for they describe all the memorable deedes and particular actions that hapned yeerely and from time to time such as Xenophon was in Greece Salust among the Latins Froissard in France and Mr. William Cambden in England and so diuers others The seuerall and yeerely acts must be described without any passion or affections * Such courtesie from your Honours will ingraue your worth in the Temple of Eternity making your names thereby immortall sith it is onely this or such like seruice that can make you liue againe in your graue keepe your noble fame fresh and your happy memory from fading sith it wil cause your ashes to bring forth Laurell and Palme flourish and spring out of your Tombes when the base ignorant contemners of learning which doe abound in this iron age will wither and fade they seeme now only to liue on earth but to warre against Vertues much like vnto wormes in Libraries to destroy and deuour learning which they should cherish Booke 2. 1570. The Earle of Murray demands that the Qu. of Scotland might be put into his hands He pursueth the English Rebells The Earle of Murray is suddenly kild Diuers opinions are had of him The Scots Rebels make incursions vpon England The English take reuenge thereof They succoured those in Scotland that were of the Kings partie They take the Castle of Hamilton The Earle of Lenox is establisht Vice-Roy of Scotland The King of Spaine giues succours against those who were of the Kings side The Lord Setone his Ambassage to the Duke of Alua. The answere of the Duke of Alua. The Bishop of Rosse is set at liberty Laboured the liberty of the Queene of Scots They consult about the freedome of the Queene of Scotland Rebellion in Norfolke assoone ended as begun Felton punished for sticking vp the Popes Bull. The Papists reproue the Bull. The greatest part cōtemne this Bull. Cecill aduiseth him to marry Diuers are imprisoned Sussex chosen a Priuy-Councellor Treaty with the Queene of Scotland The Answer to the proposition of the English They cannot agree The Bishop of Rosse requires helpe to free the Queene of Scots The death of the Earle of Cumberland The death of Throgmorton Rebillion in Ireland quenched before they saw the day Stukeley flieth out of Ireland Booke 2. 1571. The royall Exchange The ereation of Baron Burghley The manner of creating Barons Letters from the Pope to the Queene of Scotland Edict of the Scots against the authority Royall Condemned by the Qu. of England The demāds of the English for the freedome of the Qu. of Scotland The English refuse the offers of the Scots Alteration among the Scots Complaints of the Scots against the English A remembrance sent from the Q. of Scotland to the Duke of Norfolke The counsell of the Bishop of Rosse The attempts of oothers A great Earthquake The Ambassage of Baron Buckhurst A proposition of a match betweene Elizabeth and the Duke of Aniou The hopes which they conceiued Articles of marriage The Answer To what end this marriage was proposed They hasten the mariage of the Qu. of Scotland The Bishop of Rosse and others committed Money sent into Scotland He declines from the English witnesses Lenox Vice-Roy of Scotland is slain The Earle of Marre is elected Vice-Roy Lawes against disturbers Lawes against Papists Iohn Storie condemned to dye Differences appeased betweene the English and the Portugals Guienne The Marquis of Northampton dyes The death of Bishop Iewell Affaires of Ireland William Fitz William Deputy of Ireland Booke 2. 1572. Thomas Duke of Norfolke is presented before the Nobles and Peeres and arraigned in Westminster Hall Peeres of the Kingdome The maner of his arraignement The chiefe points of his accusation The Duke demandeth an Aduocate to plead his cause The second Article of his accusation The third Article of his accusation The Duke of Norfolke contrary to the Romane Religion The Letters of the Bishop of Rosse to the Qu. of Scots are produced The Dukes Letter to his seruant The Letters of Ridolfe Of the Pope The testimony of Strangers The third Article of his accusation The Peeres consult amongst thēselues The Sentence pronounced against the Duke Barney and Marter are put to death Earles created Barons elected Lawes established for the better security of the Queene and her Kingdome The Duke of Norfolke beheaded His speech at the houre of his death The Duke of Norfolke's head is cut off Sundry sensures of him after his death Catenes relations of the precedent matters Pope Pius the fifth incensed against Qu. Elizabeth How he imployed the English The King of Spaine The King of France The King of Portugal The Duke of Alua opposeth Wherefore A vaine successe Wherewith the Pope the King of Spaine are vext and angry The Queene of Scots accused Mary Qu. of Scotland her answere to her accusation Sedition in Scotland The Queene of England the King of France endeuour to accord them They differ in opinions Causes alleadged why the French fauour the Queene of Scotland The Queene of England contesteth with the French The loue and affection which the King of France and Queene of England bore once to the Queene Mary of Scotland growes cold The rebellious Flemmings commanded to goe out of England They take the Breele The Duke of Aluaes carelesnesse The English repaire into the Low-Countries to the warre Dissimulation of the King of France The Alliance of Blois The Articles of the same Confirmation thereof Mont-Morancy admitted to the Order of the Garter He intercedes to accord the differences of Scotland Answere made to him Hee also treats of a marriage with the Duke of Aniou Massacre of Paris Marriage of the Duke of Alenzon propounded to Queene Elizabeth The Earle of Northumberland beheaded Death of the Marquis of Winchester Cecill is made Treasurer Death of the Earle of Darbie And of Sir George Peters The Queene sicke She hath a care of the publike She cut off the superfluous number of followers which dayly augmented She curbeth enquirers after conceal'd Lands of the Crowne Rebellion in Ireland The Omors A strange Starre Booke 2. 1573. The Spanish Fleet discomfited Commerce betweene the Flemmish and English restored She dischargeth her Fathers and brothers debts Innouators trouble the Church The Papists troble the Common-wealth Their Libell is suppressed The
Ambassage of Gondy Count of Rez Ambassage of the Earle of Worcester in France The Sea is purged of Pirats by Holstoc The French Protestants handle shrewdly the French Papists in England The French Leger Ambassadour complained to Queene Elizabeth concerning the helpe and assistance sent out of England to the Protestants of Rochell besieged Her Maiesty excused her selfe * Flagges Queene Elizabeth is earnestly sollicited to marry with the Duke of Alanzon Her Maiestie heares of it willingly By a double apprehension Queene Elizabeth graÌ„ts leaue to the Duke of Alanzon to come into England And her Maiesty presently sends him word not to come as yet Gondy returned into England Earle of Morton Vice-Roy of Scotland The King of France endeuours to destroy him Qu Elizabeth to defend him Grange opposeth The English are sent to besiege it Vpon what Conditions The Castle besieged by the English Forces The Castle yeelded Kircald and others hanged Lidington dyes Peace made in Scotland The Bishop of Rosse banished out of England Absence innouates Enterprizes The Duke of Alua is called out of the Low-Countries Lodowicke Zuniga sucseedes him Burches heresie Marshall Law Burch is hanged Effingham dies Gray Earle of Kent dies Caius the Phisition dyes The Colledge of Gonuell Caius Troubles in Ireland The Earle of Essex sent into Ireland The Deputie enuies it Mac-Phelim is taken The vnprofitable attempt and force of Chaterton Booke 2. 1574. The Duke of Alanzon desires to visit Queene Elizabeth Queene Elizabeth agrees to it He is suspected in France He is as it were prisoner being garded Queene Elizabeth comforts him Charles the ninth King of France died The right Honourable Lord Roger Lord North Baron of Catelage is sent Ambassador with a noble train to Henry of Valois the third of that name King of France Poland The King of France and mother Queene recommend the Duke of Alanzon to Queene Elizabeth They fauour the Queene of Scots against the Vice-Roy Morton She giueth credit to those who make reports aginst the Queene of Scotland The Earle of Huntington President of the North. An Edict against the riâ—tousnes of apparell England imbellished with magnificent structures The English worke treason in Holland They are defeated Ministers deceiued A Whale cast on shore An extraordinary floud in the Thames The Skie seemed to be on fire Booke 2. 1575. The league with France renued Warre kindled in France The Queene of England denieth ships to Requesens The entrance of the Ports To banish the Dutch fugitiues She denies the confederate Dutch entrance into the English ports Requisens chaseth the rebellious English from Flanders Dissolues their Seminary The Prince of Orange thinkes to run to the protection of the King of France The Queene of England disswades him The confederat Dutch deliberate what Protector they should chuse They haue recourse to the Queene of England She deliberateth thereupon She reiecteth their proffer The Ambassy of Champigni Requesens dyeth The Queene studieth to bring the affaires of the Netherlands to a composition A conflict vpon the borders of Scotland Heron is slaine The English led as prisoners into Scotland The Queene of England is much incensed The death of the Duke of Castell-Herauld Essex reduced into distresse in Jreland Sidney the third time Deputy maketh his progresse in Ireland The death of Peter Carew Booke 2. 1576. The French propound a marriage to Queene Elizabeth She peace to them She labours to diuert them from the Netherlands The Zelanders molest the English by Sea are repressed A confusion in the Netherlands Antwerpe sacked by the Spanish mutiners The Queene laboureth a peace for the Netherlands The arriuall of John of Austria in Flanders The Queene furnisheth the Estates with money to continue the Prouinces in the King of Spaines obedience The traffique re-established betweene England and Portugall With what probabilitie Witnesse Ienkinson an Englishman Bernard le Tor a Spaniard Furbisher is sent to discouer the Strait in the North part of America The death of Maximilian the Emperour Queene Elizabeth mournes The Elector Palatine dyes A Franc is two shillings English Essex death suspected The death of Sir Anthony Coke Tumults in Ireland William Drury President of Mounster Malefactors pursued and punished Ceass what it is The Irish complaine of exactions The Queene hath compassion Booke 2. 1577. Austria inclines to Peace Elizabeth perswades to it Orange diuerts her Austria seekes to marrie the Queene of Scots And by her to get the Kingdome of England Copley made a Baron of France The dissimulation of Austria He takes vp armes again Elizabeth couenanted with the Scots She declares the reason of it to the Spaniard The Spaniard did not willingly heare these things Don John complaines to Queene Elizabeth of the States England the ballance of Europe A pestilent sicknesse caused by the stinke of a prison Maine a Priest executed The death of the Lord Latimer Secretary Smith dyes Saffron Walden Rebellion in Ireland Rorio Oge Rorio slaine Booke 2. 1578. Queene Elizabeth is carefull of the Low-Countries English gone into the Low-Countries The Embassie for the Low-Countries Peace is irritated Egremond Radcliffe and his associate are put to death Don John dyes Aniou prosecutes the mariage with the Queene Leicester murmures The death of the Countesse of Lenox The business of Scotland Morton the Regent admonished The King sends an Embassador into England The Summe of the Embassage The answere of the Queene Morton takes vpon him the administration againe The Peeres rise vp against him The inuading of England consulted vpon Th. Stukeley takes Armes against his Countrie Ciuita Vecchia He is slaine in the African Warre William Drury Lord Deputie of Ireland Sidney's adieu to Jreland Booke 2. 1579. Casimire comes into England The Queene lends the States mony Semier solicites the marriage for the Duke of Aniou Thinkes on nothing but reuenge One was shot with a Pistolet being in the Boat with the Queene The Duke of Aniou came into England The dangers of the marriage The commodities of it The incommodities if it be neglected Aimé Stuart Lord of Aubigni came into Scotland From wheÌ„ce hee tooke the name of Aubigni He is raised to honours He is suspected of the Protestants Hamiltons deiected Proscribed Succoured by Elizabeth The Societie of the Turkey-Merchants Hamonts impietie N. Bacon dyes Thomas Bromley succeedes Gresham dyes His Colledge of London Rebellion of James Fitz-Morris in Ireland Stirred vp by the Pope and the King of Spaine Fauoured by the Earle of Desmond Dauile murdered in his bed Sanders approues of the slaughter He fights with those of Bourg Fitz-Morris is slaine William of Bourg made Baron He dyes for ioy John Desmond kils the English The Lord Deputy sick N. Malbey Gouernour of Mounster Defeats the Rebels The Earle of Desmond manifests himselfe a Rebell The death of Drury Lord Deputy The Rebels thereby incouraged William Pelham is Lord Chiefe Justice of Ireland Admonisheth the Earle of Desmond of his duety Proclaimes him Traitor The Earle of
them to be burned aliue By which acts he made himselfe terrible in his owne Kingdome and to be holden a Tyrant abroad and first being reiected by Marie of Lorraine daughter to the Duke of Guise whom hee desired as riuall to Iames King of Scotland his Nephew afterwards of Christian of Denmarke Dutchesse of Milan Grandchild to Charles the Fifth In the end seeking the friendship of the Protestants of Germanie with much adoe he obtained Anne of Cleue for his wife But beeing as readie to distaste Women as to loue them turning his heart away from her as soone as he had marryed her put her away as not beautifull enough for a Prince grounding himselfe vpon this that shee had beene betrothed before to the Duke of Lorraine's Sonne and that shee had some womanish weaknesse that made her vnfit for marriage But it was to take in her stead Katharine Howard daughter to Edmond Howard and Neece to Thomas of Norfolke whom he beheaded the yeere following accusing her to haue violated her chastity before shee was married and opens the Royall-Bed to Katharine Parre a Knights daughter and the second time Widdow Now when through intemperancy of his youth he perceiued the vigor of his body to decay being angry with the French King for hauing ayded the Scots against the English hee reconciles himselfe and makes alliance with the Emperour Charles against the French who hauing quite forgot the diuorce of Katharine his Aunt secretly giues him hope to reconcile him to the Church of Rome After hauing resolued to set vpon France thereby so much the more to worke himselfe into the Emperours friendship and quickly to cure the vlcers of his conscience propounded to the Parliament which was then assembled that when hee should happen to dye and his Sonne EDVVARD without issue MARIE should first succeed to the Crowne and afterwards shee leauing none ELIZABETH That if neither left any the Crowne of England should deuolue vpon such as he would designe eyther by Letters Patents or by Will Which passed for a Law with the good liking and consent of all and that the penaltie of Laesae Maiestatis should be inflicted vpon any that should goe against it Being returned from France after he had taken Bologne and consumed much treasure and beeing sad and heauy to see England deuided by new opinions which daily sprang vp and England groaned for sorrow to see her selfe so exhausted of her riches her Money corrupted with Brasse her Monasteries with the Monuments of great antiquity ruined the bloud of Nobles Prelates Papists and Protestants promiscuously spilt and entangled in a Scottish warre hee died with a perpetuall fluxe of Grease flowing from him caused by a poysonous inflammation in the thigh An. 1547. he breathed his last A magnanimous Prince but I know not what confused temper of spirit he had great vertues he had and no lesse vices EDVVARD his sonne hauing scarce attained to the age of tenne yeeres succeeded him and had for his Protector Edw. Seymor Duke of Sommerset his Vnkle vnder whom the English hauing taken vp armes for to reuenge the violated faith of the match agreed vpon betweene Edward and Marie Queene of Scotland the English obtained a notable victory ouer the Scots neere Musselborough this pernicious Law of Six Articles and others which had beene established by King HENRY the Eighth against the Protestants are suppressed and those which tended to the abolishing of the Popes authoritie confirmed the Masse abrogated the Images taken out of the Temples the Bookes of the Old and New Testament imprinted the Diuine Seruice celebrated in the vulgar Tongue the Eucharist distributed vnder both kindes But neuerthelesse the auaritious sacriledge fell rauenously vpon pillaging the goods of the Church Colledges Quiers Hospitals as things iudged to bee for superstitious vses ambition and enuy among the great ones audacitie and disobedience among the Commons so insolently exulted that England seemed to be raging madde with rebellious tumults taking sides deprauation of money and withall the euils that are accustomed to be during the minority of a King these wasted and consumed within the Land Also dammage was receiued abroad as the losse of Forts which the English had made in Scotland and in France and the Towne of Bologne which had cost so much which to the shame of the name of English was deliuered vp into the French Kings hands for money with all the Fortresses of the Countrey of Bologne which the English had built the Cannons and Munitions of warre when England was so disioynted by diuision that it was not able to keepe them and Charles the Emperour hauing no will to ayde it although he was intreated in consideration of the alliance with him excusing himselfe for that it had beene conquered since no not to accept of it being offered vnto him gratis And to adde an ouer-plus of infelicity the Protector not being wary enough of the subtilty and deceits of Dudley Duke of Northumberland is by vertue of a new law condemned of Felony for entring into counsell how to take away the liues of some of the Kings Councellors to wit of Dudley and some others hee lost his head and his Sonne by a priuate Law bereaued of the greatest part of his patrimony and of his Fathers honours The King being vnprouided of his faithfull Guard is snatched away vncertaine whether by sicknesse or poyson before hee was ripe leauing an incredible griefe with his people for the great and excellent vertues which hee had farre surpassing his age At the same dolefull and heauy time Dudley hauing broken the fraternall amity that was between the Protector and Tho. Seimor his brother vpon occasion of an emulation of Women which was betweene the Queene Dowager wife to Thomas and the Dutches of Somerset the Protectors wife amongst other things to conuict Thomas of Crimen laesae Maiestatis that he intended to reduce the King into his owne power and to marry ELIZABETH the Kings Sister shee indeed ignorant of the matter grew vp in yeeres and was in singular fauour with EDWARD her brother who neuer saluted her but called her his sweet Sister as also with the Peeres and the Common-people For she was full of grace and beauty and worthy of Soueraigne Authority of modest grauity cleere and quick-witted of a happy memory and indefatigable in the studies of best letters insomuch that before she attained to the Age of 17. yeeres she very well vnderstood the Latine tongue the French the Italian and the Greeke indifferently Neither wanted shee skill in Musicke that was beseeming a Prince and she sung and plaid cunningly and sweetly With Roger Ascham who was to guide her in her Studies she read the Common places of Melancthon all Cicero a great part of the History of Titus Liuius the choice Orations of Isocrates wherof she translated two into Latine Sophocles Tragedies and she read the New-Testament in Greeke By which
and marked it with dignities and Royall preheminences The which the States of Ireland had liberally offered to Henry the eighth and the Queene a little before vsed and enioyed the same But these things are not for this place The Romane Religion seemed then to be well established in England howbeit the Ecclesiasticall company seeing that Mary was now fortie yeeres old growne dry and sickly scarce hoping for any ofspring began forthwith to be afraid of ELIZABETH For they knew she was brought vp in the Protestant Religion and obserued that all men cast as vpon a rising Sunne both heart and eye vpon her Therefore they seriously consult from the very beginning of Maries Raigne how to preuent that the Religion now called backe should receiue any detriment by her The wiser and more consciencious sort iudged it to be an exceeding foule crime to destroy Royall Linage and Mary herselfe who was a godly Princesse though displeased with her Sister for the discord of their Mothers yet certaine sicke-braind fellowes who neither durst vndertake any thing nor performe any thing by right or wrong to establish the Catholike Religion did thinke it fit And it happened very commodiously for them that Tho. Wyat Peter Carew Iames Crofts and others for the Protestants seditiously endeuoured to doe rash and turbulent things labouring with all haste to mary ELIZABETH to Edward Courtney Earle of Deuon-shire She as being guilty hereof is thrust into prison first of all vncertaine rumors are dispersed that she was a partaker of sedition thereupon many are brought in question for their heads and others brought to the Racke Croft with a religious asseueration openly affirmed that she was no way guilty and out of all offence for sedition Wyat also it was thought who was ready to vnder-goe his last punishment would haue accused her and hee openly professed the same Neuerthelesse she is put into the hands of Keepers who hurry her this way and that way at length her Seruants and Maides are laide in fetters harder dealing then her dignity deserued In the meane time the French King Henry the second by priuate Letters full of loue comforts her and by many and great promises seekes to draw her into France whether for loue or by deceit to beget her a greater danger I will not say to make way to the Queene of Scots his Neece to the Crowne of England after Queene MARY In like manner Christian the Third King of Denmarke who long before made profession of the Protestants Religion endeuours all he can and treates vnder-hand to marry her to Frederick his Sonne Which when the Papists of England perceyued they againe threaten perill and mischiefe and fearing her cry out that all of the Romane Religion Queene and Kingdome are in ieopardy while shee subsists therefore necessarily to condemne her eyther Laesae Maiestatis or as a depraued Heretique and during that storme whilest cruelty was rigorously exercised vpon the meaner sort of Protestants I. Storie Doctor of the Law and others cunningly giue it out in all places in seuerall assemblies that they vnderstood it was practising to extirpate and ridde out Heresie ayming at her without sparing the smallest branches Notwithstanding moderating her selfe imitating the Mariner when a storme violently increaseth heard diuine Seruice according to the rule of the Romish Church came often to Confession and verily beeing oft rudely and churlishly disturbed by Cardinall Pole the terrour of death made her confesse her selfe to bee a Romane Catholique Howbeit MARY hardly beleeued it not forgetting that herselfe being forced by the same apprehension had by Letters written to her Father with her owne hand which I haue seene renounced for euer the authority that the Pope pretended to haue in England and acknowledged her Father to be Soueraigne Head of the Church of England and that the marriage betwixt him and her Mother was incestuous and vnlawfull Neyther could the Cardinall and other Prelates perswade themselues to it who to assure the Romane Church wished her to be taken out of the way But Philip MARY'S Husband and other Spaniards being more iust on ELIZABETHS behalfe would not heare of that Not that the fortune of an afflicted Princesse mooued them so much to mercy as their owne reason circumspectly aduised them Because fore-seeing if ELIZABETH were cut off that by Marie Queene of Scots next Heire to the Kingdome of England now married to the Dolphin of France England Ireland and Scotland might be ioyned to the Scepter of France then which nothing could be more fearefull to the greatnes of Spaine with whom they haue continuall warres When therefore without impietie they could not put ELIZABETH to death many thought it would be most aduisedly done to remooue her farre from England and marry her to Emanuel Philibert Duke of Sauoy Neyther did this please Spaine who before had purposed her for Charles his sonne And Thomas Cornwallis who was of the Queenes Councell likewise disswaded it telling Her that the people of Englād would hardly beare it yea in no wise suffer it that the next Heire of the Kingdome should be carryed away into a forreine Countrey At which time MARY for her inueterate hatred to ELIZABETH and because shee refused to marry with Sauoy grew to that heat of anger that shee ouer-charged her with reproaches and often-times would not stick to say that Marie Queene of Scotland was the certaine and vndoubted Heire of the Kingdome of England next to her selfe These consultations holden against ELIZABETH were taken away by a warre which MARY denounced in the behalfe of her Husband against France which although that was the prime and principall cause shee neuerthelesse alledged others and those most true viz. That France against the Lawes of couenant had nourished and sustained by his Agents and ministers the Rebellions of the Duke of Northumberland and Tho. Wyat the machinations and workings of Dudley and Ashton against her person sent out Pyrats against the English Merchants furnished Stafford with Ships and Armes to possesse the Castle of Scarborough had attempted by wicked practices to surprize Callais permitted English mony to be counterfeited and adulterated in France and inuaded the Low-Countries which the English by couenant are bound to defend In this flaming warre and the Scots stirred vp by the French inuading the Frontiers of England Calais is lost the Castles of Lisbanck Newnambrig Mere Oyes Hammes Sandgate the Castle and Towne of Guines and amongst the frequent Funerals of Prelates which sad presage seemed to fore-shew the displeasure of the diuine power MARY neglected of her Husband and with concocted griefe for the losse of Callais which had beene Englands rightfully two hundred yeeres with a Feuer and the Dropsie the seuenteenth day of Nouember 1558. departed hauing reigned fiue yeeres foure moneths A Princesse of a holy behauior to al her piety to the poore liberalitie to the Nobles and Clergie can neuer enough be praysed But the time was
infamous by the incredible crueltie of Prelates who polluted England through all parts with a most sad dreadfull spectacle in burning the Protestants aliue For as some haue obserued there were more consumed of all rankes Bishops Ministers and common people by this vengible and direfull way of death these fiue yeeres than England saw in all the seuen and thirtie yeeres of HENRY the Eighth In the reigne of Iohn Christians against Christians with vs began to tyrannize with flames The same day that MARY dyed within a few houres after Cardinall Pole Arch-bishop of Canterbury tormented with a quartane Feuer expired A man whom pietie learning and integritie had made much more famous than the splendor of his Royall Race though hee was Nephew to George Duke of Clarence Brother to Edward the Fourth King of England A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS of this matchlesse and famous HISTORIE The first Booke Anno M.D.LVIII QVeene ELIZABETH is proclaymed Queene of England Fol. 2. Choyce of her Priuy Councell Fol. 3. Her care to re-establish the Catholike Christian Religion Fol. 4. Philip King of Spaine Queene MARY's Widdower is a Sutor to her Sister Fol. 5. Queene ELIZABETH refused him and wherefore Fol. 7. Consultations about the safe re-establishment of true Religion Fol. 9. Diuine Seruice allowed by the Queene in English Fol. 11. Anno M.D.LIX. CReation and restoration of diuers Noble-men Fol. 12. A Parliament summoned and held at Westminster Fol. 14. Proposition to reforme Religion Fol. 15. Dispute established betweene Protestants and Papists Fol. 17. Sir Edward Crane Ambassadour for England is detayned at Rome Fol. 18. Disputes and strifes for Callais Fol. 19. A Treatie of peace with the French King in Cambresis Castle Fol. 22. The Articles of the said peace Fol. 23. Peace concluded betweene the Queenes of England and Scotland Fol. 24. The Baron of Wentworth and others questioned about Calais Fol. 25. The Parliament exhort the Queene to marry Fol. 26. Her Maiesties answer Fol. 27. Lawes and Ordinances established by the Parliament Fol. 29. The Nobles of the Land re-established and Papists deposed Fol. 30. By what degrees Religion was altered in England Fol. 33. The profit proceeding by Religions alteration Fol. 34. Queene ELIZABETH's Poesie or Motto Fol. 35. Her Maiesties answer to forreine Princes interceding for the Papists ibid. The Emperour seekes Queene ELIZABETH for his sonne Fol. 36. The French King challenged the Kingdome of England for the Queene of Scots Fol. 37. The King of France his sodaine death being kill'd at a tilting ibid. Francis the Second King of France and Mary Queene of Scots his Wife take vpon them the Title of King Queene of England and Ireland Fol. 38. The originall of the hidden hatred which hath beene betweene the Queenes of England and Scotland Fol. 39. The Scots refuse to obey the Queene-Regent but seeke helpe of Queene ELIZABETH Fol. 40. They resolue to driue the French out of Scotland Fol. 42. The English are sent into Scotland both by Land and Sea Fol. 43. The death of Francis Talbot the first Earle of Shrewsbury Fol. 44. Anno M.D.LX. A Treatie of peace in Barwicke Fol. 45. Martigues brings French-men into Scotland and the Marquesse of Debeux is driuen by a tempest Fol. 47. Spaines counsell to peace Fol. 48. Spaniards detaine from the English munition ibid. The French call the English from Scotland and doe protest they are meerely the cause that peace is broken Fol. 49. The Guizes are sworne and profest enemies to Queene ELIZABETH ibid. The French offer to render vp Calais Fol. 50. Queene ELIZABETH answered them and sends Viscount Montague into Spaine ibid. Arthur Gray sonne to the Lord Gray wounded and lyeth besieged Fol. 51. The English repulsed Crofts is accused Fol. 52. The Queene-Regent of Scotlands death Fol. 53. The Treatie of Edenborough ibid. A peace is published Fol. 54. Queene ELIZABETH is sought in marriage by diuers potent Princes ibid. Spaine fauoured England against the French Fol. 58. The King of Spaine deliuered backe the Order of the Garter ibid. Hee is disdained to be refused in things of small importance and the Count of Feria whets his indignation Fol. 59. The Pope is incensed against Queene ELIZABETH Fol. 60. Yet the Pope writes and sends his Nuncio ouer Fol. 61. The King and Queene of France and Scotland refuse to confirme the Treatie of Edenborough with their reasons Fol. 63. Francis the Second King of France dyed ibid. An Edict set forth by Queene ELIZABETH against Anabaptists and sacrilegious persons Fol. 64. The Colledge of Westminster founded ibid. The Coyne brought to full valew ibid. Good Coyne stampt for Ireland which wee call Sterling Fol. 65. The death of the Earle of Huntingdon the second of that Race Fol. 66. Anno M.D.LXI THe Queene Dowager of France Queene of Scotland deferred the confirmation of Edenboroughs Treaty Fol. 68. The Queene of England refused passage to the Queene of Scotland from France ouer Fol. 69. Shee complayned to Throckmorton Ambassadour for England Fol. 71. Throckmortons answer to the said Queeene Fol. 72. Contestation betweene them two Fol. 73. The Queene of Scotland laboured to content Queene ELIZABETH Fol. 74. But in vaine ibid. The Queene of Scotland takes her iourney out of France into Scotland where she well and safely arriued Fol. 75. She sends to Queene ELIZABETH who answered her Fol. 76. Queene ELIZABETH presseth the confirmation of the treatie Fol. 77. The Guizes and other French Noble-men who had conueyed the Queene of Scots into Scotland returning home thorow England are magnificently entertained with all royall courtesies by Queene ELIZABETH Fol. 77. That the right to assemble a Councel belongeth not to the Pope Fol. 78. How farre an Ambassadour ought to beare an offence Fol. 79. Queene ELIZABETH prepares things necessary for the warre ibid. She findes the Calamite stone Fol. 80. And prepares a Fleet. ibid. The English in emulation of their Queene striue who can build the best Ships ibid. Tillage more vsed than euer Fol. 81. An Edict in fauour of the King of Poland ibid. S. Pauls famous Steeple in London is burnt Fol. 82. The Earle of Bathe dyed ibid. Anno M.D.LXII ARthur Pole his Brother and others are examined Fol. 84. The Lady Katherine Gray is imprisoned ibid. The Guizes practize against Queene ELIZABETH Fol. 85. Henry Sidney is sent into France and presently after into Scotland Fol. 86. They deliberate the inter-uiew of the Queene of Scotland Fol. 87. The Cardinall of Lorraine propoundeth a marriage to the Queene of Scotland and Queene ELIZABETH endeuours to diuert her from it Fol. 88. Shee excuses the French Fugitiues Fol. 89. The death of Iohn de Vere Earle of Oxford Fol. 90. Shan O-Neale comes into England to defend his cause ibid. Anno M.D.LXIII LAw established by Parliament Fol. 92. Fifteenes and Subsidies granted Fol. 93. The Prince of Condé is taken in the Battel of DREVX Fol. 94. The King of Spaines answer ibid. Hostages giuen
pitties her Fol. 178. The Priuy-Councell consult of it ibid. The Councell resolue shee should be retained in England Fol. 179. The Countesse of Lenox complaines of her ibid. The Baron of Heris intercedeâ— for her Fol. 180. Earle Murray is commanded to yeeld a reason of the Queenes deposing ibid. Deputies for the King of Scots Fol. 181. Others for the Queene of Scots ibid. Lidingtons declaration to the Scots ibid. The protestation of the Queene of Scots Fol. 182. A declaration for the Queene of Scots Fol. 183. The answer of the Kings Deputies Fol. 184. The Queene of Scots reply 185. Murray refuseth to yeeld an account of the Queenes deposing Fol. 188. Authoritie of the Commissioners reuoked Fol. 189. The Duke of Norfolke glad ibid. New Commissioners granted ibid. The Queene of Scots will not submit her cause to their hearing but vpon condition Fol. 190. The proceedings dissolued ibid. Debate about the gouernement of Scotland Fol. 191. Murray offers to marry the Duke of Norfolke to the Queene of Scots yet disperseth rumours against her Fol. 192. The Duke of Norfolke is suspected ibid. The third Ciuill War in France Fol. 193. The French and Flemmings make England their refuge and were the first that made Bayes Sayes other light Stuffes Linnen and Woollen Fol. 194. The beginning of the Warres in the Low-Countries ibid. Ferdinando Aluares Duke of Alua constituted supreame Gouernour Fol. 195. Moneyes sent into the Low-Countries deteyned in England ibid. The English-mens goods deteyned and seized vpon in the Low-Countries Fol. 196. The like done to the Flemmings in England Fol. 197. The death of Roger Askam ibid. Anno M.D.LXIX A Proclamation touching goods detayned by the Duke of Alua. Fol. 198. A Declaration against the said Proclamation ibid. Practices against Cecill Fol. 199. The money formerly detayned in England is demanded by the Duke of Alua. Fol. 200. Free Traffique established at Hamborough for the English ibid. Doctor Story taken ibid. The Duke of Alua enraged against the English ibid. Men of Warre called in Fol. 201. Traffique of Russia hindred ibid. The liberties of the English in Russia ibid. Their Traffique into Russia Fol. 202. And into Persia by the Caspian Sea ibid. A Russian Embassadour comes into England Fol. 202. Alliance with Russia Fol. 203. The Emperour of Muscouia and Russia is irritated and inflamed against the English ibid. Murray appeaseth the friends of the Queene of Scotland Fol. 204. Rumor spred throughout Scotland against Murray ibid. Queene ELIZABETH is diligent and doth endeuour to quench such false rumours Fol. 205. She deales by letters concerning her restoring Fol. 206. A marriage intended betweene the Prince of Scotland and Margaret the Duke of Norfolkes onely Daughter Fol. 207. Murraies Proprsition to the Duke of Norfolke ibid. Throckmortons Counsell Fol. 208. Propositions of the Match made by Leicester to the Duke Fol. 209. The Articles of marriage propounded to the Queen of Scotland ibid. She agrees to them in some manner Fol. 210. A Designe to free the Queen of Scotland Fol. 211. Notice is giuen thereof to Queene ELIZABETH ibid. The Earle of Leicester reueales the whole businesse to the Queen at Tichfield Fol. 212. She rebukes the Duke of Norfolke ibid. The Duke departs the Court without leaue ibid. Cecill finds out the matter Fol. 213. The Duke of Norfolke goes into Norfolke ibid. Feare caused in the Court through the Duke of Norfolke Fol. 214. He returnes to the Court ibid. Murray discouers the businesse ibid. The Duke and others are imprisoned Fol. 215. Their Complices craue pardon Fol. 216. Libels against the marriage ibid. Chapin Vittelli comes into England and why ibid. Rebellion in the North by Northumberland and Westmerland Fol. 217. The Rebels Prteext Fol. 219. Their declaration ibid. They write to the Papists Fol. 220. They rent and tread vnder-foot the Bible ibid. Their Colours and number ibid. They returning take Bernard Castle And flie Fol. 221. Some are put to death Fol. 222. Some are banished ibid. A new Rebellion ibid. The Rebels are defeated Fol. 223. Queen ELIZABETH lends succour to the reformed Churches in France Fol. 224. The end of the Table of the Contents of the First Booke A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS of this matchlesse and famous HISTORIE The second Booke Anno M.D.LXX. THe Earle of Murray demands that the Queene of Scotland might bee put into his hands Fol. 233. He pursueth the English Rebels and is suddenly slaine 234. Diuers opinions are had of him 235. The Scots and English Rebels make incursions vpon England 236. The English take reuenge thereof 237. And succour those of the Kings party in Scotland ibid. They take the Castle of Hamilton 238. The Earle of Lenox is established Vice-Roy of Scotland 239. The King of Spaine giues succours against those who were of the Kings side ibid. The Lord Setone his Embassage to the Duke of Alua. 239. The Answere of the Duke of Alua. 241. The Bishop of Rosse is set at liberty who laboureth the libertie of the Queene of Scots 242. They consult about the freedome of the Queene of Scots 243. The Sentence of Pope Pius the fifth against Queene ELIZABETH 245. Rebellion in Norfolke as soone ended as begun 249. Felton punished for sticking vp the Popes Bull. ibid. The Papists and greatest part contemne the Bull. ibid. Diuers are imprisoned 250. Sussex chosen a Priuy Councellour 251. Treaty with the Queene of Scotland ibid. The Queene of Scotlands answer to the Propositions of the English 253. They cannot agree 254. The Bishop of Rosse requires helpe to free the Queene of Scotland 255. The death of the Earle of Cumberlend ibid. The death of Nicholas Throcmorton 256. Rebellion in Ireland quencht before they saw the day ibid. Stukeley flieth out of Ireland 257. Anno M.D.LXXI THe Royall Exchange named Fol. 258. The Creation of Baron Burghley ibid. The manner of creating Barons 259. Letters from the Pope to the Queene of Scotland ibid. Edict of the Scots against the Authority Royall condemned by Queene ELIZABETH 260. The demands of the English for the freedome of the Queene of Scotland 261. The English refuse the offers of the Scots 261. Alteration amongst the Scots 262. Complaints of the Scots against the English ibid. A Remembrance sent from the Queene of Scotland to the Duke of Norfolke 263. The counsell of the Bishop of Rosse 265. The attempts of others 266. A great Earth-quake ibid. The Embassage of Baron Buckhurst 267. A Proposition of a Match betweene Queene ELIZABETH and the Duke of Aniou ibid. The hopes which they conceiued with the Articles of Marriage 268. The Answer ibid. To what end this marriage was proposed 270. They haste the marriage of the Queen of Scotland 271. The Bishop of Rosse and others committed 272. Money sent into Scotland ibid. The Duke of Norfolke and others committed to the Tower 274. Propositions touching an Embassadour answered 276. The Bishop of Rosse questioned 277. He declines from the English Witnesses ibid.
Lenox Vice-Roy of Scotland is slaine 279. The Earle of Marre is elected Vice-Roy ibid. Lawes against disturbers ibid. Lawes against Papists 280. Iohn Story condemned to dye 282. Differences appeased betweene the English and the Portugals in Guienne ibid. Marquis of Northampton dyes 283. The death of Bishop Iewell ibid. Affaires in Ireland 284. William Fitz-Williams Deputy ibid. Anno M.D.LXXII Thomas Duke of Norfolke is presented before the Nobles and Peeres and arraigned in Westminster Hall 285. The manner of his Arraignement 286. The chiefe points of his accusation 287. The Duke demandeth an Aduocate to pleade his cause ibid. The second Article of his accusation 290. The third Article 292. His reply and that he was contrary to the Romane Religion 293. The Letters of the Bishop of Rosse to the Queen of Scots produced ibid. The Dukes Letter to his seruant 294. The Letters of Ridolph ibid. Of the Pope ibid. The testimony of Strangers ibid. The third Article of his accusation 295. The Peeres consult among themselues ibid. The sentence of death pronounced against the Duke 296. Baray and Marter are put to death 297. Earles created ibid. Barons elected 298. Lawes established for the better security of the Queene and her Kingdome ibid. The Duke of Norfolke beheaded ibid. His speech at his death 299. Sundry censures of him 300. Catenes relation of the precedent matters 301. Pope Pius the fifth incensed against Queene ELIZABETH imployeth Robert Ridolph a Gentleman of Florence into England 301. He perswades the Kings of France and Spaine against her ibid. The Queene of Scots accused 304. Her answere 305. Sedition in Scotland 306. The Queene of Elngand and the King of France endeuour to accord them ibid. They differ in opinion ibid. Causes alledged why the French fauour the Queene of Scotland 307. The Queene of England contesteth with the French ibid. The rebellious Flemmings being commanded out of England take the Breele 310. The Duke of Alua's carelesnesse ibid. The English repaire into the Low-countries to warre ibid. The dissimulation of the King of France 311. The alliance of Blois ibid. The Articles of the same ibid. The confirmation thereof 313. Mont-morancy admitted to the Order of the Garter 314. He intercedes to accord the differences of Scotland ibid. Answer made vnto him ibid. He also treats of a marriage with the Duke of Aniou 315. The Massacre of Paris ibid. Marriage of the Duke of Alanzon propounded to Queene ELIZABETH 316. The Earle of Northumberland beheaded ibid. Death of the Marquis of Winchester and of the Earle of Darbie ibid. Cecill made Treasurer ibid. Death of Sir George Peters 317 Queene ELIZABETH sicke ibid. Her care of the Publique ibid. She cuts off the superfluous number of followers attending Noblemen and curbeth Enquirers after conceald Lands of the Crowne 318. Rebellion in Ireland also the Omores rebellion there 319. A strange Starre 319. Anno M.D.LXXIII THe Spanish Fleete discomfited by the Hollanders 321. Queene ELIZABETH dischargeth her Fathers and Brothers debts 322. The Papists trouble the Common-wealth 323. The Ambassage of Gondy Count of Rez 324. Ambassage of the Earle of Worcester into France 325. The French Protestants handle the French Papists in England shrewdly and the French Leger Ambassadour complaines to Queene ELIZABETH for ayding the Protestants besieged ibid. She is earnestly sollicited to marry with the D. of Alanzon 326 She grants him leaue to come into England 327. Gondy returnes into England and Earle Morton is made Regent of Scotland 329. The English are sent to besiege Edenborrough 332. The Castle besieged yeelded 333. Kircald and others hanged and Lidington dyes 334. Lodowick Zuniga succeedes Duke d'Alua 335. Burche's Heresie for which hee is hanged 336. The Lord of Effingham the Earle of Kent and Caius the Physician dyed ibid. Troubles in Ireland the Earle of Essex is sent thither 338. Anno M.D.LXXIIII ALanzon desires to visit Queene ELIZABETH and hath leaue to come into England 342. He suspected in France hath a Gard set ouer him 343. Charles the Ninth King of France dieth and the right Noble Roger Lord North is sent Ambassadour extraordinary to Henry of Valois King of France and Poland 344. The Earle of Huntington made President of the North. 345. An Edict against pride 346. London Ministers deceyued A Whale cast on shore Thames ebbes flowes twice in one houre The Skie seemeth to burne 347. Anno M.D.LXXV THe League with France renewed 349. The Prince of Orange intended to flye to the protection of the King of France 352. The Ambassie of Campigni and de Requisens dyeth 354. The death of the Duke of Chastelraut 357. The Earle of Essex distressed in Ireland ibid. Sidney's progresse in Ireland for the third time Deputie there 358. The death of Peter Carew 359. Anno M.D.LXXVI QVeene ELIZAB. is offered a match by the French 361. A confusion in the Netherlands Antwerpe sacked by the Spanish mutiners 362. The comming of Iohn d'Austria into Flanders 363. Sir Martin Forbisher sent to discouer the Straits in the North part of America 364. The death of the Emperour Maximilian and of the Elector Palatine heauy to Queene ELIZABETH who sends Sir Philip Sidney Ambassador extraordinary to Rodulphus his Successour 365. The death of Walter Deuoreux Earle of Essex and of Sir Anthony Coke 367. Tumults in Ireland and William Drury made President of Munster 368. The Queene takes pitty of the Irish 369. Anno M.D.LXXVII AVstria inclined to peace at Queene ELIZABETHS perswasion 370. The Prince of Orange diuerts her from it 371. Sir Thomas Copley made Baron in France 372. Iohn of Austria's dissimulation ibid. Why Queen ELIZABETH couenanted with the Scots 373. Spaine is pleased with it 375. England the Ballance of Europe 376. Priest Maine executed Baron of Latimer and Secretarie Smith of Saffron Walden dyes 377. Rebellion againe in Ireland and Rorio Oge is slaine Harington and Cosby wounded 378. Anno M.D.LXXVIII QVeene ELIZABETH's care for the Low-Countries 380. Count Swartzeberg Bellieure and Cobham Deputy for France Germany and England and for the treaty of peace and Egremond Ratcliffe and his associate are put to death and Don Iuan de Austria dyes 381. Aniou's Duke pursues his intended marriage with Qu. ELIZ. and Leicester murmurs at it 383. The Countesse of Lenox death ibid. King IAMES sends an Ambassador to Queene ELIZAB. 385. Morton Regent takes vpon him the administration of the Realme againe 386. The Peeres are against him 387. How to inuade England consulted by Spaine 387. Thomas Stukeley a Traytor takes Armes against his Countrey and is slaine with three Kings 388. William Drury made Lord Deputie of Ireland 389. Anno M.D.LXXIX CAssimiere Palatin's Sonne comes into England 390. Queene ELIZABETH sends money into Holland 391. One is shot with a Pistoll who was in Queene ELIZABETH's Barge with her Maiestie the French Ambassadour the Earle of Lincolne and Sir Christopher Hatton 392. The Duke of Aniou comes into England ibid.
Christian Princes to let them vnderstand Queen MARY's decease She therefore appointed and sent with all speed to the Emperour Ferdinando Sir Thomas Chaloner with letters of her owne hand-writing by which shee gaue him notice of her Sisters death and that first by Gods speciall grace next by her hereditary right and through the generall loue and consent of all her Subiects she succeeded these her Crownes and dignities And that now she desired nothing more than to maintaine the loue and to encrease the ancient amitie which of long time had beene betweene the Houses of England and Austria To the King of Spaine who at that time was in the Low-Countries she also sent Ambassador the Lord Brook Baron of Cobham with the like Embassage and Commission by which shee of new imployed and delegated the Earle of Arundell Turlbey Bishop of Ely and L. Wotton who before had beene delegated and appointed by Queene MARY for the treatie of peace in the Citie of Cambray and adioyned to them W. Howard Baron of Effingham She also secretly sent Sir Henry Killigrew Ambassadour to the Princes of Germany to inflame them in the zeale of Gods pure Religion To the King of Denmarke D. B. was sent Ambassador and to the Duke of Holsatia also Armigild Waade Philip King of Spaine hearing of the death of Queen MARY fearing one way to lose the title of King of England and the force of that Realme which were vnto him most vsefull and profitable and likewise that the kingdomes of England Ireland and Scotland should be vnited to the Crowne of France by the meanes of the high and mighty Princesse the Queene of Scotland hee therefore treats seriously of a match with Queene ELIZABETH with promise to obtaine a speciall dispensation from the Pope And to that effect imployed the Earle of Ferie who had visited her MAIESTIE by the like meanes as he had done Queene MARY in her sicknesse This Sutor puts Queene ELIZABETH into great anxiety and perplexity considering how inconsiderate and ingratefull her Maiestie might seeme to be in refusing a Christian Prince who had already obliged her in other things much but yet more in this as to seeke her to his wife through his owne free desire and motion The French King likewise was in an extasie considering how important and dangerous it was to France if Spaine her enemy should vnite adioyne to his kingdoms the Realmes of England and Ireland therefore hee vseth his best endeuours at Rome by the intermission of the Bishop of Angoulesme to hinder the grant of such dispensation shewing to that end that Queene ELIZABETH was held for Supportresse of the Protestant Religion and rather than faile went about to declare her illegitimate But all this most secretly and closely for feare to irritate England before that his affaires were throughly well settled The Earle of Ferie contrariwise on the other side labours as hard to bring this marriage to passe and to that end giues the English Papists to vnderstand who were dispersed throughout all parts of the Realme that it was the sole and onely way left for them to preserue their Religion and defend their ancient dignities and honours and that if they should contemne it hee could not but deplore the misery and calamity of England as being out of money vnprouided of men trained vp and vnskild in the military discipline void of fortification and lacking munition and garrisons for Warre and her Councellors of State depriued likewise of good aduice And indeed to speake truely Englands affaires were at that time in a most miserable case and lamentable state for England had warre on the one side with Scotland and on the other side with France and was in a manner vndone by those debts that King HENRY the Eighth and King EDWARD the Sixt had run into and her treasury was exhaust and empty and the Town of Callais had beene but newly lost and the whole Countrey of Oyes with all the munition and furniture of warre The people here were diuided into contrarieties through differency of religion and the Queene left without any powerfull friend to assist her hauing no alliance at all abroad with forrain Princes But when as her Maiestie had more seriously agitated her spirit and carefully considered in her minde the proposition of this match shee findes the holy Scripture expressely inioyning that no woman ought to ioyne with him who had beene her sisters Husband no more than it is lawfull for a man to marry his brothers widdow and therefore that such marriages were directly illegitimate and wholly forbidden by Gods Law although the Pope should neuer so much grant a Dispensation And moreouer that if she should contract it by vertue thereof shee should acknowledge and proue her selfe illegitimate sith shee was issued from the match that King HENRY her father had contracted after his diuorcing and putting away Katherine of Spaine for hauing beene his brothers wife which neuerthelesse had beene approued iust and lawfull according to the Diuine Law by all the Academies of Christendome and likewise the Synod of London as well as that of Katherine vniust and vnlawfull Her Maiestie therefore endeuours to stop preuent and hinder by little and little the course of King Philips suite by an honest answer truely modest and well-beseeming the chaste integrity of her constant virginity and chiefly grounded vpon scruple of her conscience But he notwithstanding all this surceased not his suite but persisted therein vrging her with feruent and frequent Letters By which shee obserued the manners and behauiours of so great a King compounded with grace and graue modesty and truely worthy his Maiestie the said Letters being much by her admired in the often publishing of them yea her Maiestie taking pleasure to imitate them vntill some Nobles of her Court began to defame and speake against the matchlesse pride and practices of the Spaniards Also some of the intimate Lords and fauorites of her Maiesties Priuy-Councell fearing lest the tender and young spirit of a Maide often moued might easily condescend to their desires told to her MAIESTIE secretly that both her Maiestie and friends with the whole Realme of England were vndone if in such Dispensations or in any thing else whatsoeuer she should giue any credit or make the least estimation of the Popes authoritie and power since that two of them had declared and published her Mother illegitimate and vnlawfully ioyned in wedlocke with King HENRY the Eighth Also that by vertue of such Declaration the most high and most mighty Princesse the Queene of Scotland should pretend right to the Crownes of England c. and that the Pope would neuer retract nor goe from that iudgement and that her Maiestie should not expect nor looke for any thing good or iust from the Popes hand who had beene enemies and shewed themselues vniust both towards her Maiestie and her Mother And that the French King laboured hard vsing his vtmost power and
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
that they should forbeare absolutely to beare these Armes by the intercession of M. Memorency the Guizes Emulator who thought it not to be any honour for the King of France to take any other Title or to graue in his Seales any other armes than the Armes of the Kings of France and shewed that this Title alone was of more importance than many others and that the precedent Kings had no other when they sought their right in Naples and Milan And truely from these Titles and these Armes which the King of France at the instigation of the Guizes hath taken from the Queene of Scotland then vnder age all the disasters which afterwards happened vnto her haue flowed from that for from thence came the enmities openly declared by Queene ELIZABETH against the Guizes and those which shee practised against her priuatly which by the subtil malice of men who made vse of the growing enuy and of the occasions which sprung from day to day haue beene so fomented on both sides that nothing could extinguish them but death for Soueraigntie admits no Companion and Enmitie against Maiestie is grieuous A few daies after in stead of giuing foure Hostages for the Towne of Calais as they were bound by the treaty of Cambray they gaue onely three the English Merchants are iniuriously dealt with in France one of the Ambassador Throgmortons seruants was sent to the gallies which F. great Prior of France had taken carried away by force from a publique place Some Pistols were shot at the Ambassadour himselfe and in his owne lodging and to make him the more contemptible hee was serued at the Table with no other Vessell but such as the Armes of England and France were ioyntly grauen on Finally la Brosse was sent into Scotland with a troupe of choyce men Gallies were sent for from Marseilles and from the Mediterranean Sea Those in Scotland which professed the Protestants Religion and qualified themselues with the title of the Assembly perswaded by certaine heady Ministers and especially by Knox a most hot controller of the Royall authority that it behooued the Peeres of the Realme to take away Idolatry from their authority by force to settle the Princes within the limits prescribed by the Lawes had already refused to obey the Queene-Mother and Regent though shee was a modest and a prudent woman changed Religion tumultuously ransacking and burning the sacred places drawne to their partie Hamilton Duke of Chastelraut the most powerfull of all the Kingdome much prouoked by the wrongs done by the French and many Nobles were bayted with hope to haue the Ecclesiasticall Reuenues insomuch as they seemed not to thinke of Religion but to plot in good earnest a reuolt against the Queene Regent and against the French which made warre in Scotland and accused Iames Prior of Saint Andrewes Bastard brother to the Queene their Coriphea who since was Count of Mura to haue coueted the Kingdome from his Sister But by the holy protestations which hee made vnto them hee tooke away all suspition of hauing any other ayme but the glory of God and the Countries liberty and that seeing it opprest by the Queene Regent and the French he could not chuse but lament most bitterly for it They sent William Maitland of Lidington Secretary to Queene ELIZABETH and hee in a pittifull discourse complained to her that since the marriage of the Queene of Scotland with the Daulphin the administration of the Kingdome had beene changed strange Souldiers spoyl'd and ruin'd all the French were placed in the chiefest offices of the Kingdome the Castles and strong places put into their hands the pure money corrupted for their particular profit and that by these deuices and the like they fortifie themselues fraudulently to take away the Kingdome as soone as the Queene should be dead Cecill who was the principall minister that Queene ELIZABETH vsed in this businesse and in all other for his singular wisedome employeth H. Percy who afterwards was Earle of Northumberland to know what end the Lords of that Assembly propounded to themselues what meanes they had to obtaine that which they desired and if one should send them succour vpon what conditions might Amitie bee maintained betweene the two Kingdomes They answered that they propounded not to themselues any other end but the aduancement of the glory of Iesus Christ and the sincere preaching of Gods Word to extirpate superstition and idolatry and to keepe the liberty of their Ancestors which they knew not by what meanes it might be done but they hoped that God would giue successe to their designes according to their desire to the confusion of their aduersaries And as for the intertaining of amitie betweene the two Kingdomes that that was the abridgement of their wishes and thereunto vowed their goods their faith and their constancy They deliberate slowly of these things in England because the Scots were not well furnished with money and armes nor very faithfull among themselues But they considered that the Marquis D' Elbeuf Vnkle to the Queene of Scotland had leuied men in Germanie by the meanes of the Ringraue for the Scottish warre that they had brought downe into the Hauens peeces for battery that the preparations which were made were greater than was necessary for the restraining as was pretended of a small number of vnarmed Scots that the French to draw to their league the King of Denmarke promised him that the Duke of Lorraine should quit the right which hee pretended to haue to his Kingdome and that likewise the censure of the Pope against the Queene was more importunately sollicited than euer and a sentence declaratory for the right of the Queene of Scots to England there was sent vpon the frontiers of Scotland one Sadler a prudent man and the Counsellor of the Duke of Northumberland who guarded the South frontier and Iames Croft Gouernour of Barwicke For the Councell of England could not see what these things tended vnto except to inuade England and to pursue by armes that which they attributed to themselues by their Coates and Titles Now doe they in England seriously consult vpon the businesse and it seemed to them to be a very bad example that one Prince should lend ayde and succour to the subiects of another Prince who rayse vp broyles and tumults but it seemed also that it were an impietie to abandon those who professe the same Religion a slow wisdome to permit the French who were sworne enemies to the name of English challenged the Realme of England and enioyed at that time in all places an assured peace to remaine armed in Scotland so neere England and so opportunely for the inuading of that side where Nobles and Commons of England are most affectionate to the Romish Religion That it were to deliuer cowardly into the Enemies hand the safetie of particulars and the peace of the generall For that cause it behooued not to stand vpon dreaming and
slow Counsels but to dispatch and take armes That the prudence of England had alwaies beene accustomed to goe meete their enemies and not to waite for them and that it had euer beene aswell suffered to preuent dangers as to expell them to defend themselues with the same weapons that they are assayled with That England was neuer assured but when it was powerfull and armed that it was more powerfull when it had nothing to feare but the Scottish coast and that to take away this feare it were meete to assist those which professed the same Religion and chace the French out of Scotland against whom Armes are very auaileable but not Counsels That for hauing contemned them too much heretofore they had lost Calais with shame and hurt and a little before by surprize Ableville and the forts neere Bullen whiles they fained to seeke a peace which was the cause that Bullen afterwards was constrayned to render and that they should looke for no lesse of Barwicke and the frontier Townes if they tooke not armes the sooner without staying to see what the French will doe who looke as if they meant to make peace in Scotland Their designe being hidden their ambition infinite their reuennew exceeding great insomuch that it is growne a Prouerbe long agoe in England that France cannot be three yeeres both without warre and without meanes Queene ELIZABETH also often alledged this saying of the Emperour Valentinian Haue French for a friend but not for a neighbour It was resolued then that it was iust necessary and profitable to driue the French out of Scotland as soone as could be possible In the end a Nauy was sent into Borrough which is now called Enden-borrough Frith coÌ„ducted by W. Winter master of the Nauall Artillery who to the great terrour of the French set vpon their ships which were there in the Road and vpon the Garrison that they kept in the I le of Inch-Keith Likewise presently the Duke of Norfolke was established Lieutenant generall in the Northerne parts towards Scotland the frontiers of the East and of the South were coÌ„mitted to the Lord Baron Gray who not long ago had couragiously but vnluckily defended Guien against the French and Thomas Earle of Sussex who in the reigne of Queene MARY had beene Deputy of Ireland is sent back thither with title of Lieutenant together with speciall command to ouer-looke this Irish Nation being so much the more superstitious by how much lesse it was husbanded and tilled should not be stirred to rebellion by the practices of the French vnder pretext of Religion to furnish Ophalie with some small Forts to giue to the old Soldiers some lands to be to them and their heires males begotten of their bodies to receiue Sulij-Boy Scotsh-Irish to hold the possessions which hee had claimed by hereditary right in the Countrey of Vlster to hold in fee and to doe homage and seruice for the same to increase moderately the reuenues of the Prince and reduce the treasury to the forme of that of England While these things passed thus F. Talbot the fifth Earle of the House of Shrewsburie dyed who was one of the chiefe Councellors of the Kingdome leauing for Heire George his onely Sonne by Marie Daughter to T. Dacre of Gilsland THE THIRD YEERE OF HER RAIGNE Anno Domini 1560. AS soone as the Duke of Norfolke was come to Barwicke the Prior of Saint Andrews the Baron of Rethuen and others came to meete him and in the name of the Duke of Chastelraut and his Confederates treated allyance with him for the Queene of England in these termes Whereas the French haue striuen by right or wrong to subdue Scotland and to vnite it to the Scepter of France the Queene of England will take into her Protection the Duke of Chastelraut the Heire apparent to the Kingdome of Scotland as long as the marriage of the King of France and Mary Queene of Scots shall last and one yeere more He shall set forth Armies by Land and Sea with all sort of warlike Munition to chase and driue the French out of Scotland He shall not make peace with them but with condition that Scotland shal enioy its former libertie The Forts which shall be taken from them by the ayde of the English shall be also presently demolished or put into the hands of the Duke of Norfolke according as hee shall thinke good The English shall not fortifie any place in Scotland but by the counsel of the Duke of Chastelraut and the Peeres of the Kingdome The Scots shall assist the English to their vttermost endeuours they shall hold their Enemies theirs and shall not suffer that the Kingdome of Scotland shall bee ioyned to France otherwise then by marriage as now it is If England be set vpon by the French on this side Tine the Scots shall send at the Queenes charge two thousand Horse and a thousand Foot-men If on the other side they shall ioyne themselues to succour the English with all the strength they are able to make and at their owne charge for thirtie dayes as they haue beene accustomed to doe for the defence of Scotland The Earle of Argaehel Iudge of Scotland shall labour to reduce vnto due obedience the Northerne parts of Ireland vnder certaine Conditions which shall bee agreed vpon betweene the Vice-roy of Ireland and himselfe Finally it is determined what the one and the other shall doe if Iames Maconel or others raise any commotion in the Countrey of Hebride in Scotland or in Ireland For establishing these things Hostages shall bee sent into England before the English Armie enter into Scotland which shall be changed at the discretion of the Scots from sixe moneths to sixe moneths or from foure to foure Moneths so long as the Marriage betweene the King of France and the Queene of Scotland shall last and a yeere ouer and aboue That the Duke of Chastelraut the Earles and Barons Conferrates shall ratifie these Coâ—â—entions vnder their Signes and Seales within twenty dayes and shall declare that in all things which shal not tend to the oppressing of their ancient Liberty they shal yeeld obedience to the Queene of Scotland and to the King of France her Husband forasmuch as the Queene of England vndertakes not these things but by way of friendship and neighbourhood and to free the Scots from Bondage It was already discouered by Messages from stranger Princes and intercepted Letters that the French were resolued to set vpon England Seb. Martigues a young Gentleman of the House of Luxembourg with a thousand old Souldiers and two wings of Horse was come into Scotland and Doisel a Frenchman assuring himselfe too much to be of the Councell of the Queene Regent of Scotland had propounded to the chiefe of the Kingdome at Aymouth neere Barwicke that ioyning their forces they at the very instant would put the King and Queene of Scotland in possession of England but hauing considered the difficultie of the thing
to that but to heare that which you haue to answer touching the confirmation of the Treaty of Edenborrough But if it please you to heare the cause of this offence hauing quitted the qualitie of an Ambassadour I will tell it you in few words As soone as the Queene my Mistris was sacred and inaugurated you vsurped the name and armes of England although you had not done it before in the reigne of Queene MARY You shall iudge in your owne wisdome if a greater offence can be done to a Prince Surely priuate persons themselues doe not willingly digest these offences much lesse Princes But said She my Husbands Father and my Husband would haue it so commanded it As soone as they were deceased and that I was of my selfe I presently quitted both the Armes and the Title And notwithstanding I know not if this be to defraud the Queene that I who likewise am one and Grand-child to the eldest Sister of HENRY the Eighth carry these Armes seeing that others haue borne them which are further off of kinne than I am Indeed Courtney Marquis of Exceter and the Dutches of Suffolke Neece to HENRY the Eighth by his yonger Sister by a speciall fauour carryed the Armes of England in adding to them the Limbes for a marke of difference The Queene of Scotland not being able by these words to giue Qu. ELIZABETH content who stedfastly beleeued that shee sought but delayes to husband some new hope seeing that at the holding of the States of Scotland who had assembled twice since the death of Queene MARIE shee had not made any proposition which concerned the confirmation of this Treaty as shee was already vpon the way to come for Scotland shee caused Throgmorton a second time to come to her to Ableville and asked him curteously How shee might either by word or deed giue satisfaction to Queene ELIZABETH In ratifying sayes he the Treaty of Edenborrough as I haue often told you Whereupon she said vnto him HEarken then to iudge if this which shee thinkes to be delayes and vaine excuses are not most iust reasons The first Article of this Treaty which concernes the ratification of that which passed in the Castle of Cambray betweene England and France toucheth mee nothing at all The second which concernes that of the Treatie passed in the same place betweene England and Scotland hath beene ratified by my Husband and mee and I cannot ratifie it more amply if it be not concluded in my name alone seeing my Husband is there expresly named The third fourth and fifth Articles are already effected for the preparatiues of Warre haue ceased the French Garrisons are called backe out of Scotland the Fort which was neere Aymouth is razed Since the death of my Husband I haue refrained to carry the Armes and the Title of England and it is not in my power to raze them out of the Vtensils Edifices and the Letters Royall which are dispersed through France no more than I can send backe the Bishop of Valence and of Raadan since they are not my Subiects to contest vpon the sixth Article As to the last I hope that my seditious Subiects will not complaine of my inclemencie But as I see shee which thinkes to hinder my returne will goe about to hinder that they shall not try my clemencie What remaines now in this Treatie which is preiudiciall to your Queene Neuerthelesse to heape her vp with satisfactions I will write to her of it more amply with mine owne hand though shee vouchsafes not to write to mee but by a Secretarie As for you Ambassadour I pray you to doe the duetie of an Ambassadour rather to sweeten businesses than make them sowrer But these Letters did not giue Queen ELIZABETH any contentment who had euer in her heart the iniury which shee had done her in taking the title and armes of England and at that time feared much that shee tooke them yet if by the confirmation of this Treatie and the Religion of the othe shee was not bound to forbeare them In the meane time the Queene of Scotland finding the time fit goes to Calais and gets into Scotland hauing the fauour of Heauen which was cloudy and darke got the winde of the English Ships that some thought had beene sent to Sea in honour to conuoy her others to take Pirates and others to take her they grounding it vpon this that Iames her bastard-brother a little before returning from France and passing through England had counselled Queene ELIZABETH to doe it if shee would prouide for Religion and her owne safetie The which Lidington being ioyfull that Doysell was retayned in England perswaded as his Letters make mention Lest being returned shee should stirre vp Tragedies take away the commerce of letters and messages with the English ruine the faction which was at their deuotion and exercise crueltie vpon the Protestants of Scotland not vnder colour of disloyaltie but of heresie euen as MARIE Queene of England had lately done Howbeit her Maiestie being returned into Scotland shewed all gentlenesse to her Subiects shee changed nothing in Religion although tumultuously brought in and begun to temper the Common-wealth by excellent Lawes and good Ordinances Her Maiestie sent Lidington to Queene ELIZABETH with Letters from her selfe and from the Peeres of Scotland by which shee referred to her all the care to make and intertaine the peace betweene England and Scotland prayed her to seeke some good dispatch thereof and gaue for her aduice that shee did not thinke of a better and more certaine remedie than that Queene ELIZABETH dying without issue should declare her Heire to succeed her in the Kingdome of England c. by authority of Parliament This seemed strange to Queene ELIZABETH who expected to receiue the Confirmation of the Treaty of Edenborrough promised both by word and writing Notwithstanding she answers him THat for concerning the matter of Succession shee hoped that the Queene of Scotland would not violently take the Scepter from her nor from her Children if shee should haue any Promiseth not to derogate in any manner from the right which she had to the Kingdome of England howsoeuer by the precipitate and ouer-hasted ambition of others shee had attributed to her selfe the Title and the Armes of the same for which it were iust and requisit shee should make some satisfaction And said shee feared that the Designation of a Successour would disioyne their friendship rather than re-vnite it by reason that those which rule haue alwayes those in suspition which ought to succeed them That the inconstant people vexing themselues at the present state of things turne away the eyes from the Sunne-setting and looke toward the Sunne-rising and that those which are once designed Successors cannot containe themselues within the limits of equitie nor can keepe vnder the ill desires of their owne and of others insomuch that if she did confirme and assure the succession she should depriue her selfe of all
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
of O-Neales would not The grant which his father had made to King HENRY the Eighth and the restitution that HENRY the Eighth had made vnto him were nothing considerable seeing that Cone had nothing in the things granted but during her life could not haue made this grant without the consent of the Peeres and of the people who had elected him to the honor of O-Neale That such Letters also could not be of any valew vnlesse witnessed by the othes of twelue men that hee was the certaine Heire of the House which had not been done in this matter That by diuine and humane right he was vndoubted Heire moreouer the eldest Sonne of his Father begot in lawfull marriage designed O-Neale with a generall consent of the Peeres people by vertue of the Law of Temster which was his Countrey by which a man of ripe yeeres ought to be preferred before a Child and an Vnkle before a Nephew whose great Grand-father out-liued the Father To conclude hee had not vsurped any authority ouer the Lords of Vlster though in times past his Ancestors by a particular right had vsed it But of this I haue spoken else-where Which when the Queene found true he was sent home with honour where he behaued himselfe both faithfully and industriously against the Irish Rebels THE SIXTH YEERE OF HER RAIGNE Anno Domini 1563. IN the moneth of Ianuary the States of the Kingdome assembled at Westminster and established Lawes for the reliefe of the poore for the increase of traffique by Sea and for husbandry to represse South-sayers Negromancers Sodomites Coyners and Periury and translated the Holy Bible and Liturgy into the Welsh Tongue And to maintaine the Maiesty of the Queene and Realme tooke order that the like inconueniences might not happen to them which shamefully fell out by the Popes vsurped authority and to curbe the violence of those which vpheld it declared them criminals laesae Maiestatis whosoeuer after three admonitions should maintaine in print in words or in deedes that any Prince Prelate or stranger should haue any authority in Spirituall things in England or any other Countries of the Queenes Dominions or whosoeuer should refuse twice to take the Oath which should be offered to him for acknowledging of the Queenes soueraigne authority in Spiritual things and ouer Ecclesiasticall persons yet with this charge without spilling of blood neither that it should bee required of any Baron of this Kingdome or of those of more eminent dignity the Queene not doubting their fidelity nor any others Saue those which were which had been or hereafter should be of some Ecclesiasticall Order or those who after hauing bin aduertised of the forme of seruice of the English Church will not obserue it or shall publikely in words or actions depraue it which shall celebrate or heare Masse with like things which is seene in the Ordinance established for it Now to witnes the ioy which they had to see the prosperity of the times the Clergie granted the Queene a Subsidie and the Lay people another together with two Tenths and two fifteenths in acknowledgment of her reformation of Religion establishment of Peace deliuering England and Scotland from stranger Enemies to put downe base money repaire the Fleet make preparation for Warre and Nauigation beyond expectation and of the laudable designe which she had for France to assure England and the yong King of France and to recouer Calais Now this Tenth and Fifteenth that I may make it remarkable in the behalfe of strangers is a Taxe which long agoe hath bin imposed vpon euery City Borrough and village not by the pole but by generalities according to the fifteenth part of the reuenew of the places A Subsidie is that which is imposed vpon euery particular for goods and lands which he possesseth But neither of these two Taxes are euer imposed but by the Parliament In the meane time the Prince of Conde who made haste to get into Normandy to the English succour is taken in the famous Battell of Dreux and with him Nicholas Throgmorton who suffered himselfe voluntarily to bee taken by the Protestants to communicate some secret designes vnto them And beeing presently after set at liberty he presented the money which was promised to Coligni who was marched forward with the Troupes of auxiliary English to the Castle of Cane which he then besieged and easily compelled Cane Bayeux Falexe and the Temple of Saint Lo to render While things were thus carried in France Queen ELIZABETH made knowne to the King of Spaine by Chaloner her Ambassadour that to preuent the Guizes in time who insultingly and with deadly intent rais'd vp against her pernitious things and dangerous Treaties that shee had sent an Armie into France and kept still in her hands Haure de grace which was deliuered vp to her till shee receiued full satisfaction for Calais He answered her That if she demanded onely the restitution of Calais it was all shee desired from the beginning but if she vndertooke this warre for Religions sake he could not likewise abandon that of his Grandfathers and Predecessors As for the Guizes who are they said he for a most puissant Queene of England to feare they beeing of no alliance to the King of France as hereto fore they haue beene Whereunto she made no other reply but conformable to that English Prouerbe which sayes Euery one must looke to their own when their neighbours House is on fire And the King of Spaine vnderstood well inough how shee politikely treated with the Protestant Princes of Germany by the sollicitation of then Henry but now Lord Knowles and Christopher Hill for the Prince of Condé's reliefe and to defend the common cause of Religion whereat being more highly offended he likewise secretly sought meanes against her vnder the colour and pretext of Religion Withall those French Hostages who were sent into England for the security of the payment of â—ne hundred thousand Crownes promised in case Calais were not restored perceiuing all things enclining to a warre laboured all they could to flye away but beeing ready to take Barke they were taken and brought backe againe together with that famous Pylot Iohn Ribant who came secretly into England to conuay them ouer In the meane while peace was accorded in France between the King and the Prince of Condé allured thereunto out of hope that hee should haue the generall managing of all affaires and marry the Queene of Scots the Protestants and the Queenes Maiestie of England being no waies therein comprehended all men with one generall voice protested that if the English withdrew not themselues forthwith out of Haure de grace the promise of surrendting Calais intimated by the Treaty of Cambray should be frustrate and take no effect and by publique sound of Trumpet the French were permitted in this case to assaile the English to take and pillage them while they yeelded it vp The Queenes Maiesty of
withall they shewed her that it could not bee done except she married or designed a certaine Successor For which cause they desired and aboue all things besought her to be ioyned by the sacred bond of Marriage with whom she would in what place she liked as soone as she pleased to the end to haue Children for helps to the Kingdome withall to ordaine with the States of the Realme a Successor certaine in case that shee or the Children which she might haue should dye without Children which God forbid And for the obtaining of these things so much the more easily being so necessary they represented vnto her many reasons for the same the feare which of fresh memory had seized vpon them with such a sicknesse of which they had beene but newly recouered the opportunity of the time the States of the Kingdome beeing then assembled which might maturely deliberate of so great matters the terrour which she should giue to her enemies by this meanes and the incredible ioy which she should fill the hearts of her Subiects withall They praise the examples of her Ancestors who in like cases prouided for the suretie of their Posterity condemning this saying of Pyrrhus who would leaue his Kingdome to him that had the sharpest sword And moreouer shewing her with what a storme England were threatned if she should dye without designing a certaine Successor there would follow impetuously vpon it seditions and intestine Warres of which the Victory it selfe is most miserable and that Religion should bee driuen out Iustice ouerwhelmed the Lawes trodden vnderfoot there beeing no Prince who is the soule of the Law and the Kingdome a prey to strangers They numbered and exaggerated many other like calamities which would inuolue all sorts of Families if she should dye without Issue And modestly they added counsels Precepts and examples drawne from the holy Scriptures But those of the Lower House debated of these things more tumultuously Bell and Monson Lawiers of great renowne Dutton P. Wentworth and others refuted Royall Maiestie too much and among other things maintained that Kings were bound to designe a Successor that the loue of Subiects was the most strong and inexpugnable Rampart of Princes their onely stay and Support That Princes could not obtaine this loue if they did not prouide for the good of their Subiects not onely while they liued but after their death That that could not be done if a Successor did not plainely appeare That the Queene for lacke of designing one prouoked Gods wrath and alienated the hearts of her Subiects That then to gaine the fauour of God and haue Subiects most affectionate and obliged and to raise her vp Statues in the hearts of men which would neuer perish shee should declare a Successor Others that shee should knowe that they did hold her not for a Mother and a Nurse but for a Stepdame and a murderesse of her Countrie seeing shee loued her selfe better than England which then breathed by her spirit would expire with her rather then subsist aliue That there were neuer but cowardly Princes haters of their Subiects and fearefull weake women who conceiued feare because of their Successors and that such as be enuironed with the loue of their Subiects ought not to apprehend the danger which might bee stirred vp against them by a declared Successor These things she heard with a great deale of displeasure but shee contemned them for a time and for a time kept them hidden For as vse had instructed her she well knew what danger there is to designe a Successor insomuch that Queene MARIE reigning many of the Nobility and of the people had cast their eyes and hearts vpon her as beeing to succeed her that euen as any thing had bin said or done in her most holy Cabinet or secret Councell they reported it to her and that Wyat and others misliking their state and desiring to innouate things had conspired against her to set her vpon the Royall Throne in her place Shee knew that the hopes of Competitors were better restrained and they kept in their duety while she suspended the wayting of euery one and made no declaration of any That by a precipitate desire to reigne euen Children haue tooke Armes against their Fathers and that shee could not looke for lesse from her kindred She had obserued in reading and when she disputed of that remembred incontinently that it was rarely found that the Successors had bin declared in the collaterall line That Lewis Duke of Orleans had neuer been declared Successor in the Kingdome of France to Charles the Eighth nor Francis Duke of Angoulesme to Lewis yet neuerthelesse they succeeded without any noise That such designation had alwaies in England beene the ruine of the designed and that Roger Mortimer Earle of March designed Heire by King Richard had not beene so soone extinct and his sonne Edmond constituted and kept prisoner twentie yeeres together but for this cause That I. Polhem Earle of Lincolne declared Successor by Richard the 3. after the death of his sonne by Henry the Seuenty was alwaies suspected and finally killed in warre as he was weauing of innouations and his brother Edward beheaded vnder HENRIE the Eighth But these things make vs goe from the purpose But as some ceased not with prouoked spirits and sharpe contention daily more and more to cry aloud these things which I come to tell and other things which had a greater sting the Queene hauing commanded that choyce should be made of thirty of the Vpper-House of Parliament and as many of the Lower and that they should appeare before her Shee with a light reproose made them milder and by force of her most worthy Maiesty diuerted them from their designe promising them with many words not onely the care of a Princesse but also the affection of a Mother And the States hauing offered her for Subsidies more than they were accustomed to doe vpon condition that she would designe a Successour Shee vtterly refused it as being too much receiued the ordinary commending their affection remitted the whole fourth payment of the granted Subsidie saying That her Subiects money was as well in their owne coffers as in hers The last day of these Sessions she spoke thus in few words which I will shut vp in fewer SEeing that the words of Princes doe often penetrate deepe into the hearts and eares of men heare these from mee As I haue simply cherished truth so haue I alwayes thought that you would ingeniously haue cherished her but it hath beene in vaine For I haue discouered that dissimulation thrusts her selfe into these assemblies vnder the maske of libertie and of succession There are some of them among you who are of opinion that I ought presently to grant or vtterly to refuse libertie to dispute of the Succession and to establish it If I should haue granted it those would triumph ouer mee hauing their wishes If I refused they had
the exercise of his owne Religion forbidden him Wherein I am not able to say whether the Spaniards shewed greater hatred to Queene ELIZABETH or to Religion considering that at the same time she vsed all manner of humanity to Guzman the Spanish Ambassadour in England permitting him the exercise of his religion Her Maiestie was wonderfully moued with this Insult esteeming it offered to her own person in that they vsed her Ambassadour so as likewise for the iniurie which was done at the same instant to one Iohn Hawkins This man went to traffique at the Port of S. Iohn de Vlua within the Mexican Gulfe hauing fiue Ships laden with merchandize and some Negro slaues of whom the English then made ordinary sale hauing learn'd it of the Spaniards but I know not with what honour they might so doe The day after his arriuall came in also the King of Spaine's Fleet which because he would not violate the Peace he suffered peaceably to enter into the Port though he might haue hindred it obtayning first a firme promise of security for himselfe and his people vpon certaine prouisoes and conditions The Spaniards thus entered scorning to haue conditions imposed vpon them in their owne Proprieties obserued a fit time and falling vpon the English slew many of them seized on three of their Ships and made pillage of the goods a victory notwithstanding that cost themselues much blood This treacherous Action caused the Souldiers and Sea-men of England to murmur vrging them to call out for warre against the Spaniard and dayly exclaiming how they were breakers of Peace and Accord because it was agreed vpon between the Emperour Charles the fifth and HENRY the Eighth that commerce should bee free betweene their Subiects in all and each of their Kingdomes and Dominions as also in the Ilands not excepting so much as America which then appertayned to Charles About the same time the second day of May the prisoner Queene at Lake-Leuin made an escape out of prison and retired to Hamilton Castle by meanes of George Dowglasse to whose Brother shee was committed in guard where vpon the testimonies of R. Meluin and others and with an vnanimous consent of all the Nobles who flockt thither in great numbers Sentence definitiue was vttered That the Grant or Resignation extorted by meere feare from the prisoner Queene was void from the beginning and the Queene her selfe beeing present tooke a solemne Oath that it was extorted and forced from her By meanes whereof in two dayes such multitudes of men repayred to her out of all parts as she raised an Army of sixe thousand braue Souldiers who notwithstanding when they came to ioyne battell with Murray fighting rather hare-braindly then with wit or discretion they were soone discomfited This timorous Lady beeing daunted with that hard successe betooke her selfe to flight and rode the same day threescore miles when comming by night to Maxwel's house Baron of Heris she had rather expose herselfe to the mercy of the Sea and rely vpon Queen ELIZABETHS Protection than vpon the fidelity of her Subiects But yet before her embarking shee sent vnto her Iohn Beton with a Diamond that Queen ELIZABETH had formerly giuen her for a gage of their mutuall loue and amitie to the end to aduertise her that shee meant to come into England and demand succour of her if her owne Subiects any longer pursued her by course of Warre Queene ELIZABETH promised her all the kindnesse and loue of a Royall Sister but she not staying the returne of the Messenger committed her selfe to a small Vessell against the aduice and counsell of her friends and so the seuenteenth of May with the Barons Heris and Flemming and some fewe others came to Werrington in Cumberland neere to the mouth of the Riuer Derwenton and the same day shee wrote to Queene ELIZABETH a Letter in French the principall heads whereof I thinke good to set downe euen as I extracted them out of the originall Copie it selfe which comprehend a Relation of that which passed against her in Scotland more at large then what before I haue deliuered MY most deare Sister you very wel vnderstand how some of my Subiects whom I haue raised to soueraigne degrees of honor haue conspired to suppresse and imprison both mee and my Husband as also that when by force of Armes I had expelled them out of my Kingdome I receiued them againe into grace at your entreatie notwithstanding all this they violently entred into my Chamber and though I was great with Child cruelly slew mine owne seruant in my presence and shut vp my selfe vnder guard and close keeping When I pardoned them of this crime then presently they perpetrate another the which though it were plotted by them and had obliged themselues to the execution thereof by seal'd writings subscribed with their owne hands yet they imputed it to mee and were ready with armed power to seize vpon me But beeing confident in mine owne innocence for the sparing of blood I was content to yeeld my selfe vnto them Foorthwith they committed mee to prison beeing depriued of all my seruants except two wayting-Maides a Cooke and a Phisician enforcing me by menacings and terrors of death to resigne ouer the gouernment of the Kingdome refusing to heare either me or my Attourneys in a Conuention of the Estates summon'd by their owne authority onely stript off all my goods and denyed the meanes to speake with any After this by Gods direction I vsed a course to escape this imprisonment and beeing assisted with the whole Flowre of the Nobilitie who cheerefully made recourse vnto me out of all parts I put mine enemies in minde of their duety and of the fidelity they had sworne vnto me offered them pardon tooke order that each partie might bee heard in the Conuention of the Estates to the end the Common-wealth might no longer bee rackt and tormented with intestine mischiefes and for this effect I sent towards them two Messengers But they imprisoned both of them proclaimed them Traytors that assisted me and ordayned that they should presently forsake me I entreated them vnder publike warrant and safety to negotiate with the Baron of Boyd for the according of these differences but in this motion they also refused me Neuerthelesse I conceiued some hope that they might bee brought vnder obedience by your procurements but when I saw that I must either dye or vndergoe another imprisonment I thought to goe to Dunbritton and was onward in my way They opposed and way-laid me beat and ouerthrew my people my selfe beeing constrained to flie Then I retired to the Baron of Heris and with him repayred into your Kingdome relying on your Princely and Royall affection that you will ayde me in my need and by your example inuite others thereunto Wherefore I request you in all kinde affection that beeing so deepely plunged in many distresses as at this instant I am you will cause mee to be conducted out of
Florentine who had lyen a long time Factor in London vnderhand to stir vp the Papists against Queen ELIZABETH as questionlesse he very industriously performed and with great secresie A slender but maruelous weake suspition was rais'd of some priuie conferences were held at Yorke betweene the Earle of Lidington the Bishop of Rosse and the Duke of Norfolke who being sollicited to employ his aduice and care for the safety of the afflicted Queen by the Earle and the Bishop who promised to marry him to her with a modest answere he made refusall thereof promising neuerthelesse that hee would not forsake her in her aduersities so far as might safely stand with his honour and the dutie and fidelity he ought to his Prince This suspicion was greatly augmented by meanes of Ligan one of the Dukes seruants being a great Papist by reason of the daily goings and commings he made to Bolton Castle which belonged to my Lord Scroope where the Queene of Scots was kept by Francis Knowles vnder colour to visit and salute his wife who was the Dukes Sister And though nothing was yet certainely knowne neuerthelesse the Queene was remooued from Bolton where a number of Papists dwelt neere together on all sides to be conducted to Tudberry situated in the heart of the Kingdome and was committed to the keeping of the Earle of Shrewsburie Queene ELIZABETH was then the more carefull both of her owne and of the safety of Religion and the Common-wealth because the Guizes in France and the Duke of Alua in the Low-Countries had begun to put in execution those Dessignes they proiected formerly at Bayon touching the vtter extirpation of the Protestants Religion For the Propositions of Peace set downe in France about the beginning of this yeere came to nothing For Edicts were publisht whereby the exercise of the Protestant Religion was absolutely prohibited they that made profession thereof depriued of their publike places the Ministers commanded to depart the Realme within a prefixt time they were threatned with warre all ouer runne vpon in euery place and cruelties practised against them though Queene ELIZABETH vsed many and importunate intreaties by her Ambassadour Seris to bring them to a firme and solid Peace perswading the King not to excite mens stomacks by vnseasonable courses and that he should take heed of them who by remouing from about him his faithfull Subiects laboured so to breake and dis-vnite the Forces of France that it might be exposed as a prey to other Nations When he made no account of her Entreaties or Remonstrances and forbare not to draw out of Italy Germany and Spaine both money and men to re-enforce Queene ELIZABETH also not to abandon them who ioyned with her in one and the same cause she sent an hundred thousand Crownes in pieces of gold cald Angels with great warlike preparations to the Protestants who then professed religiously that they tooke not vp Armes to make warre vpon the King but onely to defend themselues and shee with all humanity entertain'd the French that made their refuge into England as also the Flemmings who seeing that the Duke of Alua breathed nothing but blood and slaughter were in great multitudes retired thither as to an Asyle and planted by permission both at Norwich Glocester Sandwich Maidstone and Southhampton to the singular benefit certainely of England For they were the first that brought in the Art and knowledge of making those light Stuffes which are called Bayes and Sayes with other such like of linnen and woolen But because I must often commemorate the warres of Flanders as linkt and combin'd with the interest affaires of England I shall not digresse much from my purpose if I heere relate how they tooke their beginning When the Spaniard would by no prayers nor intreaties mitigate his bloody Edicts against Religion and those who made profession thereof in the Low-Countries but in stead thereof exercised all manner of cruelty against mens consciences by the meanes of the Spanish Inquisition prohibited all the Assemblies of the States Prouinciall of the Low-Countries which is the onely and most vsuall remedy for the appeasing and according of their differences but gouerned the Common-Wealth by Acts digested in Spaine and not by the Councels of the people of the same Countreys it so happened that a few of the very scumme of the Vulgar sort tooke certaine Images in euery place out of the Churches and tumultuously brake them in pieces and though this Tumult was as soone appeased as excited yet following their counsell who desired to impose a yoke on this Nation strongly bent to liberty and taking occasion from the temerity of some few particulars he entoyled all the people with a publike Delict of manifest Rebellion and as if they had then lost all their liberty to inuade the Gouernment he sent Ferdinando Aluarez Duke of Alua a cruell and bloody man who beeing constituted supreme Gouernour contrary to the ancient customes and immunities of the Countrie though hee was in no sort a Prince of Blood rais'd a long and fearefull Warre abridging the Authority of former Iurisdictions erecting new Tribunals condemning the Nobility of the Country by the ministery and prosecution of such as were not their Iudges putting them to death placing Spanish Garrisons in the Borroughs and Townes building Citadels and for each alienation and commotion drawing by force out of their purses the tenth part of their immouables and the twentieth part of their mouable goods At the very selfe-same time it happened that certaine Marchants of Genoa and other parts of Italy sent out of Spaine into Flanders a quantity of coine to haue it put out to vse in a great Ship of Biscay and foure lesse which the Spaniards tearme Zabres which beeing chased by Chasteler a French-man and defended by Winter an English-man had much adoe to saue themselues in the Ports of Plimouth Fawmouth and Southhampton in England So soone as the Queene was aduertised of it she commanded all the Magistrates of those Ports to vse the Spaniards very kindly and to defend their Shipping from the French and G. D'espes Knight of the Order of Calatraua Ambassadour Leager of the King of Spaine in England fearing the French obtayned of the Queene who thought verily that this money had belonged to the Spaniard that new Mandates might bee sent downe for the defence of these ships against the French who lay in wayte for them and afterwards hee vsed the meanes to haue this money brought into England and from thence to Antwerpe by Sea But in the meane while the French had almost taken away one of the Ships which had bin perform'd but that they were repell'd by the English And therefore it was thought expedient to land it for better security which was done out of hand But notwithstanding it was not all brought on shore for D' Espes supposing the Queenes intention to be other then is was gaue the D. of Alua to vnderstand how
was repos'd and rested himselfe vpon a Cushion should take heed and looke to himselfe And finally the Earle of Leicester beeing at Tichfield found himselfe ill or else he counterfaited the sicke and being visited and graciously comforted by the Queene he was seized with such feare that her Maiestie could easily discerne it beholding his blood and vitall senses to shrinke in himselfe which was the cause that after he had asked pardon and implored forgiuenesse with sighs and teares of the Queene he declared vnto her all the businesse from the beginning In that very same time the Queen tooke the Duke aside into a Gallery where she rebuked him sharpely for hauing sought the Queen of Scotland in marriage without her leaue and permission commanding him to free himselfe of it for the fidelity and loyalty sake which hee ought to beare vnto his Soueraigne The Duke most willingly promised the same as if he had despised the match and fear'd not to assure that his reuennues and commings in heere in England were not whitlesse to those of the Kingdome of Scotland then miserably exhausted by the Warre and that when he was in the Tenis-Court of his Palace at Norwich he seemed in some fashion to be equall and not inferiour to some Kings But in a short space this courage begunne to grow weake and flexible discerning by the aspect and speech of the Queene that her Maiestie was irritated against him and that her anger rather augmented then diminished also that many Noble-men withdrew themselues by little little from his familiarity saluting him but with much adoe and breaking off in haste their discourses At this the Duke tooke his iourney to London without leaue and vpon the way tooke his lodging at the Earle of Pembroke's house who counselled him to be cheerefull to hope well and gaue him solace and consolation in his affliction That very day Queene ELIZABETH moued with anger refused to set at liberty the prisoned Queene to the Scottish Ambassadour who implored it of her Maiestie and commanded that she should behaue herselfe peaceably or else she should see shortly those vpon whom she most relyed cut off and beheaded Now when as the rumor of the match had more increased and the fame of it was euery where diuulged and the Ambassadour of the French King more by the perswasion of some English than the command of his Prince as it afterwards appeared did earnestly labour and vehemently vrge that the Queene of Scots might haue her libertie new suspicions were generally raysed and Cecill who was alwaies diligently carefull and studying for the well-fare of Religion was desirous to finde out the matter he dealt therefore with Sussex by Letters who was then President of the North Countries and a deare friend to the Duke that if so be he vnderstood any thing concerning the Dukes marriage he should certifie the Queene of it what he answered I am vncertaine And when it appeared that the Duke had priuate conference at Hampton-Court with Murray the Vice-Roy of Scotland George Carie the sonne of the Lord of Hunsden was sent to enquire if the Duke had imparted any thing to him concerning the marriage In the meane time the Duke affrighted with the false rumor of the rebellion and insurrection in the North and being certified of Leicester that he should be committed to prison went into Norfolke till his friends at Court as they promised had stilled the storme and he pacified the offended minde of the Queene with submissiue supplicatiue Letters When hee found no comfort amongst his owne and Heiden Cornwallis and other of his traine perswaded him that if he were guilty should flye to the Queenes mercy he was almost distracted with sorrow In the meane time the Court was sollicited and possest with feare lest hee should haue made Rebellion which if hee did they report it was determined to cut off the Queen of Scots But hee out of his innate goodnesse and a most pious conscience had not offended against any Law of her Maiestie that Statute made in the Reigne of HENRY the Eighth which prohibited the marrying any of the children of the Kings Sister Brother or Aunt without the consent and knowledge of the King being abolished and nullified by EDVVARD the Sixth and also out of a feare that they should vse the Queene of Scots more hardly sends Letters to his friends at Court in which he certified that he went into the Countrey for feare of imprisonment that through time and absence he might finde a remedy against ill reports and defamations which the Court was ready to intertaine hee most submissiuely intreateth pardon and forthwith prepareth to goe to the Court. In his returne hee being at Saint Albons Owen the Earle of Arundels man was sent priuately to him from Throgmorton and Lumley who formerly had beene in custody aduising him that hee should take all the blame on himselfe and not lay any fault on Leicester or others lest he should turne them from being friends to enemies There Edward Fitz-Gerald brother to the Earle of Kildare Lieutenant of the Pensioners went before drew him from thence and brought him to Burnham about three miles from Windsor where the Queene was to whom foure dayes after the Abbot of Dunfermline deliuered Letters in the behalfe of Murray importing how the Duke had secretly treated with him in the Royall Mannor of Hampton-Court to procure his fauour to this marriage on the contrary greatly menacing him in case he did refuse That to auoyd the dangerous practice of one Norton who watcht to kill him at his returne he gaue his promise to the Duke That the Duke assured him neither Norton nor any other should attempt any thing against his life and a little while after being sollicited by Letters written in Cypher to giue consent to this marriage he gaue him to vnderstand by Boyd that he would neuer abandon the Queene of Scots and moreouer how her Maiesties owne Officers had in some sort perswaded the Vice-Roy that Queene ELIZABETH gaue also her liking and approbation to this marriage and putting the same Queene of Scots in hope that shee should succeed to the Kingdome of England Renowned Queene ELIZABETH perceiuing also very euidently that to draw some great men of England to her partie shee gaue them expresly to vnderstand how she was taking a course for the Queenes Maiesties securitie and the infallible safety of the whole Kingdome The Duke who subtilly held correspondency by Letters with the Bishop of Rosse Leicester and Throgmorton causing them to be priuily conueyed in bottles of Beere being at the same time strictly examined about the poynt of this marriage after his confession of the greatest part and a bitter checke giuen him for departing the Court without leaue and being further accused of Innouation was sent to the Tower of London vnder the guard of Neuill a Knight of the Golden Order Two dayes after the Bishop of
lay in Court after he had obtained the fauour to kisse the Queenes hands hee promised to employ himselfe with his whole power against them wherevpon he was sent home to his own house But when he was in the way as was discouered afterwards hee imparted vnto them his dessignes by messengers which renew'd their spirit and courage making them many promises in the behalfe of diuers Ambassadours to strange Princes and amongst others perswading them that with such men as he would raise in the Queenes name he would kill the Lord Scroope Gouernour of the West Borders and the Bishop of Carlile But not being able to effect it he followed the Earles who were fled with Letters recōmendatorie to the Scots surprized Gristock Castle and other houses belonging to the Dacres fortifyed the Castle of Naworth as if he had some right and interest in it and vnder pretext of defending his owne goods and opposing the Rebels hee got together three thousand theeues of the borders and others who stood best affected to the Dacres much esteemed and respected in those quarters The Lord of Hunsdon with the most expert Souldiers of the Garrison of Barwicke went into the Field against them who trusting to no fortifications went still forward and with an Armie rang'd in Triangular forme and flanker'd with Horse they attended them neere to a little Riuer called Gelt where questionlesse they had a sound fight both for the one part and the other and Leonard though he was lame came short of nothing required in a valiant and resolute Captaine But when the greatest part of his men were slaine he left the Victory to my Lord of Hunsdon not greatly pleasing to him and so retired into the neerest places of Scotland from whence not long after he crost ouer into Flanders where hee died poore at Louaine so that the curses imposed vpon him by his dying Father prooued true The Lord of Hunsdon commended the keeping of those Castles taken from the Rebells to the Duke of Norfolks men and the Queenes Maiestie by a publike Proclamation granted a generall pardon to all the multitude which he had excited to Rebellion Though this Rebellion raisd many tumults and disturbances within her Kingdome yet would not her Maiestie neglect the Protestants in France their State beeing at that time wretched and deplorable For the Princes of the same Religion hauing much importuned her to defend the common cause she furnisht the Queen of Nauarre with money vpon some Iewels and other ornaments and permitted Hen. Champernoune Brother by the Fathers side to Gawyn who married the Earle of Mountgomeries Daughter to conduct into France a Company of an hundred Noble voluntary Gentlemen vnder one Guydon who had written on it this Motto La vertu me donne fin Among whom were Phil. Butshed Fr. Barkley and Gualter Raleigh who was but yong and tooke his first say and taste of the wars The K. of France conceiu'd that either to draw vp or at least to diuert to some other employments the great wealth of England which was abundantly disburs'd in ayde and succour of the Protestants he resolued to kindle a new warre against England by assisting the Scots who kept the Castle of Dunbriton for the Queene of Scotland In which Seruice Monsieur de Martigues was employed a Souldier who then liued in the very prime of his Reputation but he being slaine with an Harquebuzada at the siege of S. Iean d' Angeli this Proiect vanisht tooke no effect Ireland in those times was no more free from Rebellion For Ed. and Phil. Butler brothers to the Earle of Ormond who had iniuriously entreated their neighbours in Munster refused to obey the Lawes molested true Subiects with Pillories and wastel and colleagued themselues with Ioh. Fitz-Morris of the house of Desmond Macartimore Fitz-Edmond Steward of Imoquell and others who had negotiated with the Pope and the King of Spaine to re-establish the Romane Religion in Ireland and to suppresse Queene ELIZABETH For which cause they were denounced Rebels against the State and Sir Pe. Carne continually galled them with light Skirmishes wherein Fortune was variable Neuerthelesse hauing made an head of many Galloglasses they beleaguerd Kilkennie and commanded the Inhabitants to deliuer into their hands the wife of Warham of Saint-Leiger but being repelled by the Garrison who issued out vpon them they miserably forraged and wasted the whole Countrey round about The more to excite and spread the flame of this sedition Iohn Mendoza came secretly in the behalfe of the Spaniard and out of England to extinguish it the Earle of Ormond who perswaded his Brothers to submit themselues who were neuerthelesse imprisoned But the Earle obtained of the Queen through his continuall and dayly intercession that their Triall and Iudgement might be desired and not be brought to the rigour of the Law though their crimes and offences had deserued it the which he tooke grieuously not beeing able to endure that at their occasion such infamie should be vpon their most Noble and illustrious house so neere allyed to Queene ELIZABETH who reioyced and glorified so often that the Nobility of that House had euer beene pure and their blood vntainted But the Lord Deputie pursuing liuely the remainder of that Rebellion dissipated it in a very short space of time Some Troubles were also moued and stirred vp in Vlster by Turlogh-Leinich who through inconstancie embraced sometimes warre and sometimes peace according to the headstrong desire rash pleasure of his Followers Officers and Seruants But he was kept in awe within the bounds of duety not so much by the English Garrisons as by the Hebrideans who of those poore and meagre Islands seized vpon his earthly possessions Against whose incursions there was sent out of England a great deale of money to fortifie and strengthen the Sea-Coast but in vaine out of a misfortune common as well to England as Ireland where for the most part men intrude themselues and are admitted into those publike places who basely respecting their owne priuate gaine doe neglect the publike weale and generall commodity of the Kingdome The end of the First Book of the Annals and History of that mighty Empresse Queene ELIZABETH of most happy and blessed memory THE HISTORIE OF THE MOST HIGH MIGHTY AND Euer-glorious Empresse ELIZABETH Inuincible Queene of England Ireland c. True Defendresse of the Faith of immortall Renowne and neuer-dying Fame and Memory OR ANNALLES OF ALL SVCH REMARKable things as happned during her blest Raigne ouer her Kingdomes of England and Ireland as also such Acts as past betwixt her MAIESTY and Scotland France Spaine Italy Germany and the Netherlands The second Booke Faithfully translated out of the French and publisht in English with the KINGS leaue and Authority granted by his most Excellent Maiestie to ABRAHAM DARCIE To my Noble and wel-deseruing Friend Mr. ABRAHAM DARSSIE Admire I would but dare not lest that I Be thought to flatter speaking VERITY
of London for intertaining clandestine conferences with the Earle of Southampton a most deuoted man to the Romish Religion In the meane time Sussex accompanied with the Lord Scroope with Companies of Souldiers being gone againe into Scotland burn'd the Villages in the Valley of Annandale ruined the Castle of Annandale which belonged to Heris and the Castle of Caer-Laueroc belonging to Maxwell who had made some pillaging incursioÌ„s into England and brought them to such distresse who continued on the Queene of Scotlands side that the Duke of Chastelraut and the Earles of Huntley and Argathell send them a promise in writing sealed vnder their hands obliging themselues thereby no longer to maintaine warres and to abandon the English Rebels This being done hee forthwith returned and for their valour Knighted Hastings Russell Browne Hilton Stapleton and Musgraue and himselfe afterwards for his approued wisdome and vertue was admitted to be of the Queenes Priuy Councell ELIZABETH hauing her thoughts full of doubts with various suspitions by reason of this Bull and Norfolkes conspiracy sent vnto the Queene of Scotland being then at Chettesworth in the Countie of Darbie Cecil and Walteâ—â— Mildmay who in regard the waters were risen aboue measure it being in the Moneth of October came thither with much difficultie to consult with her about the most conuenient meanes how to compound the variance in Scotland for the restoring of her to her former estate to secure ELIZABETH and prouide for the safetie of her young Sonne Shee could say nothing but deplore her afflicted condition and complayned of the fraudulent deuices of Count Murray iustified the Duke of Norfolke and reposed all her hope on the courtesie of ELIZABETH vnderstanding that shee had the generall gouernement of the affaires of Scotland as well as of England They propounded vnto her that to conclude a certaine peace betweene the two Kingdomes she ought to oblige her selfe to confirme the Treatie of Edenborrough and disclaime the title and right which shee pretended to England so long as ELIZABETH or any issue of her body should liue Not to renew or entertaine any alliance with any Prince whatsoeuer against England Not to admit any forreine troupes into Scotland nor hold any Councell with the English or Irish without notice first giuen to ELIZABETH To send backe the English Fugitiues and Rebels to satisfie the dammages done vpon the Frontiers To make search according to the Law of the Murder aswell of Darley her Husband as of Murray and deliuer her Sonne into England for a pledge Not to contract her selfe in marriage with any English man without acquainting the Queene of England nor with any other contrary to the Ordinances of Scotland That the Scots might not goe for Ireland without leaue of the Queene of England That for the performance of these things the Queene and the Commissioners appointed for the same shall thereto set their hands and Seales Six Hostages whom the Queene of England would nominate should be sent into England That if the Queene of Scotland or any other by her procurement attempted any thing against her she should in that reâ—pect alone be cut off from all right which shee might claime in England That the Castles of Hume and Fast-Castle were held from the English for three yeeres space That shee should deliuer into their hands certaine Forts in the Countrey of Galloway or Cantire to the end that the Borderers on that coast might not inuade Ireland And lastly that the State of Scotland should confirme al these things by Act of Parliament To these things her selfe suddenly with great dexteritie and wisdome made answere neuerthelesse referred it to be answered more fully by the Bishop of Rosse her Ambassadour in England Alexander Gorden Bishop of Galloway and to the Baron Leuinstone deputed by Her lieutenants of Scotland who afterwards allowing some of these Articles and reiecting others made answer as here followeth THat it was reasonable to confirme the Treatie of Edenborrough and renounce the title of England during the life of ELIZABETH but as concerning the ancient alliance of France it was to be considered that if they did not intertaine that still the Queene should lose her dowrie the 100. armed Men and the 124. Souldiers of the Scottish Guard being Archers the Merchants Schollers and many who are to haue inheritance their pensions and immunities which they enioy shall be cast out and depriued of them and of the loue and assistance of a most puissant Nation which things if the English did not amply satisfie the Queene of Scotland could in no manner renounce this alliance But that shee would not entertaine any forraigne souldiers vnlesse such rebellion might happen which could not be suppressed by the strength of the Countrey That she would haue no intelligence or keepe correspondancie with any of the English to the preiudice of England prouided that the Q. of England on the other side intertayned none with the Scots to the preiudice of Scotland That if there were any English Rebels and Fugitiues in Scotland they might demand them of the Scottish Rebels who were for the more part neere as they to examine by deputies the dammages which they had receiued and make inquiry according to the Lawes of Scotland of the death of Darley and Murray That shee could not deliuer the King in pledge in regard hee was in their custodie who vnder his name coloured the Rebellion against the Queene That it was a strange innouation that a free Princesse should receiue Lawes from a stranger-Prince or his Subiects for her marriage That the Scots should not passe into Ireland to any preiudice of the Queene of England prouided that the Irish were by a reciprocall Law obliged not to passe into Scotland Agreed for confirmation of the securitie to giue such pledges as the Queene of England should nominate the Duke of Chastelraut and the Earles of Huntley Argathell and of Athole excepted Furthermore it shall be in their power to exclude the Queene of Scots from all right of Succession in England if shee should goe about to doe any thing contrary to the right and authoritie of the Queene of England so that the Queene of England would be bound in the like penaltie if shee should doe any thing against the power and priuiledge of the Queene of Scotland They demand that restitution be made of Castle-Hume and Fast-Castle to the Baron of Hume being the Lord to whom by right they appertaine and the English to hold them no longer To deliuer vp the Forts in Galloway and Cantire were to no other end but to minister a new occasion of warre When these things could in no wise bee agreed vpon neither any Commissioners came from the Vice-Roy of Scotland in the meane while it was divulged all abroad that the Pope the King of France and the Duke D' Alua was importunately sought vnto for ayde to set the Queene of Scotland at libertie and the English Rebels the Earle of
credit to those hurtfull truces and assembles For whilest they treated of these things in England they receiued great dammages in the punishments of many and murdering of others the taking of Dunbrittō situated neere Glotte or Cluide vpon an arme of the sea beeing the strongest and best fortified Castle in all Scotland I. Hamilton Arch-bishop of S. Andrews brother to the Duke of Chastelraut was hanged as a confederate of murdering the King without being brought according to the custome of the Countrey to Iudgement onely vpon the testimony of a priest who iustified that vpon taking confession of the assassinates of the King he heard them say that he was of the confederacie The Queene being prisoner could no longer harbour in her heart what shee had a long time concealed perceiuing herselfe out of all hope plunged in a deepe sorrow that of all her seruants they had left her but onely 10. and a priest to doe her seruice and that all meanes both for her health and liberty being euer most charitable seemed to bee taken away She sent thereupon secretly vnto the Duke of Norfolke a forme of her dessignes which shee had written long before and certaine amorous Letters written in a particular Character only betweene them two with other Letters to perswade him still to rely vpon the Pope and the Spaniard by Ridolph whom shee recommended vnto him as one most affectionate to his seruice and very necessary to be employed in his Affaires But Higford the Dukes Secretary who copied out this remembrance and those Letters in the vsuall Character being commanded to throw them into the fire hid them secretly vnder the mats in the Dukes Chamber for some further Dessigne as it seemeth This Ridolph being one day in the Dukes presence spake and made Barker often iterate the same THat he had obserued that there was as well among the Nobles as meaner sort in England three sorts who studied nouelties some were such as had flourished vnder the authority of MARIE and were then but few in number others who beeing zealous of the Romane Religion fretted that they were not permitted the free exercise thereof others who being transported with a new hope grieued at their present fortune who to enterprize any thing that would be propounded vnto them wanted nothing but a Leader of some Noble Race money and forraigne assistance That there could not be found one more illustrious and capable in such respect then the Duke who had the generall fauour of the people and that it stood with reason that he should reuenge the iniuries done him in that they had so long kept him prisoner against the Lawes of the Countrie and that they had not called him to the Assembly of Parliament sithence hee had his place and voice as beeing chiefe amongst all the Peeres Earle Marshall of the Kingdome of England And with the greater efficacie to perswade him to these things shewed him a Catalogue of the Nobles who had deuoted both themselues and their fortunes to his seruice if hee vndertooke this assured him that for forraigne helpe the Pope would be at all the charges of the Warre prouided that the Catholike Religion might bee aduanced hauing to this end disbursed the yeere before a hundred thousand Crownes when the Bull was publisht of which he himselfe had distributed to the English Fugitiues 12000. promised that the Spaniard prouoked by the iniuries of the English would send him for aide 4000. horse and 6000. foot which might very conueniently be brought in about the beginning of summer at Harwich a Port in Essex at whose approch the Duke had a great number of strong ships and without suspicion because about the same instant the Duke Medinoe-Coeli was to come into Flanders with a great Fleet. Concluded lastly that this might be supposed to be a meanes to free the Duke from all suspicion of attempting the Kingdome and to prouide for the safety of the Queene of England prouided that she embraced or at least-wise tolerated the Romane religion and consented that the Queene of Scotland should marry the Duke The Duke conceiuing these things somewhat probable gaue eare vnto him but neuerthelesse refused to subscribe the Letters of Credit which were offered him by Ridolph being vpon departure and would not harken to the counsel which the Bishop of Rosse suggested to him by Barker after he had often reuolued it in his minde TO seize vpon the Queene on the suddaine with a number of choise Gentlemen to disturbe the Parliament being then assembled And that this might easily be done considering the opportunity of times since this Assembly afforded him so many Gentlemē at his deuotion which could not be conuented in any other place without suspition That he had iust cause to be mooued hereunto in regard they had kept him so long prisoner against the Lawes of the Countrey and that they would not admit him to the Parliament and that they had sought out most seuere Lawes against the Papists And by pregnant examples sithence Castriot in Italy and others in all Countreyes hauing inopinately enterprized waighty affaires haue happily succeeded in them And if not long since fiue Gentlemen of Scotland were able to breake off the Parliament by which Murray was to be banished and bring the Queene vnder their power they might by the same meanes and as easily if they would lay hold of the occasion offered vnto them seyze vpon Qu. ELIZABETH accomplish the marriage of the Qu. of Scotland and prouide in England for the Catholique Religion without any great noyse or need of forreine assistance The Duke who of his naturall good inclination was far from offending reiected this counsell from his heart as most pernitious and dangerous But now H. Percy offered the Bishop to imploy himselfe about the deliuerance of the Queene of Scotland from prison prouided that Grange and Carre Farnihurst should receiue him at his entrance into Scotland and that the Earle of Northumberland his Brother who was prisoner should be set free Howsoeuer being suspected because of his great familiaritie with Baron Burghley and for that hee so long deferred the enterprise they gaue as little credit to this counsell as to that of Powels of Stanford one of the company of the Gentlemen of the Guard and to that of Owen one of the vassals of the Earle of Arundell who should haue vndertaken this but the Bishop of Rosse perceiuing they were vnable to effect it being men of no note hindered them As for other businesses which were closely done in these passages wee will omit vntill the light discouer them Whiles all these things were secretly handled in London there happened a most feareful Earth-quake in the Easterne parts about the Countie of Hereford neere the Towne of Kinaston For vpon the twelfth of March about sixe of the clocke in the euening the Earth opened and a Mountaine with a Rocke vpon which it was situated after a hideous noyse and strange crash
Castles which were in Scotland the Hostages and the King of Scots to renounce the title to England and the English Rebels But for this matter enough is spoken of this yeere and the particularities of it may be drawne from the Dukes confession and the memoriall sent to the Queen of Scots written by the Bishop of Rosse's own hand At the same time Mathew Earle of Lenox Vice-Roy of Scotland and great Grand-father to the King hauing appoynted the assembly of States at Sterlin and thinking to be safe there was surprized by the Lords of the contrary faction which met together by the Queenes authoritie at Edenborrough and hauing yeelded himselfe to Dauid Spencer who laboured very hard to protect him was slaine with him by Bell and Cauder after hauing with much trouble and paines ruled the Kingdome for the King his Nephew the space of foureteene moneths more or lesse at what time France tooke the Queenes side and Queen ELIZABETH the Kings not so much to get their friends the victory as to keepe them from being ouercome Queen ELIZABETH hoped that the young King should haue beene deliuered into her hands and the French thought that Dunbriton and Edenborrough should be giuen them whereupon some Scottish Merchants were very much troubled and traffique in France was denyed them which drew a great partie to the Queenes side in hope thereby to haue freedome of trade there againe In Lenox his place by the common consent of the people Iohn Areskin Earle of Marre was elected Vice-Roy a man of a calme spirit and a great louer of his Countrie who beeing no lesse afflicted with the turbulent counsels of his friends then by the insultings of his aduersaries for very griefe dyed when hee had gouerned thirteene moneths The iniquitie of these times and the loue which the people of England bore to their Queene and Countrey drew the States to Westminster where they made a Law to preuent the plots of the seditious by which it was ordayned by ancient authoritie THat if any did attempt to ruine or hurt the Queene to make warre or excite others to doe it in any part of her dominions or affirme that shee had no right to the Kingdome but that it were more iustly due to another or said that shee was an Heretique a Schismatique or Infidell that shee did vsurpe the right from another that was liuing or that the Lawes and Statutes were not of power to define and tye the right of Succession It should be Crimen laesae Maiestatis If any one during the life of Queene ELIZABETH should expresly affirme either by writing or Booke printed that any one is or ought to bee the Queenes Heire or Successour except the naturall Line which should proceede from her owne body or that should publish print or sell Bookes written vpon this Subiect he and his maintainers for the first time should suffer a whole yeeres imprisonment and lose halfe their goods but returning to the same offence againe they incurred the penaltie of a Praemunire which is losse of all goods and imprisonment during life This seemed grieuous vnto some which thought that the tranquillity of the Kingdome ought to be strengthened by the designation of an Heire but it was beyond beliefe what iests the maliciously-curious made of this clause Naturally begotten of her body because the Ciuill Law calls those Children naturall which are borne out of marriage and that nature onely and not the honesty of wedlocke begot them and the English Law Legitimate those that are lawfully begotten And I remember being then young to haue heard it spoken aloud that this word was prest into this Law by Leicester that some bastard-sonne of his should thrust in as one of neerest kinne to Queene ELIZABETH It was also ordained that those who had by any Bull or writing from the Pope reconciled any to the Church of Rome should vndergoe the punishment of Crimen laesae Maiestatis Those who sustaine the Reconcilers or bringers into England of Agnus Dei's Graines Crucifixes or any other things consecrated by the Pope of Rome should lose all their goods and indure perpetuall imprisonment and those that shall conceale and not detect these Reconcilers were holden guiltie of Misprision of Treason Furthermore those goods and lands which were conuicted for Rebellion in the North beeing in the possession of Iames Pilkinton Bishop of Durham who challenged Regall power betweene the Riuers of Teise and Tyne were adiudged to the Queene and her Successours because she had with great cost deliuered both the Bishop and the Bishopricke from Rebels yet so as that in time to come it shall not be preiudiciall to the Regall rite of that Church of Durham It was also ordained that to meete with the insolencies of such as were deuoted to the Pope and despising the authority of the Lawes and their obedience to their Princesse who day by day with-drew themselues into forraine Countries without the Queenes licence hoping in time with a great number and to innouate something they should returne within a certaine time and make their submissions and that the fraudulent conueyances which they had made should be burnt So much for the Papists On the other side by wholsome Lawes they suppressed as well the couetousnesse of certaine of the Clergie who as if they had beene borne onely to themselues with a notorious malice to their Successours wasted the goods of the Church and let out the Lands for many yeeres as the impudencie of others who with a desire to innouate opposed themselues to Articles of the Synod of London for the abolishing of Schisme in the yeere 1562. It was likewise againe propounded that if the Queene of Scots should againe offend the Lawes of England she might be proceeded against as if she were a Peeres Wife of the Realme of England But the Queene by her authority hindered that from being made a Law In the beginning of Iune the Parliament being ready to be dismissed they sate vpon Iohn Story a Doctor of Law and Spie to the Duke of Alua of whom I haue made mention in the yeere 1569. to know whether Iohn Storie being an English-man should be found guilty Laesae Maiestatis for hauing conferred with a stranger-Prince in Brabant for the inuading of his Countrey and shewing the meanes to doe it The learned'st sort in the Law did affirme that hee might be accused Laesae Maiestatis Whereupon hee was called vnto iudgement for hauing conspired against the life of his Princesse with one Prestoll a man much addicted to magicke and in giuing thankes at the Table alwayes cursed her and the King of Scotland to the fiends of Hell and demonstrated to the Duke of Alua's Secretary the meanes to inuade England to make Ireland reuolt and at the same time to bring the Scots into England He refused to submit himselfe to be iudged by the Lawes of England maintayning that being a sworne Subiect not to Queene ELIZABETH but to the King
he thought it would be very dangerous Letters also were brought in which the Queene of Scots had written to the Duke importing that shee was much grieued that the Earle of Northumberland was apprehended before hee had taken vp Armes in the Rebellion For whether shee vnderstood this by report or it was inuented of purpose I cannot say To this the Duke answered THat by these reasons it could not probably bee inferred that hee had laboured the destruction of the Queene neither was any thing that hath hitherto bin produced of any moment against him excepting the testimony of the Bishop of Rosse and that also of him being a forreiner by the authoritie of Bracton a man most expert in our Lawes in no wise is to be admitted That he neuer had Northumberland or Westmerland in such esteeme that hee would commit his life into their hands and that his innocencie was such a sure rampire to him that hee neuer meditated of any escape for himselfe Then Gerard the Queenes Attourney spake It is more than sufficiently apparant that the Duke would haue espoused the Queene of Scots to destroy the Queene of England The Letters which he hath writtē to the Pope the King of Spaine and Duke d'Alua doe iustifie that hee had a determination to inuade England That which hee consulted of with Ridolfe was now likewise openly knowne by the obscure Characters which were found hidden vnder the tiles in the house of the Howards and by the Letters also which he commanded to be burnt but were found at the entry of his Chamber vnder the Matte And all these things may easily bee proued by the interrogatories and answeres of them that haue not beene affrighted with torments nor condemned to haue attempted ought against the State To which the Duke replyed I Haue not quoth hee beene eyther author or fauourer of the counsels and deliberations holden with the Pope or Spaniard but to the contrary I haue alwayes reproued and disallowed them Those that haue offended let them suffer and not discharge them vpon me Besides all this Gerard accused the Duke that hee had consulted with Ridolfe for the landing of tenne thousand men out of Flanders at Harwich a Port in Essex and this was iustified out of the examination of Barker That Letters were written by Ridolfe to the King of Spaine and Duke d'Alua to which although the Duke subscribed not yet by the counsell of Rosse hee sent Barker his Secretary as Ambassadour to auerre them to be the Dukes owne Letters MY memory replyeth the Duke beginneth to falter neither can it containe such an intricate varietie of matters You other pleaders haue your notes and memorialls with you but I must ex tempore answere to all mine accusers But surely it is not probable that I who haue alwayes beene contrary to the Roman Religion should entertaine a treatie with the Pope I had a great deale rather be torne in pieces with wilde Horses than to depart from the Religion which I professe Consider but the situation of Harwich and it will easily annihilate the accusation Who sees not how difficult a thing it is to leade an Armie thorow that part of the Countrey which is round inclosed with hedges and most incommodious by reason of the streight and narrow wayes and passages Had I had a determination to rayse an army against my Princesse without doubt I would not haue beene vnprouided of Armes but I haue not for these tenne yeeres past bought any more than eight Corslets and for Gunpowder not any at all I neuer committed any Letters to the trust of Barker but rather of Banister that was to mee more than many Barkers Then were the intercepted Letters of the Bishop of Rosse which he writ in Prison to the Queene of Scots produced by which what things were before spoken were confirmed The Duke requested to see them for it seemed that he suspected them to be supposed But the Iudge answered You need not call them in question for they are written with the Bishops owne hand Besides these a little Letter was brought forth which the Duke had written in Okar to one of his Seruants wherein hee commanded him to burne the packet which was hidden in a certaine place and to turne the fault vpon the Bishop who by the priuiledge of an Ambassadour might delude the Law To which the Duke replyed in these words Being certified that it was diuulged abroad that many had accused mee I answered by this Letter and seeing all things were so neerely searcht into I commanded that packet should be burnt because I would saue others from danger Bromley the Queenes Sollicitor presented the Letters of Ridolfe wherein was conteined that the Duke d'Alua had approued the designe likewise the Letters of the Pope to the Duke dated the fourth of the Nones of May. Then Wilbraham made a faire discourse concerning what credit should be giuen to the testimonies of the Bishop and of the Dukes seruants whereto the Duke made answere CErtes it falls not vnder the power of my faculties to frame a replication to such an elegant and polished Oration Yet this Oratour such and so great as he is hath omitted to speake how great the violence of feare is which oftentimes doth remoue a firme and wel-composed minde out of its place and state Againe hee alledged Bracton against the credit giuen to forreine witnesses But Catelin answered that in such causes as this the testimonies of Strangers were auaileable and that it was in the power of the Peeres eyther to giue or deny them credit Now was that matter come to be proued that the Duke had succoured the rebellious Fugitiues which was found apparant by the Letters of the Countesse of Northumberland in which shee gaue the Duke great thankes for the money wherewith he furnished her husband and her selfe Finally the last obiection of the relieuing of those Scots which were enemies to the Queene was prooued by the Letters of the Duke to Banister by Banisters confession and by the Mony which was deliuered to Browne of Shropshire Hereupon the Duke demanded of the Iudges Whether the Subiects of another Prince confederate with the Queene may be accounted enemies to the Queene Catelin answered They might and that the Queene of England might make warre with any Duke in France and in the meane time obserue a peace with the King of France But as the night began to approch the Lord high Steward demanded of the Duke if he had any thing more to speake for himselfe The Duke answered In the equitie of the Lawes I repose my trust Then hee commanded the Lieutenant of the Tower to retyre with the Duke awhile after silence was proclaimed turning to the Peeres hee thus spake to them YOu haue heard how Thomas Duke of Norfolke being accused of Laesae Maiestatis and not confessing himselfe guiltie hath committed his cause to GOD and to you It is your part then
businesse more deliberately attempted carried with more courage and constancy of the Confederates nor lasted longer time vndiscouered by any of the coniurate-society That their military Companies might in foure and twentie houres space be put ouer out of Flanders into England the Queene and the City of London suddenly surprized Religion restored and the Queene of Scotland settled and crowned in her steade All which were like to haue the better successe for that Thomas Stukeley an English Fugitiue was then in readinesse with three thousand men to bring Ireland in subiection to the King of Spaine and with three Ships that were Spies set the English Fleete on fire Thus H. Catene of which much was vnknowne till the yeere 1588. when he published a booke printed at Rome and priuiledged by Sixtus the Sixth Now returne wee to the purpose if we be digrest Scarce ten dayes after the Dukes death were sent to the Queene of Scots then all mournefull and in sorrow Will. Lord de-la-Warre Sir Ralph Sadler Tho. Wilson Doctor of the Ciuill Lawes and T. Bromley the Queenes Attourney who were so to expostulate with her as to charge her for vsurping the Title and Armes of England nor that she had renounced them according as it was conditioned at Edenborrough and to assume them more freely had secretly contriued to marry with the Duke of Norfolke which the rather to bring to passe shee had left nothing vnassayed by the ministery of her Agents by force and Armes to set the Duke at liberty had raised Rebellion in the North Countrey had succoured the conuicted Rebels of Scotland and Flanders had by Ridolph the Italian his solliciting implored the aydes of the Pope the King of Spaine and others for inuading the Countrey of England they vrged also that shee had receiued Letters from the Pope who had promised to keepe her as safe vnder his wing as the Hen doth her Chickens calling her and her Complices The true Children of the Church And finally that shee had procured a Bull from the Pope against the Queene and and had suffered herselfe by her friends in forraigne parts to be called The Queene of England To all these with a bold countenance and constant resolution hauing first protested herselfe to be a free Prince and subiect to none she answered THat she had not vsurped the Title or Armes of England but that being yet young and vnder the power of her Husband the King of France necessity imposed them vpon her but since her Husbands death shee neuer bore them wherefore it was not to be imputed to her as any fault of hers neither would she take them to her so long as ELIZABETH liued or any Childe shee should beare That in the matching with the Duke of Norfolke shee had no thought of any ill might happen to the Cōmon-wealth but rather much good and if she should renounce the marriage it was contrary to the matrimoniall Vow she had made and that by dutie thereof she was bound to aduertise the Duke of his dangers and to quit himselfe out of prison That she had neuer raised nor consented to the raising of any tumults but was alwaies ready to discouer what plots shee knew of against the Queene or Countrey if she had pleased by her to bee admonished of or to haue admitted her to her sight or hearing nor at any time had succoured the English Rebels but only by her Letters had recommended the Countesse of Northumberland to the Duke D'Alua Of Ridolph she was to haue necessary vse for her pensionary Annuities and in some money-matters whom shee knew to be a great Fauourite of the Popes but neuer had receiued any Letters from him had neuer dealt with any touching her deliuery but indeed had not refused to giue eare to such as had offered the seruice in that kind and for that cause had passed her priuie Seale to Rowlston and Hall She had sometimes receiued Letters consolatory and full of piety from the Pope wherein was no mention of any such matter nor had shee procured any Bull from Rome onely on a time a copie of one of them was shewed her which after she had read shee cast it into the fire But if any out of forraigne Countries shall write or speake otherwise then they ought they ought to answere it and to suffer the penaltie of their faults She neuer sought or sent either to the Pope or K. of Spaine for the procuring any inuasion vpon England but had implored their helpes for her restoring into her owne Realme but not before her Maiestie had preadmonition thereof But if shee were to be called in question concerning these Letters she requested for that shee was issued from the Bloud Royall of England that she might answere for herselfe in person in open Parliament In the meane time was Scotland all vp in Armes miserably troubled with Ciuill Warres whilest on the one side such as fauoured the Queene relying vpon aide from the French and the other party expecting the like from England had dayly encounters together notwithstanding both English and French shewed themselues most desirous to appease and accord their dissentions by the Ambassages which either countrey sent into Scotland Of which France proposed that their most commodious course would bee to elect amongst them some persons of well-known worth and wisedome to gouerne the Kingdome for a time not taking vpon them supreame authority or the names of King or Queene they were not willing to acknowledge for King the King of Scotland for that they held hee had no right but by his mother and that shee was vniustly deposed of her Subiects and therefore shee was iustly to bee reputed their Queene and the ancient League of Alliance betwixt her and France to continue firme and inuiolable Those likewise from England on the contrary maintained by strong argument that such an Administration or popular gouernment would be an Anarchy and that the Commonwealth was not to admit plurality of Gouernours and that Scotland hauing alwaies beene commanded by Kings was not now to haue an election of such Administrators That the States of the Realme had deposed the Queene and lawfully crowned and inthroned the King and that the ancient recited Alliance was a contract not of persons but of the two Kingdomes of France and Scotland alledging also that by an expresse Law the most Christian King was bound to defend the King of Scots in these termes If there happen at any time controuersie about the Kingdome of Scotland the Kings of France shall support ayde and defend him whom the States of Scotland shall adiudge the Title of the Kingdome to And as touching the causes of the Queenes deposing it should bee enquired of of those Scots who haue deposed her The French notwithstanding openly fauouring the partie of the Queene of Scotland became serious intercessours to her Maiestie for to set her at liberty lest that as his Ambassadour did freely hee might
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
had been intercepted at Blacknesh and should haue sent more had not the long Siege of Rochell hindred it Not being able then to draw them to any conditions of Peace neither by money which the Vice-Roy promised them nor by the perswasions of Queen ELIZABETH but they defended the Castle against the Vice-Roy molested the Towne of Edenborrough being the Seate of Iustice with Cannon-shot by issuing violently out and assaulting them euery day and would call for the ayde of France Queene ELIZABETH who by no meanes could endure the French to be in Scotland at length granted the requests of the Vice-Roy which were for Troupes Cannon and other warlike Munitions for the besieging and battering of the Castle vpon these conditions THe Vice-Roy shall not make any composition with the besieged without the aduice of the Generall of the English nor the English Generall without his and of those of the Kings Councell If the Castle fall into the hands of the English it shall bee within 6. dayes after deliuered to the King with all the Munitions of Warre Vtensils Memorials Euidences and Records belonging to the King or Kingdome the rest left to the besiegers The English shall not fortifie any place in Scotland but with the consent of the Vice-Roy and the Peeres The Vice-Roy shall lend the English such assistance and safe conduct as hee could possibly The Castle being taken the besieged shall be kept to haue iustice executed vpon them according to the Lawes the Queene of England beeing therevpon consulted with before hand If any English be kild their wiues and Children shall haue two yeeres pay If wounded they shall haue pay till they bee cured If any English Cannons be lost and the Powder and Shot bee wasted they shall haue Munition Royall in their stead which shall bee found in the Castle or else the Rebels goods Ten Hostages shall be sent into England for assurance of the Troupes and Ordnance which are to bee brought backe except such as are lost by the hazzard of Warre Vpon these Conditions William Drury Gouernour of Barwicke went into Scotland with some Peeces for battery and fifteene hundred Souldiers among which were G. Carey Henry Carey T. Cecill Hen. Lea W. Knollis Sutton Cotton Kelway and other Gentlemen Voluntaries And beeing ioyned with the auxiliary forces of Scotland besieged the Castle after hauing twice commanded them in the Kings name that they should render it vp but in vaine First they raised vp fiue Mounts from whence for the space of foure daies together they furiously beat against the Tower but especially vpon Dauids Tower which fell within a few dayes after After hauing giuen the assault they tooke the Bastion or Spurre till those which at the same made against them out of the Castle were repulsed with losse of men The morrow after the besieged hauing giuen the signe asked to speake to Drury and after they had receiued for hostages into the Castle Henry Lea and Fleck a Scottish-man they let downe by cords Kircald himselfe and Meluin who demanded life and goods that it might be permitted that Hume and Lidington might depart for England because of some particular enmities and Kircald to remaine in Scotland except he might depart with good license That not being granted them but onely the Souldiers permitted to goe out with their simple baggage and without Armes wanting men disagreeing amongst themselues wounded toyled and wearied with watching and labouring without hope of succour hauing no water because one of the wells which were within the Castle had beene filled vp with the ruines of a dry wall and the other was exposed to the shot of the Cannon within three daies after they yeelded which was the 33. day after the beginning of the Siege to the discretion of the Queene of England and Drury who after he had receiued Letters out of England deliuered vp the Castle to the Vice-Roy for the vse of the King with all that had yeelded themselues to him of which Kircald Iames his brother Mosman and Cock gold-smiths who had coined false money in the Castle were hanged although to buy Kircalds life an hundred of the House of the Kircalds had offered to be bound to doe perpetuall homage to the Vice-Roy and pay him three thousand markes of annuall rent and the first day twenty thousand pounds Scottish money and to giue sureties that for the time to come they should remaine faithfull and obedient to the King Hume and others being dispersed into diuers Castles obtained pardon of Queene ELIZABETH who got great praise by it for her clemency Lidington hauing beene sent to Lieth dyed of sicknesse not without suspition of beeing poysoned He was a person of great experience and of a neate spirit if he had bin lesse changeable as Buchanan who hated him painted him out in his life time by a certaine Writing which he intituled The Cameleon by which he represented him to be more changeable then the Cameleon and taxed him very sharpely to bee an enemy of diuers colours to the Kings Grandmother the Kings mother to the Earle of Murray to the King himselfe and to the Countrie Since that time Scotland hath beene free from Ciuill-Warre and aswell the Captaines of that side as the common-Souldiers carrying their courages to the wars of Sueden France and Flanders brought backe this great commendation of Vertuous and valorous Warriours To assure England from inbred enterprises in regard of the Queene of Scots Iohn Lesley Bishop of Rosse a faithfull seruant to her but not without the vndoing of many and of bringing no few in danger is commanded out of England and went into France but not without feare of the Earle of Southampton whose life he had called in question and likewise of Henrie Howard brother to the Duke of Norfolke whose anger to appease he writ an Apologie for himselfe Hee was scarce departed thence vntill Henrie Cockin his Secretary was apprehended and Morgan who was exceeding desirous to serue the Queene of Scots in her most secret affaires was detected and fled Atslow an Arch-papist Good a Doctor of Phisicke and Francis Berty who priuately intelligenced her by Letters were imprisoned for certaine moneths and for the same cause Henrie Goodyere and Richard Lowder were had in suspition In the meane time Rosse failed not to imploy all such dutifull endeuours for the Queene of Scots as a faithfull Subiect was obliged to doe towards the Pope the Emperour the King of France the Papists Princes of Germany all which gaue him hope but did nothing That this should fall out so ill hee complained exceedingly especially that the Duke of Alua in whom his greatest trust was planted was to leaue Flanders hauing obtained leaue vnder colour to recouer his health For without doubt he aduanced his victories so fast that he had reduced almost all Holland into his power Spaine called him away by the perswasion of Cardinall Granuellan and Roderico Gomezio de
in regard of his indisposition of body and diuers others dayly taking some occasion or other to excuse themselues by little and little secretly withdrew themselues from that wild Countrie Essex writ of it to the Queene and to his friends and complained very much that the most worthy of his company languished because the enterprize had bin begunne too late and victuals came not in time that they were corrupted and that troupes inconsiderately leuied were many of them lost That Mac-phelin was reuolted fraudulently and others by the perfidiousnes of Percy an English Captaine who heretofore had commanded the Irish in that Countrey That he was not able to furnish the expence of War That the Deputie had not sent him his Commission and that for want of it he could not vse any authority against the Frontier Inhabitants Therefore beseecheth her to take the busines in her own name and speciall command though he vnderwent halfe of the charges Then he besought Sussex Leicester and Burghley to intercede with the Queene that she would grant him at her charge a hundred Horse 150. Foot and the Iland of May. And as the Queene was ready to call him from Vlster Leicester and others seeing new troubles growing in Mounster perswaded that he should stay there And the Deputie commanded him whiles he was going against Desmond to goe towards the Frontiers of Vlster which although it troubled him being fortifying Claudobie obeyeth notwithstanding and entring into Mounster with Kildare perswaded Desmond to embrace peace who shortly after submitted himselfe Now Essex hauing receiued Letters of Authority tooke a long iourney and O-Donell ioyned with him But Cone O-Donell Turloghes Sonne in Law would not serue vnder him therefore hee tooke from him the Castle of Liffer and gaue it to Hugh O-Donel Turlogh in the meane space protracted the businesse by parleyes vntill it was time for Essex necessarily to depart Hee after hauing wearied his body with labour and broken his spirit with care all the Summer Winter being now at hand began to reuolue more deepely in his mind by what meanes Vlster so long neglected and growne wilde and fierce might be reduced to ciuilitie and hauing maturely deliberated vpon it thought that if three Townes were built at the Queens charge and by the monies that his associates would contribute ten Forts in those places which hee had found to bee conuenient aboue seuen thousand pounds of current English money might be gathered euery yeere neither should there neede within the space of two yeeres any Royall Garrison Whilest these and the like things and for supply of victuals tooke all their care and studie they had beene almost surprized by the Irish For Brian Mac-phelin who lately had by treacherie ouerthrowne and slaine Moore a Captaine of the English hauing conspired his ruine with Turlogh and the Scottish Hilanders whereof as soone as he had notice he most wisely iudged that it were not best to stay and expect them but to set forward to assault them which did he so couragiously that he slew two hundred Irish tooke Brian and Rory Oge his brother by the mothers side and Brians wife With those businesses in Ireland this yeere was spent to the good of none but with much losse to Essex and also to the notorious detriment of Chaterton an English Gentleman who vpon certaine conditions betweene the Queene and him tooke to leade some Colonies of English into Fues a neighbouring Territory to O-Hanlane THE SEVENTEENTH YEERE OF Her Reigne Anno Dom. 1574. IN the first month of this yeere the Duke of Alanzon laboured more then euer as well by letters full of loue as by Mauuisser the French Ambassador to obtaine leaue to come into England vnder safe-conduct to see and salute Queene ELIZABETH to whom being absent hee testified all loue and respect Queene ELIZABETH ouercome with his continuall prayers and sollicitations granted him his request although she gaue him contrary aduice and vnder assurance of safety gaue him leaue to come when he pleased so it were by the twentieth of May with promise to vse him with all offices of humanity which he could expect from a Princesse which bore him great affection And certainly after shee had discouered that he was much irritated and greatly stirred vp against the Guizes her Maiesties sworne enemies she bare him more loue and good will then before But before he had receiued this answer Valentine Dale Doctor of the Law Ambassador in France in Walsinghams place then Secretary gaue aduice that hee and the King of Nauarre were suspected of innouation For the mother Queene a woman of great Spirit beganne to suspect that he couertly plotted with the King of Nauarre and the Duke of Mont-Morancy to depriue her the King being dead of the managing of State-affaires The Guizes increased this opinion giuing her to vnderstand that he had not long agoe imployed Coligni Colonell of the Protestants his intimate friend vpon which being examined he voluntarily acknowledged amongst other things that he had for a certaine time sought the marriage of the Queene of England and iudging the friendship of Admirall Coligni profitable in this designe had talked with him about it and of the prosecution of the warres in the Netherlands neuerthelesse ouer him and the King of Nauarre was a Guard appointed to preuent them But Thomas Wilkes Secretary to to the Ambassadour Dale went priuatly to see them and hauing in the Queenes name comforted them he promised thaâ— her Maiesty would let slip no occasion to relieue and comfort them Whereof this subtill and crafty old Queene hauing soone notice handled Wilkes in such manner that he was constrained to leaue France and returne into England where she so farre vrged her complants by letters vnto Queene ELIZABETH that he was sent backe againe to France to aske her pardon Henry of Bourbon King of Nauarre buried not this friendly office for he afterwards being King of France and meeting with him 25. yeeres after in Normandy he honoured him with the dignity of Knighthood After this Queene ELIZABETH sent T. Randoll into France to the Queene mother to restore againe into her fauour if it were possible the Duke of Alanzon and the King of Nauarre but before his arriuall into France King Charles died and his funerall Rites paid with great honour and magnificency in S. Pauls Church in London As soone as Henry of Valois the third of that name King of France his successor returned out of Poland the right noble and vertuous Lord Roger Lord North Baron of Kirtling was sent Ambassador extraordinary into France to congratulate his happy returne and succession to the Crowne of France and to condole with him the distracted and wretched estate of that Realme so miserably rent and ruinated with ciuill war to counsell him to make peace and entertaine the Edicts to take to fauor the D. of Alanzon to lessen the hate he bore to the D. of Mont-Morancy Delosse
to incite him to doe good to the religious Princesse the Lady Charlotte of Bourbon daughter to the Duke Mont-pensier who fled for her Religion into Germany But hee obtained nothing for France as it were pushed by fate ran headlong into a direfull warre Neuerthelesse the King and his mother the Queene writ iointly into England and sent La Garde to prosecute the marriage of the Duke of Alanzon For seeing this young Prince grow cholericke to see himselfe so vnworthily handled by his mother on all sides as if he had beene a prisoner and vnderstanding that he held secret Councel with the Politicians of France they thought it safest to diuert him from warre to send him into England In the interim they imployed all their cunning in Scotland to get Iames the young King ouer into France and to displace Morton the Vice-roy from his charge and for this purpose they sent thither the Kings Scottish guard The Queene of Scotland greatly desired this perswading her selfe that if her sonne were in France out of danger shee and the Catholikes should be more gently handled in England that the English faction which was in Scotland and alwaies relying vpon the Kings name would quickly be ruinated as he riper increased in yeres so the English should increase in feares as well of the French partie as of the Scots side The French did no lesse desire it fearing that the Regent of Scotland who was altogether at the deuotion of the English would breake the ancient Alliance which was betweene them and the Scots and neuertheles then when he instantly required that they would contract the Alliance of mutuall defence against strangers betweene England and Scotland it was denied him lest perhaps he should by the same meanes demand an annuall Pension to bee assigned to him and certaine Scottish men But eare was giuen to those who vpon a light suspicion accused the Queen of Scotland the Countesse of Shrewsbury and the Earle himselfe to haue without the Queenes priuity made the marriage between Charles the Paternall vncle of the King who had a little before confirmed vnto him by Parliament the County of Lenox and the Lady Elizabeth Cauendish the Countesse of Shrewsburies Daughter by her first Husband Wherevpon the mothers of either sides and others for this cause being kept prisoners a little time imputed and laid all the fault vpon the Queene of Scotland As it was vnknowne whither this marriage tended and that diuers suspicions had their birth by it Henry Count of Lidington was established President of the Assembly of the North with new instructions and secrets for this affaire This kind of Magistrate which at this present is very honourable hath in a little time from weake beginnings growne to this greatnesse and now what I haue learned of it by a free and short digresion I meane to leaue to posterity When in the reigne of HENRY the Eighth the rebellion of the inhabitants of that Countrie had stirred vp for the destruction of Monasteries was laid asleepe many made complaint of the iniuries which he had receiued during that Rebellion vnto the Duke of Norfolke who remained in those parts some of which he determined and left the rest to be finished by persons which to this purpose hee had established with Commissions sealed with his owne Seale but the King being aduertised hereof sent him a particular Seale to serue in such causes and hauing reuoked him gaue that Commission to Tunstall Bishop of Duresme and appointed Commissioners with power to heare and determine the complaints of the poore Hee was the first which bare the name of President and since the authority of his Successours hath bin of great value In these times the superfluity of Apparell so preuailed in England by a Vice peculiar to the Nation which pleaseth it selfe by imitating others that the ancient fashion fell in such disgrace that the men by a new fashion of habit and too much brauery made manifest the filthinesse and insolency of their spirits swaggering euery where couered with silke gold and siluer pure and mingled The Queene marking that this superfluity drew euery yeere out of the Kingdome to the dammage of the publike great quantity of money for the buying of silke and other strange Merchandizes and that many Gentlemen who might doe good seruice to the Publike and others to seeme to be He did not onely consume their demeanes to their particular dammage but also increased their debts vsed deceits and by this meanes fell into the nets of the Law and after they had prodigally lauisht their goods studied to make a change she endeuoured to prouide a fit remedy for it And although by the Lawes of HENRY the Eighth and MARY she could preuaile against them and draw from it great summes of money neuerthelesse she rather lou'd to preuent it by a simple commandement She commanded therefore that within 14. dayes euery one should forme his apparell to the prescribed fashion if he would not incurre the seuerity of the Lawe and shee herselfe began this reformation in her Court But by the malice of time this Edict and these Lawes by little and little gaue place to this superfluity which grew to a greater height of insolency was immediately traced by the riotousnesse of Feasts and splendor of Buildings for since that time more magnificent ample and faire Countrie houses of Noble-men and priuate men haue beene raised vp in England then in any other Ages whereby truly the Kingdome was greatly adorned but the glory of Hospitality greatly decreased The English which were at warre in Holland vnder Chester and Gainsford failed this yeere the one in vertue the other in successe For those which lay in Garrison at Valkenburgh gaue ouer the place and yeelded to the Enemy neuerthelesse they were pardoned for feare lest Queene ELIZABETH should not suffer the Spanish Fleet which was sayling towards Flanders vpon the Sea of Great-Brittaine to enter into her Hauens to victuall themselues The others which were in the Channell of Sluce after they had sustained a sharpe Combate and couragiously repulsed the Spaniards being surprized by theit enemies who had trauersed the Riuer were ouerthrowne and chased from the place with the losse of three hundred men and three Ensignes I know not whether it be expedient to record these triuiall things That this yeere the pious credulity of certaine Preachers of London was deceiued by a young wench who fained herselfe possessed with a Deuill That there was a great Whale found dry on the Shores of the I le of Thanet whose length was twentie Elles of our measure the breadth from her belly to her backe bone thirteene foote the space betweene her eyes eleuen foote That the Thames did ebbe and flowe twice in one houre That in the moneth of Nouember from the North to the South fuming Clouds were gathered together in a round the night following the Skie seemed to burne the Flames running
through all parts of the Horizon met together in the verticall point of Heauen Neuerthelesse let it not be imputed to me as a crime to haue made mention of these things in a few words and by a short digression since the grauest Historians haue recorded them in many words THE EIGHTEENTH YEERE OF Her Reigne Anno Dom. 1575. HENRY the third King of France being returned from Poland and already inaugurated in the City of Rhemes confirmed by his oath and signe of his owne hand before all things the Alliance passed in the City of Blois in the yeere 1572. betweene Charles his brother and Queene ELIZABETH and hauing giuen it to the Ambassador ordinary of England Queene ELIZABETH also for her part ratified it at Saint Iames neere Westminster Notwithstanding a while after he inquired by letters if the words mutuall defence against all mentioned in that alliance comprehended the cause of Religion And after that Queene ELIZABETH had discreetly replyed Yes and that she was alwaies ready prest and desirous to effect that mutuall defence euen in the cause of Religion if it was required by vertue of the alliance he tooke armes against the Protestants the Duke of Alanzon being drawne to the contrary part the marriage slept in a long and profound silence Notwithstanding Queene ELIZABETH in fauour of the Duke of Alanzon furnished the Duke Casimier with a great summe of mony to carry into France the Alman Rutters against the disturbers of the publike peace As her minde was busied about the affaires of France those of Flanders happened for De Requesens successor to the Duke of Alua was fully bent and endeuored nothing more then to recouer if it were possible the Sea which the Duke of Alua by a remarkable error in so great a thiefe had despised and by this meanes had caused that long warre of the Low Countries which indured so many yeeres but he being not well furnished with necessary things to set forth a nauall Armie because the tempest had broken and lost the Ships which for this purpose had a little before beene conducted from Spaine to Flanders by the aid of the English hee sent Boischot into England to leuy ships and furniture of warre with the Queenes leaue who being vnwilling to aduenture her ships and Sea-men in anothers cause denied it and gaue publike charge to all persons not to arme any Ships without her licence and did forbid the English Sea-men to enrole themselues vnder other Princes Vpon this refusall Boischot prayed her not to take it in ill part if the fugitiue English in Flanders should serue in a nauall Warre against the Hollanders vnder the command of the Spaniard and permit them to touch freely in the ports of England to victuall themselues But she would not approue that the rebellious English so she termed those whom he stiled Fugitiues should fight in the seruice of the Spaniard not to perswade her that Requesens would gratifie them prayed them not to doe it and namely T. Copely whom the Spaniards had loaded with the titles of the great master of the Muze Lord of Gaten and Rouchtey and intended to set to Sea to rob both English and Dutch For the ports she esteemed it exceeding folly to open them to Rebels and sworne enemies Yet Boischot to obtaine more vniust things required in the name of the Spaniard that the rebellious Dutch might bee banished from England But she refused that also knowing that those whom he called Rebels were poore miserable people of no note and had neuer enterprized any thing against him but being chased from their Country and spoiled of their goods during the warre had retired themselues into England thinking she should commit a great inhumanity and violate the lawes of Hospitality if shee should deliuer them into the hands of a Cut-throat She also remembred how far the affaires of Spaine were interessed in Flanders Then when at the prayer of the Duke of Alua she commanded 1572. the Dutch to leaue England and that hauing commanded the Count of March and other Dutch to be gone they had taken Brill and suscitated that warre neuerthelesse not to seeme altogether to depart from the ancient Alliance of the Burguinions although the Spaniard had refused to confirme it with him shee forbad by publike writing the Dutch Ships prepared for warre to goe forth and those Dutch that had taken vp armes against the Spaniard to enter into England and expresly the Prince of Orange and his house the Count of Culenberge of Berg of March and fifty others the most notable of that faction And she performed with more alacrity in regard Requesens at the intercession of Wilson the English Ambassador had caused the Earle of Westmerland and other English to retire themselues out of the Country of Flanders which was vnder the Spaniard and had dissipated the English Seminary which was at Doway in whose stead the Guizes at the sollicitation of Pope Cregory the 13. established another in the City of Rhemes The Prince of Orange finding his forces no way equall to those of the Spaniard and expecting no succour from England consulted with his friends in whom he might put his trust Now when Queene ELIZABETH vnderstood he had fixed his eye and heart vpon the King of France she first sent Daniel Rogers to disswade him but nothing being effected in regard he had before created with the Admirall Coligni and the King of France she sent H. Cobham to the King of Spaine to let him vnderstand how great the danger were if Holland and Zealand should reuolt from him and giue themselues to the King of France and by the most important reasons she could represent she perswaded him to make change of warre for peace to which he seemed to accord She then gaue aduice to Requesens by R. Corbet and ceased not by all meanes to turne the Prince of Orange from his designe by the imployment of I. Hasting but she could not obtaine her purpose being countermined by Villiers a French Church-man who came poore into England with a scuruy Cloake all torne I speake this because I knew him but was inriched by a collection which was giuen him to reade Diuinity Lessons fearing lest the Prince of Orange should cast his eye vpon the English maintained amongst other things nay by a publike writing that Queene ELIZABETH had no man of warre to whom she would trust an Army but the Earle of Sussex and that he bare no good affection to the Protestants and according as he had learned of Coligni he gaue forth that if the English did set foot in the Low-Countries they would renew their ancient hate against the French Neuerthelesse the intestine warres of France hauing taken away all hope of succour from the Prince of Orange and the Dutch they afresh consult to whom they may runne and rely vpon for aid They knew that the Princes of Almany were against the Spaniards also
priuiledges belonging to the place were gathered together a certaine impunitie imboldening them For EDVVARD the third had granted to the Earle of Desmond all Regall Liberties that the Kings of England had in that Countie except for Burnings Rapes Forestallings and Treasure found Notwithstanding the President iudging that these Liberties were granted rather for the exercise of Iustice then for the protecting of Mischiefe valiantly defeated the most selected troopes of the forlorne Rebels which the Earle of Desmond had layd in Ambuscado and made search through all Kerria and punished many of them seuerely The Earle of Desmond vexing at this and grieuously complaining to the Lord Deputie of Drury as well of this as of the Taxe which they call Ceass This Taxe is an exaction of Victuals at a certaine price as the Glebe among the Ancients for Prouision of the Deputies Family and the Garrison Souldiers Of this Taxe he complained not alone but in Lemster the most ciuill part of the Isle the Viscount Bultinglas Deluin Hoth and Trimleston Barons and also other of the Nobler sort complaining denied to pay it as not to be exacted but by authoritie of Parliament And thereupon sent Deputies into England who being heard before the Councell were committed and in like manner in Ireland were those that sent them vntill they submitted to pay it It appearing by the Records of the Kingdomes Exchequer to be instituted long agoe and is a certaine right of Maiestie called Royall Prerogatiue which is not subiect to the Lawes nor yet repugnant as the Lawyers haue iudged it But the Queene commanded the Lord Deputie to vse a moderation in such like exactions and vsed the old saying While they may sheare her subiects doe not shaue them and said moreouer AH how greatly I feare lest that which Bato in time past to Tiberius vpon the reuolting of Dalmatia be obiected against vs by the Irish You you are in fault who commit not your flockes to Shepheards but to Wolues THE TVVENTIETH YEERE OF Her Reigne Anno Dom. 1577. DOn Iohn of Austria perceiuing himselfe too weake for the States of Holland strengthened by the amitie of neighbour Princes sent Gastel to Queene ELIZABETH to thanke her for the ayd which she had offered him against the French to declare his desire of Peace She by Edw. Horsey now sent the second time to him commends his disposition to Peace and withall treates that the goods of the English detained in Antwerpe might be restored Answer was made verie slowly he being much distracted as he pretended with other affaires wholly intending The perpetuall Edict for Peace as they call it which scarce lasted a yeere Queene ELIZABETH seriously desiring Peace sends Sir Thomas Leighton to the Prince of Orange to perswade him not to labour or attempt any thing against Peace vntill Iohn Smith who was sent into Spaine to procure a Peace should returne The Prince of Orange who from his heart condemned this perpetuall Edict hauing opportunely learned that Don Iohn of Austria did endeuour to marrie the Queene of Scots which occasion he willingly catch't and by Famier forthwith aduertiseth Queene ELIZABETH to auert her from Peace She neuerthelesse as seeming to know nothing by Daniel Rogers congratulates with Don Iohn for the perpetuall Edict of Peace although she had discouered for certaine that by the perswasion of the Earle of Westmerland and the English Fugitiues and the inclination of the Pope and the fauour of the Guizes he had an assured hope to attaine to this mariage and together with it to swallow England and Scotland and had alreadie resolued to possesse himselfe of the Isle of Man situate in the Irish Sea as a fit place for the inuading of England on Ireland side and from the West-side of Scotland where the Queene of Scots had many people at her deuotion and in the opposite part of England to make vse of North-Wales and the Counties of Cumberland Lancaster and Chester where the most part of the Inhabitants are most addicted to Poperie And certainly as we haue learned by Perez the King of Spaines Secretarie Austria caried away with ambition seeing himselfe falne from all hope of the Kingdome of Tunis had dealt secretly with the Pope to pull downe ELIZABETH from her Throne to marrie the Queene of Scotland and to subdue England and vnknowne to Philip wrought with the Pope to excite Philip for the publike good to the English Warre Don Iohn himselfe is readie to goe for Flanders this was prosecuted in Spaine and anon after Escouedo is sent from Flanders to desire that a Port in Biskye might be granted him from whence with a Nauie he might inuade England But Philip not likeing these designes begun to neglect him as a man too ambitious Neither did Queene ELIZABETH vnderstand of these things till as I haue said the Prince of Orange did informe her Notwithstanding it wanted not suspition that Thomas Copley a prime man among the English Fugitiues being commended to the French King by Vaulx Secretarie to Don Iohn had beene made Knight and Baron But Copley endeuouring to auoide suspition protested obedience to his Prince and that he had accepted this Title out of no other reason but for the greater accesse of honour to his wife his companion in exile and that his Pension from Spaine would be the greater because a Gentleman of Title is of more esteeme among Spaniards and he thought he was capable of the Title of a Baron his Grandmother being the eldest Daughter to the Baron of Hoo and his great Grandmother the eldest Daughter of the heires of the Baron of Welles In the meane time Don Iohn vnderhand prosecutes this match and withall the better to cloke the matter sends the Viscount of Gaunt Embassadour to ELIZABETH who shewed her the Articles of Peace and to demand a longer terme for the paiment of the Money which the States borrowed of her This she willingly grants and after treates with him by Wilson that the dammages which the English Merchants receiued at the sacking of Antwerpe may be repared He deludes her and while he pretended to be busie about this perpetuall Edict of Peace breakes out into Warre and by craft surprises Castles and Townes and writes to the King of Spaine that the wisest course is to take the Islands of Zeland before they lay siege to the interiour Prouinces and being thus transported with hope striues to perswade him by Escouede his Secretarie that it were easier for him to take England than Zeland At length when all things tended to warres in the Low-Countries the States send to Queene ELIZABETH the Marquis of Maure and Adoulfe Medkerke to borrow of her a hundred thousand pound sterling for eight moneths Shee made them this answer That if they could borrow it else-where Shee with the Citie of London would willingly giue caution for it prouided that such Townes of the Low-Countries as She shall
nominate would be bound by writing to repay it within a yeere and made alliance with them of mutuall succour both by Land and Sea vnder these conditions THe Queene shall send for succour to the States a thousand Horse and fiue thousand foote to whom they shall pay three moneths after their imbarking their intertainement and expence in the City of London and the warres ended shall defray their expence for their returning into England The Generall of these forces who shall be an English-man shall be receiued into the Councell of the States and nothing shall be ordered concerning warre or peace without consulting thereupon either with the Queene or him nor make league with any whosoeuer without her approbation and if shee please to be comprehended in the same If any Prince doe any hostile act against the Queene or Kingdome of England vnder any pretext whatsoeuer the States shall resist as much as in them lye and shall send ayde to the Queene in the same number and vpon the like conditions If any discord arise among the States it shall bee referred to her arbitrement If the Queene be to prepare a Nauie against enemies the States shall furnish xl Ships of a competent burthen with Mariners and euery thing else necessary which shall obey and follow the Admirall of England and shall be defrayed at the Queenes cost The States shall in no wise admit into the Low-countries such English as the Queene hath declared Rebels If they conclude a peace with Spaine they must take heede that the Articles whether ioyntly or seuerally bee confirmed by the Queenes pleasure Immediately as this Treatie begun the Queene lest shee should be calumniated as a nourisher of Rebellion in the Low-Countries sent Thomas Wilkes to the Spaniard to declare vnto him as followeth FOrasmuch as there neuer want malicious spirits which studie craft and subtiltie to breake friendship betweene those Princes and by vniust suggestion to cast aspersions vpon their honours by supposall as if shee had kindled this fire in the Low-Countries First shee prayes the King and the Gouernours of the Low-Countries that they would call to minde how often and how earnestly like a friend shee long-agoe forewarned of the euils hanging ouer the Low-Countries And then when they thought of reuolting what studious paines she tooke in often Missitations to the Prince of Orange and the States that they should continue in dutie and obedience to the King yea euen when those most opulent Prouinces were offered her in possession what sinceritie shewed shee not to take them into protection Finally when all things were deplorable how much money did shee lately furnish to hinder the States being pressed by vrgent necessitie not to subiect themselues vnder another Prince and trouble the treatie of the late propounded peace But when shee had notice that the Prince of Orange was vnwilling to embrace the peace already begun shee did not onely admonish him to embrace it but also shee most sacredly protested interposed threatnings and in some sort commanded him If these things be vnworthy of a Christian Prince studious of peace and most desirous to deserue well of her good Confederate the King of Spaine let the King himselfe and all the Princes of the Christian World iudge And that wars might sleepe on both sides and that hee might haue the Hollanders obedient aduiseth him to receiue them as an afflicted people into his ancient fauour restore their priuiledges obserue the last couenants of peace and elect out of his owne Family some other Gouernour Which could by no meanes be effected vnlesse Don Iohn were remoued whom the States distrusted with more than a hostile and implacable hatred and whom shee certainely knew by his secret practices with the Queene of Scots to be her vtter enemy Insomuch that shee could expect nothing from the Low-Countries but certaine dangers while He gouerned there But now when shee doth perceiue what great number of forces Don Iohn inrolled and how many Troupes of French there were in a readinesse shee profest that to keepe the Low-Countries to the King of Spaine and to repell danger from England shee had promised ayde to the States Who reciprocally had promised to persist in their obedience to the King and to innouate nothing in Religion From which if shee shall perceiue the King auerse but to haue determined breaking the barres of their rights and priuiledges to draw them into seruitude like miserable Prouinces captiuated by conquest shee cannot both for the defence of her Neighbours and her owne securitie be failing or negligent But also if the States doe breake their faith with the King or enterprise any thing contrary to what they haue promised she would speedily turne her Ensignes against them The Spaniard was not pleased to heare these things neuerthelesse knowing that it lay much in Queene ELIZABETHS power to establish or ruine his affaires in the Low-Countries and knowing for certaine that Don Iohn laide Ambuscadoes for her dissembled it and prayed her to prosecute the designe which shee had for establishing peace and not rashly to belieue the false reports that runne or that be practised vnworthily against a Prince that is his friend Whiles Wilkes exposeth these things in Spaine Don Iohn who feared Queene ELIZABETH and withall wished her ruine sends Gastell to her who blamed the States exceedingly accuseth them of many foule crimes and layde open at large the causes that moued Don Iohn to take armes againe Queene ELIZABETH like an Heroicke Princesse stood Arbitratresse between the Spaniard the French and the States insomuch as shee had power to apply this saying of her Father He shal carry it away for whom I am and that which he writ is found true that France and Spaine are the scoales of the Ballance and England the beame At the very same time the Iudges holding the Assises at Oxford and R. Ienke Stationer an impudent talker was accused and brought to triall for speaking iniurious words against the Queene the most part of the assistants were so infected with his poysonous and pestilent breath and by reason of the stinke whether of the prisoners or the prison that they almost all dyed within forty dayes besides women and children and this contagion extended no further Amongst others R. Bel chiefe Baron of the Exchequer a graue man and learned in the Law R. Doyley Sir G. Babington Vicount Doyley of Oxfordshire Harcourt Waineman and Fetiplace persons of great estimation in that Countrey and Barham a famous Lawyer being almost of one Iury and about three hundreth more died there Hitherto the Papists in England enioyed a cheerefull tranquillitie who by a kinde of merciful conniuency exercised their Religion in priuate houses in some sort vnpunished although it was prohibited by the Law vpon paine of a pecuniary mulct to be inflicted neither did the Queen thinke it fit to force the conscience But after that thundring Bull of Excommunication against the Queene which came
from Rome was cast abroad that serenitie by little and little turned into clouds and tempests and brought vp that Law which was made in the yeere 1571. against them which brought into the Kingdome such Bulls Agnos Dei and Grana Benedicta being tokens of Papall obedience or as we haue said did reconcile any to the Church of Rome Neuerthelesse this Law was not put in execution against any one in sixe yeeres after although it was knowne to haue beene violated by many The first against whom this Law was put in practice was Cuthbert Maine Priest a stubborne defender of the Popes authority against the Queene hee was executed at Saint Stephens commonly called Launston in Cornewall and Trugion a Gentleman that intertained him into his house had all his lands and goods confiscated and he condemned to perpetuall imprisonment Of these and such like things concerning the Church I will but giue a touch in regard of others that vndertake to write the Ecclesiasticall History of those times who I hope although it be scarcely to be hoped for by reason of exasperated mindes in this deuision of Religion will faithfully performe it This yeere the title of Baron of Latimer after it had flourished in honour and riches from the time of Henry the Sixth is now extinct in Iohn Neuill who hauing no Issue male left an ample inheritance to foure Daughters the eldest of which Henrie Earle of Northumberland married the second Thomas Cecill who was afterwards Earle of Exceter the third Sir William Cornwallis and the fourth Sir Iohn Dauers of which came a plentifull ofspring Sir Th. Smith one of the Secretaries of State likewise died of a consumption this being his clymactericall yeere a man memorable for much learning and wisdome approued in many Ambassies He was descended of noble Parents at Saffron Walden in Essex brought vp at Queen Margarets Colledge in Cambridge and beeing come to riper yeeres was chosen to bee sent into Italy vpon the Kings charge vntill our time many of the most hopefull youths were chosen out of both the Vniuersities and trayned vp in strange Countries for the better adorning and inabling of their mindes From thence he returned Doctor of the Ciuill Law he was in fauour with the Duke of Sommerset Protector of EDVVARD the Sixth and made the other Secretary with Cecill and Lord Warden of the Stanneries Deane of Carlile and Prouost of Eaton Queene MARIE comming to the Crowne tooke all these dignities from him assigned him a hundred pound a yeere to liue on with condition not to goe out of the Kingdome As soone as Queene ELIZABETH inioyed the Scepter he was called againe to the seruice of the Common-wealth to be an assistant with the Diuines in correcting the English Liturgy and afterwards as I haue said before hauing with great applause performed his Ambassies hee dyed In the yeere 1571 being made second Secretary to the Queene hauing but one onely Sonne sent him to leade a Colony into the barbarous Pen-insale Ardes in Ireland where hee was vnfortunately slaine Hee tooke speciall care and was the first that procured an order for the dyets of Students in Colledges and by that meanes aduanced learning more than he did by his writings although hee left a worke imperfect de Reipublica Anglorum a singular booke de Linguae Anglicae Orthographia another de Graecae pronunciatione and an exact Commentary de re nummaria most worthy to come to light In his stead to the place of Secretary came Thomas Wilson Doctor of the Ciuill Law Master of Saint Katherines neere London who dyed within foure yeeres after In Ireland the O-Mores O-Conores and others whose ancestors the Earle of Sussex Lord Deputie in the reigne of Queene MARY had for wrongs and offences done by them depriued of their inheritance Leisa and Ophalia neither had hee assigned them any other place to liue in broke out into Rebellion vnder the conduct of Rorio Oge that is to say Rodorick the Younger burnt a little Towne called Naasse they assaulted Lachliny and were repulsed by Sir George Crew Gouernour but they tooke Henry Harrington and Alexander Cosbie in a deceitfull parley which they sought of purpose to surprize them whoÌ„ when Captaine Harpole went about to recouer set vpon a little Cottage by night where Rorio was and they two tyed to a post Rorio being awaked with the noyse gaue Harrington and Cosbie many wounds in the darke and with a desperate boldnesse rusheth into the middest of the Souldiers which compassed him round and by the benefit of the night escaped Afterwards hauing layde an Ambuscado for the Baron of Osser was taken and being slaine his neighbours were deliuered from much feare THE ONE AND TVVENTIETH YEERE OF Her Reigne Anno Dom. 1578. ALthough Spaine approued not of the propositions that Wilkes had made and as I lately saide had dissembled Queene ELIZABETH notwithstanding seriously pittying the Flemmings whose Prouinces were so commodiously and with a mutuall necessity situated to England had for many ages adhered like Husband and Wife and therefore impatient to see the French vnder colour of taking them into protection should become Masters of them sends Wilkes at his returne from Spaine to Don Iohn to aduertize him that the States had called the Duke of Aniou now so but before Duke of Alanzon with an Armie of French and that it would be more safe for him to make a Truce lest he should expose the Prouinces to the present danger But he being of a firie and warlike Spirit and puffed vp with the Battell against the States at Gemblacke answered in a word that he neither thought of any Truce nor feared the French She neuerthelesse for her own behoofe and the Flemmings sends Sir Edward Stafford into France to watch if they should attempt any thing vpon the Frontiers of the Low-Countries and how many Souldiers they had leuied Out of England are past ouer I. North eldest Sonne of Baron North Iohn Norris second Sonne of Baron Norris Henry Cauendish and Thomas Morgan with many voluntaries there to plant their first rudiments of Warre Casimire also Sonne to the Prince Elector Palatine drew a great Armie of Horse and Foot out of Germanie which cost the Queene verie much Don Iohn burning to assault the Armie of the States at Rimenant before all the auxiliarie Forces of the French and Germanes should ioyne with it flyes vpon them sooner then they were aware of and forthwith made the Cauallerie which were set to guard retreate runnes in vpon the Enemie as if he had been sure of the victorie but they resuming their spirits beat backe the Austrians who being turned towards the Hedges and Bushes where the English and Scottish voluntaries were placed stroue to breake through them but by no meanes could they were valiantly entertained by the English and Scots who for the feruent heat had cast off their Cloathes and with their Shirts â—yed betweene their
Thighes so fought Norris the Leader of the English eagerly fighting had three Horses killed vnder him and brought away the glorie of a valorous Warriour and so did Stuart a Scottishman Burham Lieutenant to Cauendish and William Marckham That these Prouinces of the Low-Countreys afflicted and faint with these intestine Warres might be comforted there came into Flanders from the Emperour Count Swart-Zenberg from France Pomponio Belieure from Queene ELIZABETH the Lord Cobham and Sir Francis Walsingham to sollicite a Peace but the businesse was so poysoned that they returne without doing any thing Don Iohn refusing to admit of reforming Religion and the Prince of Orange to returne into Holland About that time Egremond Radcliffe Sonne to Henrie Earle of Sussex by his second Wife a man of a turbulent Spirit and one of the chiefe in the Rebellion of the North went to serue vnder Don Iohn and is accused by some of the English Fugitiues to be sent to kill him is apprehended in the Campe at Namurcke with Gray an Englishman as a partner in the plot and are both executed The Spaniards giue it out that Radcliffe which were the last words he spake before his death of his owne accord confessed that he was set at libertie out of the Tower of London and excited with great promises by Sir Francis Walsingham to performe this Some English that were present denied that he confessed any such thing although the Fugitiues wrought by all the meanes they could to draw the like confession from them but difference in Religion doth too much darken the light of the mind both of honestie and truth on both sides and who knowes not that the Fugitiues for verie hatred inuent many things to depraue and slander Within a little time after Don Iohn in the flowre of his age whether of the Plague or as others will haue it with griefe being neglected of his Brother left his fond Ambition and life together after he had gaped first after the kingdome of Tunis which caused the losse of Guleta in Affrica And secondly after England And vnknowne to France or Spaine contracted alliance with the Guizes for the defence of both the Crownes In the meane while the Duke of Aniou howsouer bent to the Warres of the Low-Countries prosecutes the mariage which he had begun being Duke of Alanzon that he might shew that he was able to giue his minde to the warres and to his Loue together First of all Bucheruile for this purpose is sent to Queene ELIZABETH He finds her at the House of one Cordall in Suffolke taking her Countrey pleasures By and by after comes Rambouillet from the French King and a moneth after Semier from the Duke of Aniou a refined Courtier who was exquisite in the delights of Loue and skilfull in the wayes of Courtship accompanied with many French Gentlemen whom Queene ELIZABETH receiued forthwith verie louingly at Richmond Then began Leicester to grow discontented seeing himselfe falne from the hope which he had so long conceiued to marrie her and that a little before she had beene angry with Astley a Lady of the Queenes Bed-Chamber for commending him to her and perswading her to marrie him WHat saith she thinkest thou me so vnlike my selfe and vnmindfull of the Maiestie of a Queene that I will prefer a meane Seruant whom I haue raised my selfe before the greatest Princes of the Christian world Neere the same time Margaret Douglas Countesse of Lenox Daughter of the eldest Sister of King HENRY the eighth Widdow of Mathew Earle of Lenox and Grandmother to IAMES King of Great Britaine after she had out-liued all her Children which were eight in number dyed in the Clymacteriall yeere of her age and was buried at Westminster being brought thither with a sumptuous Funerall at Queene ELIZABETH's charge A woman of singular pietie patience and chastitie who had beene three times cast into prison as I haue heard not for any suspition of crime against the Queene but for matters of Loue. First when Thomas Howard Sonne of Thomas Howard first Duke of Norfolke of that Name was falne in loue with her and dyed in the Towre of London Secondly for the loue of Henry Darley her Sonne and the Queene of Scots Lastly for the loue betweene Charles her younger Sonne and Elizab. Cauendish the Lady Arbella's Mother to whom the Queene of Scots was accused to haue been maried as I haue said before That we may lightly touch the affaires of Scotland At the begining of this yeere Thomas Randolph was sent from Queene ELIZABETH into Scotland that he by diligent search might feele in what estate the affaires stood there to congratulate with the King for his forward proceeding in good Letters who from his Child-hood hauing an exquisite and happie memorie had profited much beyond his age and to wish him to loue the English in regard of the many benefits she had done to him and motherly affection that she bare him and that he should deale with the Earle of Argathel that the Hebridians might not assist the Rebels of Ireland and to perswade the Regent Earle Morton to abandon in time the enmitie betweene him and the Earles of Argathel Athole and others lest he incurre the hatred of his Peeres and alienate altogether the Queenes minde from him He now was vnder-hand accused to haue stained the honour he had for wisedome and valour with filthy couetousnesse and would shortly make himselfe so hated of the common people that the State with a general consent will translate the administration of the affaires to the King though for his age hauing scarce attained to twelue yeeres he be not capable of it and that twelue of the principall of the Nobilitie be nominated three of them for three moneths together by course to assist the King in Councell amongst whom Morton to be one that he may seeme rather to be brought from one place to another then to be put out The King hauing taken the gouernment of his Kingdome doth most thankfully by Dunfermlin acknowledge Queene ELIZABETH's fauours towards him as proceeding not so much from the neerenesse of Blood as from the common profession of the true Religion Prayes her that the Treatie of Edenborough contracted betweene the two Kingdomes begun in the yeere 1559 may be ratified the more happily to restraine the robbers vpon the Borders and preuent the enterprizes of the Aduersaries of true Religion that Iustice might be equally ministred to the Inhabitants of both the Kingdomes the goods taken by Pirats fully restored and his Ancestors patrimonie in England viz. the possessions granted to Mathew his Grandfather and Margaret his Grandmother he being the next Heire may be deliuered into his hands likewise Moneys being cleane exhausted out of Scotland he wanted to entertaine his Family and a Guard about him as the dignitie of a King required The first Demands the Queene readily promiseth but to that concerning the Patrimonie she
promised him a Croysado as for a sacred warre Moreouer when certaine news came that Stukeley and those Italians were lost in Mauritania and that Spaine thought on nothing else but Portugal they called backe the English Fleet which attended for Stukeley vpon the Irish coast and Henrie Sidney deliuered vp the Countrey to William Drury President of Mounster When he had beene xi yeeres at seuerall times Lord Deputie and being ready to imbarke he gaue this farewell to Ireland with a Verse out of one of the Psalmes of Dauid When Israel came out of Egypt and the House of Jacob from a barbarous people This Lord Sidney verily was a singular good man and one most laudable among the best that had beene Deputies of Ireland and although Deputies are often complained of yet Ireland cannot but acknowledge to be much indebted to him for his wisdome and valour THE TWO AND TVVENTIETH YEERE OF Her Reigne Anno Dom. 1579. IOhn Casimere Sonne to Frederick the Third Prince Elector Palatine who the yeere before had brought a powerfull armie out of Germanie into the Low-Countries with great charge to the States and to Queene ELIZABETH and at the latter end of the yeere without performing any thing being drawne to Gaunt by the tumult of the people who were in diuision came into England in the moneth of Ianuary in a sharpe Winter full of Snowes to excuse himselfe and lay the blame vpon the French King and after hee had beene sumptuously receiued and brought with a number of torches to the City of Londons Senate-house by the prime Nobility of the Court he was intertayned with Barriers Combats Bankets honoured with the order of Saint George and the Garter which the Queene tyed about his legge with her owne hands indued him with an annuall Pension being loaden with many honorable gifts about the middest of February hee passed into the Low-Countries in one of the Queenes Ships where hee found this mercenary Army dispersed For the Germanes seeing Alexander Fernesa Prince of Parma established Gouernour of Flanders by the Spaniard readie to thunder vpon them and they wanting their pay and being brought somewhat low required money from him that they might depart out of the Low-Countries But he with an imperious fashion neuerthelesse which carried a grace and grauity replyed that he had spoke for them that they might depart their liues saued they were contented so they might haue a sure passe they make haste home but not without the losse of reputation but with greater detriment to the States Queene ELIZABETH fayles them not for all that but furnisheth them with great summes vpon the old gage of the rich ornaments and vessels of the house of Burgundie which by Matthew Duke of Austria and them were deliuered to Dauison who being sent to appease the commotions in Gaunt which had falne vpon the Church and Church-men brought them into England During which time Semier ceaseth not louingly to call vpon the marriage for the Duke of Aniou and although shee excellently put him off for a long time yet he brought her to this poynt that Leicester being intirely against this Match and others had raysed a report that hee had charmed her and made her in loue with the Duke with drinkes and vnlawfull arts hee to the contrary sues that Leicester may be degraded and put out of the Queens fauour telling that hee was married to the Earle of Essex his Widdow whereat she was so moued that she commanded him from the Court to Greene-wich Tower and did purpose to haue put him into the Tower of London which all his Enemies much desired But Sussex who was his chiefe Emulator and wholly bent to aduance this marriage disswades her from it being of a right noble minde and in-bred generositie was of opinion that it hath alwayes beene accounted honest and honourable and that none ought to be troubled for lawfull marriage notwithstanding he was glad that it had made Leicester out of all hope to marry the Queene Neuerthelesse Leicester was herewith so prouoked that he thought of nothing but of meanes how to be reuenged and they were not wanting that would doe what he would haue them doe Tewdor one of the Queenes guard is suborned to kill Semier which caused the Queene by a publique proclamation to forbid all persons to offend by word or deed him his companions or seruants And there happened at the same time shee going for her recreation in her Barge vpon the Riuer of Thames neere to Greenewich and with her Semier the Earle of Lincolne and Sir Chr. Hatton Vice Chamberlaine that a young fellow from a-board a Ship-boat with a pistolet shot a water-man thorow the arme that rowed in the Queenes Barge who anon after was taken and brought to the Gallowes to terrifie him but when he had religiously affirmed not to haue done it maliciously hee was let goe Neither would the Queene beleeue that he had beene suborned of purpose either against her or Semier So farre shee was from giuing place to suspition against her Subiects that it was an vsuall saying with her That shee could beleeue nothing of her Subiects that Parents would not beleeue of their Children Within a few dayes after the Duke of Aniou himselfe came priuily into England accompanied with two men onely and went to the Queene to Greenewich who likewise knew nothing of it where they had priuate conferences together which is not lawfull to search after the secrets of Princes being an inextricable Labyrinth and afterwards went away vnknowne except to very few But a month or two after shee commanded Burghley the Treasurer Sussex Leicester Hatton and Walsingham that after they had seriously weighed the dangers and commodities that might arise vpon this marriage they should conferre with Semier vpon the Couenants of the marriage There appeared some danger lest the Duke of Aniou should attempt any thing against the receiued Religion or take possession of the Kingdome as the Popes gift or render it vp into the hands of the Queene of Scots and Queene ELIZABETH being dead should marry her or his Brother dying should returne into France and place a Vice-Roy in England which the English would neuer indure Furthermore lest hee should inuolue the English in forreine warres lest the Scots assuring themselues of their ancient alliance with France should take better courage against the English lest Spaine being of so great power should oppose it Lastly lest the people oppressed with taxations to maintaine his magnificence should stirre vp sedition The commodities may be seene a firme confederation with the French might be established the rebellions of Papists if any should be the more easily supprest all the Queene of Scots hope and of all that seeke her in marriage and fauouring her are excluded Spaine would be compelled to compound the businesse of the Low-Countries and confirme the League of Burgundie and England at length should enioy a solid and
the cause exceedingly feinedly calls all his friends together as though he meant to goe against them the Earle of Clanricard with a selected troupe of Souldiers going against the Enemies and Rebels met him but he deceitfully sends him away The Deputie hauing receiued certaine newes by Henry Dauile a valiant English Gentleman that the Enemy was landed commanded the Earle of Desmond and his Brethren ioyntly and forthwith to assayle the Fort but when they had talked and considered vpon it and found it full of perill refused Dauile departing is followed by Iohn Desmond who ouertooke him in an Inne at Tralli a little Burrough and hauing corrupted the Oast in the dead of the night he with other Murtherers brake into the chamber where Dauile with Arthur Carter Lieutenant to the Marshall of Mounster a very valiant old Souldier slept securely but being awaked with the noyse and beheld Iohn Desmond with his naked Sword in his Chamber raising himselfe vp What is the matter sayes he my sonne for so in familiarity hee was vsed to call him Now I am no more thy sonne saith he nor thou my Father thou shalt dye And at an instant ranne him and Carter that lay with him many times thorow the Body yea after that Dauiles Foot-boy had throwne himselfe naked vpon his Master to defend him as much as in him lay and receiued many wounds And shortly after he killed all Dauiles seruants as he found them dispersed here and there and returning to the Spaniard all rayed with Bloud boasts of the slaughter and said thus Let this be a pledge of my faith to you and to this cause And Sanders this That hee extolled it as a sweete sacrifice before God Fitz-Morris reproued the manner of it wishing it rather had beene done vpon the way than in bed The Earle when hee heard of it condemned it with all his heart as detestable The Spaniards seeing themselues ioyned with a few Irish and those vnarmed and miserable contrary to what Fitz-Morris had promised began to distrust and to cry they were lost and to deplore their misfortune not seeing any meanes to saue themselues either by Land or Sea Fitz-Morris exhorts them to patience and to wait assures them that great forces were comming to their succour hee feinedly tooke a iourney to the holy Crosse of Triporarie to pay the vow which hee had made in Spaine but in truth it was to draw together all the seditious of Connach and Vlster As he trauelled with a few horse and twelue foot-men through the grounds of William of Bourg his alliance who was with him at the League in the precedent Rebellion his Horses fayling tooke vp the work-horses that he found in his way the Labourers crying out assemble all the dwellers thereabout to recouer them amongst which were the sonnes of William of Bourg young men and couragious who being mounted on horse-backe pursued him so swiftly that they ouertooke him Fitz-Morris seeing Theobald of Bourg and his Brethren who were with him in the former Rebellion speaking friendly said Kinsmen let not vs fall out for a Horse or two for when you shall know the cause why I am come backe into Ireland I am assured that you will ioyne with mee Theobald answers Both I and my Father and likewise our friends doe greatly grieue for the first Rebellion and haue sworne and will performe our fidelitie to our most gracious Princesse who pardoned vs and gaue vs our liues therefore restore the Horses or I will make thee restore them and withall threw a Dart at him with a writhen Pike and they fought a time Theobald and one of his brothers were slaine and some of their men Fitz-Morris was runne thorow the Body with a Pike and shot thorow the head with a Pistoll so hee dyed and many of his men They cut off his head and hanged his quarters vpon poles ouer the Gates of Kilmalocke where as wee haue said before in the Church in the presence of Perot hee bound himselfe with great obtestations to be loyall to his Prince The Queen writes consolatory Letters to William of Bourg full of loue and sorrow for the losse of his sonnes creates him Baron of Castell-Conell and rewards him with an annuall pension Whereupon the old man confounded with so vnexpected ioy dyed shortly after Drury Lord Deputie was now come almost to Kilmalock and sends for Desmond who came before him promiseth faith and obedience to the Queene and bound himselfe by oath that he and his would warre against the Rebels Whereupon he is dismissed to collect his men and returne to the Deputie Iohn Desmond the Earles Brother who was substituted in Fitz-Morris his place by treachery intercepts and kills Herbert and Prisie Englishmen with the Companies which they led and he was wounded in the face This losse was supplied with sixe hundred Souldiers out of Deuonshire Perot is sent out of England with sixe Ships of warre to defend the mouth of the Harbour At which time the Deputie being vehemently sicke and growing daily worse worse must of necessity go to Waterford to recouer his health and left his place to Nicholas Malbey President of Connach and Gouernour of Mounster an old and a renowned Souldier Returning the Wife of Desmond offers her onely Sonne and Heire in hostage for the Father For after he departed from Kilmalock he appeared not although Malbey often-times by Letters admonished him of his duety and promise and not willing to delay remoues towards the Rebels in Conil a wooddy and boggy Country where Iohn Desmond put his men in array and displayes the Popes consecrated Banner he intertaines it and signes giuen they ioyne where both sides fought furiously Fortune at length yeelding to the vertue of the English Iohn was the first that fled and left his men to the slaughter amongst whom Allan the Diuine is found who incouraged them to the battle by promising the victory The Earle of Desmond who was a spectator from some Hill neere to that place the same night writ dissemblingly Letters congratulatory to Malbey and vnder a colour of friendship warnes him to remoue his Campe from thence Malbey sends backe the Messenger with Letters commanding the Earle to come to him and ioyne his forces whom when in vaine he had expected foure dayes hee remoued to Rekel a little Towne of the Earle of Desmonds Now the Earle who had so long both in countenance and words egregiously maintained his dissimulation leaues to be the same man and plainely puts on a Rebels minde and the same night it being darke the Rebels inuaded Malbey's Campe which they found so fortified that they returned backe as from a thing infected The Gouernour thinking this to be a fit place to disioyne the Rebels forces put a Garrison there and from thence marched to Asketon a Castle of the Earles standing vpon a Hill inuironed with the Riuer Asketon which was garded by Souldiers But before he
being so fit a place for ambuscadoes Notwithstanding this aduice they must vndertake it and hee exhorteth them to behaue themselues couragiously and himselfe being threescore and ten yeeres of age marched in the Front and the others followed him But they were no sooner gone downe but they were showred vpon with musket-shot like hayle driuen by a tempest from the bushes where the Rebels were placed and not a man of them to be discerned The most part of them were slaine there the rest retyring and clyming vp the Rockes and ragged wayes with much adoe came to the Deputie who stood vpon a Hill expecting the euent with the Earle of Kildare and Sir Iohn Wingfield Master of the Ordnance who knowing the danger would not suffer George Carew one of his Nephewes to goe thither reseruing him for greater honours Peter Carew the younger G. More Audeley and Cosby himselfe were slaine there Shortly after seuen hundred or threabout of Italians and Spaniards commanded by San-Ioseph an Italian sent by the Pope and the King of Spaine vnder pretext to establish the Romane Religion but the end of it was to diuide Queene ELIZABETH's forces and to call home those which shee had in the Low-Countries landed at Smerwick without any resistance in regard that Winter who had waited for them in that place seeing the Equinox of Autumne past was returned for England fortified the place with Bulwarkes and named it the Fort Del-Or But as soone as they had knowledge that the Earle of Ormond Gouernour of Mounster was comming towards them they by the aduice of the Irish quitted the Fort and went to the Valley of Grauingel being of difficult accesse by reason of the Mountaines and Woods which enuironed it The Gouernour tooke some of them by the way who being examined what number they were and what designe they had confessed that they were seuen hundred that they had brought armes for fiue thousand and looked daily for greater numbers from Spaine That the Pope and the King of Spaine were resolued to driue the English out of Ireland and to effect the same had sent store of treasure to Sanders the Popes Nuncio to the Earle of Desmond and to Iohn his brother The same night the Italians and Spaniards not knowing which way to turne themselues in regard they could not remaine in Caues and Dennes which were retreats for Cattell by the benefit of the darke night returned to the Fort and Ormond was camped before it but wanting Cannon other things requisit for battery was constrained to attend the Lord Deputies comming who was speedily there and with him Zouchey Raleigh Deny Mackworth Achin and other Captaines At the same time Winter being reproued for his comming away returned from England with his Ships of Warre The Lord Deputie sent a Trumpet to the Fort to aske those that kept it Who brought them into Ireland By whom they were sent and wherefore they had built a Fort in Queene ELIZABETH's Kingdomeâ— and to command them presently to quit it They answered that they were sent some from the most holy Father the Pope of Rome and the rest from the most Catholique King of Spaine to whom he had giuen Ireland Queene ELIZABETH being falne from it by reason of her Heresie and therefore would keepe what they had gotten and get more if they could Whereupon the Deputie and Winter hauing consulted of the manner how they should besiege it caused the Sea-Souldiers by night and without noyse to bring Culuerings from the Ships and hauing made a Bulwarke vpon the shoare drawes them easily forward and places them for battery The Land-Souldiers bent their greatest Ordnance to the other side and plaid vpon the Fort foure daies together The Spaniards make many sallies out but euer to their losse and the English lost but one man who was Sir Iohn Cheeke a braue and valiant young Gentleman sonne to Sir Iohn Cheeke a noble Knight most learned and iudicious San-Ioseph who commanded the Fort a very Coward and vnfit for the warres being affrighted with this continuall battery thinkes presently of rendring it and seeing Hercules Pisan and the other Captaines striuing to disswade him from it as an vnworthy thing to be done by Souldiers and insist that by their faint-heartednesse they should not diminish the courage of the Irish who were comming to their succour and prepared to sustaine the assault with a remarkable cowardlinesse sounds the intentions of the Souldiers and seditiously threatning the Captaines in the end brought them to condiscend to render it vp So seeing no succour neither from Spaine nor from the Earle of Desmond the fifth day of the said siege they put forth a white Flagge and demanded a Parley But it was refused them because they tooke part with Rebels with whom they were not to parley After they desired that they might goe out with bagge and baggage which was also denied them Also that it might be permitted to the General and the chiefe Commanders but that likewise was denied them though it was requested with much importunitie and the Deputie speaking outragiously against the Pope commands them to yeeld vpon discretion Insomuch as not being able to obtaine any thing else they put out the white Flagge againe and all together cry aloud Misericordia Misericordia And giue themselues vp to the Deputies mercy who presently tooke counsell what course hee should take with them But in regard they equalled the number of the English it was to be feared seeing the Rebels were aboue fifteene hundred and that lest the English who were destitute of Meat Apparell if they should not be comforted and refreshed with the spoyles of the enemy might be moued to reuolt also there being no shipping to carry them into their owne Countrey it was resolued against the Deputies will who full of mercy and compassion wept for it that all strangers the Commanders excepted should be put to the Sword and the Irish to be hanged which was presently executed Neuerthelesse the Queen who from her heart detested to vse cruelty to those that yeelded wished that the slaughter had not beene and was with much difficultie appeased and satisfied about it This is all that which passed in Ireland which I was willing to follow with a continued declaration to the end that the order of the History might not be interrupted though many things passed amongst them which I should haue remembred before if I had followed the order of the time Vpon the beginning of this yeere the ornaments of the head which exceeded in dressings and Clokes which came downe almost to the heeles no lesse seemly than of great expence were reformed by a Statute and Swords reduced to three-foot length Poniards to twelue inches from the hilt and Target-Pikes to two And forasmuch as the City and Suburbs of London were so increased in buildings by reason of the multitude of people which flowed thither from all parts so
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
Marquesse of Huntley the other with the Earle of Marre And that he might shew himselfe a King by exercising in due time his authoritie whereas those of the conspiracie had declared in a publike assembly instituted by their authoritie that the arrest detaining of his person was iustly lawfully performed and therupon enrolled the said Declaration amongst the publike Registers the King on the contrary in a generall assembly of the Nobilitie and States declared that it was traiterously done Notwithstanding the Ministers as the supreme Iudges of the Realme pronounced in a Synode conuocated by their authoritie that it was most iust and did hold it fit that those which would not approue thereof should vndergoe the censure of Excommunication In those dayes the warres betwixt the Emperor of Muscouia and the King of Swethland vnder the Artique Circle must not be left to obliuion Iohn King of Swethland perceiuing his powers farre too weake to resist so great an Emperor sent in Noble Embassie towards Queen ELIZABETH H. of Wissembourg his neere kinsman and A. Rich his Secretarie by Letters to request her Maieesty to intercede by Ambassage to the Emperour for the conclusion of a peace betweene them Which she presently vndertooke and without delay performed so well that with reasonable conditions she induc'd the Muscouit to a composition of peace who forthwith treated with her concerning the alliance of which I haue often made mention and that hee might bee allow'd refuge and a retreat into England if any disastrous aduersity should fall vpon him likewise he desired a Wife should be giuen him out of England But Sir Hierome Bowes Knight being sent Embassadour found it a difficult matter to content the Emperour For the Muscouite most importunately laboured for an absolute league in such tearmes as hee himselfe should set downe neither would hee giue any hearing to any remonstrances which hee propos'd that it was not the duty of a Christian neither would the Law of Nations permit that hostile enmities should bee denounced and practised or open warres begunne before the party from whom the wrong proceeded were admonished to repaire the iniury and desist from it The Queene appointed the Sister of the Earle of Huntington to be giuen as a Wife to him But when shee was certified that the Lawes of his Countrey would permit him at his own pleasure to repudiate and put away his wiues Shee excused the matter by the sicklinesse of the maid and by the loue of her father that was not able to beare the absence of his Daughter in a Country so farre distant And also that it was not in her power to dispose of in mariage the daughters of any of her subiects without their parents consents Neuerthelesse the Ambassador so farre preuailed that the establishing of the Merchants priuiledge was granted But death taking away the Emperour the yeare following the affaires of the English beganne by little and little to returne towards Russia and the Ambassador returning not without much danger of his life was with much commendation kindly receiued of the Queene Hee was the first that brought into England where the like was neuer seene if an Historian may with good leaue make mention of so small a thing a beast called Maclis which is a creature likest to an Alçe very swift and without ioynts And moreouer certain Deere of wonderfull swiftnesse which being yoakt and driuen will with much speed draw men vp and downe in Chariots like horses But to returne againe to the affaires of Muscouia Theodore Iohannide sonne to Iohn Basil succeeded in this great Empire a Prince by nature of a slow capacity yet he knew well how to follow the aduice of his best Counsellors Hee gaue free passage to all Merchants of all Countries into Russia and being oftentimes sollicited by the Queene of England to confirm the priuiledges granted by his father to the Muscouian Company of English Merchants importing thus that it might not be lawfull but to the English of the said society to land vpon the North coasts of Russia and there to exercise their traffique without paying of any tribute or custome because they were the first by sea that found a way to those parts Hee againe requested that all the English in generall might be suffered to traffique in Russia esteeming it iniustice to giue leaue to some and forbid others saying that Princes should beare an equall hand amongst their subiects not conuert into a Monopoly or the particular profit of some few men that commerce by which the right of Nations ought to be common to all And as for the custom hee promised to take by the halfe lesse of them of that societie then of others Other priuiledges hee added in fauour of the Queene and not for the desert as hee said of that society of which some he hath obserued that haue euilly dealt with his subiects Other answer could the Queene by no meanes procure or obtaine albeit shee afterwards sent about the same affaires Egide Fletcher Doctor of the Law who set forth a booke called The policy or tyrannie of the Russian wherein were contained many things worthy observation but it was presently supprest lest it should breed offence to a princely friend The same Summer came from Poland neighbouring vpon Russia into England to visit the Queene one Albret Alasco Count Palatine of Sirad a man most learn'd of comly stature and lineaments wearing his Beard long richly cloathed and of gracefull behauiour the Queene with much bounty and loue receiued him the Nobles with great honour and magnificence entertained him and the Vniuersitie of Oxford with learned recreations and diuers pastimes delighted him but after a while finding himselfe ouercharged vvith debt he priuily stole away In this yeare also was seene in Dorset-shire a thing no lesse prodigious then that which was seene in the yeare 1571 in Herefordshire A field of three Acres situated in Blackmore both with trees and hedges was remoued out of its owne place into another leauing in its stead a huge vaste gappe but the high-way leading to Cerne shut vp whether this was by some subterranean earthquake such wherewith as Seneca reporteth the heads of the gods in the bed of Iupiter were turned into the contrary parts or out of too much moistnesse caused by the springs abundantly flowing in those parts the field being situate in the side of a Hill let others make enquirie This was the last yeare to Thomas Ratcliffe being of that Family the third Earle of Sussex a man of haughty courage exquisit counsell of a singular faith towards his Countrie and of an illustrious Progeny He had to his Mother the Daughter of the Duke of Norfolke for his Grandmother the daughter to the Duke of Buckingham Constable of England Himselfe also had past through many great honorable imploiments As being sent Ambassador by Queene MARIE into Germany to the Emperor Charles the fifth to
they should haue recourse either to the King of France or Queene of England for refuge succors For they were both at that time discōtented with the Spaniard but suspicious also one of the other The French could not endure that the English their ancient enemies should encrease their power by the addition of the Netherlands and the English in like sort the French De la Prune the French Ambassador for the Low-Countries that he might diuert the Estates from the English made this demonstration THat the Sea flowing betwixt England the Netherlands the English were too farre distant and could not at all occasions be ready to assist them their command also was intollerable and for that cause were in times past driuen out of France and were like then to hazard the same in Ireland That the succession of the Realme was vncertaine and whether MARIE Queene of Scots or IAMES her sonne did succeed both hee and shee would bee ready to giue vp the Netherlands to the Spaniard for the assurance of their owne affaires But that the French were opportunely adioyning and neighbouring their command most mild and their succession certaine in the person of the King of Nauarre who was of the same profession with them Such as fauoured the English maintained the contrary THat they were not so farre disseuered but they could commodiously send them ayde without the hindrance of any That it appeared by the Histories what the French Command had been of yore in the Netherlands what it now was by the surprise of Dixmond Donkircke and Dendermond and the furious and perfidious invasion of Bruges Alost New-port and Antwerpe and what their faith was hauing beene so often obliged by Edicts and nowithstanding violated by the cruell Massacres which haue beene committed in the townes That the succession of England was assured in the person of King Iames who was zealous in the true religion Besides the English were of the selfe-same religion and faitfull obseruers of the ancient League with Burgundie That their trafficke had brought infinite wealth to the Netherlands and their ports most commodious for them The Estates neuerthelesse by Ambassadors implored the ayde of the French King by whom they were receiued with a fearefull silence and a long time deluded with procrastinations by reason aswell of their enuy to the English as of hate to the Spaniard so the Ambassadours returned home at the last and conceiuing hope from the former bounty of Queen ELIZABETH they determined to fly to her for protection Hereupon vvas holden a consultation in England vvhether they vvere to be receiued into their protection or no Some vvere of aduice that they shold presently be receiued and ayde forthvvith sent them 〈…〉 brought them in subiection should become a vexation to the English on that side Other some aduised that they were to bee esteemed as Rebels and vnworthy of succours as being reuolted from the fidelitie which they ought to their Prince THe Spaniard had not violated any of the Articles of his Ioyfull entrance which they sought for as a colour and pretext for their rebellion and deposition of their lawfull Prince But admit that hee had violated them yet was hee not for that to bee punished with the losse of his principalitie And although some suppose that obedience should bee so long denyed him vntill hee had recompenced his fault yet others esteeme that the diuine Lawes to which humane lawes must yeeld Princes should as powers ordinated by God be simply and for conscience obeyed For God hath giuen them the Soueraigntie of command and to subiects the glory of obedience And that subiects should wish for good Princes but endure all whatsoeuer they be That these Prouinces were falne to the Spaniard not by the election of the people but by the hereditary right of their Ancestors and the donation of the Emperors That the Dutchmen had receiued priuiledges from their Princes but had lost the same by a crime of Laesae Maiestatis in taking vp Armes against them That these were not the estates of the Netherlands that had demanded protection but certaine Plebean persons that had attributed to them the Title of Estates It was therefore thought by the iudgement of these most expedient that the Queene should not intermeddle with the affaires of the Netherlands but rather strongly to fortifie her own Kingdomes indeuouring dayly by her naturall bounty to oblige the hearts of 〈…〉 encrease her treasurie to haue her Nauy alwayes well prepared and furnished with necessaries to fortifie with garisons the frontier townes towards Scotland to conserue the ancient militarie discipline of England which was corrupted by the Dutch warres That in thus doing England would be impregnable secured on all sides and a terrour to the enemy That this would be the most commodioas meanes to auoid the warres which might fall vpon such as are begirt with potent neighbours That none would offer to prouoke them seeing them so well furnished of money and forces garded with the good-will and loue of their subiects and alwayes ready and prepared to reuenge themselues And that it would be preposterous wisedome to consume money and Souldiers which are the life and soule of warre in anothers cause and for Princes or people of no ability being subiects to anothers rule and by reason of their pouerty must alwayes bee supplyed with fresh succours or by ingratitude totally prouiding for their owne affaires will neglect those that had assisted them as the English had while-ere in France experimented to their losse in the Bourgongnian cause and not long since in the defence of the Protestants But such as were of this opinion as men degenerate slothfull and addicted to the Spanish party moued the men of warre to much indignation So soone as the Ambassadors of the Estates presented themselues to the Queene with earnest affection they beseeched her to assume the rule of the vnited Prouinces of the Netherlands and to receiue them into her protection and perpetuall homage being vndeseruedly oppressed She graciously gaue them hearing but refused to take vpon her their rule and protection Neuerthelesse to raise the siege from before Antwerpe which was then reduced into great necessitie and oppressed by the Prince of Parma she promised them if they would deliuer for a Gage into her hands the towne of Sluce with all the artillery forthwith to send them foure thousand souldiers But whilst these things were propounded Antwerpe was yeelded vp because the passage of the Riuer Scald by admirable deuices was quite cut off After that the Queen had setled a while her thoughts and cares vpon these matters and perceiued the great cruelty of the Spaniards which they exercised vpon the Dutch her neighbours and the hate which they bore to England and the Religion which was there maintained for the Spaniards were verily perswaded that they could neuer reduce the Netherlands to order if they first subdued not England To hinder warre
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
the Noble House of the Seymors at Dudley Earle of Warwickes perswasion during his plotting of the ruine of this puissant and princely House and all to preuent lest shee who was Wife to this Noble Protector should giue place or precedence to this Queene Dowager who then was her Husbands Brothers wife The next was Sir Ralph Sadler Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster a prudent and learned man whose worth and vertue had beene approued in diuers weighty and important affaires of State He was the last Banneret of England which worthy dignity of Knighthood had bin conferred on him at the famous Battel of Musselborough After him also died Sir Thomas Bromley Lord High Chancellor of England hauing scarce attained to the sixtieth yere of his age a man excellently well seene in the Law Six dayes after he was followed by Edward Manner Earle of Rutland to whom the Queene had chosen and appointed for his Successour the third of the Noble House of Manner a Noble man most learned and skilfull in the Law and humane Arts hauing but the Lady Elizabeth one onely Daughter for heire then but very young who was married to William Cecill Baron of Burleigh Lord High Treasurer Sir Christopher Hatton who was a Noble personage excellently endued with rare vertues flourishing at that time illustriously at the Court as one whose merit had purchased him the honour to be dearely affectionate intimate to her Maiestie in whose fauour his worth greatly aduanced him was from a Courtier established to this high dignity of Lord Chancellour of England not with little discontent of the Iudges and professors of the Law who since Church-men had bin depriued and dismist of that honour had iudiciously discharged that place with no lesse glory and equity than prudence and discretion which is the supreme magistracy of the Law yet in former times past it was oftner prouided for with Ecclesiasticall men and Nobles than of others Neuerthelesse though Sir Christopher Hatton had been aduanced to that place by the subtill art of some Courtiers who hoped that by his absence from Court and the difficulty he should haue to exercise duly so high and so weighty a Magistracy should weare out and diminish the great fauour he was in neere Queene ELIZABETH Neuerthelesse hee behaued himselfe in that high Seat of Iustice discreetly and worthily to the well-liking of the Queene and admiration of all her Subiects discharging that Dignity with as great magnificence and honour as any whatsoeuer had done before him studying to supply by equitie that which he wanted in the knowledge of the Law Sir Iohn Perot being this yeere sent for out of Ireland left that Kingdome very peaceable to Sir William Fitz-Williams for he had drawne from those persons whom hee suspected to be apt to rebell oathes and hostages which they as soone granted vnto him as hee demanded for not seeming any way to fauour rebellion hee imprisoned diuers Irish Rebels and such as were more dangerously giuen to rebellion he hanged them shewing admonishing the rest of their duety and the fidelity which they ought to their Soueraigne in so doubtfull a time The Irish seeing the sincere loue respect and affection he bore to them who were true subiects most willingly lent their eares thereunto and were true obseruers of his instructions Hitherto that I may a little stray were the Irish warres very easie to the English and eight hundred foot with three hundred horse were esteemed an inuincible Army For Randolph with sixe hundred English with much facility defeated O-Neale with foure thousand Irish Collier in the yeere 1571. with his onely one Company preuayled likewise against one thousand Hebridians in Connach The Butlers with a great Company of the Rebels were ouerthrowne by three hundred Horse-men And to passe the rest ouer two Companies of foot surprized in one day aboue twenty of the Irish Castels But after that the Perots had by command daily exercised themselues at home in their owne Countrey and were well instructed in the discipline of Armes and in the vse of their Muskets to resist the Hebridians and being practized in the wars of the Netherlands had learned the arts of fortification they vexed the English as wee shall finde with a difficult and dangerous warre THE THIRTIETH and most maruelous yere of her Reigne the euer-remembred Yeere of the Lord. Anno Dom. 1588. TO this admirable yeere of Christ 1588. are we now arriued Which by Regiomontanus the Astrologian was foretold about a hundred yeeres before to be a Yeere of Wonder and by the Germane Chronologers to be the Climacterical yeere of the World The rumors of warres which were before but slender relations began now daily to be augmented and were now become not as before a variable report but an assured certainty by the generall voice of all men that the Spaniard had prepared a most inuincible Nauy against England and had out of Italy Sicilie and also America gathered into Spaine the old experienced Commanders such as were most famous Captaines skilfull in military affaires For the Pope of Rome with certaine religious and deuout Spaniards and some English Fugitiues had long agoe diligently exhorted the Spaniard to inuade and conquer England but that counsell was by the Portugals warres for tenne yeeres before interrupted which now they carefully reiterated and with much instigation perswaded him that since Heauen had heaped vpon him infinite benefits and blessings by subiecting to his Empire the Kingdome of Portugall with the East-India and many other wealthy Ilands that it was now his part of duety to enterprize something which might bee agreeable and pleasing to God That there could be nothing more acceptable to God nor ought more worthy himselfe than the aduancing of his Church That the Church could not with more glory and merit be aduanced than by the conquest of England and there by the extirpation of Heresie to plant the Roman Catholique Religion That these warres would be most iust not onely because they were most necessary but because they were vndertaken to propagate the Religion of Christ seeing that the Queene of England being excommunicated notwithstanding obstinately persisted against the Church of Rome had succoured the Rebels in the Netherlands molested the Spaniards with continuall pyracies had surprized and pillaged diuers townes both in Spaine and America and lately violating the Maiesty of all Princes had caused the Queene of Scots to be put to death Therefore such warres should bee no lesse profitable than iust Because by this meanes the King of Spaine making addition to his Empire of the most flourishing Kingdomes he might easily extinguish the Netherlandish Rebellion which was nourished as it were by the breath of England hee should assure to himself the voyages to both India's in safetie and so lessen the annuall expences laid out for the conuoying of his Fleetes forward and backward To prooue this to him with more facility
they suggested that the English Nauy was neither in number greatnesse nor strength comparable to the Spanish the Portugall Fleet being then added That England was altogether vnfortified neyther was it furnished with Commanders Souldiers Horse or prouision for warres but destitute both of friends and money besides there were many through the Kingdome which were addicted to Papistrie and would soone ioyne themselues in his ayde Last of all so great were the forces of the King of Spaine both by Sea and Land and the vertue of the Spaniards such that none would dare to oppose him and therefore they promised assuredly a certaine victory To this enterprise also that God had presented a fit opportunity for the Turke hauing then cōcluded a truce with him and the French beeing intangled with intestine warres were neither to be doubted or feared That it was more facile to subdue England than the Low-Countries because the passage out of Spaine into England is more short and commodious and through a vast and open Sea but into the Netherlands of greater length and difficultie through a narrow Sea and very neere adiacent to England That the Netherlands were in a manner continually a strong Bulwarke being on all parts fortified with Townes and Castles but England not with any and therefore it would be an easie matter euen at the first in an instant for him to penetrate to the very heart of the Land with an Army Finally according to that military Axiome That the Enemy should not be left behinde therefore it was most necessary for the Spaniard to subdue England being a mortall enemy by whose assistance the Low-Countries had so long sustained a great warre and with whom they could not at all stand So that if England were but once conquered the Netherlands must of necessity yeeld to subiection These matters thus resolued they began seriously to deliberate vpon some meanes for the inuasion of England Aluarus Bassanus Marquesse of Santa Croix Generall of the Nauy was of a minde That before all some Port or other in Holland or Zealand should by those Land-troupes which the Prince of Parma had and some few Spanish Ships sent before be vnawares to them surprized where the Spanish Fleete might make their retreate and from thence most opportunely begin the inuasion because that in the Brittish Sea being tempestuous the windes are subiect to often changing the ebbing and flowing thereof principally to be obserued the Fleete could not safely ride Of this aduice likewise was the Prince of Parma who earnestly vrged this expedition Others notwithstanding disallowed thereof as being a thing difficult full of danger requiring much time great labour large expence yet vncertaine of successe neyther could it be done secretly or vnawares and by the English would easily be hindred and frustrated And these were of opinion That one might at lesse charges and with more facilitie assault and subdue England if at the mouth of the Thames a puissant Army of Spaniards and Flemmings were placed and conuayed in a powerfull Nauy to take at the first vnawares the City of London the Capitall and Chiefe of the Kingdome This seeming easie was resolued vpon and speedily determined to be put in execution yet some neuerthelesse were of a mind that war should first be proclaymed by a Herauld and that in so doing it would be a sleight to take away all suspition from all Neighbouring-Princes and moue the Queene to call to her helpe forreine souldiers who as mercenary being insolent and vile would behaue themselues rudely and tumultuously ransacking and pillaging the Countries in such sort that it would take away the loue of her Subiects and put England in confusion But these mindes were not seconded by those who were obstinate as relying vpon the assurance of their forces and strength contenting themselues to put their cause their Nauy Armada's into the Popes hand and into the intercessions of the Catholiques to the Saints and to afright and terrifie England they set out a Libell printed containing the particulars of so great an equipage which truely was such that in Spaine Italy and Cicilia the Spaniards were amazed astonished at it and therefore audaciously termed it The inuincible NAVY The Duke of Parma caused also Ships to bee built in Flanders by the commandement of the Spaniard and likewise a number of Flat-bottom'd Boats each of them bigge enough to transport thirtie Horses with Bridges fitting to them hyred Mariners out of the East-Land Countries of Germany prouided Pikes sharpened at the one end and shod with Iron with hookes on one side twenty thousand Vessels and an infinite number of Wicker Baskets and placed in the Sea-Townes of Flanders one hundred and three Companies of foot and foure thousand horse amongst which were seuen hundred English Fugitiues a most contemned and despised Company Neyther were Stanley their Generall nor Westmerland nor any other who had assisted eyther with purse or person regarded but for their impietie against their Countrey prohibited all accesse and deseruedly and as ill presages not without detestation reiected And Pope Sixtus the Fifth lest hee should seeme to be wanting renewes vnto Cardinall Alane an English man sent into the Low-Countries The Declaratory Bulls of Pius the Fifth and Gregorie the Thirteenth excommunicates the Queene deposes her from her gouernement absolues her Subiects from their allegiance publisheth in print the Crusado as against Turks and Infidels whereby out of the Treasury of the Church hee bestowes vpon all assistants plenarie indulgence whereupon the Marquesse of Burgaw of the House of Austria the Duke of Pastraua Amadaeus of Sauoy Vespasian Gonzaga Iohn de Medices and diuers other noble Gentlemen serued in this warre as Volunteers On the other side Queene ELIZABETH lest shee should be vnawares opprest with singular diligence prepares as many ships and warlike necessaries as was possible And shee her-selfe who was of a piercing iudgement in distinguishing of dispositions and when shee was at her owne election without commendation of others alwaies happy designed by name the principall Officers to the seuerall Offices in the Nauie and made Charles Howard of Effingham Lord high Admirall of England Generall of whose good successe shee was very well perswaded as a man whom she knew to be skilfull in Nauigation prouident valiant industrious and of great authority amongst Sea-men by reason both of his moderation and Nobility Shee sends him seasonably enough to the West parts of England where Drake whom shee made Vice-Admirall ioyned himselfe with him Shee commands Henrie Seimer the second sonne of the Duke of Sommerset to lye in waite vpon the Belgique shores with fortie Ships English and Dutch to hinder Parma's comming out of the Riuers with his forces Although there wanted not some who earnestly aduised to expect the Enemy and receiue him in a Land-battel as it was deliberated in HENRY the Eighth's Reigne when the French threatned England with a mightie Nauy For the Land-seruice
much lesse thaÌ„ the Spaniards with great dexterity inuaded the enemy and hauing discharged their Ordnance retyred presently into the open Sea and leuelled all their Shot with a certaine and successefull ayme against the great and sluggish Ships of the Spaniards And yet the English high Admirall thought not fit to grapple and so try the fortune of a fight hand to hand as many inconsiderately perswaded For the enemy had a strong and wel appointed Army abroad which hee wanted their Ships were farre more in number greater of burden and stronger and higher of building and they fighting from aboue threatned nothing lesse than certaine destructioÌ„ to them that fought against them vpon the lower Ships And hee did likewise fore-see that the losse of his men would be much more preiudiciall to him than the victory could be profitable For beeing vanquished hee should haue brought the Queene into almost ineuitable danger and being Victor hee should onely haue a little blaze of glory for the dissipation and discomfiture of his Enemy and slaughter of his Souldiers The foure and twentieth day of the Moneth there was a mutuall intermission of all hostile acts The Admirall sent diuers small Barkes to the next shores of England for supply of ammunition and diuided his whole Fleet into foure squadrons the first of which himselfe coÌ„manded the second Drake the third Hawkins and the fourth Forbisher and appoynted certain Pinkes or Pinnaces out of euery squadron to make impressions vpon the enemy at the dead of night in seuerall quarters but a calme following that counsel wanted successe The fiue and twentieth which was Saint Iames his day a Gallion of Portugall called the S. Anne which could not keepe company with the rest of the Fleete was set vpon by diuers small English Barkes In ayde of whom Laeua and Diego Telles Enriques with three Galleasses made out whom the Lord Admirall the Lord Thomas Howard in the Golden Lyon which by reason of the great calme were faine to be towed by fisher-Boats so battered with the canon that not without great difficulty and with great losse of men they brought off after which time the Galleasses neuer offered to fight The Spaniards report that that day the English at a neerer distance than euer with their great Ordnance extremely rent the Spanish Admirall being at that time in the Rere and hauing slaine many of their men shot downe their maine Mast but that Mexia and Recaldus came opportunely and repelled the English That then the Spanish Admirall accompanied with Recaldus and others inuaded the English Admirall which escaped by the sudden changing of the Winde that thereupon the Spaniards left the pursuit and holding on their course sent another messenger to the Duke of Parma with all speed to ioine his Fleet with the Kings ARMADA and to send supply of Bullets Of this the English were ignorant who write that they shot off the Lanthorne from one of the Spanish Ships the beake-head from another and terribly battered a third that the None-such and Mary Rose hauing had onely a short conflict with the Spaniards left them and with other Shippes went to the rescue of the Triumph then in danger So that the relations of them that were present at the same actions are different for the manner while euery one remembers that which hee obserued of his owne side The day following the Lord High-Admiral of England for their valour and fortitude Knighted Thomas Howard the Lord Sheffield Roger Townesend Iohn Hawkins and Martin Furbisher And it was concluded thenceforth not to assault the Enemy till they came to the Streights of Calais where Henry Seymor and William Winter expected their comming So the Spanish Fleet went on with a full Southwest winde the English fleet following them But so far was the title of Inuincible or their terrible aspect vnable to affright our English shores that the Youth of England leauing their Parents Wiues Children Kindred and Friends out of their dearer loue to their Countrey with Ships hyred at their owne charges ioyned themselues in great numbers with the Fleete with generous alacrity and incredible courage and amongst others the Earles of Oxford Northumberland Cumberland Sir Thomas and Sir Robert Cecill Sir Henrie Brooke Sir Charles Blunt Sir Walter Raleigh Sir William Hatton Sir Robert Carey Sir Ambrose Willoughby Sir Thomas Gerard Sir Arthur Gorge and other worthie Nobles of great note and account The seuen and twentieth day of the moneth towards euening the Armada cast anchor neere Calais being aduized by the Pylots that if they went further it would bee in danger to be carryed into the North Ocean by the tyde and ouer against them within cannon shot lay the Admirall and the English Fleet at anchor to whom Seymor and Winter ioyned themselues Now was the number of the English Ships come to bee one hundred and forty all able for the fight swift of sayle apt to cast about to take any aduantage and yet there were not aboue fifteene of them which bore the weight and burthen of the Warre and repelled it The Spaniards presently as often before by frequent messengers vrged the Duke of Parma to send forty Fly-boates without which he could not fitly fight with the English by reason of the magnitude and sluggishnesse of the Spanish Ships and the great dexterity and agility of the English and earnestly required him to put forth to sea with his Fleete whom the Armada as was agreed should protect as it were with wings till their arriuall in England But he being vnprepared could not readily come his flat-bottom'd Boats being withall very broad were full of leakes victuall was wanting and the mariners detayned a long time against their wills were stolne away Besides the Hollanders and Zelanders ships of Warre which houered about the Ports of Newport and Dunkerke whence they were to set out were so well prouided of great Ordnance and Harquebuzziers that he durst not come from the shores vnlesse wittingly and willingly hee should cast himselfe and his souldiers into visible and manifest danger yet did hee not omit any thing worthy of a diligent industrious and valiant Prince being strongly inflamed with a desire to subdue England The Spanish Forces to assault England The number of the Gallions of Portugall THe Gallion S. Martin as Captaine Generall and principall of the Fleet was of the burthen of one thousand tunne there were in her three hundred choyce Souldâ—ers one hundred and seuentie Mariners and she caried fiftie pieces of Ordnance S. Iohns Gallion called the Admirall generall of the burthen of one thousand and fiftie tunne had in her two hundred thirty one souldiers one hundred seuentie nine mariners and fiftie Canons S. Markes Gallion of the burthen of seuen hundred ninety two tunne with two hundred ninety two Souldiers and one hundred and seuenteene mariners The Gallion S. Philip of eight hundred tunne foure hundred and fifteene souldiers and fortie
of the Army one hundred seruants more belonging to them or to the offices of iustice So that in the whole Army there were twenty eight thousand sixe hundred eighty seuen persons besides two thousand eight hundred and eight Gally-slaues that tugg'd the Oare in the Galleasses and Gallies All these had good and sufficient prouision victualls and things necessary for so great and inuincible an enterprize which I for breuity will omit to shew at large praying to God that theirs or others ambitious enterprises vpon England may be still by the Almighty and euer-sauing hand of God confounded and ouer-whelmed like Pharao Amen ABRAHAM DARCIE Forces to defend England against Spaines pretended inuasion By SEA Vnder the command of the Right Honourable Charles Howard Earle of Nottingham L. High Admirall of England ROYALL Ships SEuenteene Royall Ships attended by twelue other warlike Ships and sixe Pinnaces LONDON Ships Sent out by the City of London sixteene tall Ships for warre and foure Pinnaces BRISTOW Ships From Bristow three Ships and one Pinnace BARSTABLE Ships From Barstable three good Ships and one Pinnace EXETER Ships From Exeter two Ships and one Pinnace PLIMMOVTH Ships From Plimmouth seuen braue Ships well appoynted with a Fly-boat Also one Pinnace of the Lord Admirals Another of the Lord Sheffields And one of Sir William Winters MERCHANTS Ships The Merchants Aduenturers of England also sent ten lusty Ships at their owne proper charges In the BRITTISH Seas There were also sixteene Royall ships sent into the narrow Sea vnder the command of the Right Honourable Lord Henry Seymor with many other small Ships Barkes and Pinnaces sent out of the North and West parts of England by diuers Noblemen and other honourable persons Gentlemen and Merchants By LAND The Land-forces which were encamped at Tilbury in Essex vnder the command and gouernement of Robert Dudley Earle of Leicester were these following BEDFORD Shire OVt of Bedfordshire there were seuenteene Lances forty light horses and fiue hundred foote sent well appoynted BVCKINGHAM From Buckingham shire eighteene Lances fourescore and three Light-horses and fiue hundred foot HARTFORD Out of Hartford shire twenty fiue Lances threescore light horses and one thousand foot KENT Out of Kent fifty Lances one hundred light horses and fiue thousand foot SVFFOLKE From Suffolke fifty Lances two hundred light horses three thousand foot ESSEX Out of Essex fifty Lances one hundred light horses and fiue thousand footmen MIDDLESEX Middlesex thirty fiue Lances fourescore and eight light horses SVRREY Raized out of Surrey eight Lances fourescore eighteene light horses and a thousand foot NORFOLKE Raized in Norfolke three thousand foote LONDON Out of London one thousand foot BARKESHIRE From Barkeshire came one thousand foot OXFORD From Oxford shire one thousand foot More by LAND There was likewise raysed out of these Shires following another ARMY cosisting of foure hundred fourescore one Lances one thousand foure hundred thirty and one light horses and thirty foure thousand and fifty foot for the safegard of her Maiesties Royall Person and were vnder the command of the Lord. Chamberlaine GLOCESTER Shire OVt of Glocester shire there were twenty Lances one hundred light horse and two thousand fiue hundred foot SOMERSET Out of Somerset shire fifty Lances one hundred light horse and foure thousand foote SVSSEX Out of Sussex were twenty Lances one hundred light horse two thousand fiue hundred foot WILTSHIRE Out of Wiltshire were twenty fiue Lances one hundred light horse and two thousand three hundred foot BARKESHIRE Out of Barkeshire ten Lances fourescore and fiue light horse and fiue hundred foot OXFORD Oxford twenty three Lances one hundred and three light horse and one hundred and fifty foot CAMBRIDGE Cambridge thirteene Lances forty light horse and seuen hundred foot NORTHAMPTON Northampton twenty Lances fourescore light horse and sixe hundred foot LEICESTER Leicester nine Lances threescore and tenne light horse and fiue hundred foot WARWICKE From Warwicke seuenteene Lances threescore sixteene light horse and fiue hundred foot HVNTINGTON From Huntington sixe Lances twenty sixe light horse and foure hundred foot DORSET Dorset one hundred and twenty Lances and one thousand foot SVFFOLKE Out of Suffolke were threescore and tenne Lances two hundred and thirty light horse and three thousand foot NORFOLKE Norfolke fourescore Lances three hundred twenty one light horse HARTFORD Hartfordshire fiue hundred foot SVRREY Out of Surrey fiue hundred foot WORCESTER Worcester-shire foure hundred foot SOVTHAMPTON Southampton two thousand foot DEVON Deuon two thousand foot LONDON London nine thousand foot MIDDLESEX Middlesex one thousand foot This true Description of Englands and Spaines Forces thus particularly set downe was faithfully gathered for the better satisfaction of the Reader out of sundry true English Manuscripts and French Bookes by ABRAHAM DARCIE But the industry of the Queene preuented both his diligence and the credulous hope of the Spaniards For by her command the day after the Spaniards had cast anchor in the dead of the night the Admirall sent eight of his worst Shippes dawbed on the out-sides with Greeke Pitch and Rosin filled full of sulphure and other materials suddenly combustible vnder the conduct of Young Prowse with a full gale of winde directly vpon the Spanish Armada which as the Spaniards saw approch neerer and neerer to them the flame shining ouer all the Sea thinking those burning ships besides the danger of the fire to be filled with some deadly Engines with a howling and fearefull out-cry weyed anchor cut their Cables hoysed their sayles cried out vpon their rowers and strooke with a horrible and a pannique feare with impetuous haste betooke themselues to a confused flight Amongst which the Admirals Galleasse had her Rudder broken and went almost adrift and the day following making fearefully towards Calais ranne vpon the sands and after a doubtfull fight with Amias Preston Thomas Gerard Haruey was taken Hugh Moncada the Captaine beeing slaine and the souldiers and rowers eyther drowned or slaine they found and carried away a great quantity of Gold The Ship and Ordnance were seyzed by the Gouernour of Calais The Spaniards affirme that the Generall seeing these fiery shippes comming commanded all the Fleete to weigh anchor that the danger might passe them and to take againe euery one his place And surely he himselfe tooke his owne againe after warning giuen by a shot which was notwithstanding heard but of a very few because the Ships being on all sides scattered were some of them in that affright carried into the North Sea some others on the shores and coasts of Flanders In the meane time Drake and Fenner assayle with great noyse of Cannon-shot that part of the Spanish Fleete which were rallying themselues before Grauelin and were by and by ioyned by Fenton Southwell Beaston Crosse Raymon and anon by the Lord Admirall himselfe Thomas Howard and Sheffield The Duke Laeua Oquende Ricauld and others being come from the shore sustained as well as they could
all the Churches of England and went her selfe in triumph amongst the Companies and Societies of London which marched on both sides of her Maiestie with their Banners and roade thorow the Streetes which were richly hung with blue hangings in a Chariot drawne with two Horses Princes themselues not vsing foure as now adayes particular persons doe to Saint Pauls Church were shee gaue God humble thankes heard the Sermon which shewed the glory due to GOD alone and caused the Ensignes taken to be there set vp and shewed vnto the people Then shee assigned some reuenewes vnto the Admirall for the seruice which hee had performed with so good and happy successe praised highly her Sea-Captaines as men borne for the preseruation of their Countrey and as often as shee saw any of the other called them by their names to witnesse that shee tooke note of their deserts which they tooke as sufficient reward for their seruices Shee also recompenced the maymed and poorer sort with honourable pensions This publique reioycing was increased by the arriuall of Sir Robert Sidney who being come out of Scotland assured her Maiestie that the King of Scots embraced most affectionately the Queenes friendship made sincere profession of true Religion and would defend it with all his might Hee was sent vnto him before when Great Britaine was first threatned with the Spanish Fleete to acknowledge by his reioycings and thankes-giuing of the good will which he bore to the Queene to praise his forwardnesse to defend the common cause to promise him reciprocall succours if the Spaniard made any inuasion in Scotland To giue him to vnderstand with what ambition the Spaniard gapeth after the whole Monarchy of Great Brittaine solliciting the Pope to excommunicate his Royall person both to spoyle him of the Kingdome of Scotland and to exclude him out of the succession of the Kingdome of England To put him in minde of the threatnings which Mendoza and the Popes Nuntio vttered against him and that therefore hee was to take heed of Papists Whereunto that wee may note it by the way the KING answered graciously and merrily J expect no other courtesie of the Spaniard then such as Poliphemus promised to Vlysses to wit That he would deuoure him the last of all his fellowes About this time died the Earle of Leicester on the fourteenth of December of a continuall burning Feauer as hee was on his way to goe to Killingworth which death although the Queene much grieued at yet this ioy was neuer a whit diminished thereby Hee was the fifth sonne of Iohn Duke of Northumberland vnder King EDVVARD first Gentleman of the Kings Chamber vnder Queene MARIE who restored him to his first honours together with his Brothers and Sisters Master of the Artillery at the Siege of Saint Quintaines and vnder Queene ELIZABETH who affected him because of a simpathy of spirits betweene them occasioned perhaps by some secret constellation which the Greeke Astrologers call Sinastria he was Master of the Horse Knight of the Royall Orders of the Garter and of S. Michael one of the Priuy Councell Steward of the Queenes House Chancellor of the Vniuersity of Oxford Iustice in Eire of all the Forrests beyond Trent the Queenes Lieutenant and Captaine of the English Forces against Spaines Gouernour and Captaine generall of the vnited Prouinces of the Netherlands he began in his latter time to conceit a new hope and title of honour and authority looking to haue with Soueraigne power annexed thereunto a generall Lieutenancy vnder the Queene both throughout all England and Ireland of which he had gotten Letters Patents if that the Right Honourable William Cecill Lord Burleigh and Sir Christopher Hatton had not opposed themselues thereunto and also if the Queen had not betimes preuented the danger which might haue insued in giuing too-much power to one man alone Hee was reputed a compleat Courtier magnificent liberall a protector and benefactor of Souldiers and Schollers very skilfull in temporizing and fitting himselfe to the times to serue his owne turne very officious and cunning towards his ill-willers for a time much giuen to Women and finally a good husband in excesse To conclude as long as he preferred a power subiect vnto enuy before a solid vertue euill speakers tooke occasion to tugge and teare at him continually during the best of his fortune by defamatory libels which contained some slight vntruths And to say the truth hee was openly held to be in the ranke of those which were worthy of praise but the things which hee secretly plotted displeased many The Queene who was flexible ynough in all other things was hardly euer seene to remit any thing due to her treasure caused his goods to be sold to their vttermost value to pay that which he ought her The Duke of Parma hauing now broken off his purpose of inuading England to carry away notwithstanding with this great prepared Army for that end some glory from the English and by the same meanes to open the way of Zeland and deliuer Brabant from incursions besiegeth Bergen ap Zoom a Towne of Brabant strong by reason of the situation thereof and the Forts round about it and garded by a garrison the most part English But his indeuour was frustrated by the fore-sight of the Noble Lord Willoughby and the valour of the Garrison Souldiers For although that during the whottest of the siege there arose a great discord amongst the besieged some fauouring Drury Gouernour of the place established by the Lord Willoughby the English Generall and others adhering vnto Morgan prouided thereof by the Queenes Letters each of them notwithstanding hauing a care of the common good behaued themselues valiantly and by sallies and other military deuices did all of them so finde the Enemy busied that after hauing slaine taken or drowned about foure hundred which Grimston and Redhead feigning themselues to be Fugitiues had drawne into the Fort by great promises protestations and oathes the Duke hauing lost all hope of shutting vp their Hauen and to make himselfe Master of the Towne and seeing the Winter at hand and victuals fayling raysed his siege two Moneths after And the Lord Willoughby to honour with some recompence the well-deseruing knighted Sir Francis Vere who then began to shew himselfe Sir Thomas Knowles Sir N. Parker and Sir I. Pooly for their worthy valours England being now freed from the present feare of a forreine Warre found not her selfe so happily deliuered of an inward Schisme For schismaticall impiety waxeth alwaies insolent when any Warres be stirring nor euer did shamelesse and rebellious impudence and outragious malice more insolently beard the Ecclesiasticall Magistracie For whereas the Queene who was EVER THE SAME was very vnwilling to innouate any thing in Religion thinking it the way to cut the nerues of the Ecclesiasticall administration and the Royall Prerogatiue some which onely admired the discipline of the Church of Geneua iudging that there was no
1567. The murder of the Lord Darley who was married to the Qu. of Scots Buchanan condemned for falshood by the States of Scotland A digression from Scottish affaires Iames Prior of Saint Andrews Hee seekes to be Regent of Scotland Being frustrated of it vnder-hand opposes himselfe against the Queene Makes his ambition to be openly and euidently knowne He is created Earle of Murray He persecutes the great men of Scotland Hee disswades the Queen from marrying He takes armes against her after shee was married He flies into England He seekes to sow discord betweene the Husband and the Wife The murder of Dauid Rice in the Queene of Scots sight Murray is repealed Earle Morton flies into England Dissention set betweene the King and the Queene Lord Darley the Queenes Husband murdered Earle Bothwell commended to the Queene to marry him Testimony of the murder of the Lord Darley Bothwell is freed of the murder of the King He marries the Queene They conspire both against him and the Queene Earle Murray retyres into France Earle Bothwell is expelled The Queene emprisoned Queene Elizabeth complaines They consult what is to be done with the Queene prisoner Throgmorton defends the Queenes cause The Scots maintaine the contrary out of Buchanans reasons They extort from their Queene a Resignation of the Gouernement Iames the 6. consecrated and inaugurated King Murray returnes into Scotland Hee prescribes the Queene what shee should doe Hee is established Regent or Vice-Roy Some of the murderers of the King are put to death They acquit the Queene of all suspition The Queene of England and the King of France labour to procure her libertie Queene Elizabeth demands the restitution of Calais The French maintaine how they ought not to doe it Sir Thomas Smith's answere The Earle of Sussex is sent to the Emperour Leicester hinders it Representing to her all the discommodities that might happē if she married a stranger Articles of the marriage propounded Ambassadours sent from the Emperour of Muscouie The English opened the way to goe to Russia by Sea The Company of Muscouie Marchants A secret message from the Emperour of Muscouy The death of N. Wotton And the Duchesse of Norfolke Shan O-neale raiseth troubles He rebels Sir Henry Sidney armes against him He is discomfited Shan re-assumes courage He vseth cruelty to his men He meanes to yeeld He is slaine Hugon who was afterwards Baron of Dungannon Troubles in Munster Booke 1. 1568. The Papists absolue many The Jnnouators shew themselues Puritans Second ciuill warre in France The Duke of Aniou commended to Queene Elizabeth for an Husband The English Ambassador disgracefully vsed in Spaine Hawkins ill intreated by the Spaniards in America The Queene of Scots escapes out of prison She is vanquished She writes to Qu. Elizab. She writes againe Queene Elizabeth pitties her The priuy Counsell consult of it The Councell resolues she should be retained in England The Countesse of Lenox complaines of her The Baron of Heris interceds for her Earle Murray is commanded to yeeld a reason of the Queenes deposition Deputies for the King of Scots For the Qu. of Scots Lidingtons declaration to the Scots The protestation of the Queene of Scots Deputies A declaration for the Queene The anwer of the Kings Deputies The Queens Reply Murray refuseth to yeeld an account of the Queenes deposition Authoritie of the Commissioners reuokt The Duke of Norfolke glad New Commissioners granted The Queene of Scots wil not submit her cause to their hearing But vpon certaine conditions The Proceedings dissolued Debate about the Gouernment of Scotland Murray offers to marry the Duke of Norfolke to the Qu. of Scots He disperseth rumors against her The Duke of Norfolke suspected The third Ciuill-war in France Who did good to England The beginning of the Wars in the Low countries The Duke of Alua. Moneys sent into the low-Countries detained in England The English mens goods detained and seized vpon in the Low-Countries The like done to the Flemmings in England The death of Roger Askham Booke 1. 1569. A Proclamation touching goods detained Another declaration against the former Proclamation Practices against Cecil The money detayned in England is demanded Free traffique established at Hamborrough for the English Doctor Story taken The Duke of Alua enraged against the English Men of war called in Traffique of Russia hindred Liberties of the English in Russia Their traffique into Russia And into Persia by the Caspian Sea A Russian Ambassador in England Alliance of Russia The Emperour of Muscouia and of Russia is irritated and inflamed against the English Murray appeased the friends of the Queene of Scotland Rumors spred through-out Scotland against Murray Queene Elizabeth is diligent and endeuours to quench such false rumors She deales by Letters concerning her restoring The first mention of of this marriage Murray's proposition to the Duke of Norfolke Throgmortons counsell Propositions of the match made by Leicester to the Duke The Articles of marriage propounded to the Queene of Scotland She agreed them in some manner A dessigne to free the Qu. of Scotland Notice is giuen thereof to Queene Elizabeth The Earle of Leicester reueales the whole busines to the Queen at Tichfield She rebukes the Duke of Norfolke The Duke parts from the Court without leaue Cecill findes out the matter The Duke of Norfolke goes into Norfolke Feare caused in the Court through Norfolke He returnes to the Court. Murray discouers the businesse The Duke is imprisoned And others Their Complices craue pardon Libels against this marriage Chapin Vitelli comes into England and why Rebellion in the North. Pretext of the Rebels They runne violently into a Rebellion Their declaration They write to the Papists They rent and tread vnder-foot the Bible Their Colours Their number They returne They take Bernard Castle They fly Some are put to death The rest are banisht A new Rebellion The Rebells are defeated Qu. Elizabeth lends succours to the reformed Churches in France * This Noble Family was honoured with the dignity of Lord Howard of Walden by Queene Eliz. * Their most ancient House was honoured with the title of Baron of Bleso by Qu. Eliz. As also this noble Countesses Husbands Predecessor was also graced with the Earledome of Bath by her MAIESTIE * This Noble Lord is most highly borne from a most Honourable bloud being by his Father-side descended from the illustrious Lord William Berkeley Earle of Nottingham Vicount Berkeley of Berkeley-Castell and also Lord Marquis of Berkeley Earle Marshall of England * An illustrious Branch of the Noble House of the Caries created Baron of Honsdon by Qu Elizabeth * Descended fro◠Charles Blunt Earle of Deuonshire Lord Deputy and Lieutenant of Ireland a braue valiant Nobleman who expulsed the Spaniards there and compelled the Irish Rebells to submission he was created Baron of Mount-ioy by Queene Elizabeth * Knighted by Queeene Elizabeth at Killingworth There is great differency and diuersity tending to the manner of describing Stories First there is
Ormond pursues the Rebels The Earle of Desmond writes to the Lord Chiefe-Justice Booke 2. 1580. James taken being wounded to death Desmond miserably oppressed Arthur Lord Gray Deputie of Ireland He pursues the Rebels They kill the English Italians and Spaniards land in Jreland They raise a Fort. They are besieged They answer to the Deputies demands They disagree Their Generall shewed himselfe a Coward They aske a parley They yeeld vpon discretion Strangers slaine with the Sword the Subiects hanged Excesse in apparell reformed The taking of Malines in Brabant The sacriledge of the English An Earthquake The Papists begin to be afflicted The beginning of English Seminaries Their Doctrine is then thought The euent proceeding thereof New Seminaries are sent into England To what end Jesuites doe steale priuately into England A Proclamation against Seminaries and Iesuites Robert Persons and Edmond Campian English Iesuits came into England Power granted to the Papists Who and what haue beene these Jesuits The English Fugitiues doe moue and excite strangers to war against their Prince and Countrey Queene Elizabeths declaration against them The seuerall Sects of Holland The house of LOVE A Proclamation against these Sects Francis Drake His originall extraction Francis Drakes education Drakes expedition in America A Vow Iohn Oxenham sayleth into America Jsla de Perlas John Oxenham depriued of life falls from a great and famous enterprize Drakes second voyage Doughtey beheaded Passeth the straightes of Magellan Eclipse of the Moone South Stars Little clouds of Magellan Drake finds booty both by land and sea Meets by chance with great wealth Sir Francis Drake takes a Spanish ship called Shite-Fire which hee made shite Siluer He thinkes of his return Drake discoueres a land which hee called the Nouam Albion He arriued at the Molucques Falls into a great danger He passeth beyong the Cape of Bona Esperance Returnes into England Drakes ship is consecrato perpetuall memory Francis Drake is knighted by Queene Elizabeth The King of Spaine by his Ambassadour demandeth Drakes goods which he had pirapirated He is answered The Spaniard hath part of Drakes money deliuered backe Iackman and Pets Nauigation to seeke away to the East-Jndies The death of the Earle of Arundell who was the first that brought the vse of Coches into England The Lord Gray represseth the Rebels in Ireland Innocency is an assured comfort Rebels supprest The Earle of Lenox is enuied of the Scots They accuse him in England Consultation holden against him They rayse false reports against him The Scots will not admit Bowes to accuse him Hume excuseth it Burghley's admonitions to him Morton imprisoned These Noble Knights for their worth and Vertues were honoured with the dignity of Knighthood by Qu. Elizabeth most of them in that Honourable euer-remembred Voyage of C. Howard Earle of NotinghaÌ„ L. high Admirall and that renowned Souldier the late Generous Earle of Essex c. in Spaine bâ—fore Cadiz taken ranâ—acked by the English Iun. 26. Anno 1â—96 * Their Honourable Predecessours were for their deserts aduanced both to Honour Dignity Sir Ch. Hatton was Lord Chancelor of England vnder Qu. Elizabeth he dyed in Hatton house the 20. of Nouember 1590. * Sir Walter Rawleigh Knighted and employed about diuers worthy affaires of waight and consequence by Queene Elizabeth * Wray Lord Keeper of the priuy Seale * And wherefore It is that these Noble persons haue by their worthy liues purchased Honour to their noble selues or else their Prodecessors haue by their Vertues deserued both Honour and Dignity from this vnparalel'd Empresse who as she was a true aduancer of Vertue and destroyer of Vice did liberally bestowe her Royall gifts of Honour vpon those and their Ancestors Booke 3. Randolphes intercession for Morton against Lenox The King of Scots his answer Randolph complaineth to the Nobles of Scotland Endeauoreth to raise Rebellion Getteth him out of Scotland Morton beheaded His friends fled for England Norris victorious in Friezland Is discomfited * Albanois A ridiculous combate Drunkennes brought out of the Low-Countries into England The King of Spaine possesseth Portugall By what right The Queene of France her title to Portugall fetcht farre and reiected Inciteth the Q. of England secretly against the Spaniard Antonio banisht Portugall commeth into England Delegates sent into England from France about the Duke of Anjous mariage Couenants of mariage concluded vpon A reseruation added The King of France vrgeth the mariage The Queen of England deferreth Wherefore Duke d' Anjou returneth againe into England Queene Elizabeth giueth a Ring vnto the D. of Anjou A motion of sundry conceits in Court The Queen greatly disquieted Her Maiesty thinks what inconueniencies might ensue in contemning and despising the Match with the Duke of Anjou Reasons disswading her from marying A book published in print against the mariage The Queens Declaration against this pernicious Libell The Author discouered and he that had dispersed the bookes Right hands cut off The Iesuite Edm. Campian with other Priests are put to death The punishing of Catholikes needfull Suspition of them increased By their tergiuersation False positions spread abroad Booke 3. New Lawes against Papists The Duke d' Anjou sayleth into Flanders Hee is made there Duke of Brabant c. Certaine English reuolt from him Generall Norris carieth himselfe generously and behaueth himself valorously The Duke d'Anjou departed from Flanders with shame A Comet Queene Elizabeth bestoweth the Order of the Garter vpon the King of Denmarke * Or the Coller of Esses The Merchants complaint not regarded The Treaty with the Queene of Scots is deferred Gowry and others begin tumults in Scotland Gowries conspiracie They intercept the King The Duke of Lennox driuen out of Scotland An Embassie from the French King sent to deliuer the King of Scots Mary Q. of Scotland her Letter to Quene Elizabeth The Q. of Scots deploreth her sons intercepting and her owne desolation Lidington and de Grange Booke 3. The Duke of Lenox's returne through England It is consulted about the deliuery of the Q. of Scots The Scots of the English faction are against it The English and French in emulation striue to obtaine the fauor of the King of Scotland The King of Scotland seekes the loue of the Queene of England The Lord Esme Stuart Duke of Lenox reputed a Papist by some malicious ill-willer of his dyed at Paris a true and sincere Protestant The King of Scotland sets himselfe at libertie His Maiesty vseth kindly those who formerly had seaz'd themselues of his Royal person Cals to the Court all such Nobles as stood and were of his side Walsingham is sent into Scotland from Q. Elizabeth The King of Scotland answers him freely Walsingham â—emonstrations to his sacred Maiestie The King answered them The King propounds a Pardon to those who had seaz'd themselues of his person Hee commands such as refus'd it to void the Kingdome His Maiesty re-established the Reputation and Honor of the Duke of Lenox causing