with the self same right and to the self same end that the Duke of Parma in his Kings name seized upon the County of Moersen and the like aim had the Spaniards in seizing upon Rheinbergh and other Towns in the Empire 12. With no better seasons did they invade the lower Palatinat the Dutchy of Simmeren and the Bishoprick of Trevirs there they committed the former excesses and prevarications in the Empire and indeed it is but like them to keep Frankental against the express Articles and their promise made to King James of England to restore it to his daughter the King of Bohemiah's Widow But they think it a piece of policie to cheat Kings with oathes as men do children with nutâ— 13. Anno 1598. a Citizen of Groâ—ninghen being taken Letters were found about him to Ezard Earl of East Freezland wherein he was bid by a Courtier of the Archduke Alberts to fly speedily to King Philips protection which was offered him Thuan lib. 122. 14. At the same time by the instigation of King Philips Embassadour and Mendoza a sentence was pronounced against the Citizens of Aquensis Ibid. 15. Anno 1584. when there arose a war between Gebhard Archbishop of Colein and the Colledge the Spaniards instantly thrust themselves into the business however the Emperour and Princes often admonisht the Duke of Parma to withdraw his Souldiers out of the Empire Thuan. lib. 78. 16. Ancellus the French Embassadour in his speech to the Princes of Germany Anno 1597. sayes In Italy there are few Countries which turn from the Empire under pretext of protection do not groan under the cruel yoak of the Spaniards Nor is Germany to hope better in which the Town of Berk upon the Rheine is already against all right and equity held by a forraign Garrison and the Castle of Starkenburgh in Westphalia is daily fortified with all expedition The excursions of the Spaniards as far as into Hassia these former years are notorious c. Thuan. lib. 118. Germany hath two potent enemies hanging over her head the one the Turk a plundering indefatigable terrible and insuperable Prince the other the Spaniard who craftily and by the ruine of the Princes his Ally's opens his way to the Empire It must be warily considered whether of these two is to be thought the more formidable by comparing the Alcoran with the Spanish Inquisition and whether it be better to have to do with the Eastern or Western Turks The Author of the Exequies of the Pacification of Prague printed at Roterdam 1593. writes that the Spanish Embassador at Ratisbon visited the Electors house by house only like a perpetual Dictator and dictated to their pens what his Kings pleasure was p. 32. and a while after he adds Unlesse the Electors shake off the Lethargy and the Lords of the Chapters in the principal Churches look more attentively to their businesse it will shortly come to that passe That upon the Ecclesiasticall Electors â—ill be obtruded the Albani Farnesii Leopoldi and upon the very Chapters themselves and Collegiat Churches the proud Leirae Vergosii and others of that stuff whose character is sufficiently known in the Belgick History who value as much the Nobility of Germany as Bethleem Gabor did Priscians Rules who having often made the Assembly laugh with his Latine handsomly answered Quid curaremus Priscianum Grammaticum qui non metuimus Imperatorem Romanorum Why should we care for Priscian the Grammarian when we fear not the Emperour of the Romans Idem ibidem p. 33. 17. The Spanish Embassador was wont to brag at the Dyet of Ratisbone that his King maintained three Electors there aâ—d fed thâ—m amongst his Flocks yeâ— and thâ—â— his King Ferdinand ruled the then King of Kings In Exeq. Pacif. Praâ— p. 66. 18. Anno 154â— The Spaniards who marcht under the conduct of Charles 5. assâ—ulting partly by force and partly by cunning the Citie of Constance had already seized upon the Suburbs where after they had committed many outrages being repulst by the inhabitants they fired it and retreated Sleid. lib. 21. Com sui 16. The States of the Empire assembled at Norimbergh 1640 amongst other things earnestly petitioned the Emperour that he would command the Spaniards as disaffected to the Empire to depart from his Councel and assembly of Princes as very well understanding that that Nation uses to fish in other mens Pools the better to obtain their own ends 19. The Princes of Germany did not without ground suspect Charles the fifth as if under pretext of Religion and establishing the Empire he lookt upon his own private advantage and the translation of the Empire by right of inheritance upon his own family Thuan. lib. 107. 20. The Spanish faction highly threatned Matthias K. of Hungary to deter him for giving free exercise of Religion to the Austrians Hungarians whereby it clearly enough appears how much the Spaniards esteem the house of Austria with the rest of the Catholicks and how much they hate them of the Reformed Religion By the same way they over-ruled the Emperour Rodolph for granting liberty of Religion to the Bohemians and Silesians Metteranus lib. 30. Anno 1608 1609. 21. Thomas Campanella a Spanish Fryer in his Discourse of the Spanish Monarchy c. 5. speaks thus of adding the Empire to the Spanish Kingdomes The Pope must make it his business to excommunicate the three Protestant Electors threatning them that unlesse they return to the Roman Church he will deprive them of their Electoral dignity And then it were better if the King of Spain would get himself chosen Emperour and so invade Germany with a great Host and subdue it but he must do it under pretext of going into Hungary CHAP. VI. The Praevarications of the Spaniards against the Kings and Kingdoms of France AS France is neerest to the Empire in limits so is it also neerest to the plots and tricks which are framed against it by the Spanish Nation For in regard that no kingdom is a greater Remora to the Spanish Monarchy then France therfore do the Spaniards bend all their forces and studies to the conquest thereof insomuch as I could discover the whole Magazine of their plots designs and prevarications against it were I not hindred by other reasons but amongst many it may suffice for the present to bring some few I will silence the warres between Charles Francis because they were publick as also other Martiall differences and will onely touch upon some clancular attempts and such as were exercised secretly and under colour if not of true friendship yet certainly with no shew of open hostility 1. In the first place we meet with the League of the Henotickes who affected to be called Zelots in which action not onely and singly of the Spaniards but a manifold prevarication might be observed of which conspiracy or Holy League as they would needs have it styled the Noble Historian Thuan sayes thus lib. 90. Never was there Portent in France to be compared
howbeit they had made peace and league with Charles the eighth yet by privat dispatches of letters and Agents to all parts and especially to Venice they brake it and instantly made war upon the French as Comines testifies lib. 5. belli Neapolitani p. 926. 23. An. 1614. Francisco Suarez a Spanish Jesuit set forth a scandalous Book against the State of the kingdomes of England France which was publickly burnt at Paris by order of Parliament howbeit the said Book was set forth by the approbation of Joan Alvarez Provincial of that Society CHAP. VII The Praevarications of the Spaniards against the Kings and Kingdom of England VVE have staid long enough in a continent let us now passe the Sea and see whether the King of Spain have shewn himself more faithfull to the English then to the French and others Not a whit Read what follows and you will find with me that a Wolf is every where a Wolf Attempts against Q Elizabeth and would as well take and devour the markt as unmarkt sheep And to begin with Queen Elizabeth it cannot be denied but that the Spaniard used all possible means to deprive her both of her kingdom and of her life Thuan testifies lib. 44. Anno 1569. that Mary Queen of Scots by the instigation of the Spaniards and others endeavoured to innovate things in England and to that end Rudolphus Robertus came into England to solicite the English to disloyalty and promise them great matters from the Pope and the King of Spain and he was employed by the Queen as her chief Minister and Assistant 2. That the Spanish Ministers by their Emissaries the Jesuits induced the Duke of Norfolk Anno 1572. to undertake dangerous designes against Queen Elizabeth was not doubted of by the wiser sort of those times yea and he was brought to lose his head for it Hist Belg. 3. In the year 1601. the King of Spain by the instigation of Garnet Robert a Jesuit endeavoured to trouble affairs in England but that enterprize being detected vanisht into smoak Metteranus lib. 27. 4. That the King of Spain did direct all his enterprises that by the Jesuits he might molest the affairs and innovate Religion in England so many reiterated designes but most of them being frustrated the writing made against the Jesuits in England 1602. in which among other titles they have this name that they are the King of Spains Trumpeters I cannot forbear to speak of that stupendious Fleet which was sent against England and the Queen Anno. 1588. 5. The King of Spain trecherously thinking to destroy Queen Elizabeth and to possesse himself of the English Nation provided a mighty Navy consisting of one hundred and thirty ships where of Galeasses and Galleons seventy two goodly ships like to floating Towers in which were Souldiers 19290. Mariners 8350. Gally slaves 2080. great Ordnance 2630. On the twentieth of May they weighed Anchor from the River Trigas but were by tempest so miserably disperst that it was long ere they met again But they sent before to the Prince of Parma that he with his Forces consisting of fifty thousand old Souldiers should be ready to joyn with them and with his shipping to conduct them into England and to land his Army at the Thames mouth But God so ordered that partly by distresse of weather and partly by the valour of the English they were driven back with infinite loss and disgrace 6 Fontano a Spaniard with a vast sum of money to wit 50000 Pistols corrupted Doctor Lopez to poyson Queen Elizabeth as the said Lopez himself together with Emanuel Ludovicus Tinotius Stephanus Errera freely confest Thuan. lib. 109. 7. Ibarra attempted the same plot upon the said Queen by Edmond of York Cousin german to him who perfidiously betrayed the Fort of Zutphan to the enemy as also by Richard Williams besides another youth and other complices for which he promised them 40000 Pistols 8. Anno 1601. the Spaniards were brought into Ireland by Hugh Earle of Tiron but were but scurvily entertained there Thuan. lib. 125. 9. When in the year 1603. certain Engglish were taken and executed for a conspiracy against the King Carolus Ligneus Count of Aremberg who was then Embassador there from the Archduke Albert was suspected to have conspired with them Thuan. lib. 129. 10. The King of Spain not long after the death of Mary Queen of Scots ordered the Duke of Parma then Governor of the Low Countries to promise in his name the King of Scotland both men and mony against the Queen of England thereby the more easily to revenge his mothers death And to that end the said Duke sent Robert Bruss a Scotch Gentleman into Scotland with a great deal of money Besides that the Scotch King was put in hope to marry the Infanta of Spain provided that he embrac'd the Roman Religion which was proposed by one William Crichâ—on who then belonged to the Popes Nuntio and had formerly been Rector sometime of the Jesuits Colledge at Lyons and he endeavoured to perswade Bruss either by force or fraud to kill John Metelan High Chancelor of Scotland and because Bruss abhorred so wicked a fact Crichton accused him to Fontano who clapt him up in prison for fourteen moneths together See Hospinian 11. How cunningly some of the Spanish Emissaries endeavoured to perswade James then King of Scotland and afterwards of England too that it was necessary for him to have a league and friendship with the King of Spain saying that it would much advantage him to have the favour of the Spaniards Thuan. lib. 83. 12. The dangerous designes of the Spaniards by the Jesuits and their Emissaries to destroy both the Queen and Kingdom of England Anno 1596. is described by Thuan and others in the English Complaint to Pope Clement the eighth 13. Divers outrages and Acts of hostility have been committed by the Spaniards against the subjects of England in their Colonies of the West Indies 14 Anno 1605. Certain English men being on the North side of Hispaniola were enticed a shore by a Priest named Father John on promise of secure trading were inhumanly and barbarously murthered by the Spaniards The Master was tied naked to a tree and most cruelly pinched and stung to death 15. An. 1608. The Richard of Plimouth trading to Virginia was assaulted by the King of Spains ships and notwithstandding the Master produced the Broad Seal of England he with all the men were condemned to the Gallies where some were with much cruelty beaten to death 16. With what tricks and juggles the Match in Spain between the late King Charles and the King of Spains daughter was treated prolonged and at last quite eluded is sufficiently known to such as were employed in that business So that Spaniards are every where Spaniards CHAP. VIII The Praevarications of the Spaniards against the King and Kingdom of Portugall WHen Sebastian King of Portugall Anno 1578. resolved to undertake that Expedition into Africa fatall
the second king of Spain caused his lawfull wife Isabel the king of Frances sister to be kild that so he might marry his own sisters daughter Thuan. lib. 71. 4. Amongst the Austrians and Spaniards it is no news for brothers to marry their sisters daughters so Ferdinand of Austria son to Ferdinand the Emperour married Anna Catharina the Duke of Mantua's daughter by his own sister Elianor anno 1580. as before him Philip a Prince of the Family did Anne his sister Maries daughter by the Emperour his cousin german Thua lib. 71. 5. When Anno 1581. the match was treated between Andino and Queen Elizabeth of England king Philip by his Embassador expostulated with the king of France and afterwards laboured to sow seditions in France Thuan lib. 73. 6. What detriment the Spanish matches and friendships have brought upon France is taught by Evagrius de Origine Gestis Francorum lib. 1. fol. 40. lib. 2. fol. 66. lib. eod fol. 86. 7. What good did the English get by the marriage of king Philip to Queen Mary And what the Portuguezes but that by this pretension that kingdome fell into the hands and under the yoak of the Castillians 8. The Spaniards assign their daughters great portions but they keep not their words 9. Thomas Campanella cap. 30. sayes that it imports that the kings of Spain never marry any woman of the House of Austria unless he grow thereby to be heir of some new Countrey CHAP. XXII The hatred of the Spaniards towards the Germans IT is no new thing for the Spaniards to envy the felicity of the Germans â—or they did it many years ago About he year of Christ 1419. the King of Spain forbad the German Merchants to sail in the Spanish Seas and punished such of them as he took in disobedience to that Order he took 40 ships and killed all the Merchants Albert. Cratzius in Sax. suo l. 11. c. 3. 2. The Spaniards do all they can to obscure and lessen the fame of the German Nation which Avila did in his Pamphlet whereof Albert Marquess of Brandenburgh Anno 1522. complained Thuan. lib. 9. 3. How unjustly and rigidly they treated the Citizens of Mentz men of their own Religion upon whom the Bishop put two thousand for a Garrison at that time when Gustavus Adolphus king of Sweden i. e. anno 1631. made warre in Germany is demonstrated by the Histories of that warre and especially by Cornelius Danckhard in his History of the Swedish affairs 4. Anno 1582. when the Spaniards and French fought at the Tercera Island Santa Cruz the Spanish Generall left the German Souldiers to Hieronymo Ladron to punish them as he pleased Thuan. lib. 75. 5. Ancellus in his speech to the Princes of Germany Anno 1597. sayes That the King of Spain was not so well affected towards Germany in regard he plainly neglected the imminent danger of his common countrey from the Turk and assisted the Emperour and his Countrey-men with so small succours And moreover that he sought his own advancement by the overthrow of the house of Austria Thuan. lib. 118. 6. How rigidly and contrary to the Electoral dignity Charles the fifth treated John Frederick Duke of Saxony and Philip Landgrave of Hessia is amply described by Sleydan as also of the cruelties and outrages of the Spaniards in the Dutchy of Wirtenbergh 7. The Spaniards used to commit such Towns as are either far off or ill fortified to the trust and government of the Germans to the end that if they be lost the dishonour and infamy thereof may redound to the Germans and not to themselves which besides other appeared in the rendition of Lingen and Groll which were governed by Herman and Frederick two brothers of the house of Bergh Thuan. lib. 119. Anno 1597. 8. An. 1590. The Generall of the Spanish Army hanged sixty German Souldiers at once because they demanded their pay and afterwards made an example of an hundred and fifty more by cutting off the right hands of some and the three fore-fingers of others 9. The Spaniards in Charles the fifths time being distributed up and down in Garrisons in Germany exercised no less enormities upon the said Emperours party then upon the other Sleidanus 10. In the distress of the Palatine when the Spaniards seized upon the lower Palatinate it happened that a poor Taylor having let fall some passioâ—ate words was taken and carried â—efore the Captain who asking him â—o great a sum of money as he was neither able to pay it nor to provide any body to be bound for it he forthwith caused the man to be hanged without compassion of his wife and seven children who begged for him Relationes 11. If the king of Spain sayes Campanella would seize upon Germany he must first be made Emperour and then under colour of going against the Turk march into Hungary and so surprise the Protestants suddenly at unawares together with the Imperial Cities before they are able to oppose him as Charles the fifth cunningly did and make new Colonies and new laws with Italian Ministers because that Climate endures not the Spaniards c. c. 23. Disc de monarch Hisp CHAP. XXIII How the Spaniards treat and keep Peace That the Spaniards shew bread in one hand and hide a stone in the other treat peace and prepare for war shall be proved in this Chapter 1. In that treaty of the Emperour Maximilian the Spaniards basely and deceitfully guld the Princes by taking the Towns of Boure Leerdam Schoonhof Owdtwateren Bommel and Zirzea 2. The Pacification and Union of Gant 1576. was sworn to and approved of by king Philip but not kept 3. The conference at Colein was pretended to be liked of but in the Interim the people of Hennault Arras and Mastricht were sollicited to disloyalty 4. The Conference being begun in Flanders Queen Elizabeths Deputies were also invited to it and in the mean while that formidable Fleet anno 1588. was prepared and sent to surprize England Thuan. lib. 119. where the States at large express the fraudulent Arts of the Spaniards 5. That the Spaniards peace is not to be trusted to is taught by the Lords of the United Provinces in their answer to the Emperour Rodolph Anno 1591. and there was many stampt by them at that time with this Emblem A Holland virgin fits sweetly sleeping under a quick-set hedge with this adscription Pax patet insidiis and upon a sudden her enemies break through the hedge assault and surprize her Then she sits again under another hedge waking with a Sword and a Guard by her with these words Tuta salus bello est and the breach being stopt the enemies designes are frustrated Luckius in Numismatis p. 328. 6. When the Truce was made between Spain and Holland the Spaniards said That the King made a step backwards thereby to leap the further forwards upon occasion 7. That the conditions of the truce were not candidly and sincerely kept by the Spaniards may
intollerable pride by the depression of others 6. That the Vice-kings Officers and Governors have ingrost all the riches of all the Provinces Ibid. 7. By how much the severer an Officer professes himfelf in the kingdome of Naples especially towards the Nobility in so much the more favour and esteem is he with the Spaniards by whom he is advanced in Court and exalted to higher degrees and titles 8. The aforementioned Author also complains of other burthens imposed and daily to be imposed upon that kingdome as of an extraordinary Donative of certain * Granos Granos is as I remember about an English penny or somwhat more in value which every Fire or Family is bound to pay for the quartering of Souldiers and for salaries to the Vice-kings Train of seven Granos for the guard of the Towers of five Granos for the Field-Sergeants of nine Granos for the reparation of the wayes of the tax for five foot Souldiers upon a hundred fires of yearly pensions of the new tribute put upon wrought and unwrought silk of the tax upon Cards which is farmed at 20000 Crowns a year and other emunctions of this kind 9. He complains that the King of Spains Vice king commanded the Neapolitans once to make and eat the bread of a certain root called Panis porcinus or Hoggs bread which proclamation was nevertheless forthwith suspended under pretext that it was commanded onely to try whether in time of need that bread would suffice 10. He complains that the Vice-king would needs crown a certain fellow called Catinario who was rich indeed but not considerable otherwise in despight of the Order of Knighthood 11. He complains that he took the Princes daughter out of a Monastery by force under pretext to try whether she had a mind to marry or no when the true reason of it was because he resolved to match her to his own son 12. He complains that when the States of the kingdom intended to send the Donative of the kingdome to the King by their own men the Vice-king would needs send it by his men and forced them to deliver it to him 14. He complains that he got in a short time seven thousand pistols a year for his wife and as much for his son Bernardino out of the Church Revenewes c. That Dispute was written An. 1579. in the beginning of April and it is to be seen in Thesauro Politico Casp Ensi part 3. Apothegmate 62. CHAP. XIII The Praevarications of the Spaniards against Italy and the Common-wealths thereof IT would be a business of too much length for me by going through a series of Histories to pick out all the prevarications of the Spaniards against Italy and the Princes and Republicks thereof and insert them into this Narration especially since some of them against the Pope are already alledged and other are to be alledged Cap. de Praevaricationibus c. And yet in regard that though there be so various Principates and so various Common-wealths there is yet scarce any which complains not of the Spanish domination and ambition it seems fit to alledge at least some of them and omit the rest to avoid prolixity 1. What monuments of their ambition they have exprest towards the Pope and his dominions is said above What intention they have towards the Republick of Venice is very well known to the said common-wealth though she think fit to dissemble it and yet she hath not forgotten how craftily they carried themselves in the Confederation or vvar against the Turk and in the Controversie between Paul the fifth and Her Nor do I think the Genuezes have also forgotten what their designs were against them both in and after the time of Dory How they seized upon the Dutchy of Milan Sleiden shewes In the Countreys of Piemont and Savoy and other territories they have erected very many monuments of their prevarications and are daily erecting more What the Sienneses and Florentines have suffered by the Spaniards is taught by the Historians both of this and the former Age. I willingly pass by the Dutchys of Mantua Montferat Ferrara Appulia and Calabria nor will I touch the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily because every body knows by what tricks they got those how unworthily the Spanish Ministers treat the Noblemen and subjects thereof insomuch as that according to Histories and Relations for never so slight a cause as sometimes for an inconsiderate word their lives and fortunes are in danger 2. How the king of Spain invited Charles the eighth king of France to make vvar upon Italy Comines 5. lib. Belli Neopolitani neer the end 3. Anno 1617. Whilst the vvarres yet lasted between Ferdinand of Austria and the Common-vvealth of Venice the Vice-king of Naples invited and encouraged the Turks to make vvarre upon the Venetians but the Turks made an impression into Sicily and carried away great booty Baudart lib. 38. Vt etiam Epistola ipsa 4. It is written also in the same book how the Embassador of Savoy complained to the Princes of Germany at the Dyet at Hailbrun of the breach of Articles 5. Anno 1618. in the beginning of May vvas discovered a dangerous plot and treason of the Spaniards against Italy and the Republicks thereof vvhen they intended by their Emissaries to set Venice in many places on fire and kill the Senators but the business being detected many of the Conjurators were hanged many stifled and many executed other wayes Baudart lib. 38. 6. At the same time the Spaniards attempted to surprize Cremona but the business had the same issue vvhich the plot upon Venice had Ibid. CHAP. XIV The Praevarications of the Spaniards against other Kingdoms THe King of Sweden smelling the Catholick Kings designs howbeit he could hope for nothing from the house of Orange yet he despised all the said Kings great promises and refused him the use and loan of his great Vessels whereof he hath good store and for that reason the Poles several times rejected the Austrians lest by the addition of so vast a kingdom to Bohemia and Hungary the City of Dantz by the benefit thereof should forbid commerce and force the Hollanders to submit Thuan. lib. 107. 2. Nor was it without some remorse of conscience that when Philip the second and his Father were a dying they desired that the business of the kingdom of Navarre might be looked into by Lawyers and learned men to wit because they were convinced that they held it unjustly by the exclusion of the right heir Thuan. lib. 120. 3. The reason why the Spaniards gape for the possession of Saluces and the Territories adjoyning is because they can most conveniently send Souldiers from thence into the Low-Countreys and therefore Fontano Anno 1600. earnestly urged the Popes Nuntio that the King of France might yeeld up the County of Bress Thuan. 125 Anno 1605. Don Pedro Guzman Fontano Vice-King of Lumbardy summoned most of the Princes of Italy by the President and Treasurers of the