enterprises are not holden to proceede of courage and valour but rather of rashnesse which often bringeth danger to the whole Army And you couragious souldiors submit your selues to the order and direction of your chieftaines and leaders of whose great experience and skill in martiall affaires you shall not need to doubt by reason of their continuall training vp therin and so much the rather you must thus do because you are not yet such men of vnderstanding in warlike discipline Herodotus So did the noble Graecians as Herodotus writeth whereby small companies gaue sundry notable ouerthrowes to great multitudes of the Persians in battel euen when they were in their chiefest conquests moste triumphed of their glorious victories Where no order is the scripture saieth there is confusion and vtter ruine Keepe therefore your rankes break not your arraies stand fast in your places to which you are appointed for out of doubt as obseruation of orders in battell is neuer without hope of victory so doth disorder open the way to the enimy to ouerthrow you If you keepe order you shall be euen like a strong Bulwarke against the enimie which they will with all their forces attempt to breake being the only way to gaine them victorie of which purpose if they faile then they will bee vtterly discomfited and fall into your hands To conclude forsomuch as the chance of war is vncertaine and the sequele therof standeth doubtful although the causes afore remembred ought greatly to encourage you in this seruice and to hope of victory yet let vs all make our selues readie for whatsoeuer it shall please God to lay vpon vs and let vs make our humble prayers to Almighty God confessing our sinnefull liues and heartilie repent vs thereof who giueth grace in the very instance of time as by the example of the theefe which was hanged with our Sauior Christ appeareth who vsed these few words vnto him Lorde remember mee when thou commest into thy kingdome And Christ said vnto him This day shalt thou be with me in Paradice And let vs cal vpon him for his gracious assistance against our enemies who no doubt wil ayde and defend vs against them according to his promise for heauen and earth shall passe before one iòte of his Couenant or promise which he hath made to such as serue and feare him shal faile as the scripture doth plainely testifie Now let vs all kneele down and lift vppe our hartes to the throne of Gods Maiesty pray ALmightie God father of our Lord Iesus Christ maker of all things Iudge of all men we acknowledge and bewaile our manifold sinnes and wickednesses which we from time to time most greeuouslie haue committed against thy diuine Maiestie prouoking most iustly thy wrath and indignation against vs we doe earnestly repent and are hartily sorie for these our misdooinges haue mercie vpon vs most mercifull Father for thy blessed son our Lord Iesus Christs sake forgiue al our offences past graunt that we may euer hereafter serue and please thee in newnesse of life to the honor and glory of thy holy name through our onely mediator and aduocate Iesus Christ our Lord. And O thou most mighty God that art the King of kings and Lord of lords and gouernour of all things whose power no creature is able to resist stretch out thy mighty arme and come help vs and be our defence for without thee vaine is the help of man We go not against this multitude trusting in our owne strength but in thy name and in thy most gratious ayde and assistance let them know that thou art the Lord of hoasts and the onely giuer of victory and deliuer them into our hands if it be thy good pleasure that we may glorify thy holy name through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee the holy Ghost that most sweet comforter that art one in three and three in one true and euerlasting god be all honor glory and praise for euer and euer so be it Now in the name of God almighty aduance our Standards display your Ensignes and set vpon them couragiously for the honor of your prince and country for all England prayeth for our good successe in this buisines this day THE MANSION of Magnanimitie ¶ Of the strength of this Realme in respect of the scituation pleasantnesse of ayre fruitfulnesse of soile aboundance of al sorts of Graine Cattell and other necessaries for the vse of man how it is replenished with thousands of couragious valiant men wherby to withstand all forren inuasion Also how it is defended with many strong holdes in places needfull and furnished with a Royall Nauy with mnnition sufficient to incounter the enemy Chap. 1. ALthough I doubt not both in respect of your loyalties to her Maiestie and fidelities to her Crown things due by all Lawes from euery true Subiect to his Prince and Soueraigne gouernor and also of the great loue and affection that euery man doth naturally beare to his natiue Cuntrey but that you wil be alwaies ready with hart and hand to ioyne in the defence of these against the enemy yet haue I thought it not vaine to set downe some speciall causes and reasons which shall the rather moue vs hereunto Amongst which as in the first parte of this booke I will commend to your considerations the strength of our Country in regard of the scituation therof The first cause of incouragement in respect of the scituation of our Countrey how our countrey is inuironed with the maine Sea sauing that part onely adioyning to Scotlād which is a sufficiēt defence to this realme in that the Quéenes most excellent Maiestie the noble King of that country are most surely linked as well in respect of the néernesse of bloud as also by reason of most honourable couenants and agréementes of league peace and amity which by Gods grace shall long continue concluded and passed betwixt them so that we may well assure our selues that none can come to vs but by shipping wherby what aduantage we haue that stand vpon the firme land ready to receiue or defend the enimy which must lie open to our forces from the sea euery man of any reasonable sence or vnderstanding may easily conceiue It is placed in that part of the world which is temperate neither vexed with too much heat nor oppressed with ouer much colde as many other Countries be It is also of a most delicate holsome ayre full of pleasant springs fountaines and riuers A Country of fruitfull soile Commodities of our countrey yeelding Corne of all sorts abundance of Wooll Allom Copper Mines of Leade Tin Yron Stone Wood Seacole Pittes to make Salt of and of all manner of Cattell Horsses Fowles Fishes Beasts of Venery of all kindes plentiful and all other things necessary for mans sustenance vse and pleasure A Country apt for traffick by sea from all places of the world in respect whereof we are of our selues
a ring with a diamond therein as I haue heard valued at xv hundreth pounds a thing meet to remaine as an heire loome to that house for euer for a remembrance thereof And now to returne to the valiant seruice of diuerse others to their Prince and countrey let me tell you of Iohn late Duke of Northumberland Iohn Duke of Northūberland of whose fall by his disloyalty to his Prince though there be great pitie yet his courage valiancy and hardinesse in wars and his great aduenture therein I trust without offence may here be remembred as an incouragement to others to follow his steps therein who being in king Edward the sixt his time sent as Generall to suppresse the rebellion of Ket in Norfolke Holinsh 1672. his number being but small by reason his whole power was not yet come to him and the rebels were many was by some of his army aduised to regard his owne safety and to leaue the City of Norwich for that it was thought he was not able with his small company to defend the same against the sayd rebels to whom with noble courage shewing an inuincible hart he sayd that so long as any life was in him he would not consent to such dishonor but rather would suffer whatsoeuer either fire or sword should worke against him and thereupon did draw out his sword as other of the honourable and worshipfull then there present likewise did and commaunded that each one should kisse the others sword according to an auncient custome vsed amongst mē of war in time of great danger wherupon they all made a vow binding it with a solemne oath that they would not depart from thence vntill they had either vanquished the rebels or lost their liues in manfull fight for defence of the kings honour Ambrose Earle of Warwicke Ibid. 1532. How valiantly did Ambrose Earle of VVarwicke in the fourth yeare of the Raigne of our Soueraigne Lady the Queenes Maiestie that now is defend the towne of Newhauen in Fraunce notwithstanding they died in great numbers of the plague so as they wanted men and other things necessarie for defence yet would not yéeld the towne by force but manfully stood ready in the breaches to receiue the assault whē the Frenchmen had with their Cannon made great breaches verie easie for the enemie to enter wherupon the Frenchmen perceiuing the resolutenesse of the Englishmen sounded their Trumpet of parley and so vpon honorable agréement then concluded vpon the towne was yéelded vp to the Frenchmen Besides how valiantly did Sir Iames Wilford and other Captaines with their souldiers defend the towne of Haddington in Scotland against the French and Scots being about eightéene thousand in king Edward the sixt his dayes and would not yéeld it although they had scarsitie of men and munition and were also greatly visited with the plague so as manie died thereof dayly but most valiantly and with inuincible courages defended the same Holinsh 1638. so as it was not surprised by the enemie How valiantly resolutely did the Lord Gray of Wilton Lord Iohn Gray the Lord Ed. Seymer Edward Shelley Preston and others to the number of seuen and twentie all Gentlemen set vpon the foreward of the battell of the Scots at Musclebrough in Scotland Expedition paten folio in king Edward the sixt his time meaning to haue broken their array but the Scots had so strongly fortified themselues that they could not enter and so in their retiring they were all slaine sauing the Lord Gray of Wilton and the Lord Iohn Gray and Lord Ed. Seymer who not without wounds and marks vpon their bodies of their being there escaped By these examples it appeareth that those Noblemen and others respected not their liues nor any painfull seruice or extremities in the seruice of their Prince and countrey for which they shall liue in fame for euer Mē may not respect any trauell or pain to serue their Prince and country He that hath desire to liue in name when he is dead in bodie must indeuour himselfe according to his calling as God hath indowed him to leaue some memorie whereby it may appeare that once hee liued as these verses following shew 1 THough Death the fatal threed of ech man cuts in twaine Yet vertues ay shall liue and worthie acts remaine 2 For others to ensue their painefull steps therein Whereby they may attaine like lasting praise to winne 3 But such as not regard to leaue some deed of fame When they are dead shall lie without regard or name 4 And soone shall be forgot as they had neuer bin And shall not be thought of no scarce amongst their kinne 5 What difference shall be then twixt great and meanest man When of their worthie acts no booke record ought can 6 What booteth titles great of honour for to haue Or Croesus golden store when men lie in the graue 7 More worth a thousand fold t is famous for to be For vertues and noble acts then all the rest to thee 8 That moued mightie kings and great States of this land And manie others mo great things to take in hand 9 Some kingdomes to subdue by sword both farre and neare Their persons ventred haue and dangers did not feare 10 And manie worthy Peeres their Prince to serue in field And countrey to defend great acts with speare and shield 11 Performed haue which fame with blast of trumpe hath spread Whereby they liue in name though they in graue ly dead 12 And some haue Churches built in honor of our Lord Where they did giue him thanks and praise with one accord 13 Some Colledges for such as learning list embrace Their countrey and their Prince to serue in euerie place 14 Some Schooles to traine vp youth in skill and vertues lore While tender yeares do last in age to haue in store 15 Some Hospitals for poore where they may be relieued When crooked age of strength to worke hath them bereaued 16 And these they haue endow'd with liuing and with land To their immortall fame for euermore to stand 17 These for their Founders pray and benefactors all And for their off-spring eke on God cease not to call 18 For their prosperitie and foes eke to withstand That all things prosper may which they do take in hand 19 And when they are gone hence that in the latter day They may rise vp with Christ in ioyes to dwell alway 20 None only for himselfe but for his countrey too Is borne and bound for her the best he can to do 21 The Brutish kings that long did beare the scepter here Faire temples to their gods and Castles strong that were 22 And cities large and townes erected manie one The enemie to defend they walled them with stone 23 And manie famous men the founders of our skill Their learned works haue left to studie on that will 24 Before that Christ was borne whose glorie liues this day And while the
whereby you may see the miseries of warre that though they had yéelded and thought themselues sure of their liues paying their ransome according to the lawes of armes yet vppon such necessary occasion to kill them was a thing by all reason allowed for otherwise the king hauing lost diuerse valiant Captaines and souldiers in this battell and being also but a small number in comparison of the French kings army in a strong countrey where he could not supply his neede vpon the sudden it might haue bene much daungerous to haue againe ioyned with the enemy and kept his prisoners aliue as in our Chronicles largely appeareth ¶ Diuerse and sundry practises and deuices heretofore deuised and made with many of our owne nation both by the King of Spaine and the Pope to inuade our countrey and also what preparation hath bene made by her Maiestie to preuent the same CHAP. 7. NOw for as much as the continual plots practises of the Pope Practises of the Pope against vs. the vowed enemy to this Realme to the intent to sow discord and deuision within the same to make an easie way for the enemy to inuade our coūtrey haue bin strange I haue thought good to make mention here of some part of her Maiesties proclamation published in the 33 yeare of her most gracious raigne Proclamatiō 33. Eliz. by which it appeareth that the Pope hath practised with certaine principall seditious heads being vnnaturall subiects of her Maiesties kingdome but yet very base of birth together with great labour vpon his charge a multitude of dissolute yong men who haue partly for lacke of liuing partly for crimes committed become fugitiues rebels and traytors and for whom there are in Rome Spaine and other places certaine receptacles made to liue in and there to be instructed in schoole points of sedition and from thence to be secretly by stealth conueyed into her highnesse countries and dominions and with ample authority from the Pope to moue stirre vp and perswade as many of her highnesse subiects as they dare deale withall to renounce their allegeance due to her Maiestie and her Crowne vpon hope by forreyn inuasion to be inriched endowed with the possessions dignities of her other good subiects These sorts of traitors rebels and fugitiues do bind her highnesse subiects with whom they practise by oathes yea by Sacraments Renounce allegeance to forsweare their naturall allegeance to her Maiestie and yeeld obedience with all their powers to to a forreyn Prince and to assist forreyn forces and for the more forcible attraction of these vnnaturall people This is treason by 13. El. cap. 1. Buls being weake of vnderstanding to this they bend these seedemen of treason to bring certaine Bals from the Pope some of indulgences pretending to promise heauen to such as wil yeeld and some of cursings threatnings damnation and hell to such as shall not yéeld to their perswasion And it is certainely knowne It is high treason to practise with any forreyners to inuade this Realme 13. El. cap. 1. that these heads of these dennes and receptacles which are by the traytors called Seminaries and Colledges of Iesuits haue heretofore assured the king of Spaine who is lately deceased that though heretofore he had no good successe with his great forces against this Realme yet if now he would renew his war there should be found ready secretly within her highnesse dominions many thousands as they make their accompt for their purpose of able people that will be ready to assist such power as he shall set on land and by their vaunting they do tempt the sayd king hereunto who otherwise wold not peraduenture hope of any safe landing here considering what successe he had in the yeare of our Lord 1588 when he made so great preparation to conquer this land that one named Parsons and one Allen haue shewed to the sayd king of Spaine certaine schroles or beadrolles of names of men dwelling in sundry parts of her Maiesties countries as they haue imagined them but specially neare the sea coasts with assurance that these their seedmen named Seminaries Priestes and Iesuits are in sundry parts of this Realme secretly harbored which shall be ready to continue their reconciled people in their lewd constancy to serue their purposes both in their forces and with their trayterous enterprises when the Spanish power shall be ready to land Besides this vpon their impudent assertion to the Pope and king of Spaine though they knew a great part thereof to be false they had lately afore this proclamation aduertised into diuerse parts of this Realme by their secret messengers wherof some haue bene taken and confessed the same that the king vpon their informations and requests promised to employ all his forces that he could make by sea in the yeare of our Lord God 1592 to attempt once againe the inuasion of this Realme but because some of his wisest Counsellers doubted that he should not preuaile he altred his purpose besides many other leud practises treasonable cōspiracies by the sayd fugitiues But her Maiesty doubteth not but Almighty God the defender of all iust causes will as he alwayes hither to hath make all their deuices voyd and by the helpe of her faithfull subiects to increase her their forces and by execution of her lawes by other politicke ordinances to impeach the aforesayd seditious practises and treasons and doth exhort all the Ecclesiasticall State by their example of good life and by their diligent teaching to retaine the people stedfastly in the profession of the Gospell and in their duties to Almighty God and her Maiestie and also she hopeth to haue such sufficient forces in readinesse by sea as by Gods goodnesse and with the helpe of her good subiects shall be as great or greater then her highnesse hath had in any time heretofore to withstand all her enemies and that her subiects will consider of all things requisite to performe for horsemen armor footemen to be fully furnished as time shall require for seruice to defend their countrey And further her Maiestie doth most earnestly require and charge all manner of her subiects with their hands purses aduices yea all persons of euery estate with their prayers to God to moue him to assist this so naturall honourable and profitable a seruice being only for defence of their naturall countrey against straungers and such wilfull destroyers of their natiue countrey and monstrous traytors And moreouer to prouide speedy remedy against other fraudulent attempts of these Seminaries Iesuites and traitors without the which it appeareth these forces should not be continually vsed the same being wrought onely by falshood by hypocrisie and by vndermining of her good subiects vnder a false colour face of holinesse to make breaches in men womens consciences It is fellony to receiue aid or maintaine any lesuit c. 27. F. l. cap. 1. so to traine them to their
treasons that with such a secrecie by the harbouring of the said traiterous messengers in obscure places as without very diligent and continuall search to be made and seuere order executed the same will remaine and spread it selfe as a secret infection of treasons in the bowels of this realme most dangerous yea and most reprochfull to be suffered in any well ordered common-wealth Hereupon according to her said proclamation her Maiestie directed her Commissions forth to enquire by all good meanes what persons were by their behauiours or otherwise worthie to be suspected to be anie such persons as haue bene sent or that are imployed in any such perswading of her Highnesse people or of any residing within her realme to treason or to moue anie to relinquish their alleageance to her Maiestie or to acknowledge any kind of obedience to the Pope or to the King of Spaine and also of other persous that haue therunto yéelded And to the intent to discouer these venimous vipers or to chase them out of this realme for infecting many more her Maiesty did thereby straightly charge and command all maner of persons whatsoeuer without exception that was kéeper of anie house family or lodging and gouernors of anie societies to make diligēt search immediatly vpon the said Proclamation made of all maner of persons that haue bene admitted or suffered to haue vsuall resort diet lodging or residence in their houses or in anie place by their appointment within one yeare ended at Michaelmas then last past or that from thenceforth should be admitted or suffered to resort eate lodge reside or attend to be examined of what condition or countrey he is and by what meanes he hath liued and where he hath spent his time one yeare last before and whether he vse to resort to Church to diuine seruice according to the law and their answeres to be put in writing particularly and to be kept as a register to be shewed when they shal be required that vpon cause of suspition the partie may be tryed farther by the Commissioners whether the same partie be a loyall subiect or not And if any shal be found vnwilling to answere to such inquisition or by his doubtfull answere not like to be an obedient subiect the same shal be stayd by the houshold or him that ought to haue the examination of him and if any hauing gouernement or commaundement ouer any seruant that shal be found not to haue performed the points of the sayd inquisition as is afore limitted the same partie shal be called before the sayd Commissioners or before her Maiesties priuie Councell if the qualitie of the person do so require and shal be vsed and ordered for such defaults as the sayd Commissioners or her Maiesties Councell shall haue iust cause to deale with such persons And lastly by the same Proclamation did admonish and straightly charge and commaund all persons that haue had any intelligence of any such that are sent or come from beyond the seas to such purposes to direct them before her highnesse Commissioners mentioned in the sayd Proclamation to be assigned for the examinations of such persons within twentie dayes next after publication of the sayd Proclamation in the shyre Towne Citie or Port within the precinct of the same Commission vpon paine that the offenders therein shal be punished as abbetters and maintainers of traitors as by the same Proclamation amongst other things therein mentioned doth appeare And how let me turne my spéech to you O ye vnnaturall and degenerated Englishmen Booke of English fugitiues treacherous and vnfaithfull to her to whom you owe all loyaltie dutie and obedience how can you thirst after the destruction of the countrey where you were bred borne and nourished why do you vnder colour of Religion enter into such hainous treasons séeking thereby the ouerthrow of our most gracious Quéene and Soueraigne and the subuersion of so glorious a State by séeking to bring into this land strāgers to subdue the same a nation who where they do ouercome The tyranny of the Spaniards shew themselues most cruell tyrannous and do séeke to fill the ayre with horrible blasphemies whose abhominable incontinencies do reach to the heauens asking benegeance at the hands of God Flaunders can well witnesse it Portingall hath proued Hispaniola can witnesse the other prouinces of India can testifie And where amongst all nations it hath bene accounted a most honorable thing for men to giue their liues for their coūtrey and to dye in the defence of their temples It is honorable for a man to giue his life for his countrey Altars monuments of their elders you séeke to sée your countrey bathed with the bloud of your parents wiues and children kindred and friends to sée your Cities temples consumed with fire and the monuments of your auncesters defaced our wiues daughters virgins defloured and rauished afore your faces and to bring this realme which is famous amongst all Christian nations of the world to the perpetuall slauerie seruitude and bondage of a forrein Prince in whose seruice in the field though you haue sundry times shewed your selues right valiant yet they accompt you as traytors to your Prince and countrey as they well may they regard you not they disdaine you and how hardly you haue bene dealt withall there your owne experience telleth you which in the booke of the state of English fugitiues is set downe at large I will remember some When the Duke of Parma lay in siege at Andenard did not Norris Barney Cornish and Gibson whom they had chosen to be their Captaines with a troupe of sixe hundreth Englishmen the tallest best appointed souldiers that a man might lightly see offer their seruice to the sayd Duke their comming being the onely cause that the sayd towne a matter of great importance and on the land side as it were the key of the prouince of Flaunders was so soone deliuered vnto him as it was for whereas the Duke of Aniow and the Prince of Orange lay vnder the walles of Gaunt with sufficient force and deliberate resolution to succour the sayd towne of Andenard vpon this mutinie of the English they marched away with their whole army leauing the enemy battering the sayd towne which seeing it selfe frustrated of the expected succors presently rendered it selfe vnto the Duke of Parma thence they were drawne to Winoch Bargen to serue against the French English which lay there incamped where they behaued themselues with such desperate resolution that day that Monsieur de Balaunson brother to the Marquis of Waranbone was taken prisoner that besides the losse of many of their liues they were in this action a wonder to the whole army But could the pride of the Spaniard endure to heare these your prayses nay did not they enuie and greatly disdaine it They disdaine you saying That you had serued rather like gyddy headed drunkards then men wise and valiant For a further
proofe of valour shortly after vppon the remoue of the Duke of Alansons army towards Gaunt the rest of them were likewise brought thither where also they gaue exceeding testimony of their valour and courage namely the very day that Sir Iohn Norris made that famous retraite before Gaunt who when the Frenchmen fled with a disordered amazement did with a present courage and excellent directiō maintaine the place with such regiments of Englishmen as were vnder his charge and withstanding the Duke of Parma with all his puissance who furiously charged him neuerthelesse withdrew his men still holding their pikes in the bosomes of their enemies vnder the walles of Gaunt not without exceeding damage to the enemy besides diuerse other great seruices done to the sayd king in the field But how were they recompenced for the same were not a great number of them suffered to perish in maner for hunger could neither get meat nor their pay to prouide for their néed whereupon some of them were constrained by foraging in the country to relieue their hunger and were not foure and twentie of them taken by the Spanish Prouost and caried to Andenard of the rendring whereof they had bene the chiefest meane there openly hāged in the market place And was not another troope of them being thirty in number in a village neare Papering in Flaunders by a company of the Spaniards after a friendly souldierlike salutation of each side Englishmen murthered most shamefully as they were all making merrie together on a sudden taken at aduantage and vnarmed and most treacherously cowardly and inhumanely murthered euerie one whereof though sundrie complaints were made to the Duke by their friends that were thus murthered and by their Captaines yet Spaniards being the doers thereof there could be no remedy nor iustice obtained But to make them amends because they wold be the cleanlier rid of the residue of this miserable troope the Campe being then before Winoch Bargen wherein lay a migty strong garrison of Frenchmen they made them two Forts of purpose in which they willingly placed the English in the vttermost part of the whole Campe nearest confining to the towne to the end they might haue all their throats cut as indéed they had in verie few nights after at which time the enemie assaulting thē with great furie and they defending themselues most manfully aboue the space of one houre in such sort as the Alarum passed through the whole Campe yet they were not relieued with any succour at all insomuch as the greatest part of thē being slaine the enemie at last entred and put the residue to the sword To rehearse the sundry and seuerall calamities that these poore men aswel Captaines as souldiers endured during the time of their vnfortunate seruice especially at Gansbecke Aske and Gauer would séeme for the vnspeakeable strangenesse therof scarcely credible for they neuer receiued in all the time of their seruice one moneths pay their Lieutenants and their Ensignes haue bene séene to go vp and downe sickely and famished begging their bread couered only with poore blankets and tickes of featherbeds that they had rifled in the villages abroad And for a further proofe of the cruelty of the Spaniards against the English nation whensoeuer the fortune of warres hath deliuered any of vs into their hands it is strange to thinke with what gréedie and vnsatiable thirst they haue desired to shed the English bloud And for examples at Resendale where sundrie English regiments being by the Marshal Byron abandoned and betrayed were by them defeated and ouerthrowne as is scarcely credible what barbarous crueltie they vsed vpon men rendred and demanding mercie vpon their knées But admit all crueltie tolerable during the surie of an execution though amōgst Christians and men of noble and valorous minds there is yet a moderation to be vsed what bloudy inhumanitie was euer heard the like to that which they vsed the next day for wheras the Italians Burgonians moued with a souldier like cōpassion had takē many English prisoners A horrible murther of the English men by Spaniards after they were yeelded saued thē from the former slaughter vpon the next morning march as they brought thē forth thinking to leade thē quietly to their quarter did not the Spaniards with a hellish furie crying matta matta kill kill draw their rapiers and murthred with many wounds these poore naked men not suffering a man of thē to escape aliue Likewise in that treacherous and Sinonicall practise of Graueling wherin they thought to haue entrapped noble Sir Philip Sidney how cruelly tyrānously did they vse these poore men of ours that were sent before to discouer it whō after they had receiued into their gates with friendly salutations Murther of men by the Spaniards after they had receiued thē kindly being entertained a good space in the towne in the end whē they did sée that the successe of their enterprise answered not their bloudy treacherous vnmāly expectatiō did they not disarme vnclothe thē in the market place finally like cruell butchers not like honorable souldiers murthered thē enery one They wil not trust you neither is there any reasō they should for vpō their arriuall in the Spanish campe they were deuided into seuē cōpanies They trust you not the one of which was giuē to the Earle of Westmerland who vpon their humble request and sute was made Coronell and Commander of them all and yet they would not trust him but appointed one Contraras a Spaniard to be ioyned with him as his assistant or rather as a Maister or Commander both ouer him and the regiment to ouersée They scorne and hate you for a great companie of them standing together séeing certaine Englishmen passe by one of them sayd that he wondred what the King made with anie such vermine in his countrey Another of them sware a great oath that looke how manie Englishmen there were in the kings seruice there were so many spies traitors The third said it was an almes déed to put them all in sackes and throw them into the riuer And the fourth said it would be a better course to send them to the kings gallies where in regard of their big ioints and broad shoulders they could not but proue good to tug at an oare A great mā in that countrey sware by a great oth that he knew not any one of the English in regard of his ability fit to do the king seruice worth the straw that lay vnder his foot Another great man of that country said that he did not know what seruice the English had done or were able to do vnlesse it were to spend the kings money in tauernes and brothell houses They sought to disgrace you for whereas some of the English Captaines had made of their owne charges new faire Ensignes those Ensignes were by a Spanish Commissarie called Spinosa who came with order to dissolue the
once to die and how when or where is most vncertaine and to giue our liues for our countrie hath alwayes among all nations and among the heathen bene reputed an honorable thing whereby euerlasting fame is attained and left to posteritie as the noble Orator Tully saith Hijs maiores nostri qui ob rem publicam obierunt pro breui vita diuturnam memoriam reddiderunt that is To them which haue lost their liues for the common wealth for a short life they haue yeelded euerlasting memorie There is no difference betwixt the greatest person the meanest man whē they are both dead if there be no vertues or deedes of fame done by them whereby to commend their name to posteritie Therefore euerie man that desireth to liue in name when he is dead ought to endeuour himselfe to leaue some memorie of his vertues or worthie acts that it may appeare that once he liued here else being laid in his graue he shall soone be forgotten Riches and beautie saith Salust do vanish soone away but vertues and deeds of fame are euerlasting which sith our liues are short momentanie we must by this meanes make perpetuall A glorious death is alwayes to be preferred afore a life stained with reproch and infamie If you will consider what miseries and calamities happen where the enemy preuaileth look backe into the hard dealing of William Duke of Normandie when he conquered this Lande it ought greatly to encourage you in this seruice against the enemy Did not he alter the whole state and gouernment of our Countrey Did he not make new Lawes altogither profitable for himselfe and his Normans and hurtfull to our Nation Did he not spoile sundry of the English Nobles and others of their lands and possessions contrary to promise yea euen to those English Lords who ayded him in that Conquest Did not hee lay greeuous taxes tallages and impositions vpon our Nation There was no cruelty no misery no seruitude or bondage which could be deuised but he afflicted them therewith as by our Chronicles euidently appeareth and shall we looke for any other if our enemies shoulde preuaile The wise Cato said Cato Foelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum Happy is he that can beware by others dāgers mishap Now therefore if euer you will shew your loyaltie to your Prince and loue to your Countrey your naturall affection to your old father and aged mother to your deer wiues and sweet children which cannot defend themselues if euer you will shew your selues careful to preserue your posterities that shall succeed if euer you desire to maintaine the Honour and Worship of the houses whereof you are descended if euer you will shewe your selues to come of the seed and generation of your valiant auncestors couragious forefathers if euer you will leaue Honor or fame to your posterities of your valour in Armes wherby your ofspring may be incouraged to follow your steps nowe is the time or neuer Plucke vppe therefore your hearts like men and set your rest vppon it determining with your selues rather to die in field in defence of your Prince and countrey then that these myseries shoulde happen vnto vs if you turne your faces which God defend then shall our Prince bee indangered the state of our Common-wealth ouerthrowne we shall be slaine as thicke as motes in the sunne our fathers mothers wiues and children shall be destroyed our wiues our daughters and kinswomen rauished and defloured afore our faces straungers shall possesse our lands and liuings and wee that now liue in honor worship and credit and as it were at our owne hearts ease shall then be made subiects bondmen slaues and pesaunts to Forreners and strangers and then shall al the myseries before remembred or which can be deuised be laide vpon vs. There is no cause my good friendes and fellowes in Armes why wee should stande in feare or doubt of these proud Spaniardes though they farre exceede vs in number nor of their hauty lookes or great bragges for they are of no greater force or strength now then they were in former times when vnder the conduct of that worthy couragious Prince of Wales eldest son to K. Edw. the 3. a small Army of Englishmen passed in despite of them through Nauarre into Spaine there euen in the midst and bowels of their own countrey ouerthrewe at Nadres the vsurping K. Henry the bastard with diuers of his Nobility and 60000. of the brauest fighting men in Spaine erected in his place Don Pedro their lawful Prince cōpelling the Nobility and citties to receiue him Besides the valorous conquest atchieued by Iohn Duke of Lanc. brother to the said Prince in Galicia against Don Iohn sonne of the said Henry the vsurping bastard What famous victorie the noble K. Rich. the first obtained against the Souldan of Egypt and the K. of Cypres in their owne territories and made the said K. of Cypres do homage for that kingdome to the crown of Engl. Besides other Nations which haue often receiued sundry great ouerthrowes at our hands thogh they were mighty in Armes such was the wil of God who giueth victory where he pleaseth And for that praise and rewards are due for iust deserts if you will shew your selues valiant Captains and couragious souldiors in this seruice of which I haue no doubt and wherof I wil God willing make true report vnto her Ma. you may be assuted that as she wil highly commend you so you shal be rewarded accordingly for she holds such as you to be the chiefe defenders of her state and Common-wealth against the enemy and regardeth not such as liue daintily at ease before men of your quality For they as Osorius affirmeth which prefer such before men of your condition are to be held subuerters of their countrey in laying it open to the enemy in defrauding the same of her necessary defence safeguard And for my part I assure you on my Honor that whatsoeuer persons you shall take prisoners whatsoeuer thing shall fal into your hāds of the spoile after the battel you shal enioy the same with good wil as the law of Armes requireth to the end ye may the rather be incouraged in this action now in hand for I hold it no reason that you should abide the brunt of battell and not retaine and enioy the same which you shall obtaine with the venturing of your liues and losse of your bloud And againe the rather to encourage you in this seruice see how gratiouslie and carefully her Ma. and the whole state of the Parliament haue prouided for the keeping and releefe of such of you which bee common souldiers which shal happen to be maimed in her wars which afore her daies was neuer done And now to the end we may the rather preuaile against our enemies I exhort and aduise you noble Captains valiant Gentlemen attempt nothing in your fury without due consideration first had for such