sufficiently supplyed with men and arms as is fit and much desired therfore I say the Lord of Hoasts abhorring and abominating such atrocious and hell-fomented blasphemies murthers and mercilesse cruelties makes his just indignation and wrath to prosecute and pursue them at the heeles giving those small and inconsiderable companies such admirable and even almost miraculous victories over them as most evidently declare the hand of the Lord to be against them and his gracious purpose utterly to supplant and exterminate such devillishly desperate and intolerably barbarous and bloody Rebels and Traitors the lively lims and lineaments of that bloody Strumpet of Rome The most bloody Massacre at Paris Anno 1572. extracted out of the French History truly and briefly related ANd now good Reader give me leave a little to seeme to digresse not so much from the matter as from the persons and places at first propounded and to looke but a little into our neighbour Kingdome of France where I say I shall only vary from personages but the subject matter the same with the former setting forth the bloody plots and conspiracies of the Popish Faction among them also against those of the reformed Protestant Religion in France and especially in that most butcherly and barbarous Massacre at Paris where it primarily and chiefly began to be cruelly acted and executed on Gods innocent lambes marked out to the slaughter before hand And thus it was in brief In the yeares 1571. and 72. Charles the ninth then K. of France the said K. the then Duke of Guise and others of the Romish Faction bearing a most inveterate hatred which was craftily concealed against those of the Religion and in speciall against the then most renowned Admirall of France whose Piety Prudence and Prowesse was such and in so high esteem of all both friends and foes also that whiles he subsisted and survived the Popish-party maugre their malice could doe nothing to any purpose to the prejudice of the cause of the Religion At last a plot was laid most craftily and cruelly under pretence of a marriage between the Prince of Navarr a noble and pious Prince of the Religion and the Kings Sister by which snare to bring the said Prince the Admirall and the rest of the heads of the Religion to the Court and City of Paris that so these heads being first smitten-off the inferiour members therof might the more easily be destroyed Under this colour I say the King invites the Admirall to the Court at Paris pretends a faire correspondence and agreement of all matters in difference 'twixt his Majesty and those of the Religion especially himselfe and the Admirall and a reconcilement also betweene this noble Admirall and the Duke of Guise In which interim one Lignerolles a French Gentleman was openly slain in the Court for discovering some secrets concerning this plot against those of the Religion and the Cardinall of Chastillon then in England and ready to depart thence for France brother to the Admirall of France was poysoned by one of his Chamberlaines and dyed therof to the great griefe of all his friends and servants The most noble and religious Admirall on the Kings invitation comes to Paris was with extraordinary fair shows of love and regall respect most welcomely entertained both he and divers others of the Religion that came with him The fore-said marriage was not long after solemnized in Paris with great pretences of joy and content on all sides expressed in most sumptuous and liberall feasts and banquets Maskes and dances the sweet innocent Princes little dreaming of such a dance to be now a leading by the King Queen-mother and Duke of Guise with the rest of their Romish bloody faction as stain'd nay steep'd all their dainties in streames of their hearts blood in so much as 't was admired to see such a seeming friendly mixture of those of the Religion with the Romish Catholiks just like so many lambs among so many greedy wolvs Now whiles every one imployed himself in such like mirth jollity divers that were sent for by the K. Q-Mother Du. of Guise that so they might be sure to be the stronger party speedily arrived in Paris the Catastrophe of all that follows having bin made not long before among them the Dukes of Guise and Anjon being the principall actors openly seen in this wicked work who resolved not to let the Admirall depart out of Paris but there to dispatch him and all such as should indeavour to defend him Now it so fell out that one morning the Admirall comming out of the Lonure and going to dine at his lodging being on foot and without least suspition of any villanie to be attempted against him as he was reading a Petition one shot at him with a harquebush the bullet wherof tooke away the fore-finger of his right-hand and hurt him in the left-arme the villaine that shot escaped by flight a horse standing ready to post him away after he had done the deed The noble Admirall being therupon brought to his lodging shewed most singular Piety Constancy and Patience under his Surgeons hands was visited by divers Lords and Gentlemen of the Religion the K. of Navarr now the K. of France his brother in law and the Prince of Conde The French K. also though a maine plotter in the work craftily complained to these Princes of the mischiefe thus happened protesting his sorrow and swearing revenge and severe execution of Justice on the offendor whosoever he were The K. himself also went to visit the Admirall making many serious and deep protestations of his high esteem of his loyalty and fidelity to his Person and Crowne alwayes and that he held and esteemed him a most discreet and valiant Commander in Arms and that therfore he much respected him with many such like French complements Immediately after the Kings departure the K. of Navarr and the Prince of Conde were certainly but very secretly enformed of the intended massacre on all of the Religion and advised as speedily as they could to get away out of Paris and to be assured that that blow given to the Admirall was but the beginning of the Tragedy but alas good Princes they so much confided on the Kings vows promises that they rejected this advise and counsel staied ther still About Saturday evening being the 23. of Aug. 1572. certain Protestant Gen. offered themselves to watch that night with the good Admirall but Teligny his son in law would not suffer them but dismissed them with many thanks little suspecting still any approaching or precipitating danger on his father Night being come-on the Duke of Guises Lieut. in this action which now at this present was to be declared to the Duke of Anjon sent for all the Captains of the Switzers and companies of Strangers which still increased into the Town shewing them his Commissions to kill the Admir and all his partakers exhorting them to be couragious in shedding of blood and making spoyle of
others on the roofes of houses and in whatsoever other places where they might be found It would be too tedious to recite at large the names and surnames of all the honorable personages of divers qualities that were then slain and butchered it sufficeth that their names are written in heaven and that their death though shamefull and despicable in the sight and presence of men of this world is precious in the sight of the Lords most holy Majesty Now let the tender hearted Christian Reader but consider and ponder in his heart how strange and horrible a thing it might be in a great Town or City to see at the least 60000 men with Pistols Pikes Courtlasses Ponyards Knives and other such bloody instruments run swearing and blaspheming the sacred Majesty of God throughout the streets and into mens houses where most cruelly they massacred all whomsoever of the Religion they met without regard of estate condition sex or age the streets paved with bodies cut and hewed in peeces the gates and entries of houses Palaces and publike places died with bloud A horrible plague of shoutings and howlings of the murtherers mixed with continuall blows of Pistols and Calivers together with the pittifull cryes of those that were murthered the bodies cast out at windowes upon the stones drawne through the dirt with strange noyse and whistlings the breaking open of doors and windows with bils stones and other furious instruments the spoyling and plundering of houses Carts carrying away the spoyles and dead bodies which were throwne into the river of Soame all red with blood which ran in great streams through the Town and from the Kings Pallace into the said river As for the King of Navarr himselfe and the Prince of Conde they were called into the Kings presence who must himselfe speak with them who with his own mouth certified them what had thus past all this while adding that he had saved their lives only upon condition that they should renounce their Religion and follow his otherwise that they must look for the like punishment that their Adherents had and should receive The King of Navarr besought the King to remember his promise of alliance newly contracted and not to constraine him in his Religion The Prince of Conde also more fervently answered that the King had given his faith unto him and to all those of the Religion with so solemn a Protestation and Vow that he could not be perswaded that his Majesty would falsifie such an authentick oath and that thereupon he had thus farre yeelded to his Majesties demands and faithfully performed what he had required of him on this assurance But as touching the Religion whereof the King had granted him the free exercise and God the true knowledge to whom he was to make an account therin for this his Religion he said he was fully resolved to remaine most constant therin and which he would alwayes maintain to be true although it were with the losse of his life This answer of the Prince set the King into such a choller that he began to call him rebell seditious and son of a seditious person with horrible threatnings to cause them to loose their heads if within 3 dayes they tooke not better counsell and indeed these threatnings and other crafty carriages in this way so wrought on both these Princes at last that they forsooke their Faith and first Love and turned to Romish abhominations Now the King perceiving that this massacre of Paris would not quench the fire but rather kindle it the more fearing least those of the Religion in his other Provinces and Townes might assemble and unite themselves together and so give them new worke he with the speedy advise of his Counsellours sent two Messengers with two severall Messages the one to the Governours and seditious Catholikes of his remoter Townes wherein were many of the Religion with expresse command to massacre them the other containing certaine Letters to the Governours of Provinces by which he pretended this Massacre to be perpetrated by the Duke of Guise and the Admirall to be murthered on a particular and private quarrell twixt them two and that the Kings honest meaning and intention was utterly against these things and seriously to maintaine his former Edict of a generall Pacification and therfore that his care and vigilancy had ceased it the same day it began and yet as my Authour recordeth in his History on the Tewsday following being the 26. of the same August the King accompanied with his Brethren and the chiefest of his Court went to his Court of Parliament and there publickly declared in expresse tearms that whatsoever had hapned in Paris was done not only by his consent but also by his commandement and of his own motion And as for his other former mentioned Message and Letter to other Townes and Provinces for the massacring of those of the Religion among them also his bloudy command herein was immediately put in execution at Lyons and many other places where the poore Protestants were murthered and massacred in most hideous and horrible manner by those mercilesse and inhumane Butchers of bloody Rome who knockt down the innocent Christians among them as so many doggs cut their throats â—â—angled their bodies slash'd off their hands with great sharp knives as on their knees they held them up to the villains praying for the sparing of their lives yea and were knowne to rip up their bellies and take out their fat from their bowels and to sell it to their Apothecaries to make medicines Thus also in those remoter parts from Paris were very many thousands of the Religion murthered without any difference or distinction either of Sex or Age. And so deeply enraged was the King and his adherents and so desperately resolved to root out and extirpate the memory of those of the Religion especially of any note or eminency that the King having at last got into his custody one Briquemant a noble French Gentleman of the age of seventy yeares one that had valiantly imployed himselfe in the Service of the Kings of France having been found in the House of the Embassadour of England then resident in France wherein he had hid himselfe whiles the greatest fury of the massacre was executed was by the Kings command put in close prison together with another vertuous Gentleman Cavagnes Master of the Requests both which Gentlemen bare great affection both unto the Religion and also unto the renowned Admirall and were themselves of great esteeme and reputation in France but the King having them now fast in hould threatned to teare them in peeces upon the rack if they would not write and signe with their hands that they had conspired with the Admirall to kill the King his Brethren the Queene and the King of Navarr But they having most constantly and justly refused to avouch so horrible a lye against their owne and their godly friends innocencies were racked and cruelly tormented and by a most unjust sentence
A DISCOVERY OF THE POPES PRIDE AMBITION and CRUELTY In a Tyrannicall Barbarous and Bloudy manner exercised on Emperours Kings and Kingdomes The Miseries Ruine and Desolations by them brought on the Christian world WITH Their vitious and unchaste lives their wicked practices for obtaining the Popedome by Murthers Poysonings c. By J. V. LONDON Printed for William Raybould at the Sign of the Unicorn in Pauls-Church-yard 1651. The Contents PHilip the second King of Spain his offer of Marriage with Q. Elizabeth rejected The practice of the Guises with the Q. of Scots against the Crowne of England The Rebellion of the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland the Pope sends Letters to the King of Spaine and K. of Portugall to send an Army to invade England Leo Dacres joyning with the Rebells indevoureth to deliver the Q. of Scots after a sharp conflict with the Lo. of Hunsdon is put to flight Iames FitZ-Morris of the House of Desmond raiseth Rebellion in Ireland Thomas and Edward Stanley with others conspire against the Queene Don Iohn of Austria his perpetuall but treacherous Edict for Peace Stucley his designe against Ireland turned another way by the K. of Portugall Iames Fitz-Morris his second attempt to reduce Ireland to Popery San Iosephus an Italian sent by the Pope and K. of Spaine with 700. Spaniards and Italians into Ireland Campian Sherewin and others comming into England taken and condemned for Treason Somervile his desperate attempt against the Queenes Person Mendoza the Spanish Embassador thrust out of England for practising with Throgmorton and others to invade the Land D. Parry for practising the Queenes death executed Savage and others their attempt to kill the Queene The French Ambassador his plot to kill the Queene The Spanish Armado in Anno 1588. D. LopeZ his attempt to poyson the Queene Squires practise to poyson the Queenes Saddle Tyrone his Rebellion in Ireland Garnet Catesby and others their attempt for Invasion of England The Hellish Gun-powder Treason Sir Griffin Markham and others their conspiracy against King Iames. The present bloudy Rebellion in Ireland The cruell Massacre at Paris The Murther of Henry the 3d. The Murther of Henry the 4th Gentle Reader THou mayest evidently see by this ensuing discourse what are the fruits and effects of Popery how the Popes have kindled the fier amongst all the Princes and States of Europe and like Balaam the false Prophet troubled us with their wiles cursed the Church and State of England and by their Incendiaries the Priests and Iesuites for effecting their owne pernicious and divellish designes have stirred up one Nation against an other and all Christendome against the English tainted many a great House and endangered their Lives and Estates to the ruine of great and Noble Families in this Kingdome Plots Conspiracies and Attempts of Domestick and Forraigne Enemies of the Romish Religion against the Princes and Kingdomes of England Scotland and IRELAND c. THose which make descriptions of large Countries in small Tables offend not against truth though somewhat against quantity so Pliny telleth us Notwithstanding with much convenience ease to the beholder and truth of observation things are presented to our eyes in those little draughts that the very places themselves being viewed with great trouble and losse of time cannot yeeld more benefit to the most diligent oftentimes not so much Wherfore especially because the Argument cannot be now unseasonable for the abridgement of the Commentaries of large Histories is not unlike Maps of Kingdomes I have here collected out of divers Authours which have severally handled parts of this subject into one The chief conspiracies and attempts against the Kingdomes alone and immediately of great Brittany and Ireland or els mediately through the sides of the Princes of these Countries by Traytors at home or abroad of the Romish Religion or forraigne Enemies by treacherous courses of those of the same bloody superstition The beginning I make the first time of Reformation of Religion here in England under Queen Elizabeth and the extent unto this present yeere I begin no higher then Queene Elizabeth because the Reformation of Henry the eight was but in part and the other of King Edward was an interrupted one by the sudden succession of his sister Qu. Mary the rather because for ought we know there was no great matter plotted against this hopefull young Prince that was not rather from ambition if there was any such then from a desire of subverting Religion Not but thaa the Enemies of our Religion and Kingdome had us then in their minds but other wayes there were before bloody and desperate practises were to be taken in hand to be first entred into of lesse difficulty and more hopefull successe And these are the steps the adversaries of our Religion use to tread who thirsting after England labour first to bring us back to Rome by striving to make our selves hate our own Religion and leave that God which brought us out of the Land of Aegypt bewitching us with glorious Idolatry of the golden Calvs of Rome introducing ignorance and blindnes that we may when our eyes are out patiently grind in the Mill of slavery If this course fail the next is by poyson murder and force of Arms to draw us to Sodom and Aegypt The Reformation of England and Ireland fall under one time and because that of Scotland also differeth not many years in age they may all be brought in one account With the Plots are joyntly handled the Deliverances which in some respect or other may very well be called great either in regard of the misery we had fallen into if God had not prevented them of the slavery of soule and body and this agreeth with all Or else for the strangenesse of the discoveries of their mischiefes sometime almost miraculous before they have come to their birth or disappointing them of their purposes when the Authours have put them in practise and these two respects the one or the other which may well denominate Gods goodnesse to us in disappointing them to be great may be found in all likewise So that for these mercies received we ought to ascribe to our Deliverer that which is due unto him the praise of his own work and continuall thankes for his mercies which even to this day is from those Deliverances of the dayes of old extended we should have bin then betrayed but we had now bin slaves both we our selves and ours one Plot had it succeeded had bin the betraying of England at once to them who love themselves too well to have lost it easily and are so wise that they endure no Traitors but for themselves nor can indure any that loves his Country but a Spaniard We may learne also to trust in him even now particularly who is the same yesterday and to day and for ever nor is his hand shortened that he cannot save nor his eare heavy that he cannot heare those that call upon him lifting up pure hands in
sincerity of heart although the sins of our Nation in generall may justly provoke our God to punish us by them that hate us for that cause that instead of extirpating Popery and superstition a thing nor hard to be done in humane reason if the children of Papists were carefully educated under Protestant Tutors we thinke their Religion tolerable and nothing so dangerous to soul or body as some men seem to make it Should we not detest and abhorre the Religion of such a generation as count they doe God good service by killing us witnesse the bloudy Persecution under Qu. Mary and the damnable plot of the Gun-powder-Treason Yet some there are that would seem Protestants and yet deny that their cruelty was such as the Authour of the English Martyrology makes the Marian persecution to be Others of no small esteem in the Church of England instead of acknowledging Foxes History a Monument of Martyrs call it a Book fraught with Traitors and Heretiques And for the Gun-powder conspiracy some affirm it the deeds of a few male-contents farre from the approbation of the Catholiques others as falsely that there was no such Treason intended but that it was an invention of him whom in reverence I forbeare to name But yet this may incourage us that God will still preserve us for their sakes that have now and heretofore stoutly defended Gods true Religion and that in very many places of this Land we have had those that with all their power have opposed the very beginnings of Popery But wonderfull it is and scarcely credible that any should so much have forgotten the Gun-powder-Treason as to say that they would rather trust a Papist then a Puritan as if they believed not there was any such Treason or had forgotten it or that they thought that those whom men call Puritans were traiterously minded and bloudy persons In the most Reverend and Judicious Assembly of this Kingdome a Member of that Assembly declared in particulars how the best men have bin branded with the name of Puritan it was where any man might freely have spoken yet no man contradicted him If it be given sometime to the best without question those ordinarily called by that bie name are none of the worst because from likenesse at least divers men have one Name We will acknowledge hypocrites among them but because one is such no man will conclude they must be all so No man of us almost abhorreth the name of Protestant to be given him and yet of these some will lie others will steale and a third sort will do worse Since this Parliament perhaps I imagine the time and reason aright the Jesuites and Jesuited have invented a strange name for such men and let fall the reproach of Puritan They call them by a figurative name which is ignorantly spoken by most falsly by all and as the roundest figure is of the largest capacity so they have shaped them a name which larger then Precisian Brownist or the like surroundeth every one that thinketh it not a just thing to rail against the Parliament or curse the Fathers of his Country But I desire not to be called but to be totus teres atque rotundus So much by the way to fall upon the busines now The King of Spaine offereth Marriage to the Queen AT the beginning of the raigne of Qu. Elizabeth Philip the second of Spaine sought to win her to him by Marriage not doubting to procure a dispensation for the Incest but was as wisely answered as he wickedly and craftily intended that the Queen could not so soon forget her Sisters death she knowing it to be a part of discretion to keep in hope so potent an Adversary if he should be incensed by a denyall her own Kingdom by reason of the change of Religion and the depriving of many Popish Bishops which the blinded people had in some esteem among many other alterations being of doubtfull affections till she could better provide for her own security The Spaniard in the mean time perceived that his suit was not like to succeed when the thought of uniting England to Spaine by the marriage of Q. Elizabeth if like her sister Mary she proved not barren was taken away he took hold on the next occasion The practice of the Guises with the Queen of Scots against ENGLAND MAry now Queene of Scots Daughter and heire apparant unto James the fift and Wife unto Francis Dauphine of France Daughter of Mary of Loraine who was Sister unto the Duke of Guise She after the death of Qu. Mary of England being incouraged thereunto by the Guises her Uncles usurpeth the Armes of England uniting them to the Armes of Scotland on her plate in the windowes of her house and on her servants coats declaring her selfe thereby Queen of England Her meaning was well understood and this it is very probable in the fourth yeare of Qu. Elizabeth made Arthur Poole and his Brethren descended of George Duke of Clarence Brother to Edward the fourth and Anthony Fortescue their Brother in law with their confederates to conspire secretly to fly unto the Guises in France and thence and with their help to come with an Army into Wales and ther to proclaime the Queen of Scots Queen of England and Arthur Poole Duke of Clarence God was pleased in a very good time to discover this Plot. For had they gone thither and discovered their intents it had if God had not powerfully opposed it not only animated the Guises to have seconded them and furnished them with men and mony but having returned into Wales they would have gathered great forces to augment their numbers and put the Queen to the incomparable trouble and danger of a civill warre Beside all this she had at this time on every side enemies abroad the French King the King of Spaine the Guisian and Popish faction in Scotland The loyall people of Scotland were so unable to helpe her that they stood in need of her helpe The Low-Countries were under Spanish tyranny and a convenient place from whence to annoy this Kingdome The Conspiratours confessed that they did not intend to put in practise this thing during the life of our Queen for indeed they were made beleeve by predictions of Popish Astrologians that Qu. Elizabeth could not live above one yeare The good Queen notwithstanding pardoned their lives after sentence of death upon them from their own confession And how zealously the Guises endeavoured to invade England may appeare by the inclination of Sebastian Martigius sent into Scotland by the counsell of the Guises for about those times their alone counsels were principally followed with Horse and Foot to assist in the civill warre of Scotland who could hardly be restrained from invading England presently and first of all presuming no question on the ayde of Papists in England from intelligence held with them here For otherwise what could a 1000. Horse and not very many Foot do in respect of conquering all England
was such a man as being of great wealth mighty in friends and singular abilities of mind could better bring about what was desired then a man of no great riches at any time but was now in extreme poverty and disgrace in the Dominions of the King of Denmark and notoriously infamous for his crimes in Scotland The Rebellion of the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland AT this time the King of Spaine wrote unto the Duke of Norfolk to joyn with the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland to raise a Rebellion in England and to the Earle of Ormond to do the like in Ireland These Letters were shewen unto Qu. Elizabeth by the Duke and the Earle that from hence at least might appeare their loyalty Neverthelesse whether by the advice of the Bishop of Rosse who lay as Ambassadour at London for the Queen of Scots and one Rodolf a Florentine going in the appearance of a Merchant factor or purposing of himselfe whatsoever he might pretend he privately sought to marry the Q. of Scots she being next heir to the Crown of England contrary to his promise made unto his Soveraign Q. Elizabeth The Q. of Scots and the Duke participate of one anothers mind by Letters written in hidden characters Neither was this a matter only supposed but the Dukes Secretary one Hieford who was commanded by the Duke to burne such Letters as came from the Qu. of Scots but did it not and hid them under a mat in his chamber and being under examination he caused them to be reduced This was when the two Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland had secretly complotted to raise Armes and not long after the Dukes apprehension they fell into open Rebellion One of the Letters which was shewen at the Dukes arraignment was to this purpose That the Qu. was sorry that the said Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland were in Armes before the Dukes forces were ready This was undertaken after that Pope Pius quintus had in Bulls from Rome printed and sent to Ridolf absolved Q. Elizabeths Subjects from their allegiance The Pope perswaded the Spaniard to assist the conspiratours that his affairs in the Netherlands might prosper the better and the French did the like that the Qu. of England might be lesse able to send aid to the Protestants in France Northumberland and Westmerland having thus taken Armes supplies and monies failing withdrew themselves into Scotland Norfolk was thrown into prison Ridolf being in custody for whom the Pope had appointed 150000 crowns to the partners in the Treason He being with the Pope is sent by him to the Spaniard to presse him to give assistance to the King of Portugall also for the same purpose He wrote also to the Duke of Norfolk promising to send him aid The Popes letter to the Spaniard was that he should send an Army out of the Low-countries to invade England And this very thing the Spaniard endeavoured There was now a difference betwixt Q Elizabeth and the Spaniard about mony sent by him to the Duke of Alva but was intercepted by the Queen and that was one pretence that the Spaniard had for his dealing against our Queen and Kingdome But the Duke of Norfolk was put to death Nor is this the Relation of an English Protestant but of a Papist a good part whereof had not bin knowne but for him one Hieronimus Calena The Book was printed at Rome by the priviledge of â—ius quintus 1588. The Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland seduced by one Morton a Priest and at Duresme set up the Masse thence they marched to Clifford moore where hearing that the Queen of Scots was removed to Coventry that the Earle of Sussex was sent with strong forces against them and that Sir George Bowes was behind them and had fortified Bernards Castle that Scroupe and Cumberland had fortified Carliel and had also an Army in readines that the souldiers of Barwick and the power of Northumberland were in New-castle besieged Bernards Castle and took it on conditions Then for feare of the Earle of Sussex they fled to Hexam thence by bie-wayes to Naworth Castle from that place into Scotland and from thence was Northumberland sent and here beheaded Westmerland escaped into the Netherlands where with a poor pension under the Spaniard he lived poorly all his days Dacres his endeavour to deliver the Scots Queen IN the Yeare 1569. Leonard Dacres second son of William Lord Dacres of Gillesland being grieved to see a very great patrimony go from him to the daughters of the Baron whom the Duke of Norfolke their Father in law had joyned in marriage with his sons grew revengefull and joyning with the Rebels endeavored to deliver the Queen of Scots yet a little before being at the Court promised to assist the Queen his Soveraign against the Rebels but treacherously he undertook to kill the L. Scroup and Bishop of Carleil to whose custody the Scottish Queen was committed but he failing in the performance took Grastock Castle holding it as his own and gathered Souldiers The L. Hunsdon met him with the trained Souldiers of Barwick and after a sharpe conflict overcommeth him and Dacres fled into Scotland from thence into the Netherlands where at Lovaine he lived and dyed poorly Fitz-Morris raiseth Rebellion in Ireland IN this Yeare Edmund and Peter Butler brethren to the Earle of Ormond joyning with James Fitz-Morris of the house of Desmond entred into a conspiracy against Qu. Elizabeth and to further it came Joannes Mendoza secretly out of Spaine The Earle of Ormond going into Ireland caused them to submit they were imprisoned and for their brother the Earles sake not brought to tryall The Lord Deputy and Sir Humphrey Gilbert through Gods assistance appeased that rebellion It is cleare enough that this rebellion in Ireland arose from the Spaniard as the first mover for to this end he sent Mendoza into Ireland and had not long before written to the Earle brother to the two Rebels to raise a rebellion in Ireland Stanleys Conspiracy IN the Yeare 1570. under a colour of delivering the Queen of Scots Thomas Stanley and Edward younger sons of the Earle of Darby Thomas Jerard Rolston Hall with others in Darby-shiere conspired but the son of Rolston which was pensioner to the Queen disclosed the conspiracy All but Hall were impisoned Hall escaped into the Isle of Man thence by the commendation of the Bish of Rosse he was sent into Dunbretan whence the Castle being won he was brought to London and suffered death Dissimulation of Don John of Austria IN the Yeare 1576. Don John of Austria comming into the Low-Countries as Governour sent Gastellus to Qu. Elizabeth pretending a perpetuall Edict for peace The Queen as if ignorant of any bad intent sent Rogers to congratulate Don Johns Edict yet she knew that Don John had conceived a certain hope of marrying the Qu. of Scots and of enjoying Scotland and England intending to invade the Isle of Man that from thence
he might out of Ireland the north of England and Scotland also where he knew were many Papists invade England This man to help forward this great designe practised secretly with the Pope and with the King of Spain for the Havens of Biscay But the King of Spain neglected him in this desire accounting England and Scotland a morsell fitter for his own palate During this treaty of perpetuall peace this treacherous Don treateth secretly with the Scotish Queen about the marriage and the better to work his own ends took divers Towns and Castles in the Low-countries by treachery and wrote into Spain that for the invasion of the Netherlands it would be best to seize on first the Towns of Zealand before the more inland places and that England might with the more ease be first invaded The Queen in the mean while prepareth for war but God cut off this her enemy very sodainly before the fruits of his high thoughts were ripe Stueleys designe against Ireland NOt long before this time in Ireland Thomas Stucley a prodigall riotous and needy English-man discontented for that he lost the Stewardship of Wexford breathes out contumelies against the Queen and betaketh himselfe to the Pope with whom he treateth and boasteth that he will subdue Ireland with 3000. men and burne the Queens Navy Pope Pius quintus had a great opinion of him After him Gregory the 13. and the King of Spaine consulted together to invade England and Ireland at once The Pope aymed to get for his Son James Boncompayno the Kingdome of Ireland and the Spaniard chiefly to imitate the course of Qu. Elizabeth who to keep the Spaniard busie abroad secretly sent ayd to the Dutch that he might with-draw her help from the Low-countries But because the strength of England consisteth chiefly in the Navy the King of Spaine setteth the Merchants of Italy and the Netherlands a worke to hire the Merchants ships of England and so to send them away in very long voyages that the ships being from home and Stucley joyning with the Rebels of Ireland the Queens Navy might be over-thrown by a greater The Pope gave him very great Titles in Ireland and sent under his command 800. Italians the Spaniard paying the souldiers Stucley then went to Sebastian King of Portugall to intreat him to be chiefe Conductor but was perswaded by the said King and the King by Abdallas son Mahomet to go first unto the African warr where both King Sebastian and himself lost their lives And thus God overthrew their wicked counsels for that time Fitz-Morris his second attempt against Ireland ANno Domini 1579. James Fitz-Morris formerly having fled into France being pardoned for a former Rebellion in Ireland goeth now to the Spaniard and is by him sent unto the Pope to consult with him about his request which was to reduce that Kingdome by force of Arms unto Popery The Pope at the earnest sult of Nicolas Sanders an English and Alan an Irish Priest gave Fitz-Morris some mony to that intent and sendeth him back to the Spaniard from whence with his Priests 3. ships and a few Souldiers he arrived at Smerwick in Kerry in Ireland and raiseth a Fort there Thomas Courtney an English-man presently surpriseth the ships John and James brethren to the Earle of Desmond joyn themselves to Fitz-Morris who was their Kinsman The Earle of Desmond although he pretended the contrary favored them drew forces together and by this pretence of Desmond caused the Earle of Clanrickard who came to oppose them to withdraw himselfe Fitz-Morris seeing few Irish come to his aid under pretence of going in pilgrimage to the holy crosse of Tipperary went toward Conaught and Vlster to draw forces together whose horses being tired he took some horses from the Plough of William a Burgh his kinsman and being pursued by the sons of William a Burgh Fitz-Morris perceiving that told his cousin Theobalda Burgh that it was no time now to fall out about horses but to joyne with him in the businesse of rebellion for which he was come into Ireland These brethren had bin in a former rebellion but now declared unto Fitz-Morris their sorrow for it yet now fighting with Fitz-Morris to recover the horses both the brethren and some others were slain Sir William Drury was then Lord Deputy who sent for the Earle of Desmond who made a promise by his wife to the Deputy that he and his men would fight against the Rebels He dissembled long but after that Malbey had defeated John his brothers forces and had sent for Desmond to come unto him about Rekel a Town of Desmond he plainly discovered his rebellion That night the Rebels set upon Malbeys Tents but were disappointed Afterward Desmond was sent for to come in person by the Lord Deputy Pelham who succeeded the deceased Sir William Drury but excuseth himselfe by a letter sent by his wife The Earle of Ormond was sent unto him that he should deliver Sanders the Priest the Castles of Carigofoile and Asketton and to submit himself absolutely The prosecuting of him was committed to the Earle of Ormond who ruined Conilo the Rebels only refuge he hanged the Bayliffe of Youghall at his doore for refusing to take an English garrison into the Town besieged the Spaniards in Strangicall but they withdrew themselves and after were all killed and so hard he pressed Desmond and his brethren that madly they intreated the chiefe Justice to take their parts Afterward the Justice sent for the Nobility of Munster to come to him and would not dismisse them till they had given pledges that they would assist against the Rebels They made the Baron of Lixenaw yeeld himself took Carigofoil Castle killed and hanged all the Spaniards in it and the Captain also an Italian San Josephus with 700. Spaniards sent into Ireland THe next Yeare 1580. 700. Spaniards and Italians came to divert the Qu. Forces rather then to conquer Ireland they landed at Smerwick under the command of San Josephus an Italian they fortified it and called it Fort Delor but being followed by the Earle of Ormond they withdrew thence into a valley called Glammingel Some prisoners of them were taken who confest they were 700 and that Armes were brought for 5000 and that more were expected from Spain that to conquer Ireland the Spaniard and Pope had resolved and therefore sent into the hands of Sanders Desmond and his brother John a vast sum of mony That night the Spaniards and Italians returned to their Fort which so soon as Ordinance could be brought and Winter was returned with the Ships of war from England was on every side besieged and after 5 days taken The common Souldiers Italians and Spaniards were put to the sword the Irish hanged only the Captains of the former were preserved Three years after Desmond wandering like a vagabond had his arme almost cut-off by a common Souldier before he was known and after was slain Nicolas Sanders was almost famished in the Woods