Kings to the Commons in Parliament and they to joyn with the Peers from whence it became the wisdom of Princes how to mannage this Government and to maintain this Form Lest some of this Body knit under one Head should swell and grow monstrous And Monarchy may sooner groan under the weight of Aristocracy as it often did than under Democracy which till now it never felt nor feared The Actions of which singly are inconsiderable after many Conjunctions grow at last into one great perfecting power or into Destroying Factions like smaller Brooks falling into some Main River The Parliament of England of long time and at this present was come to be a Convention of the Estates of the Kingdom assembled by the King of Bishops Peers and Peoples Commissioners They sat in two Senate-Houses or Chambers named a Higher and a Lower The Higher called also the House of Peers the Bishops and Peers viz. Dukes Marquesses Earls and Barons sit together with whom sit the Judges of the law for their advice not voice The Lower House called also the House of Commons is constituted of Knights of the Shire two Elected of every Shire and of Cities and Incorporations one or more Burgesses The day and place of Assembly is appointed by the King and adjourned removed elsewhere and dissolved at his pleasure The Lords or Peers are called by writs transmitted to them under the Kings hand The Commons by the Kings writ out of Chancery The writ to the Peers runs thus James by the Grace of God c. To the most reverend father in Christ so he stiles the Bishops Cousin if he speaks to the Peers for as much as by the advice of our Council upon some diffident and urgent affairs us and the State and defence of our Kingdom of England and the Church of England concernant We have ordained that our Parliament be held at c. there to consult and Treat with you and the rest of the Prelates Nobles and Heads of our said Kingdom of England We strictly charge and command you on your faith and love if to the Bishops by your fealty and Alleagance if to the Peers wherein you stand bound to us that considering the difficulty of the said affairs and the dangers iminent laying aside whatsoever excuse you be personally present on the said day and place with us and the rest of the Prelates Nobles and Heads to treat and give your advice touching the said affairs and this as you tender us and our Honour and the safety of our said Kingdom and Holy-Church and dispatch of the said affairs may you in no wise omit if he writes to the Bishops to warn the Dean and Chapiter of your Church and the whole Clergie of your Diocess that the same Dean and Arch-Deacons in their proper persons and the said Chapiter by one and the same Clergie by two sufficient substitutes having plenary and sufficient power from the said Chapiter and Clergy be personally present on the said day and place to consent to these things which then and there by the favor of the divine Clemencie shall happen to be ordained by the Common advice of our Kingdom Witness ourselves c. The other writ to the Sheriffs and Mayors of the Cities and Corporations is thus The King to the Sheriff Greeting For as much by the advice and consent of our Council and so goes on as above and there to confer and treat with the Prelates Peers and Heads of our Kingdom We strictly charge and command you that by proclamation made in your Shire upon the receipt of our writ you cause two Knights with swords by their sides the most sufficient and discreet of the Shire and of every City of that County two Citizens and of every Borough two Burgesses of the most discreet and sufficient to be freely and indifferently chosen by such as shall be present at the Proclamation according to the form of the Statutes on that behalf set forth and provided And the Names of the said Knights Citizens and Burgesses to be inserted in certain Indentures to be drawn between you and them that shall be present as such Elections whether the persons so chosen be present or absent And then to come at the same day and place so that the said Knights have full and sufficient power for themselves and the Communalty of the said Shire and the said Citizens and Burgesses for themselves and the Communities of the Cities Boroughs respectively from the same to do and consent to such things as then and there shall happen by Gods assistance to be ordained by the commune advice of our Kingdom concerning the affairs offered so that by your neglect therein the said affairs in any case remain not undone Notwithstanding we will not that you or any other Sheriff of our Kingdom be chosen At the day and place they meet at the Church first then at the Parliament-Houses orderly in their Robes with solemn gate such as might increase in the people the authority of their siting Then the King enters the Upper-House and either in his own person or by the mouth of his Chancellor declares the weighty causes of their Assembling in Contemplation whereof he desires their advice to communicate their Counsels in doubtfull matters most certain That himself be present at these consultations needs not but only as oft as he sees good There is no necessity after this unless in the end of the Session to add the strength and force of Laws to their results The Knights Citizens and Burgesses in the Lower-House are Man by Man called forth by their Names by some one delegated by the King and each is made to take the Oath of Alleageance heretofore was this I will keep true faith and Alleageance to James by the grace of God c. King His Heirs and successors Him and them I will defend to my utmost strength and with the hazard of my life and fortunes against all conspiracies and attempts against his Person Crown and Dignity And lest any should dream of a Consortship in Government there was superadded the Oath of Supremacy in these words I A. B. do utterly testifie and declare in my conscience that the Kings Highness is the onely Supreme Governour of this Realm and all other his Highness Dominions and Countreys as well in all Spiritual and Ecclesiastical things or causes as Temporal and that no forein Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate hath or ought to have any Iurisdiction Power Superiority Preheminence or Authority Ecclesiastical or Spiritual within this Realm and therefore I do utterly renounce and forsake all forein Iurisdictions Powers Superiorities and Authorities and do promise that from henceforth I shall â—ear Faith and true Alleageance to the Kings Highness his Heirs and lawfull Successors and to my power shall assist and defend all Iurisdictions Privileges Preheminences and Authorities granted or belonging to the Kings Highness his Heirs and Successors or united and
course but it fell out more fatal to him which lasted to the end and thereby wrought its best use In the midst of sufferings the bread of sorrow tastes better than the Banquet of fools for afflictions brings such mens souls to be Saints at the Mark which otherwise would be overgrown with too much Greatnesse His memorable abilities remain but in few and his compassionate infirmities common to all To expiate which he did as became him to do to the House of Peers prostrate himself and sins which ingenuously he acknowledged promising amendment of his life and made it good to the Worlds eye Those excellent works contrived in his retirement do evidently manifest his wit and worth with much regret to many good men that such an one should be fallen off from the face of State In Bacons place comes Doctor Williams Dean of Westminster by the Title of Keeper of the Great Seal of England the same power and Jurisdiction as the Chancelour see Statute quinto Elizab which was not so besore At first but as Vice-Chancelour Matthew Paris saith Custodiam â—igilli Regii accepit Cancelarii Vices Acturus Officium c. He was also then made Bishop of Lincoln together to make him more capable of the Office brought in sayes one to serve turns which no Lay-Man was bad enough to undertake Former ages held it more consonant to reason to trust the Conscience of the Clergy with the case of the Lay-man they best knowing a Case of Conscience and antiently the Civil Laws were adjudged by the Ministers of the Church and the Chancery and other Courts of Equity then in the charge of a Divine Minister And therefore a mistake in the Record that sets it down as a Wonder for an Arch-bishop of Saint Andrews to be made Chancelour of Scotland by King Charles a thing he saies not known in that Kingdom for three hundred years before for a Clergy man to bear that office But we find Iames Seaton and David Seaton both Arch-bishops of Saint Andrews and Chancelours of Scotland within one hundred years space And many other Arch-bishops and Bishops within three hundred years not only Chancelours but Judges of the Law Master of the Robes and other Offices of Judicature By which means their onely Bishopricks too poor they advanced to degrees of wealth enabling them to erect most of those sumptuous Fabricks of piety and Honour in that Nation and so in England by our Clergy by this man also in some measure So ran the Channel till Bacons father had it from a Bishop and now a Bishop has it again and had King Iames lived to have effected his Desires the Clergy had fixed firm footing in Courts of Judicature out of the rode of the Common-Law and this was the true cause of Williams initiation thither his quality thus fitted for the Kings intention He was in truth Chaplain to Buckinghams Mother and let into Court parallel in some degree with Cardinal Richlieus entrance by Queen Mother of France a Man may take view of these conformities not few if you consider proportions what is allowed to the Jesuit must rebate of the Reformed and what this man could not do in competition as the other his aim shewed his will but not the effect But at his entrance into this Trust comes two Bills signed from the King to be made Patents by the Seal the one for a Pension of two thousand pound per annum and the other for the Office of Earl Marshal of England both of them to be conferred upon the Earl of Arundel The first though with some regret in those unseasonable times to receive such large pensions which yet he sealed but took upon him to trench upon the Lord Treasurer Middlesex who willingly gave way to it for which they both had enmity ever after The later he refused upon these Queries 1. Whether in the Delivery of the Staff to the Earl his Majesty did not declare it to him for ease of the other Commissioners that executed it before with him and so to imply no inlargement of power which this Patent doth 2. Whether his Majesty means that this Patent leaping over the powers of the three last Earls Essex Shrewsbury and Somerset should refer only to Arundels own Ancesters Howards and Mowbrays Dukes of Norfolk who claimed that place by Inheritance the usual way and reference of Patents being unto the last and immediate Predecessor and not to the remote whose powers heretofore in these troublesome times were vage uncertain and impossible to be limitted 3. Whether that this Lord should bestow those Offices settled in the Crown as Sir Edward Zouches in Court Sir George Reynolds in the Kings Bench and divers others all which this Great Patent sweeps away being Places of Worth and Dignity 4. Whether my Lord Stewards place shall be for all his power of Judicature is in the Verge either altogether extinguished or at least subordinate to the Office A point considerable because of the Duke of Lenox who was Steward his greatness of Person and neerness of blood to the King And here he claws him 5. Lastly whether that the Offices of the Earl Marshall of England and the Marshall of the Kings house in former times distinct shall be now united to this great Lord A power limitted by no Law or Record but to be searched out from Heralds Chronicles Antiquaries and such absolute Monuments and thereupon this sixty years for Essex his power was cleerly limitted only as Marshall unfit to be revived by the Policy of this State And by these queries the Patent was pared which increased malice to the end of their Days Certainly there is a difference between the Earl Marshal of England and the Marshal of the Kings House See Lambert Archiron or of the High Courts of Justice in England The Marshall of England and the Constable are united in a Court which handleth only Duells out of the Realm and matters within as Combats Blazon Armory but may not meddle with any difference tryable by the Laws of the Land The Marshal of the Kings Houshold is united in a Court with the Steward which holds Plea of Trespass Contracts and Covenants made within the Verge and that by the Laws Articl super Cart. cap. 3 4 5. The honour of Lord Marshal is so antient as Thomas Lord Mowbray by Richard 2. was created Duke of Norfolk and the first Earl Marshal of England anno 1397. And so successively unto Iohn Lord Mowbray who dyed the 15. of Edward 4. anno 1475. and had issue one only Daughter married unto Richard Duke of York second son of Edward the fourth and was by his Father created Duke of Norfolk and Earl Marshall of England murthered in the Tower anno 1483 without issue Then comes Iohn Howard Son of the Daughter and coheir of Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolk and was by Richard the third created Duke of Norfolk but not Earl Marshall Nor was his Son Thomas
A COMPLEAT HISTORY OF The LIVES and REIGNS OF MARY Queen of SCOTLAND And of Her Son and Successor JAMES The Sixth KING of SCOTLAND And After Queen Elizabeth King of GREAT BRITAIN FRANCE and IRELAND The First Of ever Blessed Memory Reconciling several Opinions In Testimony of Her and Confuting others in Vindication of Him against two scandalous Authors 1. The Court and Character of King James 2. The History of Great Britain Herein is expressed The particular Affairs of Church and State The Reformation of the One The Policies and Passages of the Other The frequent Disturbances of Both By Wars Conspiracies Tumults and Treasons with the contemporary actions of Neighbor Nations in reference to this whole Island Faithfully performed By WILLIAM SANDERSON Esq London Printed for Humphrey Moseley Richard Tomlins and George Sawbridge and are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard at Py-Corner and on Lud-Gate-Hill MDCLVI THE PROEME TO THE First Part. TO be in print without a Preface is not the Mode now and though it intends to let in the Reader as the Porch to a Palace yet it seems to be built up after the Book For uâ—ually it discovers the weakness of the Work by an ingenuous Confession of more faults than some other man may find out and so craves favour I prefix this really before I write more of the matter And therefore to pretend excuse for what shall follow amiss might seem a presumptuous sin as if I meant to offend Not but that Offences will come and may be found out hereafter more properly then to be summ'd up in the end of all and added to the Escapes of the Presse and so to plead the Generall Pardon Our Design is History commonly divided into 3. Kinds 1. Memorials A naked Narrative without contexrure of Things and Actions 2. Antiquity The Shipwrack of History somewhat saved from the Deluge of Distruction and so subject to question as that excellent History of the World done by Sir Walter Raleigh with exact diligence which yet indures the examination of his Errours by One who in truth took much pains to worst it the more that Master-peice by the Epitomy which besides the injury to the Work it self becomes unprofitable to the Readers expectation With these two kinds we mean not to meddle 3. But with Perfect History being in truth that which comprehends a Chronocled Time representing the life of a Prince with the Narrative of actions relative therefore with little favour of different opinions may be accounted the most compleat for Estimation Profit and Use in the magnitude of Affairs Men and Matter And of this nature Our Histories of England are said to be defective in the Main And for that of Scotland too too partial as done by different affections and interest in matters Ecclesiastical and Civil Therefore it hath been accounted worthy the labour to mold them both into one Body joined to these times from their first conjunction in Union of the Roses to the uniting of the Kingdomes The latter hath been in some sort set out single to our hand by a Compendium of the 5. King Iames's immediately succeeding each other and lately done by William Drummond After whom we intend to take up the Remain Beginning where he leaves with the birth of Mary instantly succeeding the Death of her Father Iames the fifth with the contemporary actions of neighbour Princes And so to her Son and Successor Iames the sixth and after the death of Queen Elizabeth of Great Brittain France and Ireland the first and last King compleat in right of issue descended from Margaret eldest Daughter unto Henry the seventh of England and Iames the fourth of Scotland with Re-union in that antient Title of Brittain But in brief The first Union of Marriage begat a present Peace between Henry the seventh of England and Iames the fourth of Scotland And at that instant Scotland brought forth a Prodigious Monster of Man under the waste like other men the Members both for use and comliness were two and standing it was indifferent to which of the two Bulks the Legs belonged This Bifrons had different passions and divers wills chiding each other and quarreling until by over-wrangling they unwillingly agreed and was cherished by the King taught languages and lived eighteen years A Monstrous Omen to the Union This Iames was young and active for twenty five years of his Reign having occasion to cope with two Henries the Seventh and Eighth of England Father and Son successively The first took his Entry here by Arms and Establishment by marriage Yet the times proved to him like strong Tides full of Swellings but well mannaged by the wisdome of an able Pylot through all storms being of himself the most sufficient Sovereign of any his Predecessours Between Him and Iames the fourth there had been distempers ever espousing the French Quarrels And therefore their times produced sundry great mutations treacherous false and deceiving the events belying the Beginnings Princes mostly inconsiderate before they imbarque whether their Wars be just or necessary and may serve Examples of great mens frailty After the death of Henry the seventh succeeded his Son Henry the eight young and wealthy whose actions had more of Gallantry than Honour though he meddled with the mixed Affairs for ballancing the Western Monarchy amongst the Pretenders Germany Spain and France with the change of Religion to reformed And so soon as ingaged against Louis of France Iames interposed as to divert him Enters upon Ireland invades the English Borders and after comes to handy blowes in Northumberland The English six and twenty thousann the Scots many more and at Flowden Field 1513. a wondrous slaughter on both sides and Iames in the Fight was lost as in a Fog for ever though he acted so well his affected Popularity that his loss became more disconsolate to his People than any his Predecessors His Son succeeds a cradle King seventeen Moneths old under Tutelage of his Mother who implores Henry her Brother for compassion upon a Widow-Sister and an Orphan-Nephew not to wage War but to defend them He answers like himself With the mild he was meek and with the froward he could fight But she too weak for her wild Subjects marries with the Earl of Angus and being disdained for matching so meanly the Duke of Albany of Scots race begotten in Exile is sent for out of France to govern them at home The success may soon be imagined for the Scots heretofore had killed Iames the first covenanted with Iames the second overthrown Iames the third and some say mislaied Iames the fourth and now hardly submit to a Stranger The Queen and Angus fly to England and here she is brought to Bed of Margaret Grand-Mother to King Iames the sixth Conspiracies increase in Scotland fomented from Henry the eighth till horrid Rapines wearied each party into a Peace at home and England also And thus freed from War for a time the Governour Duke executes Justice upon such
of Gods Church Nâ—nc saith he extremus actus agitur nisi istinct afferatur remedium And unless the Devil be now unsaddled by them habenas ei laxatum iri he would get the Bit in his Teeth and run riot at pleasure And for his own part he meant not to stay by it but run away too Nec morositate nostra â—iet ut loco potius cedamus quam sententia And for what can a Man imagine all these good words why truly he tells Mr. Bullinger Brevis summa est that your Noble Senate would say that his Discipline is Consentanea verbo Dei By no means they would not but they were content to say it did accedere ad praescriptum verbi Dei and withall returned back with their Letters a Form of their Government but not to prescribe any of it to them for that their own at Geneva might be more convenient Hereupon 1537. Calvin foreknowing the effect of their Letters hastens the City to resolve who with much ado assemble and put their own discipline to the Vote which came to this upshot as Calvin saies himself In illa promiscâ—a calluvie Suffragiis fuimus superiores for when stomach strives with wit the match is unequal And let these his own Words be recorded in perpetuam rei memoriam by how many reverend Fathers and famous Persons with what Wisdome and Deliberation this Form of pretended holy Discipline was revived and entertained if a disordered multitude by most voices laid this plat-form for all posterity to imitate Major voice helpt him well upon which advantage he would practice And therefore crouds in fifty French his Countreymen at a clap free Denizons who had Ius Iubendae legis and his Inter est was no doubt more to force in Ministers For when the Magistrates would have but preferred a Genevian born to be one Calvin storms at him Trollietus saies he quidnam quod natione sit Genevensis no other cause nisi quod Simiae amant suos Catulos And indeed the Emperour Charls V. intending wars upon France gave good leasure and leave to the Reformers to increase the Pope to be displeased which occasioned Calvin to compile his Book De necesitate reformandae Ecclesiae And so have we from whence It came whither It would who devised It when and how and where planted in Geneva Anno 1554. and Calvin continued there to his death 1561. aged 52. years And yet to spread it abroad for all Calvins wit he was glad it seems to get it into favour with the assistance of Reverend Beza being alike bred up with the profession of several Reformers who together gave value to the progress of this beginning and truly of a good Man grew much in admiration of Calvins wit which induced him thereto and became at length very bold in his Prescriptions to some in England to intermeddle here and in Scotland for the like Reformation witness his Epistles to Lawson and Knox His discourse of three kind of Bishops of God of Man and of the Devil to the exceeding censure of him In France it had no repute being termed Thalmud Sabaudiacum To England it came upon occasion of some Male-contents in reference to Geneva for in Queen Maries Martyring time those being fled to Franckford they were afresh assaulted with the Orders of Geneve and Knox and Whittington collect the particulars of Edward the sixth's Common-Prayer Book and send it to Calvin who very censoriously is pleased to say Multas video fuisse tolerabiles ineptias However Franckford inclined to the English and chuse Dr. Horn their Superintendent at which Calvin storms and by great entertainments of other English as Whittington Gilby Goodman and others invited their Persons to Geneve and so stole their hearts to his humonr also And they thereafter spread it in England the second year of Queen Elizabeth About which time Knox came also and carried it into Scotland And this is the true story of the Geneve discipline briefly and impartially put together This year a Treaty was held at Cambray by Delegates of England France and Spain for settling the various differences of State but especially between England and France for restoring Calice which had been lost to them by Queen Mary but by no means would be rendered back Yet at last a Truce was concluded upon these Articles Neither Prince shall invade each Other nor assist Eithers Enemies The Ships of either Nation shall give Caution at their seâ—ting out to Sea not to molest each Other Free Commerce and Trading to be increased The French Fortification at Armoth in Scotland to be demolished Eight years the French shall enjoy Calice with the Appurtenances and sixteen Pieces of Ordinance and presently after shall restore it to Queen Elizabeth Eight sufficient Merchants not French Subjects shall be bound in 500000 Crowns for performance hereof and the Right of the Town to remain in the Queen And if any Attempt or Innovation be by any English during that time against the French or the Queen of Scots then the other shall be free And on the contrary If any prejudice shall be attempted or done by the French King the Queen of Scots or the Dolphine against England then Calice shall be instantly from thenceforth rendred to Q. Elizabeth A Peace at the same time and place was concluded between the Queen of England and Francis and Mary King and Queen of Scotland and certain Aâ—RTICLES of Agreements were referred to Commissioners to regulate abuses of each Borderers And accordingly this Peace was proclamed in England and Frauce but soon broken for the French King aiming at England for his Son and the Queen of Scots would not withdraw his French Garrisons out of Scotland as was agreed but privily sent over fresh Supplies and openly challenges Interest in England for his Son and Daughter-in-law and in all writings used this Title Francis and Mary King and Queen of Scotland England and Ireland Bearing and quartering the Arms of England and upon their Heralds Coats Of which Throgmorton the English Ambassadour Lieger complained without redress Levied forces openly and sent them to Scotland to border all places of England And being an utter Enemie to the Protestaints was under hand abetted by the Pope the Emperour and Spain holding Her an Heretique and Illegitimate But those his Designs were soon cut off by an untimely accident upon him for tilting at the Nuptials of his Daughter with Spain and his Sister with Savoy and being run in at the eye with a Lance the Bur sticking in his brains he died immediately Some hopes Queen Elizabeth had now of lessening her fears and therefore to strike in with his Son and Successor She kept his Fathers Obsequies with magnificent solemnity in Pauls Church And sent Howard the Lord Effinghams Son to Condole the Kings Death and to Congratulate the new Successor with desire to continue Friendship and League as with his Father But the
to the Q. of Scots to expostulate criminally with her 1. For usurping the Title and Arms of England and had not released them as was agreed in the Treaty of Edenburgh 2. For the practice of Mariage with the Duke of Norfolk 3. As also all the beforementioned Contrivements particularly urged To all she wisely answered and to the most of them Nâ—gative A League being concluded between England 〈◊〉 France the Ambassadour moved for favour to the Queen who was answered that she deserved none for that she had secret confederacy with the King of Spain by the Lord Seaâ—on which being discovered and true the French were silent The Estates of Scotland took some time to present their Desires to Queen Elizabeth how fit Morton was for the Regency which â—he took well though she knew they intended the power upon him for so she had the honour to say She made him and with whoâ—â— in truth she alwaies kept the most narrow correspondency trusting to his Judgement and diligence to do much for the King with whom he alwaies sided The King was committed to the custody of Alexander Erskin for Erskin the then Earl of Mar was under age whose peculiar right it was to challenge that trust and Buchanan designed his Tutor a man of some fame by the Scale of learning whom Time and Ambition wrought afterwards a dangerous Incendiary to the King and State From this Parliament now sitting were the Papists utterly excluded and laws for advance of Religion enacted to the wonder of all how soon the Papists frighted into fears of loosing their Estates very forwardly subscribed to the Reformed which so heightened the Kirk into swelling Pride against Bishops also that their violence afterwards could never be brought to Moderation Though the Protector conceaved the Prelatical function to be no less necessary in State then warrantable in Reformation And so he regulated them as the Bishops of England Votes in Parliament but abridged their Authority over others And thus stood the power of Synods interposing the moderate Prelates who yielded much in Peace to the publick Ministery and belike conceiving that time and experience might mollifie them to a more convenient Constitution The faction for Papists was of the French and Queen of Scot whose countenance were the Hamiltons Arguile Huntley and Hume ancient Barons Grudging at the Vice-Roy's Government sought to undermine his Establishment and he at home by pleasing the people gained the City and Kirkmen For now was Knox become the Temple incendiary imitating the Vandalls devastatious ruinates the Monuments of Ancestors Piety Church-bells and Bed coverings scape not him nor any other such like sacrilegious ravings himself accknowledged that Mary had and did then blame him for his too great rigor and severity that in his heart he never hated the persons against whom â—e thundred Gods Iudgments hating their Sins and forbore none of what ever condition doing it in Gods fear thus much he said for him selfe and being the words of a dying man I say them over for Christian Charity and Honour to his parts whose Character needs no more than the former History faithfully set down wherein it appears a Beacon he had been apted to fire the Kingdome but his blaze was this year extinguished and he died of good age 67. years whether his History of the Church were his own is suspected of some his name supposed to gain credit to the work which in many parts seems ridiculous Morton in some eminencie and lustre fell into an obloquie of an infamous Act upon the person of Thomas Percey Earl of Northumberland whose desperate case together with Westmerland forced them from home as you have heard to seek for succour in Scotland after some time Westmerland got into Flanders but Northumberland wandred in the woods of Hatles for habitation and was heretofore by his Comrades betrayed to Morton and delivered up by him to the late Regent Murray whose Authority preserved him by the Law of Nations from Queen Elizabeths fury but now Morton powerfull by preferment and plentifull in Estate whom honour had made so aud some meritt valuable yet I know not with what errour of honesty basely sould him for a piece of Money to Hunsdon Governour of Berwick and so became headless by the fatall Ax at York The fruit of this ungratious Act fell upon the Protector himself in the Ultimum of his life by the like fall of the Ax that often cures great men of these wicked maladies 1581 The Kingdome of Scotland heretofore in severall fewds now was devided into two unnaturall factions of Son and Mother the King and captivate Queen in which dissention the Nobility side into severals England and France interpose accord but with sinister respects for the French Ambassadour had his Item and meant nothing less Queen Elizabeth to countermine him sent Killegrew to join with the King and Religion yet a Treaty was perswaded In the interim Kirkaldy Lord of Grange and Governour of Edenburgh Castle being on a high Rock inaccessable fortified by a Feâ— and Lake on one side and a Moss which surrounds it and to his faction being the chief Baron the French gave hope of assistance To whom he sends over his Brother Iames Kircaldy for men and money with which returning he lands at the Castle Blackness the Governour thereof Andrew Stuart though before his Confident was of late bribed to seaze him into fetters whilest he carried the news and 1000. French Crowns of Kirkaldies to the Regent In his absence on this treacherous errand Kircaldy corrupts his Keepers and they the Souldiers and so of a Prisoner he hath the Keys and custody of the Castle In two daies returned Stuart and no sooner entered but is secured into Irons which he studies to revenge and conceived that the best way might be the same and so the less suspected to catch his Adversary in the same Gyn which so lately caught him With feigned tears and a cunning tale he melts the hardned Gaolers into compassion and they the Guard with helps of some bribings some Crowns secretly sowed up in his quilted Wastcoâ—e And as if better than they could design it Kircaldy would needs accompany his Wife in a visit forth of the Castle when as hastily he was shut out and the late Governour set at liberty commands all again During which time the Treaty came on but ended without effect and Grange begins his fury on the City as fuel to his fire Either part implore assistance The Protector from England and soon was sent to him by Land and Sea nine Canons six demi-Canons six Sakers 9. Culverins with all necessaries and 1500. men under Command of the Marshal of Berwick Sir William Drury who joined with 500. hired Scots and so furiously assaulted the Castle that from the twenty fifth of April in thirty three dayes it was rendred to the Mercy of the Queen of England who referred it wholly to the Regent and the Lord
Fugitives if he might be trusted with the Queens License which was promised to him but delayed whilst all was discovered to Walsingham by one Gifford a Priest whom he recommended unto Amias Pawlet to suffer his servants to be corrupted by him and so to intrap the Queen his Prisoner but though Pawlet refused to conspire with his servants yet he permitted one that depended on the necessary service of his Family a Baker to be bribed and at a hole in the wall to give out and take in letters between the Queen and all the confederates which were as sure to be opened and read by Walsingham who got the Keys of the Ciphers and had answeâ—s counterfeited to involve whom he pleased to suspect in the Plot. At last the time being ripe for Execution they were proclaimed Traytors and at several places seized examined and confessing to every particular they were executed as Traytors seven of them most cruelly the other seven with more mercy The Queen of Scots was so narrowly watched that she knew nothing of the discovery no not when Mr. Gorge was sent to her to expostulate these plots She being then on horseback a hunting was not suffered to return but in shew of honour was led to several Gentlemens houses in the mean time that her servants and her Secretaries are severed from Communication her Cabinet and Desks and Copies of Letters with sixty several Ciphers discovering all were seized and sent to the Councel Now is Gifford sent by Walsingham into France and given out as banished who leaves a Paper indented with the French Ambassadour In charge not to deliver any letters from the Queen of Scots or from the fugitives that came to his hands and to be sent into France but to such onely that brought the counterpain of the Indented Paper which he secretly sent to Walsingham And so depâ—â—ted into France where soon he died for having done the main work ere he went over was for his reward discovered to be a counterâ—eit even by slight of hand and Walsinghams contrivement and so had â—auce to his knavish face that pined him away by inches In this condition was the poor imprisoned Queen at Fotherringhan Castle in Northampton-shire when the Councel were as busie what to do with her At last they concluded to proceed upon the Act of 27. Eliz. made the last yeer against Plotters or contrivers of the Queens death as before said To which purpose a Commission under the great seal issued out impowring twenty four Noblemen and others therein who came to the Castle the 11 of October to try and censure her Against which she excepted As being her self a free Princess and not liable to tryall for life Her ignorance of the Laws of England and without Council Her papers and writings seized and so utterly refuses to be tryed Yet being over-born and convinced with many strong arguments of Law and Reason she submits The manner of her Tryal was thus A chair of Estate was set as for the Q. of England under a canopy at the upper end of the Presence Chamber Bâ—neath against it was placed a Chair for the Queen of Scots close to the Walls on both sides of the Cloth of Estate Seats were made for the Lords Chancellour Treasurer the Earls of Oxford Kent Derby Worcester Rutland Cumberland Warwick Pembroke Lincoln and Viscount Mountacute On the other side the Lords Abergavenny Zouch Morley Stafford Grey Lumley Sturton Sands Wentworth Mordant Saint John Compton Chenos Next to these the Knights Privy Counsellours Sir James Croft Sir Christopher Hatton Sir Francis Walsingham Sir Ralph Sadler Sir Walter Mildmay and Sir Amias Paulet Forward before the Earls sate the two Chief Iustices the Chief Baron of the Exchequer And on the other side the other two Iustices Delt and Ford Doctors of the Civil Law At a Table in the midst Popham Attourney General Egerton Solicitor Gawdy Serjeant at Law the Clerk of the Crown and two Notaries The Prisoner being set Bromley Lord Chancellour turning to her said The most illustrious Queen of England being certified to her great grief that you plotted hers and the Kingdom of Englands ruine and the overthrow of Religion established Out of duty to God her Self and People and no malice or ill meaning hath authorized these Commissioners to hear what can be laid to your charge and your Answer to defend your own innocency She rising up said She came into England to implore aid and was promised it but ever since kept Prisoner That she is not the Queens subject but a free and absolutâ—â—rincess and cannot be compelled to appear before Delegates or any other Iudg for any cause whatsoever but before God alone the supreme Iudge of all which otherwise were derâ—gatory to her own Princely Majesty to her Son the King of Scots her Successors and all other absolute Princes Nevertheless she did present her self to refute all Crimes that could be charged upon her The Chancellour replied that her Protestation was vain for whosoever offends the â—aws of England in England must be subject to the same examined and judged and therefore not to be admitted Yet the Delegates commanded her Protestation and his Answer to be registred The Patent and late newest Statute made a Law was read and opened to which she answered that it was purposely made to entrap her Gawdy averred that she had transgressed every part and parcel of that Law with a Narration of Babingtons Treason to which she was accused as conspiring abetting assenting to effect it She denies all never to have received Letters from him nor written to him she knew him not and requires Proofs of her Hand by any Subscriptions or Letters nay she never heard tell of any such Treason Ballard she knew not onely she understood that the Catholicks were grievously used and therefore she writ to the Queen for some pity upon them She confessed those Letters produced from many whom she knew not that profered their endeavours for her enlargement but she excited none to any wicked Design and being a Prisoner she could not hinder their Attempts Then was Babingtons Letters read his Confessions and Correspondencies with her wherein the whole Conspiracy was expressed She answered that Babington might write them but prove any receipt of them if Babington or any other affirm so much I say plainly They lie A Packet of Letters detained a whole year came to my hand but I know not who sent â—t But Babingtons confession accused her therein She blamed Sir Trancis Walsingham for his cunning plottings to entrap her with counterfeiting Letters and Cyphers which he lamely excused and put all upon policy of State This held out the Fore-noon After Dinner was produced Charls Pagets Letter and Curls one of her Servants confession that she received it touching conference with Ballard and Mendoza for invading England and setting her free She acknowledged that a Priest told her that
assured in short space that he was truly turned to their faith yea all men should have reason to forsake him who had thus dissembled and forsaken his God And whereas it was given out that divers do insinuate into your Sovereign that his Honor and Reputation is so deeply interessed herein as it must necessarily turn to his perpetual ignominy and reproach if he give not some notable testimomy to the world of the affection and dutifull love he bare to his Mother your King being of that singular judgment that he is thought to have cannot be ignorant how far true honour ought to possess a Christian Prince that is not whither Passion or fury useth to carry men but whither Reason or Wisdom have laid the bounds that is within the compass of Possibility Decency and Iustice. If the late Queen had been innocent Revenge had been necessary just and honourable but being culpable contrary in all reasonable mens judgments he hath sufficiently discharged the duty of a Son in mediating for his Mother so long as she was alive and so far as he was able to prevail they which require more at his Highness hands may be presumed not to regard what beseemeth his Place and Dignity but to seek the satisfaction of their own particular passions and desires And whoever perswadeth his Majesty that the mediation used by him for his Mother contrary to the humble pursute of the whole Parliament hath already given that offence to the Nobility and People of this Land as it behoveth him of force to have recourse to forein supports doth greatly abuse both his Highness and this Realm for as they were not ignorant what Nature might and ought to move his Majesty unto so long as there were any hope of her life so they do not doubt but that reason will induce him to leave sorrowing and thinking of her in due time Thus have I troubled you with a long Discourse whereunto the desire I have of the continuance of amity between the two Crowns hath carried me unawares further than I purposed all which I refer to your consideration not doubting that you will afford most readily and willingly all good offices that shall lie in your power to the end that a happy conclusion may ensue hereof which shall tend to the common good of the whole Island And so I commit you to God From the Court at Greenwich Martii 4. 1686. Your Lordships assured Friend FR WALSINGHAM Here was good Counsel for the King but for the present in great discontent he calls home his Ambassadors out of England the States of Scotland urge him to a revenge to seek aid of forein Princes and a Navy from the King of Denmark whose daughter then was in treaty of Marriage with him The Catholicks suggested rather to joyn with the Pope Spain and France and to desert the Puritans who they said would murther him as his Mother Some willed him to be Neuter to take time to bethink and by that means whilst his distempered condition gave excuse for his Acting he might piece himself to that party where he should be sure of best support Alwaies he resolved to keep peace with England and constancy to his Protestant Religion And thus whilst his wisdom beyond his age twenty two yeers sate still the Queen feared the more not knowing what Counsel might provoke him to her prejudice and so stayed some time till the length thereof might mitigate her sorrow being indeed to big to be cured till it should lye down and rest with its own weight and weariness Therefore knowing how mightily the French wrought in their mine to provoke both Nations to publike defiance she maturely sends several Messengers and afterwards the Lord Hunsdon her Ambassador with studied arguments to take off his adhering to foreign friendships and the danger thereby to both Kingdoms where his interest in succession was most of all concerned being his just right to which his Mothers sufferings could be no prejudice But the next yeer Philip King of Spain sends to the Duke of Parma his Governor in the Low Countries in his Name to promise to King Iames mony and Amunition sufficient to attempt revenge for his mothers death Parma sends over to Scotland Robert Bruce a Scot by birth and noble family with money to quicken his purpose The Pope also Pius Quintus dispatches thither his Bishop of Dublin to promise to the King the Infanta of Spain in marriage if he would turn Romane Catholike but faithfull Metallan the Chancellor frustrates those hopes and returns him home with a flea in his ear But ere he departs he designs on William Creyton a Scot also and sometime Rector of the College of Iesuits in Leyden to stay behind and this man treats with Bruce to murther Metallan Bruce refuses that Assassination and then he is urged to hire with Parmas mony some needy noble man there at a banquet to poyson the King his invited guest and was denyed in that also Then he quarels with him to part with fifteen hundred Crowns to distribute them to three other Lords to effect it but being refused in all these he stayes the time to work out other mischiefs hereafter and Parma dying he accuseth Bruce of Treason for not willing to be a Traytor and for which he indures long imprisonment ere he got liberty The Earl of Angus to make him quiet was sent the Kings Lieutenant on the Borders this was done to rid hm out of the way of disordering the Court where he was ever factious and to his own liking also for he was contented with the condition of those people with whom he spent much of his former time of treachery and trouble But his disease there increasing he dies He was of a swart complexion tall and slender well proportioned and strait of a weak and tender constitution His death was ascribed to witchcraft frequent profession with them by one Barbery Nepair in Edenburgh wiâ—e to Dowglass of Castogle who was condemned but execution deferred she being with child and for the present reprieved and after neglected and so saved from the Gallows Annia Simson also a famous Witch confessed That a picture of wax was brought unto her having the letters A. D. written on it which she was told signified Archiball Davidson and which she execrated after her form but it seems it proved Archiball Dowglass or Davidson for his father was named David He dyed the nineth Earl and the last of his race If it were not natural to the Scots to be contrivers of mischief in their own Bowels yet now it was not policy for England to let them need their helping hands therein and therefore new troubles are stirred up in the Scots Court The Master of Gray conspiring with the Lord Maxwell to kill the Lord Thirlston Sir Iames Hume and Robert Dowglas reveale it to Sir William Stewart who was returned to Court and assure him that Thirlston Gray Blantine
Demonstration of Discipline sought mischief upon the Bishops the chief Authours were Penry Udal Ministers Iob Throgmorton Knightley and Wigstone Laicks their Favourites drawn in to defend their Railings and were soundly fined in Star-chamber yet they privately held conventicles and had their Synods Classes and Presbyteries for this cause Thomas Cartwright the Father of the Disciplinarians Snape King Proudlow and Pain were questioned whom certain conspired to rescue and so great was the petulancy of these Patriarchs and their Disciples as would require a particular Volume to unfold See Hist. Q. Eliz. by Martin fol. 782. The King to keep things fair with England resolved to visit the Borders with some Forces to the West Marches whither the Lord Herries was fled but submitting and promising to conform to Protestancy he was dismissed and sent to his charge there again Whilest the King was in this Expedition the Lord Maxwell formerly having leave to travel into Spain and perceiving there the great preparations for an Armado of Ships to invade England returns home invited by some Scotish Catholicks against his promise without the Kings leave and lands in a part of Galloway in April where it was rumour'd that the Spanish Navy should land about the West of Scotland and so by Maxwels means and assistance they would joyn with the Borderers and enter England that way the most likely to prevail where numbers of loose Libertines and out-lodgers repaired to Maxwell of which the Lord Hâ—rries being in his Wardenship acquaints the King Maxwell is sent for to compeer but refuses and fortifies his Houses and other Holds levies Horse and Foot and expects to encounter with the King who came to Dunfres with so hasty marching that Maxwell was almost surprised in the House but gat away some hour before to Galloway whilest some resistance at the Town Port gave him that opportunity and leasure to escape And on the King goes summons Laugholme Treve and Carlavarock places of strength who surrender but the Castle of Lochmaben commanded by David Maxwell bids defiance to the Kings face and made it good against the Assault untill Ammunition and great Guns were sent for to the English Warden who forthwith committed them to a Guard of Souldiers and at the Approach and some Shot they yielded to parly with Sir William Stuart for the King and to render the Castle upon quarter of Life but the Captain refusing the Kings Summons was hanged the rest had pardon The King stays not but pursues Maxwell to Dunfres and sends Sir William Stuart to follow the chace and forced him to fly to Sea in a small Bark whom he follows in a Ship of the Town of Ayr overtakes him a fews Leagues off and forces him to yield who is brought to land and presented a Prisoner to the King this was held timely good service which so pufft up the young Knight with pride that some weeks after contesting with insolent words to the Earl Bothwell at Edenburgh he kill'd him outright The noise of the Spanish Navy gave fears of their setting forth in August and in prudence for the Scots also to arm not knowing whom to trust the King convenes his Nobles at Edenburgh for their advice For howbeit said he I have no occasion to distrust the Friendships and League with all Christian Princes and Estates yet the Case of England lodges so near upon us as in time may turn to be our own and we forced to share in their Troubles the Spanish intention is for England and seeing my Right in Succession to that Crown it were no wisdom for me to suffer another to possess it before and the Spaniard hath not usually been so kinde or consciencious to depart with any thing he lays hand upon though anothers Right they take Religion for a Pretext of their Invasion but it is the Kingdom they seek and we professing the same Faith with England are sure to fare accordingly as in their Success and the Prosecution of their Holy League will fall upon us also But I have ever thought mine own and the safety of Religion so conjoyned as they cannot separate nor do I desire to live and reign longer than I shall maintain the same I suspect what many may counsel that this occasion fits Revenge for my Mothers Death but however I am not over credulous as to be confident of Queen Elizabeths excuses concerning here ignorance therein nor will I be so unwise as to accept the assistance of one mightier than my self to fight my cause lest he become Master of us all Thus you see my minde and my Reasons give me your advice and assistance what we shall do The Chancellour seconded the Kings opinion by many historical Examples and discreet politick Arguments yet since the Queen had not desired any aid from your Majesty it would not be amiss to secure your own Territories by not suffering the Spaniard to land in your Dominions that a general Muster may be taken and some Noblemen named to whom the People might resort for Command that Watches be set upon the Sea-coasts and Beacons erected to allarm the Countrey and that the King and Council would reside at Edenburgh for Command and Authority over all Bothwell urged other Arguments of Revenge and to invade England from whom in this exigent said he we shall be sure to force good conditions and as for himself he had already raised Forces at his own charge for the publick service as an Example for others to do the same expecting that his opinion would prevail for Invasion But the King commanded him to guard the Coast according to his Office Admiral of Scotland and so he seemed to be satisfied To instance the dangerous Treacheries amongst some of the Scots against their own Nation in reference to the Spanish pretentions appears first in the Design of Colonel â—Semple who had about six years before betrayed the Town of Lire to the Spaniard and from that time remained in Flanders with the Prince of Parma arrives now at Lieth pretending a frivolous Commission from Parma to the King which seemed of so small importance as that it was apprehended rather a false colour of practice with some evil disposed persons Sir I. Carmichel Capt. of the K. Guard is therefore commanded to have an eye upon his Actions till the King returned being now journeying to Falkland Carmichel does so and having intelligence of a Pinnace newly arrived in the Frith and a Passenger already landed went hastily and surprizes Semple reading of the Dispatch seizes him and them the Colonel offers of himself to attend the Council but by the way was rescued by the Earl Huntley who undertakes himself to compeer with him The Chancellour hears of this being then at Church the general time of Humiliation and with a throng of people following him made after Huntley but the King happily returning met them before and brought them all to Edenburgh The Chanc. informs
also That Angus and Arroll assured him that the King of Spain would send thirty thousand men into Scotland part of this Army to force Toleration of their Romistry here and the other part to be convayed by them into England for the same design and this Army to land in Kirkud-bright in Galloway or in the mouth of Cluydo River These manifest plots of Papists drew the consideration necessary for the whole Nation and meetings of the Ministery and all men to propose their advice and aid to pursue the Rebells already risen and to raise a Guard of three hundred Horse constant with the King and the Conspirators to be called to Justice and the first example fell upon Graham of Fintre and executed in February And in this hurry Angus escapes out of Prison and flies to the North unto Huntley and Arroll But the King in great perplexity of Murthers rapine and slaughters publick and private upon their submission are received to mercy favour and preferment all means used to bring peace to these miserable people The French King in great distress and overwhelmed in his affairs craves more aid out of England and is assisted again with four thousand men more and ordinance But not to make peace with the Leaguers until the Spanish forces were driven out of France So necessary it was for England by these means to stop their career and to keep off revenge from home These Forces intrusted with General Norris land in Bretaign but find no French and so being hurried up and down Normandy Lamain and elsewhere the Spaniard increase number in Bretaign Norris returns home and the French King in distress upon some fear of his fewds and hopes of advantage turns Papist Whilest the Duke of Parma also prepared fresh forces to assault Picardy but being in readiness he fights a private combate with Death and is overcome after fourteen years Government in Flanders a man of excellent honour and virtue as Queen Elizabeth always acknowledged who to amaze and busie the Spaniard and to divert him from hence sends several Expeditions by Sea into his Territories of America with singular succession And to prevent his practices in Scotland of as great concernments to both Nations she keeps watchfull correspondence with King Iames who indeed wary of the Papists encroachments at home began to exercise his Regal power over his Nobility and other seditious Subjects having scattered the last Rebells into their Holds and Bothwel into England These Insurrections thus far happily suppressed contrary to the imagination of the English policies Queen Elizabeth to colour suspition sends the Lord Burrough to congratulate the discoveries and the succeâ—s offering her aid to bring the Malignants to Trial and wished him if he could not apprehend their persons to confiscate their Estates and seeing his case concerned all Princes of the Religion she desired his resolution therein for her to satisfie all others her Confederates against Spain The King gives her thanks and that he was assured Bowes her Ambassadour had certified her of all proceedings in particular as aforesaid wherein he had begun and was fully resolved to prosecute the guilty but advised with her how dangerous it might be for him to have such potent Rebells without her help to hunt such fugitives their Design being more dangerous to assist the Spaniards attempts upon England than either upon France or Holland to whom she had liberally already afforded supply with men and moneys and therefore what he desired on his particular his own Ambassadour should declare The next Audience furnished the Ambassadour with Arguments from his Mistris to advise the King to wise and well-affected Counsellours help to disarm and suppress such Rebells and withall intimating the Queens punishment upon those that harboured Bothwel in England and so by circumstances to draw out of the King what resolution he intended towards him in so troublesom time and if it were for his Majesties quiet to receive him upon submission The King seeming not to countenance Bothwel nor believing the Queens resentment of his Receivers said That if his Mistris meant honourably to her self or him she would rather deliver him to justice according to their League than to support him in her Dominion whose Crimes were unpardonable and her further favours to him would induce a necessity for the King to joyn with her Enemies for his own safety And so Burroughs returned and Bowes remained In an Assembly of the Church in April the King resolving to give them Items sends them Articles That hâ— would not suffer diminution of the Privileges of his Crown nor Assemblies without his order That an Act pass to inhidit Ministers to declame in the Pulpit against the King and his Council That some of every Presbytery should inform his Majesty of the Papists practices and Bothwels receivers That some of theirs should cause the Magistrates of Burghs at Sea-ports to examine Passengers and Plotters against the Reâ—ligion To the first they would follow former Acts. The scond they prohibit without just and necessary causes which the King esteeming no restraint was as causless to answer theirs against Papists his necessities enforcing civilities to the Papists to ballance with the rigid Reformers But the Mundays Market stuck in their stomacks against which their Act passed to alter for Tuesday their Reason was religious to prevent the Trades-men violating the Sabbaths Evening with too much care and travail against the next Morning The Shoomakers whom it most concern'd gathering tumult menaced the Ministers if they urged their consents to drive them out of Edenburgh which begat that saying Rascals and Sowters obtain from the Ministers what the King could not do in matters more reasonable The King sends Melvil to satisfie Queen Elizabeth of the affairs of Scotland and to desire aid of money for levying six hundred Souldiers for some Moneths and to renew the former complaint against Bothwels entertainment in England whilest he steals into Scotland and surprizes the King The Chancellour as you have heard retired from Court upon displeasure of Queen Ann requests the King by Letter that seeing his service was useless and his solitary life irksom he craves leave to depart out of the Kingdom untill his Majesties pleasure command his return The King being earnest with the Queen upon his resign of Muskleburgh which she clamed and his coming to Court resolved Lenox Athol and Ochiltry plot to prevent him and bring in Bothwel under disguise of attending the the Lady Athol by the Postern-gate with another his Companion armed into the very Bed-chamber The King at â—ight of them cried out Treason Treason Strike Traitor strike said he make an end of thy Villany I desire to die He answered with Oaths that he came for mercy And the King replied that Mercy extorted was Insolency and not the form of Suppliants and suddenly rushed in the Earl Mar with numbers of that Faction having possession of the Court
Auxilliaries and to be paid some part of their dept to her lendings These promise to ease the Queen of her fourty thousand pound per annum that shortly they would pay her twenty thousand pounds part of their dept and not enter into league with any without her consent and after a peace with Spain they would pay her a hundred thousand pounds yearly for four years the full dept humbly imploring four thousand men and to be raced out of her accounts for all by past To which she consented least by her neglect they should be inforced to disjoynt their Confederacie with her and rejoice their common Enemy Against whom she was rigging a Navy and would have thirty of their ships to adjoyn and so they pieced again Her Rebells in Ireland increased to 1000 horse 6280 foot in â—lster 2300 in Connaugh all at Tirones beck wherefore she sends over Narris to assist her Deputy in equal power A marvail to many a too headed Government being monstrous in policie as well as in Nature so that crafty Tyrone treats with Norris and gets Truce for a time who suttly took leasure to hatch and plot greater mischief The spring time begets a Treaty with the Queens Commissioners sent over to Ireland to receive the Rebells complaints They desire free â—se of their romish Religion and enjoyment of their lands Ecclesiastical and others upon reasonable annual payments all which the Commissioners counterpoyze with conditions more strickt for them to submit which they refuse buâ— between them both they continue Truce tell April after Which time the Queen took to consider and Tyrone secretly to deal with the Spaniard for a compleat Army to their succour The Duke of Parmadead Albert Arch-Duke of Austria and Cardinal succeeds him Governour for the Spaniard in Flanders and to credit his new-come Authority usually with Commanders he prepares fresh forces on the sudden beseiges Calis and takes it from the French The Queen startled at the report of the Cannon which she heard into the Chappel at Green-wich ere she knew from whence But then afraid to perrish in her Neighbours fires raises an Army and a Navy of 140 ships 18 of her own 22 of the Dutch the rest for necessary service and 6360 souldiers Volunteers 1000 Mariners 6722. The Lord Admiral Howard Commander in cheif at Sea The Earl of Essex by land their design was against the Enemies ships or provision of amunition rumored to be sent against England Scotland and Ireland of greater power then in 88 and to land upon some of the Coasts and Towns She thought in piety to pray for success and that God might not be mocked with several bablings as the fancie should affect and now newly in fashion to form it ex tempore she prescribed them therefore the manner that the world also should be witness of the true ground of her publick Actions Most omnipotent God that searchest and fadomest the secret conceits of the heart and in them the true Originalls of our actions intended Thou knowest that no malice of revenge nor quittance of injuries no desire of blood nor lucre of gain hath bred in us a resolution now to set out our Armie but a hâ—edful care and wary watch that no neglect of the Enemie nor security of our selves might breed danger in us or glory to them these being our grounds we humbly beseech the to prosper the work and with the best fair winds guide our Navy and if it be thy will speed us with victory and the end to thy glory thou the same and we peace to the people and on all sides spare the blood of thine for they are pretious To these petitions grant thy blessings for the merrits of Christ Amen In those daies they prayed so and people understood it It was a wonder whether they went for themselves knew not till at the hight of cape Saint Vincent they opened the Commission which commanded them for Cadiz the sowth of Spain and mouth of the Straits They take the City burn and sack the Iland and ships The loss to the Enemy valued twenty millions of ducats of eight shillings sterlin money And Essex having Knighted sixty Gallants with honor and every man inriched with spoile they return this success set up Essex into a ranting vain not to be moderated with any Counsel His extravagant designes by the way homewards not to return so soon till he had done somewhat more famous An observation of pride and ambition then set that mark on him that lasted to his last breath To repair these losses Spain riggs a great Navy at Lisbone designed for the West of England and Ireland which by storm were seperated and many shipwrackt the rest return And now it was time for England and France to fortyfie their former League and for Queen Elizabeth to send thither 2000 foot into Picardie These were times of Action and Honor and because no place circumscribes valour An English Noble man Thomas Arundel of Wardour for his service in Hungary against the Turk is created by the Emperour Earl of the holy Empire and to his Successors male or female and have place and voice at the Emperial Diets and free Denizens From whence arises a question of their use and precedency at home The defence may be from Presidents Henry the third of England allowed it to Mohume created Earl of Somerset by the Pope Henry the eight did so by Curson whom the Emperour made Earl of the holy Empire In Scotland Earl Dowglas had the title of Duke of Tours from the French King and so had John Stuart the Earldom of D'Everux The Exceptions are more ancient No man being a Citizen of Rome could accept freedom elsewhere Pompeyus Atticus refused therefore to be of Athens In Venice and Genoa No man may receive dignity either Spiritual or Temporal from any forraign Prince for which he is suspected and suspended all office at home And indeed the Earls of the Empire are too common to have precedencie or value abroad And for the Scots their Kings coat of Arms engralles them with their flâ—wr'd Lis and so under tuition Valerian the Emperour said let that only be Honor which we create Queen Elizabeths censure was this That as a wife should dedepend on the man so a subject to receive no love tokens but ftom his Sovereign she knowes not her own sheep by anothers brand nor willing they should obey a strangers whistle Indeed Nobilitas is derived of Nosco to know Vir Nobilis idem est quod nolus per Omnia But our Law doth prohibit any Subject of this Nation to receive Titles of Honor or dignity of the gift or donation of a forraign Prince it being belonging to the State of this Nation est ius Majestatis inter insignia summae potestatis vide Cook 7 part And if such a man bring an Action and the writ be so stiled the defendant may plead
That witches can cure or cast on diseases the same reason that proves their power by the Divel of diseases in general their power in special is also proved as weakning the nature of some men towards women In others to abound above nature and so of particular sicknesses But in all he observes the different ends of God in the first cause and the Divel as his instrument in the second cause as Gods Hangman For where the divels intention is to perish in the patient soul or Body or both God by the contrary draws evermore out of that evil glory to himself either by destruction of the wicked or tryal of the patient and amendment of the faithfull being awakened by that rod of correction But who likes to be too curious of all their Practises read but Bodinus Daemonomancie collected with greater diligence than Judgment And further if you would be acquaiuted with the opinions of the Ancients concerning their power It is well described by Hyperius and Hemmingius two Germain Authors Besides many other Neoterick Theologues largely setting down that subject And if curious and inquisitive of the rites of this unnecessary Perilous black-art the Divel may too soon direct any unto Cornelius Agrippa and Wierus afore mentioned I know how it hath been of late urged that King Iames was not of the same mind alwaies and very tender of his Judges â—roceedings ignorantly condemning some innocent Melancholly simple old women whose miserable poverties made them weary of life and easily to confess themselves guilty of they knew not what though in sad condition otherwise liable to Satans suggestions and deceipt And so busied himself with curious perspicuity into tryal examination and discovery of sundry counterfeits pretenders to be possessed by evill spirits But yet to my knowledg he was ever constant to his former opinion of witches and witchcraft in particulars I can evidence The King thus busied to quiet the North Countries some Incursions were made on the Marches of each Nation the out-lodgers of Tindale Riddesdale for the English made in rodes upon the Scots County of Liddesdale The Laird Backlugh commander of those parts does the like into England and apprehending the chief mischief-makers 36 puts them all to the sword and returns with great spoil Against him is Sir William Bowes sent from the Queen to complain and with much adoe reconciled And for the future peace of the Borders the time was assigned for Hostages to be delivered on each side to either But Backlugh fayling to perform his part was feign to satisfie the Queens displeasure by entering himself into England as Hostage where he continued some Moâ—â—ths Queen Elizabeth evermore upon actions of diversion never upon conquest to assist her neighbours French and Netherlands prepares another Navy against Spain of 120 sail under command of Essex and Lord Thomas Howard and Sir Walter Ralegh in three sqadrons they set out of Plymouth but are weather beaten back and put forth again but become distressed ere they get cleer of land and so return And after fresh supply of men and victual they resolve for the Islands of Azores In the voyage by the way cross winds seperate Ralegh who being missed when the others came there Essex overhastily sent intelligence by a Bark into England that Ralegh had on purpose seperated himself from the fleet But he hastily coming in unto them that rash act of complaint was excused by Essex which Ralegh resented ever after And he landing on the Isle of Fiall before Essex came thither takes the Town which being misunderstood as in dispite of Authority they are peiced again They land upon Gratiosa and Flores take the spoil and depaâ—â— unto other Ilands to seek the Spanish India fleet which was then to come home And no sooner departed but within two houres after the whole fleet of 40 sail full of treasure arrives there and meets with some of the English ships But ere Essex came in they were shrowded under the safety and shot of their own Castles Yet Essex lands farther off and takes Villa Franka burns a great Carocque ship But not much done in answer to Essex his ranting intentions they return in some distress by the way home And being come to Court the Repetition of their several incounters moved contention between Essex and Ralegh casting all misfortunes on each other Besides Essex now blown up with ambition was offended that Sir Robert Cacil in his absence was made Secretary of State and Chancellor of the Dutchie of Lancaster emulous of his wisdom and besides he was then Raleghs great friend But more malitious That the Lord Howard Admiral of England was created Earl of Nottingham with some Testimonialls mentioned in his Patent That he had secured England from the Spanish invasion of 88 and that joyntly â—ith Essex he had valiantly taken the Iland and City of Cadiz and that he had there wholly destroyed the Spanish fleet designed for their assault of the Kingdom of England but Essex would have it fancied he did all himself For he that usually ascribed all the glory to himself could indure no Rivalls especially that Nottingham now Earl took place of him and all others of the same degree as being Admiral according to the Statute of Henry the 8. That the high Chamberlain high Constable Marshal Admiral high Steward and Chamberlain should have preheminâ—nce of all others of the same degree of Honor. But to please Essex He is therefore made Marshal of England and so his pride took place of the Admiral This I note in particular to shew by what steps and degrees of distast He took occasion to turn Traytor not long after See Anno 1600 and so we return to Scotland The winter quarter brought the Estates to Edenburgh and the King timely holds a Parliament in some respects for restoring the Popish Lords now called Proselytes to their honors and lands And the Commissioners for the Ministery are suiters for sundry Articles Amongst them this was one That the Ministers representing the Church and third estate of the Kingdom might be admitted voice in Parliament according to several acts here to foâ—â— in favour of the Church and the libertie and freedom The King was earnest therein to please them and had it past But then obtained the manner as for himself thus That such Pastors and Ministers as his Majesty should please to provide to the Place and Dignity of a Bishop Abbot or other Prelate at any time shall have voice in Parliament as freely as any other Ecclesiastical Prelate had at any time by-past And that all Bishopricks then in his Majesties hands and undisponed to any person or which should happen to fall void hereafter should be only disponed to actua Preachers and Ministers in the Church or to such other persons as should be found apt and qualified to use and exercise the Office of a Preacher or Minister and who in their provisions to the said
no third person admitted and a guard of Horse kept all men off from hearing Considering the former Message by Knowd what construction can this secrecie produce but great surmize of the height of Treason and yet though Essex was not arraigned for his Irish actions his latter in London sufficient let me relate what is testified in pursuance of this in the designes of Essex On Tyrones part it fell out That the very day that Essex returned to the Queen Tyrone told Sir William Warren at Armagh That within two or three Moneths he should see the greatest and strangest alteration that could be imagined and that himself hoped to have a large share in England And unto Bremingham he said That he had promised ere long to shew his face in England little to the publick good thereof Thomas Wood Confesses That the Lord Fitzâ—orris in Munster about the same time told him That Tyrone had written to the Earl of Desmond so called that the contract was That Essex should be King of England Tyrone Viceroy of Ireland and should assist him in England with 8000 Souldiers With which agrees the answer of Tyrone to Mac Roories letter That Essex had agreed to side with Tyrone and so be ayded by them all towards the Conquest of England The general opinion and discourse of the Rebells That Essex was theirs and they his and that he would never relinquish the sword of Ireland till he was Master of that in England Tyrone after the parley grew proud and secure into strange progresses visitations homages of his confederates as of a new spirit and courage Essex presently thereupon having retired thoughts became melancholly as of doubtfull ambition and secretly imparts himself only to the Earl of Southampton and Sir Christopher Blunt Resolving to go into England with 2. or 3000. choice of the Army to make good his landing at Milford Haven so gather power march to London and make his own conditions They diswade him from the hazard and odiousness of the design but rather to draw out 200. of the most resolute to make sure of the Court and so to follow the effect And accordingly over he comes his Company in a muze of his intents he publisht his pretext to them by the efficacie of his presence to draw the Queen to confirm his Articles with Tyrone But in great choler as to dispute or Revenge and without leave from England He leaves his command to a Lieutenant and lands with 100. Gentlemen his best confidents hastens to Court ere it was known to any but to his dear Uncle Sir William Knowles Controuler of the Queens Houshold to whom he writes Dear Uncle Receiving your last at my entring on shipboard I return you this accompt at my landing being resolved with all speed and our silence to appear in the face of my Enemies not trusting a farr off to my own Innocencie or to the Queens favour with whom they have got so much power At sight of him with amaze the Queen swore Gods death my Lord what do you here your presence hatefull without Tyrones head But he falling more to a dispute than any excuse she in disdain to be taught but what she pleased to do bid him he gone his boots stunck So was he commanded to his Chamber at Court for some daies thence to the Lord Keeper til neer Easter after then to his own house under custody of Sir Richard Barckley til the end of Trinity Term so by degrees of restraint to win him to repentance the Queen said that he was young enough to amend and make amends for all Yet to repress seditious libels dispersed in his Justification and to observe a form of justice ere she gave him libertie There were associates unto her privy Council some chosen persons of the Nobility and judges of the Law to examine his breaking of his instructions in Ireland his treating with Tyrone and leaving his Government coming over without leave nay expresly contrary to his command under her hand signet With limitation not to be charged with disloyalty nor to be questioned publickly in Starr Chamber which upon his most penitent letter he desired to be spared and to be heard at the Lord Keepers house The sentence was then no more than suspension from some of his Places for he called God to witness He made an utter divorce with the world and desired favour only for a preparative for his Nunc Dimittis the tears of his heart having quenched in him all humors of ambition Upon which in few daies his Keeper Barckly was taken from him with this admonition That he was not altogether discharged though left to the guard of his own discretion He had taken into his service as chief Secretary in Ireland and long before one Henry Cuff base by birth a great Scholar of a turbulent and mutinous spirit This fellow a Moneth after his Lords liberty practised with Sir Henry Nevil lately Lieger Ambassadour with the French King and now newly come from Bullen Insinuating as a secret That the breach of the treaty of Bullen was like to light upon him By Cuff it was first concluded that ancient principle of Conspiracie To prepare many and trust but to few and after the manner of Mines to make ready the powder place it firm and then give fire in the instant The first of Nobility was Wriothsly Earl of Southampton and some others of quality and with Profane policie to serve their turns with both factions Papist and Puritan Essex his outside to these professing Hypocriticall zeal and frequent Sermons To the other as to Blunt and Davis his inmost secrecies for Tolleration of Religion And thus he spent Michaelâ—as Term. Towards Christmass there passed a watch-word amongst his associates That he intended to stand upon his guard a double sence as of circumspection or force But in truth not to be cooped up with restraint The time of execution was Hilary Term when by invitation or business the Town would fill with his friends But in Candlemass Term they fell to consult at Drury House where Sir Charls Davers lodged a man obliged unto him for his pardon about the Murther of one Long. Sir Ferdinando Gorges Governour of Plymouth sent for by his letter not to fail before the second of February Sir Iohn Davis Surveyor of the Ordinance his former servant And Iohn Littleton a man of wit and valour Their consultation rest upon three parts The perusal of a List of confederates How to act Distribution of each mans action The List was 106. Noblemen Knights and Gentlemen of Essex own hand writing The action was in two Articles Possessing the Tower Surprizing the Q. Court In which was deliberated what course to hold with the City towards effecting the surprize or after The Tower would give reputation and security to the Action by means of Davis but most of the rest were jealous that whilst they built
Captivity Shall we be inveigled with pretences petty Preferment to Parliament Votes and Titles of Prelacy c. Then scoffing at the King But Boniton says he that Thief is executed What 's that to Religion Is there none offends but Boniton But the King is sound if so the danger the less but there is nothing sound in Kirk or King Melius obtabilius est bellâ—m pace impia a Deo distrahente Do what the King could such Libells were licensed for which he was committed Their Church thus settled the King urges for a new Translation of the Bible being miserably lamely done disputing with them the Errors therein as also their Prose and Singing Psalms wherein he shewed the faults of Meeter and Matter with admiration to all that heard him so ready to reason with them their discrepance from the Text by proofs of other Languages which though he could not obtain from them therein yet he had it accomplished where he found obedience to his commands afterwards in England Anno 1603. The King caresses all his Friends and sends Lodowick Duke of Lenox Ambassadour into France with some persons of Honour and two Counsellours of State to caress the King he arrives at Diep and enters Paris with a train of Scots that met him from all parts a custom they ever had to set out themselves the best side outwards especially from home where they are least known but by their own declarations And not long after Audience at St. Iermans the Queen in childe-bed and then took leisure to visit his Mother Madam d' Aubigney whilest the King poasted to Callis upon false intelligence that Queen Elizabeth was desperate ill or that the affairs of Flanders invited him Ostend then besieged No doubt his mouth watered to have found such another faction as might foist in another Bastard of Normandy in gallantry he would say so Upon his return the Duke takes leave and lands in England We may guess what he had done assured the Kings affection to the French and as of ancient amity so craves continuance and support towards his new Inheritance in case of necessity when his time should come to the Crown of England And here he findes the Queen ill disposed and the Parliament set suspected of all to have made his Masters clame to the Right of Succession and many one ready to offer assistance but he declared to them the Kings dislike to breed jealousies by such unkindness his Commission being no other than to salute her with the Kings filial affection to her Majesty and because he found the Irish malady oppressed her most he proffered his Masters aid to serve her there which she took well and he took leave The Mighty States ouâ— of sunken Netherlands will have no delay but to subdue Flanders and to amuze the Arch Duke Maurice Prince of Orange is sent into Gelderland to besiege Reinbergh and had assistance fron England of four thousand men but the Arch Duke was more forward and fell upon Ostend to whose Relief are sent twenty Companies and Sir Francis Vere their General both without and within Ostend from a poor Fisher-town had repulsed the Duke of Parma Maltee and now this Arch Duke with all his seventeen Forts erected round about it For Sir Francis Vere in the fifth moneth of the Siege treats about the Surrender delaying the Delegates till Auxiliaries were raised and then sent them away with a fig for them The Arch Duke was angry batters Ostend with eighteen Cannon drives on two thousand Foot to set upon the old Town the Horse put them on and take two Fortresses and the English Trenches nine Ordnance out of the West Gate with Chain-shot miserably rent the Assailants with mighty loss in other places Sir Francis Vere quits his six moneths Government as it was ordained to Frederick Dork a Dutch-man who with others succeeding him defended it three years and four mouths against Spains fury and the raging sea the more troublesom Enemy and in that time were intomb'd in honour many brave English and others the most warlike Souldiers of all Nations in Christendom contending for a barren piece of sand The French King fearing such an evil Neighbour provides for his own Coast and comes to Callis whom Queen Elizabeth congratulates by her Secretary Edmonds and he returns the Visit to her by Marshal Byron Monsieur Arvern and Sir Aumons and besides they had in charge to wish her happiness in the timely suppression of the late Rising and sudden Execution of Essex and his Complices She said His faults deserved that punishment of which she gave him timely warning foreseeing his ambition edg'd on by others to commit Treason for which yet had he begg'd it she might have given him pardon Byron not long after felt the like destiny for his Plots against the French King though his merits to his Master were far exceeding any pretences of Essex yet all of them and his thirty wounds in the Kings service could not prevail though he begg'd it with too much desire of longer life And indeed they were both equally matches in most things parallel either in vice or virtue Money was scarce in England being transported yearly into Ireland one hundred and sixty thousand pounds sterling and under that colour the Merchants had a common way to convey elsewhere much more and once got to the Rebells it was good barter for all commodities with any forein Nation and by stealth with English the Coin for Ireland was therefore abased with some Brass which would bring over the sterling money back again into England The Arguments against this could not prevail with Treasurer Burkhurst besides the Law of that time Necessity 'T is true the Souldier lost in his pay which they felt but understood not and the Queen was not so nice of her publick repute but to veil to the benefit which lasted not long and the money-masters not then so well experienced to manage the advantage the Spanish policy therein grown cunning might have taught us what they practice for gain With fresh pay the Deputy goes on removes Ter Oen from Black-water Derry Castle Donegal Monastery The tittular Earl of Desmond and Mac Carty are surprized arreigned and condemned of Treason and sent into England by whom and others is discovered the intention of landing Forces from Spain at Cork which was therefore fortified and fresh mann'd with help of two thousand new Souldiers out of England The Spaniards lands in September at the mouth of Kingsale Haven and the Governour there Percie retires 〈◊〉 and the other let in with thirty five Ensignes 〈◊〉 welcomed by the Inhabitants The President Carew bestirrs him drives the County about lodges some forces in places of advantage ready with his Army to expect don Iohn D' Aquila with his title of Master General and Captain of the Catholick King in defending the war of God and maintenance of Religion in Ireland and to deliver
Day should pay for all they meant the Day when she should die that it would be a bloudy Day by the uncertainty of the next Heir our Countrey is in the most dreadfull and desperate case in the greatest misery and most dangerous times that ever it was since or before the Conquest and far worse than any Countrey in Christendom by the certainty of the most bloudy civil and forein Wars all our wealth and felicity whatsoever depending upon a few uncertain days of Queen Elizabeths life Clouds of bloud says another hang in the Air which at the death of Queen Elizabeth will dissolve and rain down upon England which then is expected as a Prey to Neighbour Nations These false Prophets spake this sense for the Sun set and no night followed Mira cano Sol occubuit Nox nulla secuta The same mercifull hand at the same time crowned Queen Elizabeth with immortal glory and set the Earthly Crown of this Kingdom upon King Iames his head without shedding so much as one drop of bloud Sic transit gloria mundi Queen Elizabeth was a Princess excellent in all Tongues she translated the Prayers of Queen Katharine into Latine French and Italian she wrote a Century of Sentences and dedicated them to her Father and translated Salustius she made several Orations in Latine in both the Universities and entertained Ambassadours always in their own Languages many of her excellent Speeches in Parliament are in print Queen Mary of Scotland wrote a Book of Verses in French of the Institution of a Prince all with her own hand wrought the Cover with her Needle which the King Kept as a Relick of her Memory as I have seen The End of the first Part. REX FIDEI DEFENSOR POTENTISS IACOBUS D. G. MAGNAE BRITANNIAE GALLIAE ET HIBERNIAE FIDEI DEFENSOR Behold Greate Britaines France and Irelands Kinge About whose Browes Clusters of Crownes doe springe Whose faith him Champion of the FAITH en-stiles Vpon whose head fortune and Honnor smiles The Rod of vice and Vertues Recompence Longe liue Kinge IAMES in all Magnificence Printed and sould by P. Stout THE REIGN AND DEATH OF King JAMES OF Great BRITTAIN FRANCE and IRELAND the First c. The Second Part. LONDON Printed by Henry Hills 1655. Introduction WE reade in Stories how perplexed several Princes have been in some dependent policies at their first acquisition to their Governments especially such Sovereigns as come to their Crowns by accidents mixt with Succession I finde not any amongst many more difficult to decide than that which befell King Iames and followed the death of Queen Elizabeth The horrid remembrance of the late execution of his Mother Queen Mary famed by all forein Nations for a Lady that had born the Illustrious Diadems of two glorious Scepters the one by lawfull Succession of former Kings even from her Cradle the the other by powerfull Conquest of a mighty Prince with her incomparable merit beauty of her body and more of her minde living long time to see her Son a King renowned for wisdom and thereby apt to apprehend and powerfull of himself and so fitted for Revenge The splendour of Imperial Crowns are eclipsed by suffering such ignominy the sacred character of Church and State defaced the magnificence of the most secured Thrones destroyed and Sovereignty would cease to be the image of God But for him to ascend that Throne steeming with his Mothers innocent bloud wrought amazement to himself no doubt and wonder to the world what he would do in this Dilemma Best of beauties may be discoloured and so the complexion alters Christian policies are good rules for Sovereignty we may examine his Resolution by the happy effects of his Actions Besides he was bound to acknowledge Truths Her Adoption of Him to his inheritance sweetned Him into the peoples candid Acceptation And though by that solemn Action on Her death-bed she gave Him but his Own Yet she might have rendered Her self and former Cruelty less disputable by objecting against Him his Mothers Religion averse to the reformed in England strangers they were both and He Her son whom in Iustice she had destroyed For though her fathers will setled the succession Her power with the people might have allowed it she might have Married or Created another and so made a favorite Or indeed the sure of all she might have setled this Nation in the people to succeed Her as heirs to all The times and Relations then more likely than â—ver since as now it is Thus she might have done see what she did Seing She could not repair Her cruel Error Yet by those means She manifested Her resentment of what She had done amiss by recompensing that Evil with this Good And ill humour of Malice is not easily purged It reacheth to the Person hated and to all near Relations Children and Friends And no doubt some secret Maxime or Policie of Stâ—te might be taken up sufficient to have accused Queen Mary of Crime and so to have put a fixed Resolution to that Action which otherwise in it self seems Savage Her Adoption of Him was of equal Ballance with His Birth-right and usually as Venerably received as Inheritance from Parents T' is true They give the Birth but leave us to Succession Free Election as the Gift is most admirable for its merits so ought it to be the more Acceptable for the Miracle The One Natural even to Brutes in their Ordinary Inclinations But Adoption operates with affection and choice not from Sense but from Reason and examines the Object ere it settles the possession And so thus considered she merits Pardon He Excuses Another Relation falls upon Her Counsellors then the most honourable birth admirable in wisdom and Eminent in Power for the King to confide in These or They in Him Those that found an Executioner for Her might in time bring forth a Regicide for Him See how his wisdom Expiates all Those hands that hurt Her healed Him who sealed to Her death signed to His Reception Nor could any private malice of theirs be directed towards Her Person but Her Power Necessity of State made Them submit to sentence Her which otherwise they perhaps would have spared in Reverence to Her and Honor to Him And as their Persons were Eminent so was it hazardous for Him to question a Crime that He had not power to punish Acts they are so different in Them as make up the wonder in Him How to revenge the One and not reward the Other Acts of Oblivion alwaies more Noble than Revenge Caesars erection of Pompeys Statue secured his own Acts of Honor to others memory reflect in effect upon the person present And therefore He rather chose to Court Her Counsellors with the favour of Clemencie than to correct Them with the Rod of Iustice. Rigour hath much of Majesty but Mercy hath more of Glory The One may be more safe the other more secure And though Machivael makes Fear and Love
And so it was in his Mothers time and without consent of Parliament else it would seem a League of the People And in his time when it came to be Ratifyed least it should appear In odium Tertii it was by Him left out in respect of his Title to England 3. Who is so ignorant as can not see the profit and commodity to England by this Union is there not Gain by Wales is not Scotland greater Lands Seas and Persons added to Greatness certainly Two made One makes them Greater and Stronger He desires Union for the Empire of England and for their security to condescend to reasonable Restrictions And he will never say what he will not promise nor promise what he will not swear nor swear what he will not perform And so dismisses them But although the Parliament could not be drawn to it presently yet not long after it wrought upon the Judges of this Kingdom that the chief Justice Coke confirmed the Post-Nati in Calvins Case and Title And adjudged for him also by that reverend States-man Chancelor Elsmere and all the Iudges likewise in the Exchequer Chamber whose opinions do much confound our Adversary bewailing the Cause That of such stuffe Judges are made who can modell their Presidents to any shape And yet all that this Session could be drawn to do was to repeal the Laws of Hostility between both Nations and so confirmed in Scotland from the fourth of Henry 5. of England and from 1 Iames 1. of Scotland Some excellent Acts were concluded this Session which I refer to the statutes in print But because the Judges in that time are complained of as too partiall for the Kings commands Let me aeternize the memory of Judge Nichols of the common pleas His Predecessor in his Circuite Assize for the County of Northampton had reprieved a Felon indicted before him and found guilty by the Jury and condemned but reprieved by him upon some observation of the weakness of the Evidence This Iudge dying Nichols appointed for that Circuite continues the Prisoners reprieve And the complaint came to the King who urgeth the Judg by letters for Execution which yet he refused His just excuse was That if his Predecessor who heard the Evidence thought good in Iustice to grant his reprieve It became not his Conscience now to condemn him seeing he never heard the Evidence at all And that it was part of his Oath to do right notwithstanding the Kings letters 18. Edward 3. This man therefore the King owned to be a wise learned and just Judge for though he might perhaps have given just Iudgment it could not be true Iustice. Licet aequum statuerit hand aequum fuerit Heretofore Proclamations had been by Queen Elizabeth and King Iames against the excessive repair of persons of quality out of the Country to London by neglecting their duties at home in their respective service to the Common weal the decay of Hospitable Neighborhood and relief of the poor Besides the more room made for them crowded the Mechanick and Trades-men into narrow habitations and dear rents pestering most houses with Inmates Infections and sickness the Country Towns and Burroughs unpeopled trade decayed But these commands not obeyed The wisdom of State was assured that the cause taken away the effects would follow The restraint of New-buildings might necessitate the Gentry to keep to the Country for want of lodgings at easie rates in London And such as should be were prescribed heretofore a form of Brick upright to save Timber so much wanting and to beautifie the streets incroached upon with bay windows and eaves hanging over that even joyned with the opposite Neighbour upon old or new foundations a Custome of freedom in after times of loose liberty which destroys the beauty of buildings And now necessity enforcing a farther Obedience this proclamation hath these Limitations No new buildings in London or two miles about but upon old foundations And such as have been erected within five years last past contrary to former Proclamations which were to be pulled down shall nevertheless be disposed by Officers appointed for tenements to the poor or for their benefit and hereafter offending to be pull'd down No House to be divided hereafter into several Tenements nor any Inmates received to make another family These prohibitions were referred to the Aldermen and Iustices of Peace and this was in October 1607. When the plague ceased and the fresh gang of the Countrey came huddling to keep Christmass at London Our Caluminator that swells his Book with malitious observations and false quotations refers this to 7. Iac. 1609. and belyes the restriction to be pulled down though says he not taken notice of in seven years after for this Proclamation commands the Aldermen and Iustices in their diligent view perambulation and inquiry to certifie the Kings Council every Term or their neglect to be censured punished and removed from the Peace as unworthy Whereby says he many not heeding the Proclamation laid out their whole Estates upon little Hovels and building fair houses upon new foundations must either purchase them anew or pull them down and both to their ruine Name me one that was repurchased Indeed such as offended in this last were to be fined or pulled down And truly the commands were so necessary so wholesome so beautifull and so exemplarily publick that very few offended and such as did deserved due punishment yet this is scored upon the King as a Crime in State which he foresaw would come to pass as now in these days we finde the effects to be pitied the very ruine of this City and Suburbs The Lord Treasurer Dorset died suddenly at the Council-table his Disease an Apoplexy which gave way to Cecil Earl of Salisbury to succeed him Treasurer this Dorset was Thomas Sackvile Son and Heir of Sir Richard Sackvile of Buckhurst who came from the Temple a Barrester and was created Baron Buckhurst by Queen Elizabeth and by King Iames Earl of Dorset 1605. and Knight of the Garter About this time a further discovery was made in Scotland concerning the truth of Gowry's Treason by Attainder of another of the Conspiratours The Treason was attempted the fourth of August 1600. as before remembered and though there followed sundry Suspitions and Examinations of several persons supposed Abettors and Contrivers then yet it lay undiscovered tanquam e post liminio untill this time eight years after by the circumspection principally of the Earl of Dunbar a man of as great wisdom as those times and that Nation could boast of upon the person of one George Sprot Notary publick at Aymouth in Scotland from some words of his sparingly and unawares expressed and some Papers found in his house whereof being examined with little ado he confessed and was condemned and executed at Edenburgh 12. August 1608. A Relation I conceive not common but in my hands to be produced and written by that learned Gentleman
an ordinary fate which often accompanies them to bear the burden of their masters mistakes which yet was but an experiment proper enough for the L. Chamberlain Rochester to put in practice whose creature he was But we may not forget our good Lord of Essex our digression most necessary to his story which was thus There was amongst other persons of Honour and quality in Court a young Lady of great birth and beauty Frances the Daughter of Thomas Howard Earl of Suffolk married in under-age unto the Earl of Essex now become a forward stripling she two and twenty and he three and twenty years of him common fame had an opinion grounded upon his own suspition of his insufficiency to content a Wife And the effects of this Narration with the sequel of his life and conversation with his second Wife is so notorious as might spare me and the Reader our several labours for any other convincing arguments But with the first when both were of years to expect the blessing of the Marriage-bed he was always observed to avoid the company of Ladies and so much to neglect his own that to wish a Maid into a mischief was to commend her to grumbling Essex as they stiled him and increased the jealousie of such men whose interests were to observe him that he preferred the occasion himself for a Separation and which indeed from publick fame begat private disputation amongst Civilians of the legality thereof wherein those Lawyers are boundless This Case followed the heels of a former Divorce fresh in memory between the Lord Rich and his fair Lady by mutual consent but because Mountjoy Earl of Devonshire married her whilest her Lord lived the King was so much displeased as it broke the Earl's heart for his Majesty told him that he had purchased a fair Wife with a foul Soul But this of Essex was a different Example when you seek to parallel them together And therefore we may with more charity to truth not admit such hasty credit as to believe that now the Kings delight was onely for the love of the Viscount who is supposed to be in love with the Countess of Essex and upon no other score to command the Bishops to sue out a Divorce from her Husband which in truth was done with ample Reasons and legal Geremontes And because the Nullity gave freedom to either and so the means of her after-marriage with Rochester the sad occasions of all the sequel mishaps I have with some diligence laboured out the truth precisely and punctually as it was acted and proceeded by Commission Delegative not easily now otherwise to be brought to light which the Historian passes over briefly as unwilling to spend time to set down truths when it makes not for his turn for this Author had been Essex his Man and turn'd away by his Lady Upon Petition of the Earl of Suffolk and his Daughter Frances to the King That whereas his Daughter Frances Countess of Essex had been married many years unto Robert Earl of Essex in hope of comfortable effects to them both that contrariwise by reason of certain latent and secret imperfections and impediments of the said Earl disabling him in the rights of Marriage and most unwillingly discovered to him by his Daughter which longer by him to conceal without remedy of Law and the practice of all Christian policy in like cases might prove very prejudicial And therefore prays To commit the cause of Nullity of Matrimony which she is forced to prosecute against the said Earl to some grave and worthy persons by Commission under the great Seal of England as is usâ—ally c. Which accordingly was granted unto four Bishops two Privy Counsell ours learned in the Law and unto four other Civil Lawyers with clause to proceed cum omni qua poterint celeritate expeditione summarie ac de plano sine strepitu ac figur a judicii sola rei facti veritate inspecta mera aequitate attenta And with this clause also Quorum vos praefati Rev. Patrem Cant. Archiepiscopum Reverend Patrem Lond. Episcopum Iul. Caesar. Mil. aut duos vestrum in ferenda sententia inâ—eresse volumus But for some Exceptions concerning the Quorum by the Commissioners in the words Sententia esse not interesse A second Commission was granted and adjoyned two Bishops more with this Quorum Quorum ex vobis praefat Reverend Patrem George Cant. Archiepisc. Ioh. Lond. Episc. Tho. Wint. Episc. Lancelot Eliens Episc. Richard Covent Lich. Episc. Ioh. Ross. Episcop Iul. Caesar. Mil. Tho. Parry Mil. in ferenda Sententia nos esse volumus Upon this the Countess procures Process against the Earl to answer her in a Cause of Nullity of Matrimony The Earl appears before the Commissioners by his Proctor and she gives in her Libell viz. That the Earl and the Lady six years since in January Anno Domini 1606. were married her age then thirteen and he fourteen and now she is two and twenty and he three and twenty years old That for three years since the Marriage and he then eighteen years old they both did co-habit as married folk in one bed naked and alone endeavouring to have carnal knowledg each of others body Notwithstanding the Earl neither did nor could ever know her carnally he being before and since possessed with perpetual incurable impediment and impotency at least in respect of her That the Lady was and is apt and fit without any defect and is yet a Virgin and carnally unknown by any man That the Earl hath confessed oftentimes to persons of great credit and his nearest Friends that he was never able carnally to know her though he had often attempted and â—sed his utmost endeavours And therefore prayeth the Commissioners upon due proof hereof to proneunce for the invalidity and nullity of the Marriage The Earl by his Proctor denies the said Contents Contestatio lit is negative His Answer is required by Oath by second Process where in open Court his Oath was administred with so great care and effectual words to minde him of all circumstance as the like hath been seldom observed The Earl viva voce confesseth the Marriage and circumstance as in the Libell and were not absent above three Moneths the one from the other in any of the said three years That for one whole year of the three he did attempt divers times carnally to know her but the other two years he lay in bed with her nightly but found no motion to copulation with her That in the first year she shewed willingness and readiness therito That he did never carnally know but did not finde any impediment in her self but was not able to penetrate or enjoy her And believeth that before and after the Marriage he found in himself ability to other women and hath sometime felt motion that way But being asked whether he found in himself a perpetual and incurable impediment
of my life Such stuff as this makes up the matter as they would make us believe but in truth he threatened Somerset with some discovery which was construed to be secrets of Love or State or both Not without monstrous defaming her honour by Message and writing filthy base woman they were best look to stand fast which begat fury in her and subtilty in Somerset least Overburies Malice should break forth to both their sufferings and so trouble their whole fortunes To prevent mischief to the One and continual defame to the other combining with the rest It was resolved by her to destroy him which she first intended by assassination and dealt with one Sir David Wood an ill-looked red-bearded Scot whom Overbury had prevented of a suit valued 2000l But his cowardice not conscience fearing to ingage she and they plotted the impoisoining of him in prison as the story intends to discover in particular This Spring seizes Northampton for death He was brother unto the late Duke of Norfolk who suffered for his Attempts of Marriage with the Queen of Scots as before remembred then a Prisoner here in England which might be some motive for the King to consider the advance of this Man and that Family which he did by preferring the Dukes second Son to be Earl of Suffolk 1603. and by restoring the Dukes Graâ—dchild Thomas Earl of Arundel 1604. as aforesaid and by particular preferments of this Henry who was more wedded to his book than to the Bed for he dyed a Bachelour He was accompted wise and learned a cunning States-man and for all these abilities out of the Kings great affection to Letters especially being concentured in a Noble person at his first accession hether he the rather advanced him in succeeding Creations as Baron of Marnhill Earl of Northampton then Privy Councellour Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports Lord Privy Seal and Knight of the Garter and elected Chancelour of the University of Cambridge He had plentiful for his single Life and to spare for his friends In his expence not over frugal maintaining his Port the most remarkable like the antient Nobility in his family and dependents of any Lord then or since his time He assisted his Nephew the Earl of Suffolk by his designning and large contribution to that excellent Fabrick Awdleend He built that Noble Structure at Charing-Cross Northamp House presented it a New years gift to his Cosin German the â— Walden Suffolks eldest Son And yet left his other Cosin the E. of Arundel the rest of his estate so to appear to the World his equal distribution to such even kindred He was pious and gave good testimony thereof in his life built that handsome Covent at Greenwich and indued it with Revenue for ever for maintenance of decayed Gentlemen Bachelours a competent number and for Widdows also considerable He died in April Anno 1614. full of years and honour and suspected more Catholick than some will think reasonable though in the form of a Church Papist as some lately do publish and to be a Setter in the monstrous Murther of Sir Thomas Overbury though the Lieutenant of the Tower Yelvis in his Examinations and Confessions cleered him which suspition is since grounded upon the interpretation of his Familiar Epistles to the Earl of Somerset and indeed but bruited since his death And where no proofs precede we may be sparing to not him so Noble a Person with that or any other Infamy About these times the humours of young Gallants not brooking the peaceable conditions of our Kingdomes and neighbour Nations took upon themselves to quarrel with each other and to fight it out in Duels upon slight occasions and very frequent which induced his Majesty to publish a severe Edict against private Combates and Combatants their Seconds Accomplices and Adherents for prevention of those heavy events whereto worthy familics become obnoxious by the odious and enormous impieties inevitably subsequent thereupon Intending by that time that the most proper Remedies have qualified the distemper of il-disposed minds and that audacious spirits have smarted for incompetent desires the false colours and pretences of erring Custome have both been counterpleaded and corrected by reforming severity By that time I say that Passion hath been put into the right course of submitting to discretion and caution hath wrought it self at leasure into as constant a form and habit of conforming to obedience as self-will took in former times to plant false principles the greater part will easily discern That there is greater reason to reprove those that offer Challenges of madness than to tax those of Cowardice that abstain out of duty And therefore those that should conceive themselves to be behind in the least respect of point of honour should repair to the Marshalls Court who were instructed and prepared as well for the cleansing of all green wounds as the healing of old Ulcers that shall appear to them Hereupon occassion was soon given and taken in a Duel of Priest and Wright for writing and carrying the challenge and an information against them in Star Chamber by a charge of Sir Francis Bacon Atturney General and though the persons were but mean yet they served for example to the great the Dog to be beaten before the Lion the one a Barber Surgeon the other a Butcher This eloquent Oratour divided his charge into four branches 1. The nature and greatness of the Mischief 2. The Causes and Remedies 3. The Iustice of the Law of England which saies he some think defective herein 4. The capacity of this Court where the Remedy is best to be found 1. For the first when Revenge is extorted out of the Magistrates hands into private men presuming to give Laws to themselves It may grow from quarrels to banding so to trooping then to tumult and commotion from private persons to families and alliances and so to national quarrel and subject the State to inflamations and convulsions and herein Offences of presumption are the greatest and this to be done by the aurorae filii sons of the morning young men full of hope and towardness 2. The Causes no doubt a false imagination of honour and credit bewitching Duels Species falsa against Religion Law and virtue That men now adaies had lost the true Notion of fortitude and valor the one Fortitude distinguishing the grounds of quarrels whether they be just and worthy a mans life being to be sacrificed to honourable services good causes and Noble Adventures Expence of blood is as the expence of money not to be profuse in either upon vain occasion For the Remedies Four things may be effectual for repressing the depraved custome of Combates First The State to abolish it for then every particular person thinks himself thereby acquitted his reputation when he sees it an insult against Sovereign power Like unto the Edict of Charls the ninth of France against Duels That the King himself took upon him the honour of all
that were grieved or interessed for not having performed the combate when he shall see the rule of State dis-interest him of a vain and unnecessary hazard Secondly This evil must not be cockered The compounding of quarrels is grown so punctual by private Noblemen and Gentlemen who is before hand and wholly behind hand It countenances Duels as if therein somewhat of right The most prudent and best Remedy may be learned out of the Kings Proclamation The false conceated humour must be punished in the same kind In eo quis rectissime plectitur in quo peâ—cat such men to be banished the Kings presence and excluded the Court for certain years to be cast into that darkness not to behold his Sovereigns face Lastly We see the Root of this offence is stubborn for it despiseth death the utmost of punishments and therefore these men to be executed by Law without all remission The severity of France had been more where by a kind of Marshal Law established by the King the party surviving was instantly hanged their wounds though bleeding least a natural death should prevent the example of Justice Or if not so to do but with greater lenity yet of no less efficacy which is to punish by fines in Star Chamber the middle acts and proceedings which tend to the Duel 3. Now for the Law of England It is excepted against in two points Not to difference between an infidious and foul murther and killing upon fair terms as they term it The other Not providing sufficient punishment for contumely of words as thely and the like These novelties are thus answered The Law of God makes no difference but between Homicide voluntary and involuntary which we term Misadventure and for which there were Cities of Refuge Our Law hath a more subtil distinction The Will inflamed and the Will advised Man-slaughter in heat and Murther upon Malice or cold blood The Romans had restrained this privilege of passion but onely where the Husband took the Adulterer in the manner Yet Cain inticed his Brother into the Field and slew him treacherously but Lamech vaunted of his Murther To kill a young man and if it were but in his hurt So as the difference is between Insidious and Presumptâ—oâ—s Murther these of Cain and Lamech Greece and Rome had not this practice of Duells It is said fas est ab hoste doceri There was a Duel between two eminent persons of the Turks and one slain the Council of Bashaes reprehended the Other How durst you undertake to fight one with the other are there not Christians enow to kill Did you not know that whether of you were slain the loss would be the great Seigniours T is true we find Combates before an Army amongst the Romans which they called Pugna per provocationem between Generals themselves or by their license to others So David asked leave when he fought with Goliah And Ioab when the Armies met gave leave Let the young Men play before us And of this kind was that famous example in the Warres of Naples between the Spaniards and Italians where Italians prevailed The second combate is a Iudicial Tryal of Right introduced by the Gothes and the Northern Nations and more antient in Spain But yet a wise Writer saies Taliter pugnantes videntur tentare Deum quia hoc volunt ut Deus ostendat faciat Miraculum ut justam causam habens Victor efficiatur quod saepe â—ontra accidit Nay the French folly in this kind had it in Toleration never authorized by Law but of late punished with severe rigour As for the supposed defect in our Law for Lies and fillips words of denyal and flea bites to murther a man Solon's Answer satisfies That he had not ordained Punishments for it not imaging the world so phantastical to take it so highly The Civillians say that an action of injury does not ly for it Indeed Francis the first of France gave the ly to the Emperour and in a Solemn Assembly said That he was no honest man that would bear the ly The Laws of England had onely these degrees of injury Slander Battery Maime and Death But as for a fillip Consalvo said A Gentlemans honour should be De tela crassiore of a strong warp Now for the power of this Court to censure Presidents have been in the Minor Whartons case P lt where Acklam Defendant servant to Elleckars was fined for carrying his Masters challenge but by Word of Mouth And it was concluded to prosecute in these cases against such As shall appoint the field though the sight be not acted Send challenge in writing or message Shall deliver either of them To accept or return them To be a second To depart beyond Seas to combat To revive a quarrel by sâ—andalous bruits or Pasquils Counsellers of Quarrellers And that a Man may in those cases be as well fur de se as felo de se if he steal out of the Realm to fight he doth Machinari contro Coronaâ— But let us remember Scotland We have forewarned the Earl of Orkneys mis-behaviour in Scotland which of late so increased as he was again sent for and committed Having rioted most of his Estate the remainder was mortgaged to Sir Iohn Arnots of whom the King purchases his Interest by which means he might the better give relief to the distressed Tenants from oppression The Earl now in Dunbarton Castle with a Noble a Day pension for his Maintenance had information how his Estate with his Castles Kirkwall Birsay and other his Houses and Lands in the Isles were rendered to the Kings Sheriffs He endeavouring first to escape but not effecting sends his base Son to get forces and to expulse the Possessors He does so with some loose people assaults Birsay and takes it wherein he puts a Garrison of thirty men and hastens to Kirkwall seizes that also This Insurrection comes to the Kings knowledge and hastens Commission to the Earl of Caithness Lieutenant of those bounds who with his Canon recovers the Castles in 6 weeks and those within made Prisoners Robert Steward the Earls base son and four more principal Actors were arraigned at Edenburgh convâ—ct and hanged The Earl as Accessary came to Tryal being indicted for causing his base son to surprize Kirkwall and Birsay inciting the people to Rebellion and detaining the Castles treasonably against the Kings forces He was allowed Prolocutours Lawyers of the best esteem who deny the Libel as they call it but the confession of his base Son and Others with his missive Letters written to one Iohn Sharp for detaining those Castles and a charter of certain Lands assigned by him to one Patrick Haloro for assisting the Rebels the Assize of Iury being his Peers Earls and Lords found him guilty of Treason and he presently executed at Edenburgh The end of Patrick Earl of Orkney Son to Robert Stewart one of the base Sons of King Iames the fifth for he had others
Savile Derb. William Kneveton Esq Norf. Philip Woodhouse Oxon. William Pope Rutl. Iames Harington Staff Richard Fleetwood Esq Oxon. Thomas Spencer Esq Lanc. Io Tufton Camb. Samuel Peyton Norf. Ch Morrison Kanc. Henry Baker Essex Roger Aplâ—ton Esq Kanc. William Sedley Kanc. William Twisden Kanc. Edward Hales Kanc. William Moynes Essex Thomas Mildmay Esq Essex William Maynard Buck. Henry Lea Esq Wilt. Edward Gorges Essex Harbottle Grimston War Thomas Holt. Som. Io Porâ—man Linc. Io Wray Berk. William Essex Ebor. Marmaduke Wivill Wilt. Fr Englefield Staff Io Pessel Esq Essex William Aloff Wor. Edward Devereux Dev. Thomas Ridgeway Cornw. Renald Mohune Essex Paul Baning 68 Knights 22 Esquires 90 These afterwards Doneld Thomas Blaxton Esq Chester Rowland Egerton Esq Norf. Roger Townsend Esq It is well known that Queen Elizabeth left her Coffers empty and her Revenue not ample for in Treasurer Burghley's times the profit of the Kingdom besides Wards and Dutchy of Lancaster was one hundred eighty eight thousand one hundred ninety and seven pounds per annum and the Payments one hundred ten thousand six hundred and twelve pounds per annum In which Payments these were constant per annum The Houshold forty thousand pounds Ordinary and now increased necessarily almost treble The Privy Parse two thousand pounds The Admiralty thirty thousand pounds 1. For support this King was to proportion his issues with his Revenues both certain and casual 2. By abating or reforming the excess of his Houshold 3. By raising moneys and improving the Crown Revenues For the first he could not well tell how to begin that Lesson for coming in hither with an increment of expence Himself Wife and Children and a large Train of old Servants to be new rewarded the Marriage of his Daughter very lately which expence in that amounted unto near an hundred thousand pounds and her Atd-money came but to twenty thousand and five hundred pounds And that we may see the Charge and Expence of this Marriage in particular I shall set it down  lib. For the Palsgraves Diet at his standing house 6000 For his Diet at his Instalment of the Garter 4000 For Diet at his Marriage 2000 For Lodgings for his Servants 830 To the Wardrobe for Apparel for the Princess Eliz. 6252 For furnishing her Chamber 3023 Apparel and Necessaries for her to my L. Harington 1829 Jewels and Apparel for her Servants 3914 To divers Merchants for Silks c. 995 The Lords Mask at her Marriage 400 For the Naval Fight of Fire-works on the Thames at her Marriage 4800 More Fire-works on the Thames at her Marriage 2880 To Sir Edward Cecil as Treasurer for her Journey from hence to Heidelbergh and for her Purse 2000 For setling her Iointure and charges to some of the Gentry to go thither and to take the Assurance 800 For her Transport to Flushing 5555 Totale 53294 Paid over to the Palsgraves Agent for her Portion 40000 The Total is ninety three thousand two hundred ninety and four pounds These Expences put the King to consider of the best means of Recovery so that several ways were proposed to make his Disbursments answerable to his In-comes and the way was the first work of Ordinary good Husbandry and might well be expected from a Paterfamilias yet it would not for the present Rebus sic stantibus become this King whose fame and honour as all other Sovereignties so his in particular stood more upon Reputation than profit and therefore he according to the magnificence of Royalty left that consideration and he had done reasonable well if not too much for satisfying his Train His second way was to consider of his great expence of Houshold now enlarged into several Courts King Queen Prince and Nursery and these being lookt into he was forced contrary to the royal and largest heart of any his Progenitors to come to Retrenchment and truly in this he was advised to use the means of mean people and others subordinate Ingram and others And first he removed by Proclamation a number of useless persons of his own Nation that unnecessarily depended upon the bounty of his Court and returned them home again Then he proportioned to each Court their expence particularly rated for personal Diet and Dependance Livery and Wages Charge and Salary And this was done without publick complaint of any pressure upon the people as hath been usual heretofore to Parliaments and by them redressed but prudently considered and so referred to the Council-table In ancient time the Houshold was regulated by Book-order and continued so to Henry 8. when Cardinal Wolsey for more honour to that Christmass King of immoderate expence settled it and so remained a ground-work to this present time being now so corrupt as that new ways were proposed in effect to put down Tables and to allow Attendance-money as France does or else by setting up the Hall again to the best first and most magnificent Order that so being spent in publick to the Kings honour the secret waste of Chamber-diet and purloining prevented for out at the Court back-doors most of the meaner houses at Westminster were maintained with food and firing the stealth of under-chamberers We all know what excess was usual in our ancient Retinue and Servants with blue coats and badges especially respecting the Garter of St George who were now ordered to lessen their number and afterwards to fifty Gentlemen and no more to each Knight of that Order heretofore an excessive number to vie it out who should bring most And to reform himself from the excess of his royal heart in gifts and rewards he published Orders and Articles in print in what manner his pleasure restrained his bounty and what natures he was willing to grant Having been liberal to the Scots whom he brought with him men of the greatest eminency at home thereby to binde them here with Free-hold Lands as also with English Tithes for what held the great Gascoign Iean de Foix firm to the Crown of England but his Earldom of Kendall here A neglect in Queen Elizabeth to draw the chief Nobles 〈◊〉 into England by exchange or gift of Lands to have 〈◊〉 them Free-holders here she might then have spared two 〈◊〉 her Wars 〈◊〉 indeed the Kings gifts in Land to the Scots unthankfully 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ttingly they sold conveying that Treasure into Scotland 〈◊〉 his great Design of uniting them here became frustrate 〈◊〉 we finde how many of them not so engaged have turned 〈◊〉 ersaries to his Posterity And I remember well not a penny given then freely to the Scots but gave alarm to every part of Englands Discourse Notes Copies of all privy Seals for money given and so shewed then in Parliaments Yet no noise of what the English had though ten times more But his free hand having stretcht his purse-strings there was a free Benevolence considered of from such good Subjects as in hearty affection to their Sovereign were willing to
State with the advice of learned Prelates Insomuch that the very licensing of Preachers had beginning by Order of Star-chamber the eighth of July 19. H. 8. And that at this present divers young Studients by reading of late writers and ungrounded Divines do broach unsound and seditious Doctrines to the Scandal of the Church and disquiet of the State and that humble representations have been to the King of these inconveniences by the Arch-bishop and other Reverend Prelates of the Church besides his Princely zeal for extirpation of Schism and Dissention proceeding from those seeds And for the settling of a Religious and Peaceable Government in Church and Commonwealth does by these charge and command you to use all possible care and diligence that these limitations and cautiono herewith sent you concerning Preachers be duly observed by Each Bishop in their Iurisdictions to be communicated to each Minister in Cathedral and Parish Churches of which we expect strickt account Windsor August 4. 1621. The Directions sent with the Letter in six Articles 1. That no Preacher â—nder the degree of Bishops or Deans fall into any set discourse or Common place which shall not be warranted in Essence Substance and Effect or Natural Inference with some one Article of Religion set forth anno one thousand five hundred sixty two or in some of the Homilies by authority of the Church of England 2. That none shall preach after noon on Sundays or holy days but on some part of the Catechism or of the Creed Decalogue or the Lords prayer and to incourage such Preachers as exercise children in their Catechism which is the most landable custome of teaching in the Church of England 3. That no Preacher under the Degree of a Bishop or Dean do preach the deep points of Predestination Election Reprobation or of the universality efficacy resistibility of GODS GRACE but leave these Theams for godly and learned men and that moderately and modestly by way of use and application rather then of positive Doctrines being fitter for the School then simple Auditories 4. That no Preacher soever shall presume in any Auditory to declare limit or bound out by way of positive doctrine the Power Prerogative Iurisdiction authority or duty of Sovereign Princes or meddle with matters of State and the differences between Princes and the people but rather confine themselves to faith and good life which are all the subject of the antient Sermons and Homilies 5. That no Preacher shall causlesly without invitation from the Text fall into bitter invectives undecent railing Speeches against the persons of Papists or Puritans but rather free both the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England from the aspersing of either Adversary 6. That the Bishops be more wary in the choice and licencing of Preachers And that all the Lecturers throughout the Kingdom a new body severed from the antient Clergy as being neither Parson Vicar nor Curate be licensed henceforth in the Court of faculties but only from a Recommendation of the party from the Bishop of the Diocess under his hand and Seal with a Fiat from the Archbishop of Canterbury a Confirmation under the Great Seal of England I well remember these times the invectives of the Pulpits which truly the wisdom of State thought fit to suppress The Non-conformist nestled himself into a Lecture by that means depending onely upon the devotion of the Parish was that way preferred without the favour of the Bishops And first insinuating into the women Wife Daughter and Maid infusing at their homes such doctrines as might easily catch their weak pallates and thereupon begat the frequent writing of Notes from their preaching in publick as it would astonish the indifferent Reader to meet with their Blasphemies and miserable Nonsense Notes And truly those Lectures wounderfully haunted by such people in after Noon Sermons on working days with such Stuff as savoured nought but railing against the Papist or our Church discipline The looseness of Servants took liberty almost every day in the week to be easied in their Labour and Callings to pretend devotion in this Ordinance of hearing Lectures in some or other Church untill their Masters complained of that Custome These Articles therefore were seasonably published to regulate the Ministery and to order the catechising of children and Servants which Godly and effectuall Way of teaching the King had often hinted heretofore but could never sufficiently reduce the Lecturers to obedience thereto See Anno 1603. Pag. 300. What could the care of the King do more to destroy the seeds of Dissentions Yet herein how captious Our Author observes That these directions were to be observed with Caution peaceable comporâ—ment that is saies he Papist and Puritan's quiet being Equilibero the Papist in the prime scale That the Lecturer is not to be endured unless he pass the Bryars through all Courts to the Broad Seal a pingeant Ordial Trial with his Teste me ipso and so becomes Orthodox So that saies he the Lecturers are implicitely forbidden by the inaccessible charge and trouble to come to it That the Preachers by an Order of Star-chamber in Heaven were licensed Ite predicate before any Henry 's time and so bids them learn least that Spirit from whom they receive the Spirit bind not them up And indeavours to perswade That the Papist did forment the Animosity of the King against Puaitans That Bishop Lawd his Agent though in Religion he had a Mothly form and quotes a Priest in Flanders that told him so was now become Buckinghams Confessor under the Court Livery and assures the Reader that the King once thought him so though now he became the bellowes to blow the fire for the Papist to put the King upon all Projects and Monopolies to sow the seeds of division between Puritan and Protestant for all were Puritans with the high-grown-Arminian-popish party that held the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches And it is somewhat true as he remembers Us That the Courtier Minister or Lay they called Regians who saies he swell up Prerogative even to all that the people had but a bare being which in mercy was left to them poor Republicans That more reverence was done by the Clergy to the King than to God And that the Iudges to inslave the people gave sacred and Oraculous Titles of the K. as of God But saies he the well-affected by writing and discourse sought to warm the Kings cold temper with fresh spirits into his chilled vains in this divided Kingdom So he This stuff smells rank of the Doctor that refined our dead Historians work and put it out in print as we have it Certainly he had heretofore passed the Pikes to be a Preacher and run through this Ordial-Tryal of his Text-ship who in those daies might well deserve a Duns-ship but of late went out Doctor to arm his Republicans if any such men are to be as arrant Rebels as himself in what estate soever they
began his Rants applying all his Wit and Cunning of either he had sufficient to his own private discontent and ambition and under the goodly pretence of Religion had raked together such a rabble of the mad-headed Ministery countenanced also by the Duke Castle-herault that the whole Kingdom feared the disquiet The Queen of England might well as she did take compassion hereat two young couples her kindred and Successors having much to do to qualifie the twenty years custome of a turbulent people not to have a King till now and willing indeed to have none at all For Hamilton and Murray presuming of favour from England take arms but were so hotly persued by the King that they fled into England and were there covertly protected but might have been more openly by the same rule that some English fugitives had been received in Scotland as Taxley Standen and Welch besides Oneal out of Ireland All this was disputed by Ambassie from England of one Tanworth a Courtier to whom the Queen of Scots did not vouchsafe her presence her refusing to call her Husband King Thus stood the State of the Affairs in Scotland whilst the Queen conceived with Child and as if blessed in the peace of this Issue what she could never enjoy in her life she afterwards brought forth her only Son Iames the sixth a Peace-maker to all Our World in Iune 1566. But because the Religion as they call it is much concerned in all the troubles of that Kingdom as a defensive faction taken up at all times to mannage other Designs and Interests Give me leave to tell you their Story intermixing the affairs of State and other concernments of their contemporaries Wherein you shall find their pretended sanction from a Rule of Conscience to be an Instrumental of State from a pretence of Knowledge to be a very practice of Ambition Nor will it I hope repent the Reader the tedious Story for though Truth appears in Ordine Doctrinae yet never more fully than when we search the Original Veins thereof by the Increase Depravations and Decaies in Ordine Temporum And so we proceed to the History of their Church and State and the Contemporary Actions intervening with England and France and other Neighbour Nations The Life and Death of MARY Queen of SCOTLAND KIng Iames the fifth dying of discontent more than disease the 13. of December 1542. in the 33. year of his age and 32. of his reign left his Crown to an only Daughter Mary at six daies old as she did afterwards to her Son born a King Fatal sufferings to a people to be Subjects to young Soveraigns And this Succession was put into a Will patcht up by the Cardinal David Beaton and clapt into the Kings hand to sign The Government of the Kingdom for the present was intrusted unto the Queen Mother a wise and virtuous Princess of the House of Lorain And though she might as yet be ignorant of the Actions of State in this short time of her experience in Scotland but 4. years yet the Nobles dissenting factions agreed the rather herein to accept of her Each party presuming to work their ends the better out of her Ignorance The people were religiously divided in Opinions Romish and Reformed which had put the late King upon extremity of Iustice against the Separatists as they then were stil'd indeed Dissenting among themselves but afterwards Congregating and Covenanting gave them other Names But in their several Professions sundry persons suffered Imprisonment Life or loss of all The Scots derive their Christanity from the disciples of S. Iohn their Patronage of St. Andrew and the propagation thereof not from Rome I dare say noâ— indeed they will have it from their own Plantations in Germany where increasing Christianity the persecution of Domitian drove them home again into Scotland And so they utterly refuse to have any thing to do with Rome by means of Victor that held that See as others will have it But they confess That Celestine Bishop of Rome sent learned Palladius to convince the Heresie of Pelagius a welchman born and bred up in the Monastery of Banghor then overspreading that Nation And after his good success therein brought in say they Prelate Bishops having had by their favour Priests and Moncks long before and thereafter all kind of Romish Orders Nay Boniface the eighth making use of the complaint of the Scoâ—ish Clergy against King Edward of England cruelly afflicting them and also of the resignation of the people to the See of Rome The Pope thereby claims right to that Crown writes to Edward and malapertly Bids him not meddle with his Vassalls and Subjects But after too much lording of the Romish Clâ—rgy and the great Schism at Rome Pope against Pope three at one time Some men began openly to discover them to the world As Wickliff in England Iohn Hus and Ierome in Bohemia the Scots will have of theirs too Iames Resby and Paul Craw who indeed were but their Pupils that quarrell'd with their Arch-bishop of Saint Andrews and so began their fray So that the Scots reckon themselves happy without Bishops till Palladius from him to Malcolm from him to Patrick Graham their first Arch-Bishop who came in with that title to the dislike of all the Bishops The inferiour Clergy could not brook the strict authority of him and so by them and the Courâ—iers too boot Graham lost that Title And one Blacater traces his Steps and procures himself Archbishop also then followed Beaton and he brought in the Cardinals Cap and all these in opposition each of other which gave occasion to sundry men to publish these discontents together with some Corruptions of the Church not unlikely to make a rent And therefore the Pope sent unto Iames the fourth a Sword and Title Protector of the Faith and not long after his gifts were cheap unto Henry the eighth of England a Sword and Title Defender of the Faith I find the Scots had some Martyrs who begun their Reformation with private opinions Resby suffered anno 1422. Paul Craw 1431. In 1494. about 30. persons men and women called Lollards from one Lollard a Schismatick indeed not as the Fryer discanteth Quasi Lolium in area Domini And these put their Articles 34 in writing The first Protestation that we read of amongst them being in the year 1527. then suffered Patrick Hamilton of the Antient Family and so forwards many more The Northern Martyrs had repute of constancy in sufferings beyond others Which gives occasion to discuss the reason for it was observed That the people of this Isle exceed in zeal of profession and are called in Italian Pichia Pelli or Knock-breasts Hypocrites So are they naturally better qualified with courage in extremities of sufferings and therefore accounted most valiant in respect of the Climate the Heart furnished with plenty of Blood to sustain sodain defects is not so soon
apprehensive of Death as where the Store-house of blood is less every hazard there raiseth fear paleness and trembling Angli bello intrepidi nec mortis sensu deterrentur witness the bold and cheerful sufferings of the condemned Answerable to our Bodies are our Laws suitable to the Inhabitants of this Soil Not being since William the Conquerour compelled in Criminal Tryals to confession by Torture as in the Civil Law of other Nations whose Innocency would rather yield to be guilty than to endure lingring pain Insulani plerunque fureâ— Death not prevailing to deteâ— men from common offences what constancy then shall that Man have who is martyred for matters of Religion and health of his Soul Britannis quibus nihil interest humine sublimive putrescant non valet Purpuratis Gallis Italis aut Hispanis ista minitare And therefore Pope Clement the eighth impaired his Cause by burning Mr. Marsh at Rome in Campo divi sancta â—iore whose constancy made him a Martyr and many carryed away his ashes as Reliques and that Pope resolved therefore That none of the English Nation should from that time be confirmed with fire The Enemies of true Religion have not gained to themselves by that cruelty Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae The Romans were tender in case of Religion to condemn to death Cato was not of opinion with those that would have sentenced the Bacchanals he alleging That Religion was apt to deceive men into a shew of Divinity and therefore to be wary in punishing the Professors lest the common people should suspect something was done thereby derogating from the Majesty of God Tantum Relligio potuit suadere Malorum And so the occasion of some Martyrs amongst the Scots increased numbers their Ashes being the best Compost to manure the Church And now return home out of England those Persons of Honour Prisoners to Henry 8. at the last fatal Battel with whom he deals so cunningly that by his Noble Usage and some Bribes to boot he returns them his Pensioners especially their utmost endeavour or a Match with Prince Edward and their Queen young Couples He five She but one year old And with this conceit the King might conquer Scotland by mariage to save him expence of money and men by the Sword But the French King Henry not liking this lincking began quarrels with the English embarging their Ships and Merchants goods the like with them in England So that some Forces were from hence speedily sent over which besieged Landersey but the French King in person with a mighty Army made the English to rise for to meet them In the mean time the Town was relieved and the King having done his Work returned in the dark The Scots Prisoners kept their word and prevailed so far at home that their first Parliament concluded the Match and confirmed it by an Instrument under Seals and ratified by Oaths and that their young Queen should be sent to her Husband but these Scots soon byassed by the French practices break faith and refuse This Indignity set Henry on fire for revenge who transports an Army into Scotland in 200. Vessels under command of Viscount Lisle Admiral for the Sea and the Earl of Hartford for the Souldiers and Land at the Fryth marching in three Battalia's towards Lieth And were encountred with skirmishes by six thousand Horse who soon retreated leaving Lieth to be consumed with fire And being besides this Success too powerful to be opposed marched forwards towards Edinburgh and were humbly besought by the Provost and Burgesses to spare their Cities ruin and be pleased with the Souldiers free quarter and Bag and Baggage at parting No this was not sufficient to appease the Enemies fury who being therefore somewhat opposed entered by force with fierce assault took part of the Town which they ransacked and consumed with fire Holy-rood-House and the Palace The Ships returned with large Spoils and the Army marcht on coasting the Countrey homewards ransacked above thirty Towns in their way with no more loss than fourty men Having thus punished them for perjury King Henry design'd as much or more to the French with two Armies the one under Command of the Duke of Norfolk who besieged the strong Town Maittrel but were beaten up with loss and little honour The other had better success by the Duke of Suffolk for embodying both of them encamped about Bulloign with power enough to be masters And therefore for the glory of the gallant King Himself comes over and after a Months Battery takes first the Upper and then the Base Town by Articles to depart with Bag and Baggage the whole number of Souls 4444. and King Henry Mans the Town and so comes home again And it was time so to do for the Scots always aiming at such opportunities fell into the Marches of England rifling and burning all the Towns they came to from whence the English were fled till they met with the Earl of Hartford who was sent with twelve thousand men and doing as the other had done before ruin'd all without opposition of any And thus but by turns King Henry intending to be more cruel with Revenge to that end makes peace with France but dies two years after Which Gave the Scots some time of breathing from abroad never free from quarrels at home the State increasing in Faction the old Council keep up their Inquisition after Heretiques as they termed the Reformers and for Example fell upon one Wischard whose outward zeal and affection to their Cause gave him courage to confirm it by Fire and Fagot And for whose death the Cardinal David Beaton lately come to enjoy his Kinsmans CAP was barbarously murthered in his Castle of Saint Andrews by Norman Lisle Iames Melvin and others and were justified in that barbarous act by Iohn Rough preaching it for sound doctrine who had got into their gang one Iohn Knox the most notorious Ringleader afterwards of all disorder in their Reformation which now began to quarrel with the Crown also and all Regal Government For presently surprizing the Castle He was by the Crowd vocated as they call it to be a Preaching Minister whose Pride enduring no Rival soon turned out Rough that brought him in But Knox finding no firm footing in Scotland fled into England two years after And now began the tumult within and without the Castle the Town taking parts Monsieur d' Osel sent into France for a great Army and as soon as sent for was wafted over in 24. Gallies anno 1547. beginning Siege and Battery to the Castle which was quickly rendered and the Prisoners and Spoil thereof returned back with the Army into France The English were comming to oppose the French but Henry 8. of England dying gave occasion to the French to return Victors The antient League of Scots and French was decreed in the time of Achaius the first Monarch of
Guisians Party that now were like to govern all counselled the young K. to increase the quarrel and not to leave off the Arms of England Throgmorton was told That they might as well bear those of England as Queen Elizabeth did theirs of France It was so questioned at Cambray but Doctor Wootton answered That twelve Kings of England on a Row had born them with so much authority that no Treaty ever disputed But at last France finding the Queens jealousie to kindle into flame they forbore with this bravado That indeed it was undone upon better consideration no addition of Terms or Titles could give Honour but rather Diminution to the Most Christian King of Frâ—nce and that former Kings challenging and prosecuting their undoubted rights to Naples and Millan in Italy yet used them not additional to France We return again to our Scots Knox came to his Party being arrived out of France May 1559. hastens to Saint Iohnstons preaching them into practice And first they chuse an Orator the Laird of Caldor with Petitions and Supplications to the Queen Regent of their Demands for having before got leave to read the Bible now they desire to convene in Prayer to interprete the Scripture to baptize their own to receive in both kinds and ever at the end of all to have the Priests Reformed To all these She gave a reasonable answer but not so satisfactory as they required They protest in Parliament to stand to their Tenents and If Distraction or Destruction follow the blood they bring home to the score of bad Government For which they were summoned to appear at Serlin and they to strengthen themselves against any force congregate all their parties from Dundee Montross Saint Iohnston Angus and Mernes and so came forward towards the Queen at Sterlin whom she caused in prudence with fair promises to be staied and now they call themselves the Congregation and keeping still in a body the necessity of State inforced her to put them to the Horn Inhibiting all upon pain of Rebellion not to side with them Whereupon they fall to action Robbing and Plundering the Gray and Black-Fryers a building of wonderous cost and greatness which in three daies they wholy destroyed But the French Forces and other power of the Kingdom soon made them to yield the Town upon Treaty which was secured by the French until several Congregations had inveigled some of the Discontented Nobles and siding with them send a Trumpet to redemand the Town which being denied by force take it And with Knox their chief destroyed Scone took Sterlin and so marched to Edenburgh from whence the Queen was fled ro Dunbar and there in the Name of Francis and Mary King and Queen of Scotland Dolphin and Dolphiness of Viennois now in France and lately maried commands them to separate and depart home upon pain of Treason This begat a consent to treat at Preston to little purpose there but was somewhat pieced afterwards at Edenburgh Then they make a New Covenant at Sterlin resolve to call assistance of the Neighbour Princes and send into England to Q. Elizabeth newly come to the Crown The Queen Regent a most modest and virtuous Matron was as busie and accordingly came over 1000. French in August the rest in September and so each party prepare for Warr. The Congregators had got to their side these Noblemen the Duke of Castle-herault the Earls of Arran Arguile Glencarn and Montieth the Lords Ruthen Uchiltry Boyd and divers other Lords and Lairds The Queen proclaims them Traytors They reply with a Declaration against it She thereupon by Lion her Herald denounceth Treason against them all Upon which they convene draw up Articles against her Government and to depose her from Regency and for Her and the French to depart Edenburgh in 24. hours and the next day storm it but with loss and fled The Earl of Bothwell having much interest in the State sends for more forces to the Duke of Guise in France who governed all there and sent them some which suffered Shipwrack upon the Coast of Holland Robert Melâ—in in behalf of the Congregators returns from Q. Elizabeth with Articles to be answered which afterwards came to a Contract And having got England in a different Policy to friend their Cause they wisely decline their Title of Congregators and call themselves Protestants as in England from whom now they have great Support rather to ballance with the French than bowlster their proceedings but it was long first being often â—olicited by huâ—ble Letters from the Protestant Lords and particularly to apologize for a pestilent Pamphlet written by Knox against the Government of Women which he also excused in several long-winded Letters to Queen Eliz. her self and to Sir W. Caecil Secretary of State To whom Caecil replies in brief Mr. Knox Mr. Knox Non est Masculus neque faemina Omnes enim ut ait Paulus unum sumus in Christo Iesu Benedictus vir qui confidit in domino et erit Dominus fiducia ejus I need to wish you no more prudence than Gods grace whereof God send you plenty Oxford July 28. 1559. W. CAECIL But their Messenger was Secretary William Maitland of Lidington and others who in a doleful tone complains that since Queen Maries mariage in France the Scots Government was quite altered with favour to the French who flock thither for preferment and trust of Offices of Honour and Places of Strength their Coin corrupted and so in time to Master all and make them French Caecil Lord Burghley a wise and subtle States-man deals with Sir Henry Peircey afterward Earl of Northumberland so far their Neighbour to pick out of the Congregators what they aimed at for they were then budding into a profession which the wisest of the World knew not what to make of And that if they succeed by this assistance upon what conditions they would piece with England and so to find their temper being supposed State Revolters They with eyes heaved up to Heaven answer For no other Aim or Intention but the glory of Iesus Christ and the sincere word of God truly preached against all Abominations and Superstitions to restrain the Fury of Persecution and conserve their Liberty The mutual Love of both Kingdomes was the Sum of all their desires to which end they vow their Lives and Faith It was but slowly considered upon these grounds That the Scots were poor bare of Money and Munition unfaithful to themselves and not to be trusted abroad but warily to go to work with them They were advised to stand upon their Guard and not enter rashly into Arms. But when the English found the French so forward as to be on foot with Warlike forces under command of Marquess â— Albeuf Uncle to the Queen of Scots levied by the Reingrave in Germany with Ammunition and Ordinance ready to be â—hipped It appeared
yours Knox craved the Opinion and sentence of the Assembly for his behaviour formerly and present to which some said It was not for them to justifie rash Iudgments of men who speak their own pleasure not the publick profit Nothing intervend but the Ministers continual railing until the next general Assembly in Iune 1564. whereto the Lords adjoined but withdrew into the Inner Council-house and required to confer there with the Super-Intendents and chief Ministers answer was returned That as they were members of the Church so they ought to propose in publick and be assisted by the whole body inferring some foul play to draw the Ministers singly to the faction of the Court. Which the Lords in answer endeavored to cleer assuring that no conclusion should be of this discourse without consent of the Assembly And so they were permitted a choice number among whom we may be assured Knox was not wanting and to watch the Scribes pen. The Lords began to remonstrate the grace of the Queen for liberty in Religion though not of her own profession which should deserve good Offices from that Church to maintain her advancement and to procure obedience of her people with their unanimous and uniform Prayer for her Majesty especially Mr. Knox to be moderate in obedience to her person and State for others by the evil example may imitate the like liberty albeit not perhaps with the same discretion and fore-sight Knox answered The Queens grace is not the grace of God Idolatry is maintained by her own person and for her Sins the Land must lament So was Juda and Jerusalem for Manasses and though not all the people some followed and some consented by act and deed by suffering and permission as the Q. and you Lords They told him of his prayer which was To illuminate her heart if thy good pleasure so be with condition he answered We must ask according to his will thy will be done and so the Master of the Prophets and Apostles taught him to pray They said it gave a doubt in the people of her conversion No said Knox In her obstinate Rebellion not to hear true preaching but will use the Mass and Peter prayed That if it were possible the thoughts of Simon Magus may be forgiven him and the same doubt toucheth me of the Queen After long disputation of the duty of subjects in general which Knox disallow'd in each particular Lethington desired the Lords to decide these questions and whether the Q. should have Mass but Knox opposed sentence but in the Assembly yet they fell to voting and dissented without concluding In Iuly the Q. in progress there past many letters of kindness between the two Queens with costly presents and tokens In October the E. of Lenox returns from England and for his sake the sooner to restor him to his lands after 22. years exile a Parliament is called at Edenburgh in Decemb. and then arrives his Son Henry Stuart Lord Darly out of England and E. Bothwell out of France against whom Murray complains concerning the Conspiracy alleged by the Earl of Arran and for breaking Prison The Q. taking great affection to Darly she posts away Lethington to Queen Elizabeth that she meant to mary him the rather he being of Kin to both Queens for his Mother was their Cosin German and of the same name Stuart by his Father King Iames the fifth having lost his two Sons declared his Resolution for the Earl of Lenox to be his Heir but the Kings death and his Daughter born prevented that Design Then comes the Earl out of France with intention to mary that Kings Widow and that failing he maries Margarite Dowglas and his Son maries the Kings daughter Mary and so the effect of the Kings desire continues the Crown in the Name and Family Q. Eliz. not pleased to suffer such Contracts with Subjects prejudicial to the Crown seeing her great affection pretends to declare her Heir to the Crown of England if she might advise her Mariage and commands Lenox and Darly to return to England but underhand well satisfied she promoted the Mariage as good security to the succession of the Crown of England he being second heir to the Q. of Scots Nor cared Q. Eliz. to have her meanly maried who she thought of her self was too proud The Court affairs hindred not the business of the Church who receive several Letters from the brethren of the West to them at Edenburgh Dundee Fife and Angus to mind them of the Mass which stuck in their stomacks till it were vomitted out of the Kingdom They feared the Papists Pasche and so made supplication to the Q. by the Super-intendent of Lothian for effecting their desires which the Secretary received and procured the Q. letters to several Bishops of St. Andrews Aberdeen and other places to forbear Mass. The Communion was administred in Edenburgh Apr. 1565. and neer Easter the Bayliffs imprisoned a Priest one Carvet after Mass and others with him revesting him with his Robes and so Priest-like mounted him on the Market Cross with his Chalice bound to his hand and his body to the Cross for 2 hours whilest the Boyes sweetned him with rotten Easter Eggs. The next day he and his Companions were accused and convinced by Assize and sparing his life he was again tied to the Cross for 3 hours the hang-man beside him to keep off the Malignity of the people and after imprisoned whom the Q. shortly after released and well rewarded him and his Assistants Low and Kennedy with livings In May convened at Edenburgh the E. Murray with his Confidents to keep the Law-day against Bothwell who durst not appear but fled into Frace not without suspition of favor and maintenance of the Q. though she was innocent This convention of colour concerning Bothwell being Murray Arguile Glencarn Morton and others Lords and Barons sat upon business of the Church for enlarging some Articles to be ready for the next general Assembly The Queen as far as Sterlin soon had knowledge of the Assembly and jealous of all Conventions without her presence commanded their appearance before her with the Super-Intendents and others This served her turn another way to give presence to her investing the Lord Darly with titles of Honour before Mariage and procured them to sign the Ratification of the Contract though Murray refused and excused until the whole or principal Nobility should be present At this instant arrives at Stâ—rlin Sir Nicholas Throgmorton Ambassadour from England being teturned with â—ethington who declared that his Queen was highly displeased with this precipitate Mariage and the meaness of the Man and desired that the Earl of Lenox and his Son Darly might be dismissed back to England To this the Queen gave fair words and would satisfy her Sister by Embassy of her own And so was the Mariage propounded in Council and granted by all with Murrays consent upon these terms to
some time resented with tears threatning revenge which to avoid they fly to England where Ruthen dies The Noise hereof in the Town caused the Provost to ring the Common Bell or sonner le Tocsen as the French speak assembling 500. and come up to the Court but the King told them all was well The King to strengthen himself after this Action inclined to the Religion and subscribed to a Proclamation that all Bishops Abbats and other Papists should avoid the Town which they did and commands the Provost and those of Lieth and Conogate to be in arms with advice also to other Lords to hasten to him with force And now comes Murray and other banished Lords being sent for as the Covenant against Rizio was subscribed convoyed by Hume with 1000. horse The Earls Cathness Athole Sutherland with all the Bishops being departed the Town In comes the other new faction of Lords and in Council advise the Queen to be satisfied with Rizio's death and take it as good service the Queen dissembling her passion got the remove of all the men in Arms out of the Court and so with some domestiques in the night drew the easy King to fly with her to Dunbar sending for all the Lords to attend in five daies The Religion by these factions ever-more get advantage which otherwise this Parliament now sitting might have lessned being most Papists for a dozen wooden Altars were prepared to be set up in St. Giles Church The Queen now assisted with Bothwell Huntley and others with Proclamation before them march with a thousand back to Edenburgh from whence the united Lords but divided in opinions depart and disperse and Knox we easily believe was not left behind And much troubled were he and his that the King by his Proclamation now excused himself from the Murther of Rizio who offended all men their own words the fact being done for his Honour if he had wisdome to see it and so lost his Credit and Friends by his Inconstancy and trâ—ly it was rumoured and some writ so that Knox had a hand in it Divers Lords were put to the Horn their Lands escheated and many of them executed but Arguile and Murray received into favour and both factions somewhat pieced and reconciled The King and his Father neglected and Bothwell preferred very highly The Ministers Supplicate for their Stipends complaining very humbly not usual of the Officers and Collectors and for redress desire Mandatory Letters for Restitution and to stop it in the Queens Exchequer till farther Order In all she promised very gratious relief The 19. of Iune 1566. the Queen at Edenburgh was delivered of a Son with exceeding joy and great happiness to all the Kingdome and the several assemblies followed assisted by Murray and Arguile wherein Paul Messans formerly excommunicate about his Bastard as aforesaid and now returned out of England was to be received into the Church again Knox invited him home and presuming of his free pardon and forgiveness sent his Apostolique Letters to accompany him to the Assembly and tells them in the words of St. Paul concerning the excommunicate incestuous person It is sufficient that he was rebuked of many c. For this cause I write that I might know your obedience in all things and to whom you forgive I forgive also c. But notwithstanding this Apostolick Command his Repentance is prescribed much like a Penance Presenting himself in Sackcloth bare of Bonnet and bare of Shoon for an hour at the Entry of Saint Giles Church in Edenburgh at seven hours in the Morn till Prayers psalm and Text and then upon the Stool all Sermon and so for three several Church-daies and confesses his Repentance And in this manner also in Iedwart and Dundee which after all performed and received a Repentant He complaining of this rigour and shame without taking leave of any retires back again into England The Bishop of Galloway the Earl of Huntleys Brother being called to Council could not brook his former title of Super-Intendent as he was stiled and thereof formerly well pleased but must be called Bishop of Galloway In August one Harris that had been of the Queens Chapel but lately of the reformed Religion and got into E. Ruthens service having acted in the Murther of Rizio was thereof convict hanged and quartered The King condemned of all and neglected of the Queen wrote to the Pope and to Spain complaining of the Queens ill Government of the Catholiques which she intercepted and resented to his ruin For Bothwel to bring on his Design aimed to be Principal and to effect his Greatness thought good to procure Morton to be called home but not to Court where he might look on and not be seen free from fear and danger and though a Kins-man to the King yet his Power was lessened to nothing Most writers complain of these times and some of them like Noahs blessed Sons overspread with the Mantle of silence the nakedness of these unnatural actions of such as we ought to ow duty and piety unto pittying the Errors of Princes Their excellent endowments of Nature and Morality not to be exampled and yet Shipwrackt in mis-governing I cannot search into all the Causes which drew on these lamentable events Secret Lothings in Wedlock which who knows but the Actors dislike hatred freedom revenge seconded with false shews of Reason and Colour of Law and Justice what will it not do Her Husband had dragged Rizio from her affection and favour to death He was not crowned but made publique by Her Proclamation not acknowledged by Parliament and in law but a Private Man and her Subject and so lyable to judgment But his powerful kindred and Friends prevent that attempt Secret Justice is Justice formalities are for common Causes and the Princes power may dispence with forms in case of necessity or convenience and so he became an object of wicked mens malice And now had Knox procured though heretofore he cunningly refused as fearing prevention or false play when now not overlooked he to his purpose got the Churches of Geneva Bern and Basil with others reformed in Germany and France to send to the Kirk of Scotland the sum of their several Confessions of faith he alleging the dissonant opinions of Scotland which occasioned an Assembly of Knox and his Confidents who having a confused irregulation without any positive Articles concluded as the most cunning way to assent to all without exceptions and so returned answer as if in Spirit to jump in faith and discipline who never could agree amongst themselves in either At this time the Kirks saies so Bothwell was wounded in chace of the Theeves at Liddisdale whom the Queen visited and thereof in grief took sickness in extremity but say they by binding Cords about her shacle bones knees and great Toes a pretty cure for our Mountebanks It seems an od fit of the Mother she revived prayed in English and commends the
protested that although their Queen was content her innocence should be shewed yet being a free Princess she did not acknowledge her self Subject unto any The English urged likewise That they did not admit that protestation in prejudice of that right which the Kings of England alwaies claimed as Superior of the Kingdom of Scotland Queen Maries Commissioners declare by writing how Morton Mar and others had levied Arms misused their Queen and extorting her Resignation in Prison that Murray had usurped the Regency and inforced her to fly for succour into England Murray and the Commissioners for the King Infant answer and relate the manner of the late Kings murther by Bothwel for which the Noble-men called him in question whom the Queen protected that she voluntarily resigned and the Parliament had confirmed it and all this was evidenced by Letters Her Commissioâ—ers reply and deny all telling the Truth of these Stories in such particular as is before herein declared and therefore crave aid of England to assist Her The English Commissioners require better proofs than by Letters for Lethington had counterfeited her hand and was suspected might do â—o by these Murray refuses other proofs than such Letters as he shewed with much modest regret forsooth To be put to it to accuse his Sister at all unless the Queen of England would undertake to protect the King and to relinquish the Queen But the English told them all though there appeared not as yet sufficient for the present to be dilated upon yet Murray is required to leave some of his Company here to answer Exceptions which their Queens Ambassadors should propose hereafter and so they departed Much pleasing to the Duke of Norfolk so to break off having alwaies favoured Q. Maries Cause and from this time had a Mind to mary her But Murray to make things more safe poâ—â—s to the Queen of England and to her produces Articles and other 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Book called the Dâ—tection which had 〈◊〉 credit with her though â—illing she was that reproach â—ight lâ—dge â—pon the Queen of Scots Indeed many Engliâ—h Lords inclined to 〈◊〉 her 〈◊〉 at which Queen Eliâ—â—beth swore She 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 so long as Norfolâ— lives of whom hencâ—forward she was jâ—alous Duke Hamilton was returned out of Frâ—â—ce whither he had fled and besought that Murray might relinquish the Reâ—â—â—â—â— to him being as he 〈◊〉 his due as next heir to the Crown 〈◊〉 the Queen found his pulse beat too higâ— and least he should proceed in that Claim she commanded him not to depart without her Licence The Regent and his Company having leave to depart in Feâ—â—â—â— the Duke Hamilton made means to follow and being Lieutenant for his Queen and got home sends forth his Proclamations and sheweâ— his Authority which none obeys For Murray was comming to nip the Bird in the Head and comes to Glasgoâ— with an Army to whom Haâ—â—â—ton 〈◊〉 and prefixes a day for Hamilton with pledges to subsâ—ribe to his power at Edenbâ—rgh and there likewise he 〈◊〉 it off till his Queen sends her consent Hereupon he and Herris are committed 〈◊〉 and Huntley were the next to be reduced Both of them had been buâ—ie in the Regents absence but were now suppreâ—â—eâ— and so all 〈◊〉 to Perth to hold a Convention of â—tates Thither came two Packets from both Queens Elizabeth made three Propositions 1. That the Kings Mother might be restored to her 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 2. That her Name might be joined with her Sons in all writs and the Government continue in the Râ—gâ—â—â— 3. And if none of thesâ— then that 〈…〉 with all 〈◊〉 and honâ—â—â— without preâ—â—diâ—◠〈◊〉 the King This last was accepted the other rejected These Queens had several Designs in their Demands Elizabeth was wiâ—â—â—ng to be rid of the other rather than she should mary with Norfolk for she feared her great Friends here and beyond Seas And Mary was therefore more earnest to satisfy the Duke who meant not to adventure the Treaty upon uncertainties And Murray for these respects kept Bothwels title in being for from England he was assured by his Friends there that Norfolks plot and Queen Maries was so cunningly conveyed that no wit nor power was able to countermine Yet he remained stedfast and sent one of his Domestiques to Queen Elizabeth with Queen Maries Petition and their answer but She not satisfied with such an Ordinary Messenger the Abbat Pitcarn was sent Express from the Convention at Sterlin held only for that purpose About the same time of his last arrival at London the Duke of Norfolk was committed to the Tower October 11. and the Conspiracy discovered which was thus Murray with much cunning before his late departure out of England proposed some hopes to Norfolk of mariage with the Queen of Scots and secretly induced a belief of her present restoring and spread these Rumours to prejudice her and to increase jealousies with many other suspitious which surrounded Queen Elizabeth Of Rebellions at home and Plots abroad by the Papists And as many more Tales that Q. Elizabeth and Murray had compacted against the young King To wipe off these an Apology was printed in Queen Elizabeths defence In truth she was much perplexed with fears out of Emulation of the other Yet with some compassion for her Imprisonment and in both these distempers there wanted not Instruments to rub the wound Mary often solicited Queen Elizabeth with humble yet Princely Letters with such compassionate Eloquence that though the Queen had a Wolf by the Ears yet with tears had oft resolution to return her Home and dealt with Murray by Messengers herein but he was settled in malice and would not incline Then was rumoured the Mariage of the Duke of Norfolk with Queen Mary as advantagious to both Realms and security of the Kings person who must be brought also into England and so under Queen Elizabeths power and she so to be secured of fears And that for finishing so good a work the Dukes Daughter should be contracted to the King And these Designs many the chiefest Earls in England had contrived Murray himself at his being here intimated no less to the Duke for that She having maried her self to a Boy then to a rash young Man and last to a Mad-brain might now recover her honor to wed him a Man of discretion Nay more secretly by Melvin offered to the Queen of Scots his Service to effect it And the Secretary Throgmorton with the chiefest Lords Arundel Northumberland Westmerland Sussex Pembroke and Southampton and Leicester also his Rival were all of the Plot and he broke it very seriously to Norfolk Upon which the Duke not faint-hearted courted the Queen by Letters and all consenting Articles were propounded 1. For security of Queen Elizabeths person and issue 2. To Covenant a League between both Kingdomes 3. To establish Protestant Religion 4. To receive into favour with pardon all the Scots 5. To Revoke her assignation of the Kingdom of England
and to mary Norfolk They promise to procure Queen Elizabeths consent and the other to be restored to all which she in Prison easily yielded and who could blame her in the case she was But ere they had so done Queen Elizabeth had suspition and therefore it was more than time to break it themselves so from one to the other it was neglected till Leicester did it She asked the Duke thereof and charged him to decline it least he hop't headless and it was good warning sufficient to him to look ere he leap't and so he stole away in time of Progress back to London Caecil wisely took care of the State and learned so much of the Matter that the Duke began to fear restless in any place withdrew to Norfolk where some Commotion was purposely set on foot and he suspected To prevent the worst he returns back towards the Court but at Saint Albans was taken to guard and secured for by this time Treacherous Murray had out of Scotland discovered what he knew and upon which the Duke was sent to the Tower Bishop Ross and others committed and Pembroke examined not well remembring what he had said or should say for he could not read a word Northumberland and Westmerland take Arms but fearing greater opposition fled into the North. But ere all this was known in Scotland Secretary Metallan increased faction for Queen Mary and sided with Hume and Grange Captain of Edenburgh Castle and before it was ripe he is sent for to Sterlin accompanied with the Earl Athole to intercede if need were and need there was for he is accused as Accessary to the late Kings murther and committed close Prisoner Sir Iames Balfore in the same Condition were both of them sentenced by the Convention of States for by them Murray did all his work as in cases of Treason but with much ado Balfore had pardon and Metallan reprived to Edenburgh Castle and Murray posted up and down to reduce the Norfolk faction and the Queens who were increased and returns to the Life Tryal of Metallan at Edenburgh where finding his Party too strong being of Hamilton Huntley Arguile and others he warily adjourned the arraignment for though by this time News came of the Dukes Commitment in England yet his Faction increased very powerful and his Plot went on in Scotland The Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland in favour of the Queen of Scots and right Rebels to Religion with 6000. Foot and 2000. Horse mastered Durham burnt the Bible and Service Books heard Mass in Darnton and took Bernard Castle but being pursued by the Earl of Warwick with twelve thousand men and Sussex with another army of seven thousand they were forced to fly into Scotland in December and lurked among the Borderes and Robbers until Morton betrayed Northumberland to the Regent who sent him prisoner to Lochleven being an Enemy to all sides but the Queen of Scots This service Queen Elizabeth took well and gave audience to Pitcarn his Ambassadour to whom she promised to desist the restoring of Queen Mary and assured all friendship to the Regent when he should crave her aid The effect was soon published in Scotland to the fear and lessening of Maries party and they not able to Master his Power took the bold way of base treachery be one Iames Hamilton whose life Murray had saved and he undertakes to kill him His opportunity he takes at Lithgow in secret where he placed himself in a House as the Regent passed by shot him with an Harquebuss out at a Window the bullet passed thorow his Body and killed the Horse under George Dowglass 21. Ianuary 1569. He dyed that night Hamilton had his horse ready and scaped beyond Seas where he dyed not long after Murray was base Son to King Iames the fift and took up Religion for the gain of the Spoil of Papists He was a Man full of Ambition injurious and ungrateful to the Queen and likely not to have spared her Son when time had wrought him power to effect it He was much assisted in his Regency by Mortons perpetual concurrency and may be coupled as Parmenio and Alexander Nihil Murray absque Morton Multa Morton absque Murray It comes to be the question whether for Interest or Friendship Morton was so fixt certainly Murray aimed at all the Queen in durance and his labour so to continue her or rather to have her in his Custody and so to have ordered her and her Son for his own purpose To ballance him the Queens faction were Hamiltons Arguile Athole Huntley and almost all the petty Princes as the Scots call themselves Earls of Crawfoord Rothess Eglinton Cassiles the Lords Harris Maxwells Iohnston Seaton Boyd Grey Mettallan the Secretary and Politicquer and Grange the active Captain of the Castle of Edenburgh and most of the strong Castles and Forts the French did assist them and Spain favored them and so did all Catholiques In England the faction of Norfolk and Papists and all Male-contents or Treacheries took up Queen Maries cause to mutiny She had her Rents in France duly paid and her Jewels and much under-hand support to countenance her Amâ—assadours abroad and private Emissaries and a working brain for her own ends All the English banished Lords Dacres Westmerland and all the Popish at home The other party which we call the Kings but indeed they were of all sides partial to their own Iuterests Pride and Ambition and took up factions accordingly were Morton Mar Lenox Glencarn Lindsey and Glams Simple Methvain Ruthen no Castles but Sterlin and Tantallon and the Commons and from England Queen Elizabeth knew well how to feed them on all sides with a bit and a bob for in this time she had sent three several Armys against the Borderers under that colour which most horridly burnt all in their way with incredible mischief to that miserable Nation The Murther of Murray was lookt upon as more publique than to be acted by one and a Resolution of his Friends to question it by force or Justice In the mean time the Estates appoint a day and this put off was counselled by Metallan who was got out of Prison in this hurrey of affairs and suspected the Plotter of Murrays death The Lords meet and stand upon their guard but agree in nothing for the common safety the Queens Party elect three Lieutenants Arran Arguile and Huntley and appoint a Parliament in August after In this while Queen Elizabeth sends Sir William Drury with three hundred Horse and a thousand foot into Scotland to pursue her Rebells as was pretended but sided with Morton and did some mischief to the Queens Faction and so returned Home The 13. of Iâ—ly in a Convention at Sterlin Lenox the Kings Grandfather is chosen Regent and Hamilton refused Queen Elizabeth declining her direction in that Election but well pleased since she had his wife in her hands He marches with Forces of 5000. men to Linlithgow and prevents
indured with horrid reluctancy even of their Tormentors with great constancy and therefore they had a form of Iustice and were executed with the Halter and so was the man of Straw the Admiralls Image hanged with them for a ridiculous example first murthered and then by a mute arraignment sentenced and executed Such as fled from slaughter or were hidden in the woods were by fair words in a Proclamation promised mercy but returning home were sure of the slaughter And so throughout the whole Realm of France for thirty dayes together were so many thousands massacred that besides the unmaried there remained above an hundred thousand widâ—â—s and children well born begging their bread When all was done and wearied with slaughter The Edicts came out that the former Treaties of Pacification should cease And a form of abjuration for such as were terrified by others sufferings to renounce thâ— Religion and none to be suffered to profess other than the Romish faith Whilst these sparks of former feud lay raked up in embers by pacification at home in Scotland Bishop Ross in England and but imprisoned in the Tower as you have heard though a man full of plots and policies yet his privileges of Ambassador affording him protection for his life It being too much suspicious to send him under hand to his grave and legally they could not He was therefore released after 2 years imprisonment and packt away over seas into France in whose time of imployment here as a faithfull servant to his Queen many Co-actors were put to death others detected and imprisoned yet even with his parting he left not unattempting and was for many years following beyond seas with all the Catholick Princes in Christendome a most pestilent disturber of Queen Elizabeths quiet for not long after he delt with Henry 3. of France to turn Morton out of his Regencie and to steal the young King thither whose faction in Scotland might weaken thereby and as he grew in years with the French Tutorage his affections might decay towards the English the ancient league with the French strengthned and with England dissolved In this small time of cessation from War the Scots without cause to implore England for any ayd or relief The Governours of each Borders assign a meeting to compose differences for eithers quiet against the usuall rapines of Robbers where disputes began and quarrells followed the English were worsted and taking the neerer way fled from the fury into Scotland and so for justice to Morton whose censure being much too partiall not onely in not doing right to punish his countrey men but dismisses the English with much adoâ— by Subscription and Pledges This behaviour of the Scots soon incensed the Queen who being presently upon the posture of a Bordering War Morton prudently layes blame on the Scots Commanders beseechetâ— her Majesty not to raise a War with them whose maintenance must be with much blood the common cause necessarily begging defence of peace betwixt the two Kingdoms and if civil War should follow upon Scotland it might introduce a necessity in them to call in the French whom she in her Princely affection and great wisdome had but lately afforded them the means to ridd away And that before time should grow elder his endeavours should be with such good offices and service for her Majesty as might countervail the inconveniences already happened And for questioning of the Governour he remembred a president under Henry 7. for expiation of Sir Robert Carrs death then Governour of the middle borders which was then referred to a meeting in Scotland to enquire This gray-hair-instance incensed her the more untill the Scots Governour Carmichell was sent to answer it in England and then indeed his Present of Hawkes to the Courtiers became a saying He gave them live Hauks for dead Herons Two Brothers of that Name Herons killed in the fray This petty disturbance gave time and leasure for the Praecisians now so stiled not to forget their ministerial ragings who evermore upon such occasions put in a spoke for themselves because their stipend was not redressed And herein were so presumptuous as to utter their fancies and to act what ere they thought best for their advantage But herein the Regent stopt them in their Career remembring them of the Treaty of Lieth which forbad all Innovation in Religion during the Kings Minority This year took away James Hamilton Earl of Arran and Duke of Castle-herauld at Poictures a Province in France He was Grandchild to James 2. And after the death of James the 5. In the vigour of youth and Mary his daughter succeeding in the Crown she had this Hamilton a while for her Protector and then declared her Heir apparent A mild man and tractable he was though her birth and quality drew on turbulent spirits to bring him on the stage and sent him into France with her where he was caressed for their party and created Duke and Captain of a troop of Horse Somewhat he medled in state after his return home but soon retired into privacie for which the mad-headed Ministers and Buchanan blamed him of sloth From him proceeds 4. branches James Earl of Arran John Claud and David three of them infected with the Mothers disease became frantick or rather bewitched At this time was Iohn Ormston commonly called black Ormston because of his Iron colour apprehended and had his tryal and executed for being guilty of the late Kings Murther Likely enough to have discovered more particulars than he did confess being Intimate with Bothwell who communicated the purpose to him and shewed him the subscriptions of the Earls of Argaile Huntly Secretary Lethington and Balfore testifying their consents to that horrid Act. Nevertheless the Regent permitted Balfore to enjoy the benefit of the Pacification passing an Act thereof in counsel to the regret of many for though it was doubted whether the subscription of Arguile and Huntly were not counterfeit but of the other the hate to their persons made the sensure of their guilt easie of beliefe to all but Arguile dying soon after his office of Chancellor was conferd on the Lord Glams Adam Heriot Minister of Aberdeeâ— dyed this year and of their Church is accompted worthy Record he had been a Fryer of the order of St. Austin living in the Abbey of St. Andrews learned and eloquent in the Pulpit subtile also in school divinity The Queen Mother heretofore hearing him preach was so affected to his wit and judgment and integrity that in reasoning with some Lords upon the Article of Real presence she offered to be concluded by Heriots opinion who was required to preach thereupon before her and a numerous Auditory But there he flaggd so prevaricate as most men were unsatisâ—ied of which being sharply censured by some his worthy friends he fell into sadness and regret of soul till he did openly recant and renounce Popery and forthwith joyned
with the then congregation And afterwards in the ordering of distribution for Ministers amongst the Burgs he was elected for Aberdeen the place then of the ablest Papists the rather therefore to reclame them from their errors by practice of Piety profound preaching wherein he profited to again of many to the faith in 14 years labour and dyed 60 years of age And now was Andrew Melvil a fiery zelot labouring for the absolute Presbyterial discipline of Geneva iâ—sinuating with Iohn Dury minister of Edenburugh in their Assembly to question the lawfulness of the Episcopall function and the Authority of Chapiters in their election but himself cunningly pretended ignorance but since the question was so started he commended the speakers zeal seconding the purpose with a tedious discourse of the flourishing estate of Geneva Church and the opinion of wise Mr. Calvin and reverend Mr. Beza and came to affirm That None ought to be Officers in the Church whose Titles were not found in the 〈◊〉 And though that of Bishops were in Scripture yet not to be taken in the same sense that commonly was conceived Christ allowing no Superiority amongst Ministers Himself only Lord of his Church and all the Servants in one degree having like power Concluding Then the Corruptions of Bishops were so great that unless removed Religion could not be long preserved Hereupon divers are selected to confer three to three and concluded their opinions to the Assembly 1. That the Name Bishop was common to able Ministers of a flock his chief function to preach to administer Sacraments and exercise Ecclesiastical Discipline with consent of his Elders 2. That some one Minister might oversee and visit such reasonable bounds besides his own flock 3. And he to appoint Preachers with advice of the Provincial Ministers and the consent of the flock 4. And to suspend Ministers from their Office with consent of the Ministers of the bounds It is strange that the Arch-bishop of Glasgow and six other Bishops with Super-intendents and all interessed were not called to the conference though present in the Assembly Nor doth it appear that they spake at all therein so humble to hold their tongues in a case of their own or rather referring it to the Regents Wisdom whose opinion had been ever to uphold Episcopacy The next Assembly altered the question and formed it Whether Bishops as they were then in Scotland had their function warranted by the Word of God But the Major part approved of those in the last Meeting The Regent finding them so to differ sent them word to settle upon somewhat and to abide therein Of which they take advantage and with much ado present a form of Policy to the Regent Acknowledging in their Preface That they did not accompt it compleat but to add or diminish as God shall reveal vnto them But some Troubles in State prevent their further progress The Regent flesht in the fury of rapine having fleeced Commons and Clergy and settled the North and South Borders cared not for the Gentry and grieved the Peers His neerest friends the Earl of Angus and others forewarned him of his Slippery station But Morton settled in the very seat of the Scorneâ— careless of any complaints made good his greatness by grace of Queen Elizabeth whom he conserved with all diligent observance His aim was to ruin Hamiltons house hating them as his Hereditary Enemies scared thereto by an old Wives Rhime which bid him beware of Arrans Race Hamiltons Family whom he banished or suppressed The two last years as it seems slipt away in shew I am sure in silence of any disturbance for ought that Authors can tell to much purpose but it is like the more was in secret hatching For as the Queens Imprisonment grew to her impatient so by Q. Elizabeth it was heightned to some danger As a Wolf by the Ear. To keep her in durance was her own disquiet and to release her dangerous to the State all their study was to counsel what to do with her and with much difficulty it was agreed upon to put her to Death There was one Antonio d' Peres Secretary to Philip of Spain escaped thence out of Prison and over he comes to England as best able here to do his Master most injury He was grown intimate with the Earl of Essex which being known to Caecil Lord Burleigh he advised that Essex might deal with him to fish out somewhat from his Masters streams which was done to the purpose revealing all his designs for the imprisoned Queen and being rewarded here had his Invitation home again with some hope of reconcilement and favor also which fell out not as he desired but as he deserv'd for he was at last hangd for his labor In many of his Letters to Essex which since came to my hands I find much of the mâ—tter but for want of the Key the Cyphers put me to trouble with some consideration What uneven policies there were towards that poor imprisoned Queen Don Iuan of Austria Governour for the King of Spain over the Netherlands proud and ambitious being Neighbourly acquainted with the Troubles of England and Scotland for to him all these discontented Fugitives repaired was made believe that the Duke of Norfolk being gon the Queen of Scots was most fit to be offered to him and easie enough to be effected with the expulsion of Queen Elizabeth and assured hopes of both Kingdomes To which purpose he hastily makes perpetual peace with the Netherlands and labours his time and means to infest England But underhand to amuse Queen Elizabeth the more gives her the occasion to congratulate the Peace by sending the Articles for her perusal intending secretly with all speed to surprize some Pieces and Ports in England and Scotland with help of the Pope who sent to the King of Spain in his behalf and the chief Fugitives of England and Scotland being with him he in an instant had swallowed the Conceit and Mariage of a Queen with two Kingdomes to boot but his wilde ambition the sooner flatted and he fooled into neglect and disdain And now dies that Princely Lady Margaret Dowglas old Countess Dowager of Lenox 63 years of age whom Queen Elizabeth kept in England at her elbow whilst her sonne Darly was maried to the Scots Queen and her husband had power there She was descended from Henry 7. by Margaret his eldest daughter maried to James 4. who had James 5. And being a widow maried to a second husband Archibald Dowglas Earl of Angus by whom she had Margaret Dowglas of Harbotel in Northumberland who maried Mathew Earl of Lenox leaves France and comes into England to Henry 8. And here invested with honour and land in Yorkshire From these issued Henry Stuart Lord Darly who maried Queen Mary of whom came King James 6. So then her descent was royall in King Edwards time in much honnor here but after in adverse fortune she lived
them all The deposing Mort on exalted the Presbyterian hopes to erect the Geneve Discipline by Pastors Deans and Super-intendents and now to bring it about they call a Synod wherein all factions to the prejudice of the King were more cherished than Divine Worship intended for they decree The Ecclesiastical Regency to the Super-Intendents and left the Bishops only to one Church and exempt from Iurisdiction to relinguish Episcopacy and to omit Dispensation of Divine duties The King withstood this decree and revokes the business to his own brest and therein the Bishop of St. Andrews was the greatest Stickler The adverse party had Andrew Melvin a Man singular with them but not with the learned His tenents were To vindicate equality in the Ministry arrogantly endeavouring to suppress the Churches ancient authority and to erect to themselves a Statue of honour from the ruins of the Bishops disgrace Sick and ill disposed was the estate of Episcopacy the Praecisians prevalent in number The Nobles for Episcopacy joined with the Kings inclination To take protection of the fainting Ecclesiastick Discipline into his Care commanding the other to infuse fidelity into the people to abstain from innovation to reverence Bishops and follow peace Mortons 〈◊〉 gave him time and means to meditate Revenge and 〈◊〉 with the youthful inclination of the young E. of Mar 〈◊〉 quarrel with his Uncle Erskin for assuming the chiefty of that family and the usurpation of the Kings Tutâ—lage It took fire with the Gallant who secretly with his Train possesses Sterlin Castle his Uncle Erskin and the King and puts by Arguile one of the three Assistants The noyse hereof brings the Lords into Arms and their care of the Peace of the Kingdom assign Commissioners herein who decree all Erskins former interest upon Mar. The Queen of England sends Randolph whose often Legations had made him exquisite to congratulate the King whose rare and various Ornaments of Wit and Learning eminent in such an age as no Prince could ever parallel assures the Queens great affection and perswades the Lords to peace which was patcht up for the present But Morton grows insolent abolishing the Triumvirate rule and usurps all to himself of which Arguile Athol and Montross remonstrate to the King who refers it to the next Parliament in Iuly at Edenburgh where secretly some Lords covenant whom Morton undermines by fraction and advises for the meeting at Sterlin as more wholsom for the King and Nobles but indeed fitted for his faction of men of Arms and so it was to be there in the Court of the Castle and not as usual in the Common-Hall against which the other Edenburgh Lords protested as invalid and would not meet But the Parliament sate and the King this first time adorned with Majesterial Ornaments Robes and Scepter told them That it was not material where they met so his safety were included that his Court entertained all excluded none However this place should be no Prescript for posterity that he intended no innovation against his Predecessors Institutions that the opinions of a few should not dictate to the whole and so approves the Act by Proclamation Montross a Commissioner for the Lords remaining at Edenburgh posts thither with this news they take Arms ten thousand men and yet declare for the King Angus Mar and Morton do the like at Sterlin whâ—re both sides incamp but fought not at the earnest endeavour 〈◊〉 the English Ambassadour Sir Iohn Bowes and all disband And to piece this Discord the King proposes Moderators Lindsey Harris Ogleby Innerness for Arguile and Rothess Bucan Ruthen and Boyd for Morton but not prevailing Morton retires to his Palace at Dalkieth In whose absence the Delegates accord and he and Arguile and Athol meet and feast at Lieth which so pleased the King that he congratulates those whose endeavours had acted so much good and they again discuss what can be commodious for his Princely Dignity Magnificence and Profit And it began to be time so to do the Kings wants the Council supply by over value of Coyn which the Citizens withstood as over bitter for their digest Experience having taught this truth That the value of Silver alters the price of victual and all vendables the King as the great Rent Master or Land-lord bearing the greatest Loss for the future though not discernable for the present to his raw young Counsellors and this trick was put upon Morton and worse happened to his destruction The Earl Athole Lord Chancellour by the extremity of his disease yielded to nature or rather a delaying consuming poison forced him hence the suspition fell sadly upon his Corrival Morton and the revenge fell into the Power of Arguile who was chosen Chancellour in his Place This occasion no doubt the very Devil put into Mortons head to work himself mischief for in pure Conscience he intimates to the King the story of his death and so instigates his anger against the Hamiltons remembring also the slaughter of his Grandfather Lenox and of Murray late Regents and for these other crimes aforesaid 1573. and so begins their persecution with fire and Sword assisted with Mar and Angus The Hamiltons within their Castle and other places besieged were forced to yield to the Mercy of the King who executed the Actors of the Paracide and pardoned the rest Iohn and Claud the Sons of the late Duke of Castle-herauld in great distress what to do adventured to fly into England whom the Queen vouchsafed harbouring and sent Master Erington to intercede with the King The next Parliament was in October at Edenburgh where the King shewes himself to his People his years advanced with his Princely understanding to extraordinary Fame requiring his person more publike than at Sterling Solemnities and Ceremonies of Princes being the formal entertainments of reverence and respects And so he rode in all possible State the first day of sitting A great novelty to many to find Majesty in Man that had but seen the shadow for mâ—â—y years in Queens or Counterfeits but now attracted from the peoples hearts and hands venerations and blessings He tells the Houses the benefit of peace and this blessed opportunity to confer with them for the good of the Kingdome which his non-age had denyed them administring rather occasion of Commotion than the remedy of publick grievance which now he resolves to redress alwayes reposing confidence in their wise Counsels and calls God to witness his part aimed at the Preservation of Religion Subjects safety and Kingdoms security And first he enacted The form of Confession agreed in anno 1567. To the Prescript administration of the Sacraments in Act and Will That the present Religion embraced was to be esteemed Orthodoxal in doctrine and discipline And to be imposed upon all that went beyond seas by Oath and Subscription The Bible commanded in Scotch to each family The Power of Ministers regulated and
their Church For his excellent wit and incomparable learning Born near the Highlands After his first commitment 1539. for his versifying against the Fryers he escaped to France Returning 1560. he professed Philosophy at Saint Andrews and became the Kings Tutor He is concluded by all moderate and faithful Recordes That he penned his Scotish History with eloquence and with such Judgement as that he is justly blamed by most men for joining with all factions of the time and evermore to justifie any base and scandalous proceeding against Queen Mary and falsly and fowly he endeavoured to depress the Royal authority of Princes siding with the Treasonable tenents of rebellious Subjects which afterwards he expressed with bitter unmanerly sauciness of his Soveraign Queen then deceased This is the joint opinion of some with whom we may be convinced to incline This next Summer the King got free from his Attenders for being in Faulkland he desired to visit his Uncle the Earl of March then at Saint Andrews where he took a view of the Castle and being entered the Captain of the Guard Colonel Stuart acquainted with the Design clapt to the Gates and shut out the Company and the next morning came the Kings friends the Earls of Arguile Marshall Montross and Rothess And of his former Jaylers none but the Earl Gowry was admitted by the Collonels means who had been his Servant and upon his humble submission for his Fact at Ruthen was received to mercy and all these Lords elected his Counsellors with Inhibition that none should presume to come to Court with more attendants than fifteen with an Earl or Bishop ten with a Lord or Abbot or Priour and six with a Baron And now declares in publique That however his Majesty did with patience perforce indure his restraint at Ruthen and all those former passages of Treasonable disloyalty yet willing to be an Example of Clemency to others he in favour pardoned all admonishing the Lords to do so too amongst themselves Yet their consciences accusing left not to convene in tumult and therefore for more security to the King they were confined to several Places by Proclamation which they disobeying were denounced Rebells except Angus who submitted and now was Iohn Metallan admitted Counsellor and hereafter became Chancelor of State These affaires took up the summer and at the fall of the leaf comes secretary Walsingham from Queen Elizabeth expostulating the Kings receiving of Arran and casting of his nobles who though thus mutenous as you have heard were yet justified by her to be defenders of his Crown The King told him He was not to be taught to rule in his own affaires being as free as his Princess and that his promise against Arran was made under his restraint but now being at liberty himself he doth him but the like justice Expecting his so much friendship from his Sister the Queen not to countenance his subjects in Rebellion The Ambassadour replyed that his Mistress medlâ—d not but for his good and complains that one Holt an English Iesuite and plotter in Throgmortons treason should be imprisoned by the King and yet permitted to escape by means of the French and not rather sent to the Queen he was answered that Archibald Dowglas guilty of his fathers murther and in England was not rendered to him as was desired Though in truth Holt got loose without leave And so the discourse ended in peace And in November Lodawick eldest sonn to the late Duke of Lenox from France at 14 years of age the King having sent for his Brethren before Investing him with his fathers honnors and lands and the Earl Montross to be his Trustee Some years after came over his sisters Henrieta married to the Earl of Huntley Mary to the Earl of Mar the third avowed her self a Virgin to the Cloister A younger sonne remained in France untill the King came into England where he was advanced to great honors Thus did a gracious King for a distressed family The former Declaration against the mutenous Lords could not deter them from conventions pretending the time too short which was limitted for their submission unto confinement And therefore in an Assembly of the Peers the King renews his offer of pardon to such as would confesse their foule act at Ruthen and submit to conforme themselves accordingly The Earl Rothess protests his subscription to that fact was forced upon him and repents to mercy from whose example the rest followed and the faction to fall asunder They had pardon and leave to depart some into Ireland others to France Amongst whom was Gowry who yet delayed his journey whilst he fell into new practises which brought him to his death No wonder to finde the Ministery much concerned in their Sermons to justifie one or other of these Revolters and the fact of Ruthen necessary and lawful Andrew Melvil affirming to the Council That the Presbytery only had power and authority to judge and censure the Pulpit and not the King nor his Council In primâ instantià to meddle therewith though they should be treasonable Telling the King to his face That he perverted the laws of God and man Upon which he was charged to enter his person in Blackness forthwith but he turn'd back fled to Barwick that night and alwaies after the Ministery complaining That the light of of the Countrey for learning and the only man to resist the enemies of Religion was exiled and compell'd for his life to quit the Kingdome And though the King descended to satisfie the people by Proclamation therein yet it caused a murmuring and encouraged Gowry to expect Mars and Glammins returne out of Ireland to joyne in Armes for Reformation of abuses in Church and State for preservation of the King and Kingdome The wonted old pretence of all Rebells Gowry to colour his intended treason from suspition comes to Dundee and there presseth a ship for his voyage But the King quickly advised sent Collonel Stewart Captain of the Guard to seize him who with others made some resistance but the Town concurring with the Captain he was taken and conveyed to Edenburgh under costody of Arran Within two daies after Angus and Mar surprise the Castle of Sterlin but hearing of the Kings march with formidable forces they fly into England Gowries confession under his hand sets down their practises thus That himself perceaving the Kings favour declining and his estate aimed at by power of his enemies he was forced to seek his own relief by concurring with other Nobles in the like Case by the means of James Erskin who travelled therein and assured me of their Return to Sterlin where we concluded That at home it was expected that all those who subscribed the bond in the first alteration would join with us and besides them the Earls Marshal and Bothwel the Lord Lindsey and others of the West From England we expected supply and that the Queen would intercede for restitution
of the Hamiltons At his comming to Sterlin he writ to the King thus Please your Majesty It is neither diffidence nor despair in your Higness favour and clemency towards me nor any desire I have of life that moves me to require some short audience of your Majesty But there is a purpose of such weighty importance which is needfull to be imparted to your Highness that might have endangered the Lifes and Estates of your Mother and your Self if I had not stayed and impeded the same the relation whereof concerns you more than the lives of 500. such as my self wherein I am assured of your Majesties gratious answer The matter is not the concealing of a Treason but the revealing of a benefit April 1584. His Petition is denyed and the same brought in evidence at his Tryal being in May indicted of four points 1. That in February last David Hume Mars Man came at night to him at Perth communicating the surprizing of Perth and Sterlin and so concealing and consenting to Treason 2. The like he conferred with James Arskin a Trafficker from Mar Angus and others 3. That being in Dundee and charged by his Majesties command to render himself to the Lord Petten Weym Chancellour and Captain of the Kings Guard he did notwithstanding oppose him with Men and Arms convoking aid of the people to assist him in his Treason 4. That being obliged to maintain his Majesties Life Honour and Crown and having Intelligience that concerned the life and estate of the King and the Queen his Mother he treasonably concealed the same He excepts against Sir Iohn Gourdon who sat chief Justice for some enmity betwixt Gartland his Kinsman and him But this exception was soon refelled being only affinitas affinitatis Then that the Noblemeâ— that examined him promised that his confessions to them should not be urged against him But it was answered That their words could not warrant him He stood upon fourty daies time to answer for Treason He was told that the King might arrest at his own pleasure To the last point of Indictment That what he offered to reveal to the King was not of Treason But he was answered that the concealing might tend to the Kings destruction The Indictment was found the Jury were eight Earls and eight Lords and his Sentence as in Treason and so in the evening was only beheaded He had been of good Fame and Honour in Court accounted wise yet he dealt in Witch-craft for revealing the future state of things though for the general misopinion I find of the Presbyters against Judicial Astronomy we may conceive him no otherwise liable to their idle censure therein Nor was he accused thereof in his Tryal nor did repent of it at his death yet is acknowledged to take it with peace and patience in contempt of the World and assurance of Gods mercy His Death shewed the way to Archibald Dowglas and Iohn Forbess executed after him the rest of the Conspiracy had Banishment or Pardon The Ministers had been nibbling at these treasonable Baits and Polwart Galloway and Carmichel not compeering were denounced Rebells and fled into England And in this Parliament in May the Attempt of Ruthen was ratified the Kings authority over all persons confirmed the declining his Majestyes Iudgement and the Councils to be Treason the impugning of the authority of the three Estates or procuring their diminution to be Treason all Iurisdictions and Iudicatures spiritual or Temporal not approved by the three Estates to be discharged And an Ordinance made That none should presume privately 〈◊〉 publickly in Sermons Declarations or Conference to utter Speeches to the reproach of the King his Parents and Progenitors or to meddle with the Affairs of State under grievous 〈◊〉 Now was the Ministers Spirits on fire that they were not first heard and Lindsey was committed Lawson and Balcanqual flyes into England so did Poul who impudently protested against the Parliaments Ordinance and were all accounted Rebells Hereupon the King declares his Reasons to curb the Ministers First their allowance of the Fact at Ruthen Melvils Declining the King and Council The Fast kept when the Ambassadours were to be feasted and other general Fasts through the Realm without the Kings Authority usurping Ecclesiastick Iurisdictions Alterations of the Lawes at their pleasure and a number of such abuses To these they impudently replyed in Pamphlets Libells and 〈◊〉 pens against the Court. And Letters from those Fugitives to the Ministry and Session of the Church and Council of 〈◊〉 Town Excusing their Absence for resisting the wicked Ordinance and not submitting to the Tyrannical Regiment of Bishops whom they stâ—led Libertines Belly-Gods Infamous That after their zealous wrestling with God they had revelation to depart and hoped after destruction of the Antichristian Prelates to return home to their several flocks in Peace But by the Kings direction this insolent Letter was replyed unto by the Session wherein after the just confutation of their abuses on the King and State They discharge themselves of being their flock and of they their Pastors and thank God the Revealer of secrets that made them manifest their own shame and relieved them from such wolves in shew of Pastors and being assured that his Majesty will furnish them with more quietâ—r Ministers they commit the others to Gods mercy and to repent for their former offences This letter subscribed and sent to England was copied out and divulged to their eternal condemnation and out of regret of the guilt thereof afterwards Lawson died with grief at London And at home occasioned others to follow per force many imprisoned some executed for meddling with State-matters Subscriptions and Sermons so treasonable although the Kings mercy endeavoured to reclaim them such were their insolencies that sundry of them suffered for example to others conformity These troubles in Scotland brought disadvantage to the poor distressed Queen Mary for whose relief some practises were set on foot in England by Throgmorton Lord Paget and others the Earls of Northumberland and Arundel the Howards also rather suspected out of their general profession of Papistry and affection to Queen Mary and also by Morgan and others in France and all for her As more particular by Mendoza the Spanish Ambassadour in England who being discovered stole away secretly to Paris being charged with Throgmortons Plot to bring in forein Power for which he was hanged And Mendoza as boldly recharged this State with practices against his Master for at this time England countenanced the Netherlands the Duke of Aâ—joy and Don Antonio the Portugall and the Ambassadour of Navarr now in England and all these against Spain But to colour these to excuse this State and to complain of the Ambassadour Wade Clark of the Council posts into Spain whom that King refers to his Council without vouchâ—aâ—ing to see him and not being heard at all returnes home again And by some
States who convene and a subsedy granted of twenty thousand punds or pounds levied also to pursue him but the great plague raging at Edenburgh that expedition for the present was put off till next year In this interim Queen Elizabeths favour declines from Arran the occasion being a Tumult arising between the Governours of the middle Marches Sr. Francis Russell son to the Earl of Bedford was killed neer the Borders the deed done by instigation of Arran and Farneyhast the slayer was denied to be rendred to the Queens justice yet not much insisted upon at that time but rather to contract former friendship by Ambassy of Sr. Edward Wotton offensive and defensive with the King in cause of Rebellion for then came on the Roman holy League so stiled with the Pope Spain and Guisits in France and others in Germany to exterpate the reformed Religion in all Christendome though principally aimed against Q. Elizabeth who courts Leagues with other Princes reformed Sr. Thomas Bodly treats therein with the King of Denmark Wotton with Scotland and at a Parliament in Iuly was by Act confirmed for ever supposed sufficient to return Wotton the sooner home But he had private comands countermines for the fugitive Lords restitution lately concluded before in England by the late Ambassadors with whom now he keeps private meetings gaining time by the occasion of certain Ambassadors from Denmark who under pretence of remand to the Isles of Orknay and Shethland upon the Northern coast of Scotland alienated of old from that Crown But in truth they propounded reasons of State For a Mariage with the King and a Sister of Denmark happily effected 4 years after These Ambassadours taking leave the rumour grew high of the banished Lords Conspiracy which causes a Proclamation for a general Convention of all good Subjects to meet the King at the Castle of Crawford in October to repell the Rebels which the English Ambassadours craftily prevent whilest the Lords march apace and come to rendezvous at Linton in Tweeddale and there Covenant by Oath not to separate till they should seize the King and remove Arran and thither comes Maxwell with a thousand Horse and foot that served heretofore against Iohnston all the rest making up but so many more and to be even with the King they proclaim also the old and new Rebels rule Defence of the truth the deliverance of the King from evil Counsellors and add the Amity with England Interlacing each line with Odiums against Arran amongst other charges That he claimed descent from Duke Mordach beheaded by King Iames the first upon that title which Arran now takes up to be Heir to the Crown by the name of Iames seventh And indeed this was now enforced and a scandal which all men â—nderstood for whether he had feigned such a pretence the last year or others for him had formed it he was forced to purge himself then in Parliament by serious Protestation which truly in pride of heart he did rather to deceive the World with that folly Thus far Wootton plotted with the Revolters agents at Court and being almost discovered by Arran he departs hastily without leave towards Berwick and after him posts an Express who overtook him at Anwick expostulating Whether His Mistress directed him this mannerly departure He acknowledged to the Messenger that he could not grant that he came away Insalutato hospite seeing he performed that Office with Heart and Hand and would ever endeavour by all possible means that his suddain departure should rather help to maintain than to dissolve the amity betwixt his Soveraign and the King By the word Hand he referred to a Letter which he left for the King in which he so far complained that the cause lodged upon Arrans discredit who he said governed all By which Arran suspected somewhat amiâ—s and accused the Master Gray for hastening Wotton away The Lords Revolters that had intelligence of all march with speed to Sterlin and were let in by a back-way at Mid-night And whilest Arran was busie with the watch at the other end the Town was taken and rifled Arran and others escaped The King inclosed within the Castle sends out two Counsellors to tell them That humble Petitions better became the duly of Subjects Complaints and private address more fit than to force their Soveraign which violent forms they would find 〈◊〉 that should be extorted by force or fear and he never to want men and means hereafter to undo They not as yet let in were not to learn the art of dissembling excusing their actions by their miserable conditions reduced to this necessity to seek relief rather for the King than themselves His honour and safety highly endangered by evil Counsellors excepting them that were sent and labouring these with arguments to intercede for his Majesties grace and favour and to admit their address to his person The King knew their meaning and intending to say no more than willingly they should hear of For my self said the King I never liked the mans arrogancy meaning Arran but I must secure my Servants about me the quarrels betwixt Crawford and Glammis Angus and Montross and Col. Stuart as ill beloved for serving me No sooner said But they vow Not to arm for private quarrells of their own or any others not minding to mix particulars with the publique Upon which they get in fall down on their knees to the King and the Lord Hamilton being the best in blood was their spokesman who only craved mercy To whom My Lord said the King I never knew you till now and I am sorry to see your face in this fault you have been faithfull to my Mother in my Minority and I fear may suffer more than these As for you angerly browing upon Bothwell Francis what ailed thee that never could be injured But To you all that mean me no mischief I am pleased to hold out my hand and my heart carying your selves from henceforth as dutiful Subjects It was no time to do other and the next day in Council to confirm by Act their Pardon and their Assistants and so proclaimed Crawford and Montross delivered up to Hamilton and Col. Stuart permitted to depart Arran was gone before fled to Coil deprived of all honors lived from thenceforth privately And now new Lords and Laws share old offices The Guard was given to Glammis the Castle Dunbritton to Hamilton Sterlin restored to the Earl Mar and the Castle of Edenburgh delivered to Sir Iames Hume This relation the most certain though I know it is otherwise reported And no wonder to find designs in policy how to cleer these Lords of former accusations and confessions the very Examinants and Deponents must now voluntarily offer new Oaths to purge them from all Treasonable Attempts Amongst whom Duntraith now confessed to be suborned to accuse Mains out of fear to save himself Besides these powers that overmastered the Kings party the want of supply
others But then let me tell them who were the other worser learned men as he will have them that fled Queen Maries persecution to Franckford Zurick and Basill declining Geneva those were Scory Barlow Cox Beacon Bale Parkhurst Grindall Sands Nowell Wisdom and Iewell and very many more that maintained the Reformation of King Edwards time and therefore Knox said That the English at Geneva were separated from that superstitious company at Franckford Notwithstanding these quarrellers heretofore at the first yet in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths dayes they pretended to agree in Harmonical Confessions though in several disciplines till Cartwright and Travers in his Disciplina Ecclesiastica makes their own tenents so positive as that If every hair of their heads were a life they would lose them all to defend their Discipline Then came in to their Gang Udall and Penry and call that discipline onely pure perfect righteous full of goodness peace and honor ordained for the joy and happiness of all Nations Therein followed them Martin and his two sons and Gilbie and so like very apt scholars in evil they out-went their masters to the Devil for joyning with Copinger Hackett and others they fell into a desperare designe of Treason for which Hacket was hanged At last increasing in very bold wayes and desperate tenents dispersed in Pamphlets Rithmes and Ballads It was thought fit to open their eyes and understandings by some grave and learned declaration for setling their mad brains which was effected by that most reverend and learned Divine Hooker in his Ecclesiast Policie which for a long time during the time of times silenced all their Railings and so satisfied the wiser sort that the Church of God got quiet from such disturbers till of late daies But to return to our History In Iune was compleated the League with England hammered out for defence of both Nations against the Holy League as the Papists would have it the Commissioners meeting at Barwick concluded these Aritcles upon the former reasons 1. To joyn and unite in a more strict League than ever had been before 2. To draw other Princes Reformed into their society 3. To be offensive and defensive against any Contractors with their enemies 4. Not to assist any Invader of either Kingdom 5. That the Scots to assist England against any Invasion with two thousand horse and five thousand foot at the Queens charge from the borders The Queen the like to Scotland but with three thousand horse and six thousand foot 6. If the North of England there the Scots to assist with all their force for thirty dayes the usual time of attending their own King 7. The King not to suffer Scots to be transported into Ireland but by leave of the Queen 8. Not to countenance either Rebels or Revolters 9. That all the controversies of the Borderers be civilly reconciled 10. Neither Princes to enter League with any other without the consent of both 11. All by-gone Treaties of either with other Princes shall stand in full force the cause of Religion excepted 12. These Articles to be confirmed by Oath and Hands and Seals 13. Lastly That the King at twenty five yeers old shall confirm these by the States of Scotland as the Queen will then do by her Parliament of England This was the begining of Q. Eliz. design which she presumed would in time be considerable with other reformed States confederate though in earnest the whole intention of the Papists had reference to the Church of England the absolute orthodox Conserver of the true ancient Apostolick faith though by observation of succeeding times in some relations it appears of late wonderfully indangered But besides that of Religion and strengthening her affairs in policie with other Princes upon that score she had a further aâ—m to confirm amity with the King whom she was assured forthwith mightily to offend and to endanger her safety and honour with all the Christian world For now with leave of the Reader having been led somewhat too long in the Church affairs let us remind the poor Captive Queen Mary upon whom all the former suspitions reflected and so hâ—stened to her ruin for Queen Elizabeth casting about to make things safer than fast resolved upon the way most desperate which if it took not well was yet the onely way by taking Mary out of the way and so give end to Elizabeths jealousies to secure her Person from Treasons to joynt her power now divided and to settle her people from imbroiles and diviâ—â—ons But soft and fair the wily wits of Walsingham and Burleigh must be busied about it For now she is removed from her fifteen yeers custody under the good Earl of Shrewsbury unto Sir Amias Pawlet and Sir Drew Drury on purpose to put her upon extremity of redress against their extream imprisoning And so she endeavors and deals with the Pope and Spain by Englefeild to hasten their designs however which designs indeed is so peeced and patcht together by those that writ of them as if each mans fancy in reference to the publick must needs take effect of Rebellious interpretation And what ere was whispered in that sence was sure to be put upon the poor Queens account by which she smarted for in this Parliament of England the former Association of the Lords was confirmed by both Houses and strict Acts against Catholicks and abetters in Treason which occasioned Philip Howard Earl of Arundel eldest son of the late Duke of Norfolk three yeers since restored in blood to complain of his enemies pursuing him to the death as others had done to his Great Grandfather condemned and never came to tryal his Grandfather beheaded for trifles and his father likewise for concernments of lesser moment Himself thus afflicted endeavoring to retire out of the Kingdom but was taken and sent to the Tower where he found Henry Percy Earl of Northumberland as accessory to Thorgmortons design who Pistolled himself some dayes after but Arundel was onely fined in Star-Chamber The Catholicks desparate to do something were animated thereto by Ballard a Priest who from hence goes into France and there layes his designs with the Old Plotters Pope Guises the Spaniard and Parma to invade England and free Queen Mary and returning home confederates with Babington and six more principal gentlemen to kill Queen Elizabeth All which their plottings were daily discovered to Secretary Walsingham by one Pooley their companion and so confident were they of success that Babington had his own picture and those about him all to the life with this verse circumscribed Hi mihi sunt comites quos ipsa pericula ducunt But this verse too plain they inserted in the place Quorsum haec aliò properantibus The Queen being shewed these faces knew â—one but Barnwell Babington to hasten this design resolves to go over himself And by Pooley's means insinuates with Walsingham and ingages to discover
son the King in the remove of her Corps from thence to Westminster where she lies intombed amongst the Glories of her Royal Ancestors And thus she died Mary Queen of Scotland great grand-daughter to Henry the Seventh of England by the eldest Daughter Margaret six and fourty years of age and in the eighteenth year of her Captivity Anno 1586. Let us give her to the World in this brevity She was designed by Henry the Eighth to his Son Edward the Sixth and by Henry the Second King of France for Francis the Dolphin at five years of age she was conveyed in to France at fifteen married to the Dolphin who was after King of France She was sole Sovereign Queen of France one year and four moneths Her Husband being dead she returned into Scotland and married the Lord Darly by whom she had King Iames. Near to her Tomb in Peterborough Church was this Epitaph fixed in Latine but soon pulled down Maria Scotorum c. Thus Englished Mary Queen of Scots a Kings Daughter the French Kings Widow near Kinswoman to the Queen of England and next Heir to the Crown adorned with royal virtues and a kingly minde often but in vain demanding the Privilege of a Prince by barbarous and tyrannical Cruelties the Ornament of our Age and a right Princely Light is extinguished and by one and the same infamous Iudgment both Mary Queen of Scots to a natural Death and all surviving Kings being made common persons are doomed to a Civil Death a strange and uncouth Grave wherein the Living are shut up with the Dead Cum sacris enim divae Mariae cineribus omnium Regum atque Principum violatam atque prostratam Majestatem hic jacere scito quia tacitum regale satis superque Reges sui Officii monet plura non addo Viator Indeed so much was said and censured that the Queen and State began to double she in a monstrous sadness and tears denying Address of the Counsellours and her self excuseth her Death to the King of Scots by Sir Robert Cary. MY dear Brother I would to God you knew though not to feel how my minde with imcomparable grief is disquiet in regard of this lamentable Event against my meaning and intent which because my Pen trembles to utter by this my Cosin you shall understand it I am not so poor of spirit to be afraid to do what is just or to deny it I intreat you that God above and many on earth may be witnesses of my innocency therein and that you would credit had I commanded I would also now not deny it being done nor appertaineth it to a Prince to shadow the meaning with ambiguous words nor will I dissemble my Actions out of their own colour Perswade your self to the truth As I know this is deservedly come to pass so if I had meant it I would never have laid blame on others nor will I impute to my self what I never dreamed The rest he shall impart by whom you receive these as for me I would have you credit that there is none more truly affected towards you or more studious for you and your affairs if any shall otherwise suggest believe them not God keep you long in safety and prosperity And Cary on his Journey poor Davison her Secretary to make good the Errand is called to trial in the Star-chamber before Delegates assigned a man of singular modesty and mildness answered much for his innocency as being unwilling to contest with the Queen yet could he not endure his modesty should wrong the Truth and his own Integrity and so suffered himself to be be guilty and censured a thousand pounds Fine and Imprisonment which he endured a long time and never could procure the Queens favour though he was relieved by her charity in his great necessity which after followed The Qu. saith he upon the Departure of the French and Scotish Ambassadours from Her of her own accord commanded me to prepare the Commission for executing the Sentence against the Queen of Scots and when it was exhibited she willingly signed it with her own Hand and after gave order for it to be made ready under the Great Seal of England and merrily said Signifie thus much to Walsingham who is sick though I fear greatly it will make him die with grief She added also Reasons why she had deferred it so long to wit That she might not seem to be drawn unto it forcibly or maliciously though she were not ignorant all the while how necessary it was She blamed Paulet and Drury that they had not freed Her from that care and wished that Walsingham would try them therein The next Day the Great Seal was to it she sent Injunction by Killegrew that it should not be done And when I shewed to Her that it was done she reproved my haste intimating that some other couse by some wise Persons might be taken I made Answer That that was always the best way which was the justest But fearing that she might lay the fault on me as she had done the Duke of Norfolks punishment on the Lord Burghley I imparted the whole matter to Hatton protesting not to engage any further in so great an Affair He strait way did communicate to Burghley and he to the rest of the Counsellours who all consented to have it hastened and severally vowed that they would bear the blame and they sent down Beal with the Commission and Letters Three Days after perceiving her minde doubtfull by reason of a Dream which she told of the Queen of Scots Death I asked if her minde were altered No said she but some other course might have been thought upon And with all demanded if Paulet had returned any Answer Whose Letters when I shewed to her wherein he plainly refused to undertake it as being neither honorable nor just She in anger accused him and others which had tied themselves in Association of Perjury and their Vow violated who had promised great matters for their Princes safety but would perform nothing yet there were amongst them she said that would do as much in their own cause But I shewed how infamous and unjust a thing that were and withall into what Dangers she should cast Paulet and Drury for if she allowed the Fact she must draw upon her self Danger and Disgrace besides a note of Injustice but if she disallowed it she must ruine well-deserving men and their posterity Afterward the same Day that she was put to Death she gave me a Check that the Sentence was not all this while put in execution as thinking it not done Hereby appears foul play intended by another no doubt wicked way which Paulet and Drury boggled at to perform and yet we see what daubing there was on all sides to cast the blame and after-shame on any to keep the stain and blot from the eminent Actors And the cunning of Walsingham who having the greatest hand in the contrivance towards
Princes not being so ready in these days to embrace other mens Quarrels but where they are extraordinarily interessed in their own fortunes Wherefore I doubt not but it will be seen by men of judgment not transported with passion or led away with private respects that it should be every way the onely best course for your Sovereign by a good and kinde usage of Her Majesty and by shewing that Princely moderation as well in this grievous Accident of his Mothers death as his whole proceeding with this Realm which his Highness excellent Education seems to promise to seek to win the hearty good wills of this Nation as the chief and principal assurance he can in any sort obtain For to trust and depend either upon the French King or the K. of Spain as if by their assistance he might attain to the present possession of this Crown they being indeed the only two Potentates whom he must have recourse unto if he reject the amity of England whosoever shall so counsel your Sovereign as things now stand shall in the judgment of men of the best understanding be blamed either of fidelity or want of wisdom drawing his Majesty unto so untoward and desperate a course For it is no way safe for any Prince to repose his trust and strength upon their favour and assistance to whose desires and designs his greatness may yield any impeachment or hindrance so it were clearly against common reason to expect other support and assistance from them than might stand with their own commodities and pretensions in respect whereof neither of the two foresaid Kings can simply and roundly joyn with his Sovereign to his good First his Religion being odious to them both and likely to prove most prejudicial to the Catholick Cause he growing so great as he should be made by the union of the two Crowns the consideration whereof caused his Mothers affairs to stick a long time and made now in the end to leave him quite out of the reckoning ordaining the King of Spain her Heir if her Son became not Catholick Next it is meerly repugnant to the policy of France were it but in respect of the ancient claim which England maketh to that Crown to suffer the uniting of this Island under one Prince They have been content in former times when England had footing in France to serve themselves of your Nation therewith to annoy this Realm by the means of diverting or dividing the Forces thereof and so perhaps the Politicks of France can be content to wish at this day by your Sovereigns Quarrel or any such like to be eased of the burthen and miseries of the present War wherewith they are plagued by transporting the same into this Island But as this Realm hath good means to prevent the miâ—chief if it were intended so were your Sovereign to look when all were done but to be made an Instrument as his Predecessors have been of the effusion of much Scotish bloud for French Quarrels and the desolation of that Realm And as things stand presently in France it is not to be thought that you shall finde the King ready to hearken unto any Enterprise of this Land He being most desirous to live in peace both with his Neighbours abroad and with his Subjects at home but that he hath been forced full sore against his will by the practice of them of the House of Guise to countenance with his authority the Civil War raised in that Realm which maketh him what ever shew he hath to shadow out the contrary to hate them in his heart Neither would it be held sound counsel to be given him by any that depends upon his fortune to further the advancement of a King of Scots so nearly allied to that Family which he hath discovered and greatly feareth to level at his own Crown with any intention to depose him which by the greatness of a King of Scots they should be so much the sooner and better able to effect The King of Spain's assistance being now in War with this Realm were more likely to be obtained but far more dangerous to be used in respect of his most insatiable ambition deep practices and power accompanied in this case with a colour of Right wherein how far he would seek to prevail any opportunity or advantage being offered it may be justly doubted by the experience that sundry States have had which upon slender grounds of Title have been extorted and wrung from the true Inheritors and annexed to his own Kingdom as Navar Portugal and all that he possesseth in Italy hath been It is believed that the King of Spain considering his years and unsettled Estate every way would willingly incline to peace if it were offered with reasonable conditions and not over readily at this present imbarque himself in any new Enterprise But otherwise it is well known as he had fancied to Himself the Empire of all this part of Europe so he had an eye to this Realm ever since he was King in Right of his Wife The Conquest was intended under colour of Religion as it was discovered by some that were of his Privy Council at that time his pretension to be Heir of the House of Lancaster and since the late Queen of Scots Death the first Catholick Prince of the Bloud Royal of England as also the Donation of this Crown made to him by the Queen of Scots in her Letters with a promise to confirm it by Testament things blazed abroad by the Spanish Ambassadour at Paris ought to breed jealousies and suspitions in your Sovereigns head and give him true cause to think how he should be used at such an Assistants hand Auxiliary Forces have ever been reputed dangerous if they either in number or policy were superior to them that called them in The Assistance therefore of Spain and France being of this nature as your Sovereign hath need of neither so he shall do well to forbear them both and so shall it be well for his ease It may be some will pretend by change of his Religion your Sovereign shall better his condition in regard of these forein Princes besides a great party within this Realm that thereby shall be drawn wholly to depend upon his fortune but the poor distressed estate of Don Antonio being a Catholick Prince spoiled by a Catholick and receiving so little succour at Catholick Princes hands shall be a sufficient bar to all that can be said in that behalf As for the Catholick party in England in his Mothers life it was never so united as they drew all in one line much less will they be brought suddenly to rely upon him if he should alter his Religion as God defend which would be his utter discredit and overthrow both with the one and the other party neither having cause to repose confidence in him the Protestants because he had renounced the Religion wherein he was with great care brought up The Papists because they could not be
and himself brought in the Lords at Sterlin and put his brother Captain Iames Stewart from Court which now he repented and would this way assist him to revenge Stewart not confident in the man discovers all to the King and Thirlston complains to the Councel which Gray denies and Sir William justifies and more accuses him of abuse in his late Ambassie into England and treacherously consenting to the death of the Kings Mother But these accusations referring to truth and a leasurely Tryal they were both committed Which came again to examination and further accusation of Gray for letters to the French King and Duke of Guise not to assist Scotland in revenge of Queen Maries death unless the King would tollerate Catholiks which Gray could not deny but begged mercy ingenuously confessing that he finding Queen Elizabeths resolution advised to put her to death rather in private than in forms of Justice and acknowledged those words mortui non mordent to be his and so meant and not as they were detorted And so craving the Kings gracious favour was condemned and banished A rule of the Kings clemency never to ruine whom he had affected The King now twenty one yeers compleat and more calls a Parliament in Iuly at Edenburgh and for preparation summons the Noblemens whom he reconciled from all controversie and feasts them all at Court And being the better whittled they went hand in hand by couples to the Market-cross A rare sight to the people if it would last He hoped to do as much with the Churchmen Ministers and Prelates But soft they are not in charity with the King himself for the committing of their brethren Gibson and Cooper which was an offence to the Godly and for the admitting Montgomery by the Kings desire who was excommunicate It must not be but by sparing some of his punishments in case the King release Cooper so nothing done for either And being now up in spiritual Arms they petition the Parliament That the Prelates might be removed from sitting among the Estates as having no authority from the Church no function nor charge at all But the Abbot of Kinlass made answer That the Ministers had disorderly shut them out of their Churches and now would turn them out of their places in Parliament And indeed do what the King could to the contrary there passed an Act for annexing the Temporality of Benefices to the Crown upon pretext of bettring the patrimony and to leav the honor of Estate without Taxe on the people but to the utter decay of the spiritual Priors and Abotts being turned temporal Lords which the King afterwards finding inconvenient advises his son in his Basilicon Doron to anull That vile and pernicious Act as he calls it The Borderers were up taking advantage of any quarrel now make incursions upon England with fire and sword beginning the revenge for their Queen Mother as they termed it Hereupon Hunsdon Governor of Barwick gets audience of the King all others before being refused urging the most of Walsinghams reasons before mentioned as a hazard to his succession to raise war with England and satisfies the King with a Declaration of the Judges and the sentence of Davison in Star-Chamber as if all had been done without Queen Elizabeths knowledge and so the Borderers were commanded to be qniet An Ambassadour Patrick Vaus of Barnborough from Denmark accompanied Peter Yong the Kings Almoner who had been sent to Treat of the Marriage in May last return now in August with the conclusion and that in the spring a Nobleman should be directed to accomplish the Ceremony in Denmark and bring home the Bride But the death of King Frederick her father in Aprill delayed the business for certain moneths after To end this yeer comes over divers Jesuits and Priests to deal with the Catholicke Lords in Scotland to assist the next yeers invasion of England in hope to find friendship if they should be forced on their Coast and outwardly made it their business of revenge for his Mothers death promising to conquer the Crown for his sake that was sure otherwise to wear it but the King hastely returns them home again and proclaims against them and their Abetters And the Church-men taking fire though all fear was quenched they Assemble Lords and Laicks and in a confused multitude beset the Kings resolutions to do of himself what they so earnestly desired And therefore in great choler sends them word That they meant to boast him with their power and force the execution of their demands and admitting some of the number they confer with the Kings Councel and so a good course was concluded against the Catholicks and the Ministers bidden to depart Nay now they are up allay them who can for ere they disband the grievances of the Church must be rectified Iames Gibson heretofore censured for his misdemeanour against the King and had liberty upon promise of his Recantation and Submission in the Pulpit but the man had a new Light and told the People that out of infirmity he had confessed a Fault but his conscience now was otherwise revealed that his actions heretofore were innocent The Chancellour hath the opinion of the Assembly whether To call the King Persecutor of the Church and threaten him to be the last of his Race were well done and this to the People out of the Pulpit Much ado in dispute to finde error in so godly a man the major Votes made it offensive and in the afternoon he was to appear for defining the Censure but in the mean time Gibson gets away and was excused being in fear of the King so great an Adversary and this endured a long debate in behalf of him ere the Kings Advocates could plead a distinction between his Majesty and their Ministery and all that could be gotten for the King was the man to be suspended during the pleasure of the Assembly which lasted but the next meeting in August where Gibson gives his Reasons of not appearing before for fear that the affairs of the Church might be hindered by disturbance if his person had then suffered in presence of the People Upon this deep Declaration without asking leave of the King he is purged of his contumacy which so incensed the King who taking upon him to be some-body the Fellow was forced to fly to the factious Brethren in England who were labouring to bring in the holy Discipline into that Church also For the infection of Schisms had spread abroad in England greater Injuries and more impudent Contempts than had been known before upon the Temporal and Ecclesiastical Magistrates by the Puritans as one calls them of those days and Queen Elizabeth Semper eadem not enduring Innovation as impugning directly or obliquely the Royal Prerogative The Zealots for the Geneve Discipline railing at the English Hierarchy with scurrilous non-sense Libells by names of Martin-Mar-Prelate The
the K. whom Huntley opposes with a weak Defence for himself whilest the Colonel escapes away and never more seen The King had a gracious inclination to Huntley having very lately married him to a gallant Lady of kin to the King but dismissed him the Court untill the Spanish Navy was dissipated and the general joy of that Defeat made all Friends at home Queen Elizabeth much pleased with the Kings fore-sight and with Maxwell's Commitment and Huntley's Banishment with other the like prudential Providences of the King sends Sir Robert Sidney in August to congratulate his wisdom herein and to conclude mutual assistance in case the Spaniard should land on either Kingdoms and discoursing of Spains ambition to seize on England Sidney said Your Majesty may be assured of the like kindness at his hand if he prevailed The King merrily answered That he expected the same which Polyphemus promised to Ulysses to devour him after his fellows and so with great curtesie dismissed him upon whose return home another Messenger was sent with News of the Navies overthrow But not to sit down with the contrary of Caesar's Motto who no sooner came but he overcame this Fleet no sooner seen but was sunk in the Sea the wonder of the worlds apprehension so invincible an Armado must needs demonstrate to these Nations Gods gratious and powerfull arm in the overthrow and though the main intent was against England whose Prayers and Pens have often given the glory to their Redeemer yet because some spoils of that wreck were cast on the Scots coasts we may not refer the Reader without the Book to others relation This Discourse I finde imprinted anno 1688. suddenly set out by the Queen to rejoyce her Subjects with each particular and published after by other Nations in French High Dutch and Hollands The Introduction invites the Reader to a religious consideration of the promise and power of God to defend his Church and People by Examples Lamech trusting to his sons inventions Iubal and Tubal-Cain boasteth unto his Wives that he would not take the least injury but he would slay a strong man in his wound and a young man in his hurt Nimrod in the second Age hunting men like wilde beasts erected a Tower to reach to Heaven in pride and contempt of God Nabuchadnezzar Nicanor and others the like It hath been frequent for the wicked to encourage themselves and discourage the good the one mighty in number the last but few and weak to that end tended the railing Rabshake the blasphemous Ambassadour of the wicked Sennacherib Make war saith he to Eliakim with my Master the King of Assyria and I will deliver to thee two thousand Horse Have any of the Gods of the Nations delivered their Land from the King of Assyria Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad those of Sâ—pharvaim and Ivah that the Lord should deliver Ierusalem out of my hand Truly the Italian Lamech and Spanish Nimrod the Pope and Spain the one by his Priestly practices Bulls Excommunications Interdictions the other by his several politick assaults heretofore not prevailing now his Babels Towers vast and high built Bulks Gallions Galliasses appear to amaze the World and frighten Heaven it self so that it may be urged in opposition to all as by the sequel was said of Iehosaphat We had no strength to resist so great a multitude coming against us neither knew we what to do but our eys were fixed on thee our Lord. The first Squadron was of Gallions of Portugal wherein were ten Gallions and Zabres amounting unto and imbarqued in them 7737 Tuns 3330 Souldiers 1230 Mariners 350 Guns The Army of Biscay ten great Ships and four Pinnaces 6567 Tuns 2037 Souldiers 868 Mariners 260 Cannon The Army of Castile fourteen Gallions and two Pinnaces 8714 Tuns 2458 Souldiers 1759 Mariners 348 Guns The Army of Andelusia eleven Ships 8762 Tuns 2400 Souldiers 800 Mariners 260 Guns The Army of Guipeuzie fourteen Ships 6991 Tuns 2092 Souldiers 670 Mariners 250 Guns The Army of the East ten Ships 7705 Tuns 2880 Souldiers 807 Mariners 310 Guns The Army of Hulks 7450 Tuns 2804 Souldiers 640 Mariners 315 Guns The Pitaches and Zabres of Don Mendoza three twenty Hulks 10271 Tuns 3221 Souldiers 788 Mariners 410 Guns The Squadron of Zaregosse two and twenty Pataches 1131 Tuns 479 Souldiers 574 Mariners 193 Guns The Galliasses of Naples four 873 Souldiers 468 Mariners 1200 Slaves 200 Guns The four Gallies 400 Souldiers 400 Slaves 20 Guns Summa Totalis 130 Ships 20 Caravels 10 Saluces with Oars for publick Service 57868 Tuns 19295 Souldiers 8450 Mariners 2088 Slaves 2630 Guns The chief Officers were The Duke of Medina Sidonia Captain General Iuan Martines de Ricalde Admiral Diego Flores General of the Army of the Gallions of Castile Don Piedro de Valdes General of the Army of Andalusia Michael de Oquendo General of the Army of Givopesque Martin Bretandona General of the Ships of the Levantines Gomer de Mendoza Commander of the Hulks Antonio Hurtado Commander of the Pitaches and Zabres Diego de Medrano Chief of the Gallies The numbers of thousands of Quintals of Biscuit Pipes of Wine Flesh and Fish Rice Beans and Pease Oyl Vineger the Carriages of War and all manner of Provisions for Land-service would amaze the Readeâ— and weary the Accountant which was truly summed up and imprinted at Lisbone before the Fleet set out being the 30th of May 1588. And afterwards there followed out of Lisbon towards the end of Iune a supply of an Army of eighty Sail of Ships to joyn with the Armada Their design was to join with the Prince of Parma who was to meet them in the Narrow Seas and so to invade England together but whether he was kept in by the Hollands fleet who assisted the English or was not ready or bribed he came not forth at all The English had Pinnaces of intelligence that of long time before expected the Armado who were detained by cross winds The English Fleet anchored at Plymouth and having sight of the Enemy waited on them a loof playing upon such as scattered or lagged hinmost amongst whom was the Gallion of Don Pedro de Valdes taken in fight and sent to Plymouth Another of Don Olenquo which took fire but he was saved and sent Prisoner The Galliass of Naples sunck in the sands of Callis In which Road the Armado anchored attending for Parma but by a Stratagem of eight old Ships fitted with all manner of combustable matteâ— the Ordinance charged with Bullets Stones Iron and Chains and fired at a reasonable distance the wind and tide serving they were carried in a flame upon the midst of the Enemies Fleet at which time the trains taking fire it falling out to be night and so unexpected that not able to weigh Anchors they cut Cables and in monstrous confusion sayled they knew not whether without Order or Command made to Sea till the morning light
ranged them in some Order and sailed towards Graveling but no Parma appearing the English small Ships swift and sure chaced divers of them and sunck the great Gallions of Biscay Two others of Portugall torn and tottered fell upon Flanders and were taken by the Dutch The General returned Soutward with such of his Ships best provided and arrived safe at Biscay in Spain The rest of the Fleet taking the Sea Northwards in distress for Water and hindered with wind ignorant also of those Seas and shoulds that above 40. sayl were cast away on the Coasts of Scotland the Isles Orkneys and so round again Southward between England and Ireland As the great Ship of Florence fell upon the West of Scotland fired by the High-Landers And of all the Numbers of Ships aforesaid onely fifty five came safe to Spain there were lost thirteen thousand five hundred Men and Mariners and as themselves say not a family of repute in all Spain but suffered the loss of some kinsman and in this fray but one English Ship and one hundred men in all missing So that what the Spaniard provided in four year was thus far ruined in four Weeks to the glory of God and everlasting comfort of Great Britain The King on his part first at Court and afterwards through all his Kingdom gave publique thanks to God for this good riddance of so formidable an Enemy Whether the Astrologers were in the right or wrong that foretold of Wonders to happen this year and ment the success glorious to Spain or whether the wonder was that they should be sunck in the Sea as they were certainly they writ of this and the succeeding years full of fatallity as in France it fell out more fearful But for the Western Isles we felt none at all and yet the effects were threatned by them upon all of us The Scots Catholiques were much amazed at this event who Parma comforted with Letters Intimating the loss not great which should been the next Summer by a fresh Fleet prepared before to succour these which now joining will soon make good all the defects of the former Robert Bruce brought this news to Huntley to be communicated unto the rest of that faction and some money was sent amongst them but because Huntleys share was not parted proportionable to his desire and desert he grew cold in the cause and in some discontent the King took the advantage and advised him to subscribe the Confession of Faith and so was reconciled to the Church and neglected by the other ever after But he was put upon it to satisfy the Prince of Parma and by letter That after the escape of Semple as aforesaid he was so beset by the Kings jealousies upon all his actions that either he ought to yield or to depart or to have taken up forces to secure himself which he was not then able to do all hopes failing with the evil hap of the Spaniards But what had evil effect he should endeavour to recover by some good service for advance of the Catholique Cause However God had put him in such good credit with the King as that he hath altered his Guards and added of his own friends by whom he hopes to be assured and at convenient time to be Master of the King And so when the promised support shall arrive he should be able to spoyl the Heretiques and make sure for the Catholiques Besought him to be perswaded of his unchangeable affection though in outward shew he was forced to accomodate himself with the present time January 1589. Edenburgh Another such like was sent over from the Earl of Arrol whom Hay the Iesuit had seduced That since his Conversion he was obliged to advance the Catholique faith and that Religion the greatest and most important cause in the world being now joined to another civil consideration of great affinity to the affairs at Home He was therefore the more intirely obliged to his Catholique Majesty and that in Scotland His Highness had not a more affectionate Servant than ARROL And at the very same time other letters were sent by Huntley Crawford and Morton so did Maxwell stile himself in prison to the King of Spain when after their great regret for the mischance of the Navy they assure that if it had visited them it should not have found resistance in Scotland and with their Support have assisted sufficient against England The blame of all they lodged upon the English Catholiques refugers in Spain who in enmity to others did too much magnifie their own as best able to do all And therefore prayed his Majesty not to over-countenance the one to other neglect but that the ends of all should aim at one And then remitting to the advise and Declaration of some of his own Subjects lately returned from hence for several Commodious advantages how and where to land an Army in Scotland they proposed that with six thousand Spanish and money to levy as many more they might within six hours arrival be well advanced in England to assist the forces that he should send thither They advise him not to make Armies by Sea but to assign some of his forces to Scotland others by the West of Ireland towards England and so the forces divided part at Sea others in Scotland the enemy should be amused therewith referring much more to the bearer Collonel Semples relation The Jesuits of Spain tyred out of their plots and designs against England resolved to work out their way by Sedition in Scotland undermining the affections of any discontented parties and so being put in muteny they might easily restore their decaying Romistry Industry and Secrecy would bring it about To that end were imployed Bruce the old Lieger Jesuit with Creighton and Hay his former Comrades to perswade Huntly bastard son of Iohn the Prior of Coldingham son of Iames the fifth King of Scotland with Arroll Crawford and Bothwell to force the King from the Chancellor and Treasureshands and no difficulty to induce the people to resent their actions supposing the King to be weary of such power about him as reduced him to their dispose The Faction of the English flesht with his Mothers death in time would do so by him and his Friends and no doubt these sufferings would soon justifie their rising to rescue him and the Realm from ruin and no mention being made of Religion the Country would be more calm to resist their enterprize The meeting must be between Lieth and Edenburgh and so to Edenburgh to settle themselves at Court about the King kill the two Counsellers Bothwel aboade at Crichton and kept about him some Souldiers whom he had seduced Crawford and Arrol with their Friends came to the Ferry Montross stay'd six miles off But Huntley came through and the evening of the appointed time assisted by Kinfawnes brother to Crawford and some of Arrolls servants these filling the presence find the Chancellour with the
Castile purposely for English and Scotish Fugitives to draw their obedience from hence to him and being finished Pope Clement the Eighth must needs by his Bull confirm it which is dated the first year of his Popeship Quoniam c. multi Anglicani exules adolescentes fuerunt experti qui ex miserabili Angliâ— Regno in Hispaniam transfugerunt And why because quod alias tantoperâ— floriut erga fidem Catholicam devotisimam fuit nunc etiam Haereseos gravissimo infortunio affligitur atque opprimitur in Hispaniam transfugerunt c. But not all Exules adolescentes No I warrant you Ii tantum says one qui ad finem illorum consequendum aptiores esse videntur and then swear to take Orders and return home to England to adventure for a Halter that is To convert as many of my Countrey-men and Kinsfolk as I can whensoever I shall be called thereto by my Superiors whose command I will be ready to execute as believing that not He so much as God himself doth put me on that Errand And thus prepared they come in Disguises with Equivocations that by their bare habit none can understand them counterfeiing all shapes and professions and are justified they say by example of Eusebius who in the time of Constantine the Arrian Emperour did so under covert to visit the Assemblies of the Catholicks and to instruct them Rabadineira Append. Schismat Angl. cap. 23. But we must bethink what becomes of Bothwell who being fled from his friends and almost forsaken he was invited by some at Court Instruments to serve the time and Servants to the Duke of Lenox men of mean fortunes but fit enough to to add fuel to to any Enterprise with their assistance and therefore had trained into the Conspiracy Colonel William Stewart Neswich the Kings Surgeon and Iames Douglas of Spot who in truth came in by another occasion thus a few days before George Home of Spot his father in Law was killed by some of the Sirname of Home and Craw Sir George Home Nephew to Spot charged Iames Dowglas as Author and Accessary to the Murther this jealousie arising from some interest of an Estate in difference between them upon this but suspition three of his men are imprisoned and threatned with torture to confess the King some say had a strong conceit of their guilt and commanded that course of Tryal Spot laboring for their reprieve of this punishment and not prevailing he joined in the Treason being told of it in the heat of revenge The manner of the Conspiracy was thus Bothwell in disquise out of England should lurk neer the Court with his followers dispersed till the time should let them in by night through a back way into the Palace and surprize the King and Chancellour and with hope of Success all the Court after Each man had his quarter and particular charge to take the sign given and to fall on It took effect thus far they were entered and after mastered the Inner Court Dowglas too forward for his â—â—rvants imprisoned and to free them for assistance the number and noise breaking open the doors where the Prisoners were startled the King at Supper and hearing the cry Treason Treason gat up to the Tower for his better safety Bothwell earnest to order all commands some to beset the Chancellors Lodgings whilest himself hastens to the Queens quarter which he finds baricado'd and therefore endeavours to fire it In which time Sir Iames Sandilands of his Majesties Bed-chamber with some Forces of the Town Edenburgh entring by the Church of Holy-rood-house beat him and his company from the fire and the alarm happily hastened the Conspirators fled and escaped in the dark by such several waies as brought them in But Bothwell must have blood and encountring by chance with Iohn Shaw a Gentleman of note who had the better at the Sword till Bothwell snatcht a Pistol from his Page and shot Shaw dead In the pursute nine of the Train were taken and by Club-law were hastily hanged the next morning before cold-blood could quiet the rage of the people Thus far this defeat had Success But Bothwell got Northward towards Earl Murray intending his Supply which the King suspecting sends the Lord Uchiltry to decoy Murray into the South as to work reconcilement with Huntley but a false rumour being raised this while that Murray was seen with Bothwell in the late Enterprize Huntley hasty enough to malice and revenge got Commission to bring him to a Tryal Murray not minding any mischief herein was on his way at his Mothers House the La Downes neer Forth and being too secure from sudden attempt Huntley gets aid of the County and summons a surrender Murray making much of a needy case returns bad words and Bullets too boot which shot the Sheriff to the heart and some others into a fear that altered their fighting to firing the House and forced them within through smoke and flame to come forth and yield The evening shadowed the enterprize from discovering their Prisoners for the present but whilest they peeped for Murray he not yet come out And being put to the plunge broke through them all with wondrous courage escaping their seisure yet weary and tired shrunk down within the cleft of the Rocks and by his Head-piece discovered to be him he was without mercy of a common man miserably slain For Huntley in this treacherous if true fearing he should be innocent of the Conspiracy might in honour have afforded him quarter which was desired but to be sure of his death ran him often through after he was a dead Corps and having hastened the news to the King galloped away Nortâ—â—â—ard leaving his cosen Captain Gourdon wounded who was brought to Edenburgh and publickly executed to pacifie the people I have seen what some have said who should be guilty of this good mans blood but I dare not suspect where I am not sure of authority to bear out the blame nor can I find any cause in the King the jealousie is raised by the sudden News that posted to Court as of good service but that was Huntleys villany by the speed to lodge it on any from suspition of his own private revenge Yet it fell foul on the Chancellor a fate or fashion of King and Favourite Princes have Pupils to bear their stripes the Dog beaten for the Lion and sometime Soveraign suffers for them when Revenge grows high they meddle with the Magistrate but being gotten into power no Majesty escapes Who ere were in fault Edenburgh was to hot for the Court to hold out Murray bemoaned of all the King removes or rather ran away with the Council to Glasgow not â—afe there neither till Huntley was â—ound out to render his Person to Prison in Blackness but was soon demitted upon caution to answer any summons His sudden discharge set mens tongues on work and incouraged their faction to
colour of doctrine to stir up sedition no good man will grant If Treason and sedition be crimes punishable much more comitted in the Pulpit where the word of truth only should be taught I am not ignorant what France of late and England formerly have suffered by the violence of such spirits And I may not indure it Hereupon the Church finding the King resolved desire some Declaration to be made to the people in favour of Church Assemblies which they feared was hereby of late somewhat weakned which the King assented unto and it was accordingly published to give finall conclusion to these differences Blake was required only to acknowledg his offence to Queen Ann. And to be pardoned of all This he would not do and was therefore sentenced To have falsely sâ—andered and treasonably calumniated the Kings Majesty his consort the Queen his Neighbour Princesse the Queen of England the Lords of the Council and Session and that till his Majesties further pleasure he should be confined beyond the North water enter ward within six dayes and Ten daies more were taken up to decide these differences and the King condiscends to lesser submissions than before But the Commissioners refuse to agree to any censure of Master Blake as not done by the proper Iudg. And so they ordain a fast and pray and preach complaints of wrong done to the Kingdom of Christ. The King on his part made the grounds of his displeasure known to his people by Declaâ—ation setting forth particulars of the last Transactions Ordaining all Ministers to subscribe their obedience to his Majesty and to set their hands to the bonds presented to them to that effect under pain of sequestring their rents and stipends till they submitted Blake to go to ward and the Commissioners to remove out of Town They increase Aspersions upon the King who willingly would have recalled these sentences and Publications and some Ministers were treated therein till a scandalous Letter was devised and sent by under hand advise that Huntley had private reception by the King over night and caused the charge against the Ministers Balcanqual takes his text out of the Canticles and so to present the troubles of the Church relates the late proceedings which he calls treacherous forms of the Council naming particular officers The President and Controuler and Advocate with reproachfull raylings and concludes to advise the Barons and Nobles to meet in the little Church for assisting the ministry From them came a petition to the King in behalf of his Ministers and presented to him in the uper house of session with complaints uttered by Bruce of all which had passed The King declining the petition and remonstrance asked who they were that durst convene against his proclomation The Lord Lindsey passionatly replied That they durst do more than so and would not indâ—re destruction of Religion Numbers of people thronging into the Room the King removed the people seduced by Lindsey and others some said arm others called out to bring forth Haman others cry'd out the sword of the Lord and Gideon And with much adoe to appease the peoples rage at they knew not what The Lords and Ministers meet propose Articles to the King and whilst they design who shall present them each one refusing The King and Councel remove out of Edenburgh into Linlithgow Ordering a Proclamation to signifie the reasons of this departure the Town being unsafe for his person and Council and unfit for the administration of justice by the late in sufferable Tumults commanding all Lords of session Commissioners c. and their Deputies to remove out of the Town of Edenburgh and be in redinesse to that place they should be after assigned And the Noblemen and Barons to withdraw to their own Houses and not to covene or Assemble under pain of the Kings displeasure The City is amazed with these proceedings not knowing what to do or whom to trust unto The Ministers night and day restlesse to get subscriptions and to covenant to call in certain Noblemen of note Hamelton Backlugh and others Fast and pray and preach what stuffe best befits their projects one amongst many others Iohn Welch takes his theam the Epistle sent to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus rayl'd against the King who he said was possessed of a Divel and one Divel the King put out seven worse are entred in That the Subjects might lawfully rise and take the sword out of his hand by example saies he Of a father faln into frenzie might be bound hand and foot by his family from doing mischief Yet this execrable doctrine was received by some nay they preach that the Earl Arrol had come to the Ferry with four hundred horse the day of Tumult but the rising of the people as a providence of God for good scattered his forces in fear of the Town so prepared And being Masters of all they undertake to send Messengers to the Earl Hamelton with letters that the people animated by motion of Gods spirit had taken Arms with the patronage of such Godly well affected Noblemen and Brethren then at Edenburgh for the cause of God Only they wanted a Head an especial Nobleman to countenance their cause And having made chioce of him they invite him to Edenburgh with all convenient speed and thereby to signifie his affection and to accept the honor which the Church of God had offered unto him It was writ and subscribed by Bruce and Balcanquall and sent to Hamelton who receives the Messenger with all shew of kindness and seems to prepare his journey for Edenburgh but by the way better advised he turns to Linlithgow and presents the King with the letter who wondered at the modesty of the man accounted more ambitious than to neglect such a rise to tempt his humour by whom had the letter taken effect it might have caused strang Rebellions when the Church had begun to act their part with so much power a bloody issue alwaies following the pretended zeal for Religion as the most part of Christendom have felt the miserable effects and great Britain most of all The insurrection and letter made work for speedy Counsel to act for the King and the Provost had order for imprisoning the Ministers who got loose and fled to New Castle in England The Town send Commissioners to purge themselves protesting their Innocencâ—e and offer their obedience for repairing the indignity and dishonor done to the King but served not for their purgation for the next day the Tumult was by the Counsel declared Treason and the devisers Actors and Partakers to be Traytors Edenburgh smarted for all the inhabitants in fear of desolation the law-Courts removed to Lith the Session to Perth the Ministers fled the Magistrates dispised and all men without the walls their enemies And again most humbly supplicate the King with the best excuse for themselves The King told them that he would proceed with them
Bishopricks should accept in and upon them to be actual Pastors and Ministers and according thereto should practise and exercise the same But the Office of them in the spiritual Policy and Government of the Church was remitted to his Majesty and to the general Assembly and so hereby occasion was soon taken to assemble at Dundee And first advises them to consider Whether it was lawfull and expedient that the Ministers as representing the whole Church within the Realm should have Voice in Parliament or not It was concluded for them They might as also in other meetings of the Estate and very expedient to have some of them always present to give Voice in the name of the Church The number of them was agreed upon to be one and â—ifty persons as of old in the Papistical Church But then who should elect those to have voice They were pleased with much ado to grant It did appertain partly to his Majesty and partly to the Church and so it came to after consideration De modo eligendi whether ad vitam What their Title with caution to preserve them from corruption What their Rents and Revenues with a number more such circumstances are recommended to their Presbyteries to consider and so to certifie his Majesty And because it was time for the Kings grace and favour to remit to mercy the Edenburgh Ministers such as of late were silenced to suffer them now to preach again but with such articles and conditions as bound up their better manners to the Kings turn not their own old tunes in the Pulpit Nor were they safe as they thought they should be till the King was pleased to declare That he did freely remit their former offences in hope that they would hereafter deserve it And so were all persons concerned in the late Tumult and all others in honour to the King and charity to their brethren concluded and contented But Mr. Iohn Davidson a malitious man he being behinde hand of preferment protested against the Assembly as not free but over-awed by the King And when he had put his Spoke into the Wheel slipâ— aside but left it in motion with more ado than was meet to make such a stir Mr. Robert Bruce a Preacher there for ten years yet never received Ordination to the Ministery pretending the approbation of the general Assembly equivalent if not more sufficient He was told that the Approbation which he had was only a Licence to preach but now to receive the Office it was necessary thereto Imposition of Hands No though he was instructed that the Ordination was not to question his former Calling but to confirm it nor would that serve unless he had a Declaration to him thereof set down in writing A whole fourteenight was wasted to make the form to please him and others that sided for him and his day of admission came Mr. Robert Pont in the Pulpit signified their business and being come down to assist the work Bruce was got up in his place railed against all the acts of the Commissioners and with his Tongue raised such a Tumult of the Commons that the poor Ministers appointed to administer Ordination were in fear to be stoned by the people and so got away and nothing done Upon this this the King commands the Commissioners to cite Bruce and censure him He did appear but excused himself and laid the fault on the peoples affection to him and being afraid what would be the issue pain of deprivation gave obedience and accepted his Admission with Imposition of the Hands of two Ministers Here was seen his perverse pride and wilfulness which fools referred to his true zeal And this good conclusion of the general matters of the Church gave like success to the conference at Falkland determining their Votes in Parliament concluding the manner of his Election who was to have Vote in Parliament that the Church should name for each Prelacy six whereout the King should chuse one That the nomination of them should be made by the general Assembly And his Rent provided out of the Prelacy whereunto he is preferred With such cautions to preserve him as was not to be feared he could transgress his bounds or be deposed ipso facto but his Title should be called Commissioner for such a place c. Indeed some of the Articles of Caution were ridiculous and absurd to be performed but such was the Kings wisdom to consent to all their conceits knowing that in time the benefit and good use of this Government would appear which he purposed says one to have established or rather to permit those inconveniences until weight of their own sufferings should betake themselves to abler conclusions The King having greater Councils of more importance to him next to the settlement of the Church and not till then proper for him to ascertain Queen Elizaheth was grown old and weak in body nor well in minde and it concerned him to establish to himself such affectionate Princes in whose relations he might finde aid and assistance when time served To that end he considers of Ambassadours David Bishop of Aberdeen and Sir Peter Yâ—ung Almoner men of great abilities and learning They had in Commission to inform the free Princes of the Religion in Germany his Majesties Right and Title to the Crown of England and to assure to them his singular care and endeavour now and always to conserve amity with them all Not that he minded injury to the Queen whom he had just cause to honour as his Mother and to wish and pray for many days to lengthen out her ample years but yet to strengthen himself against foul pretenders he craves their consideration and to be pleased in common Ambassage to intreat the Queen as their best advice to declare in her own good time the right Successor for preventing plots and practices of her and his Enemies c. They had command to turn out of the way and to take Letters commendatory of the King of Denmark his Brother-in-Law unto each of those Princes which were Udalrick Duke of Megleburgh Maurice Lantgrave of Hesse Frederick Duke of Saxony and Administrator of the Electorite Henry Duke of Brunswick Iohn Adolph Duke of Gleswick and Ioakim Marques of Brandenburgh To each of these single made their Journey tedious difficult and took up much time a whole year Then they return with their Answers in substance alike That albeit his Majesties right was well known to them they did esteem it an Act of great wisdom in him to acquaint his Friends and Allies with the Exceptions which some may presume to take to his just Title that so when occasion required nothing might be amiss for them to do for him within their power But to move the Queen to name her Successor they excused themselves therein as more dangerous to him than usefull to his intent lest it might less promove the business and offend her Always each of them would advise but counsel together
treacheries worrying the Iesuits with no success scattered some tales that King Iames favoured Papists and despised the Queen who had sight of some Letters in truth indited by the villany of his Secretary Elphingston and the Kings hand counterfeit and Seal to the same and seeming to confirm it they had hired a notorious Villain in England one Tomas condemned for Theft and to unburthen his conscience pretends to reveal a secret and accuse the King in some generals but never revealed any yet was the wretch reprieved and though her wisdom knew well the malice and cunning contrivance of these Plots to clear her belief she sends Bows Ambassadour to the King and by Queries she examples her affection to him before any other and expects no retribution but by him the glory of God and not be wanting to himself The King knew no better means to suppress the credit of false rumours than by his own pious practice in Religion by outward frequency in the exercises of Prayer and Preaching duly performing and executing his Justice and Mercy with such wisdom and piety as made his virtues thereby more transparent to the common view and sense of all men He wisely gave way to divers Books publishing his right of Succession to the Crown of England with Arguments and Reasons of the benefit and advantage to the people of both Nations that in pious policie his intentions would be hereafter to force Ireland to Religion and to continue War with Spain He numbers his then princely issue as the defence of State his power and strength to oppose Enemies the good affections to him of Christian Princes and proposes miserable Examples of Usurpers Whilest Bows was about his business at Court he findes an Englishman Ashfield bold enough to bid himself welcom besides his merit for his brave Present some hunting Horses for the Kings Saddle but in his journey it seems over-saucy with the English Warden or rather suspected as a Spy to carry Tales to the King however Bows had direction to teach him the Ambassadours craft and enticing him by his servants to Lieth was in his drink coached away to Barwick The King takes this indignity offered to himself secures the Ambassadors lodgings and se nds to Barwick for release of the Prisoner The Governour excuses that demand not to demit him without the Queens pleasure And so disputes grew high with the Ambassadour as injurious to the honor of both Crownes which he denied and turn'd the fact upon his men without his knowledge but this was Mentiendi facultate and the King not vouchsafing him any more Audience he departed much discontent Sundry disputes were sawcily maintained concerning the Kings Title to the Crown of England Besides the discourses oppugning Amongst many Iohn Colvil Minister published his Recantation in print and stiled the Palionode of John Colvil c. wherein having confuted the contrary reasons he professed That Malitiously in time of exile as you have heard he had penned the Treatise which now out of conscience he recants Some say that he was not Author of that book which he appugned only to get favour of the King he professed the work that had come forth without a name and was then accounted a Pithy and perswasive cunning discourse of that subject At this time was published the K. Basilicon Doron directed to the Prince upon this occasion Sir Iames Semple servant to the K. and Amanuensis therein lent the copie to Andrew Melvil Minister who misliking so much ruth which touched the Ministers copie-hold in their discipline tdispersed several transcriptions amongst the Brethren and thereupon a Libell was framed and cast in before the Synod of Saint Andrews with such exceptions as they pleased to set down It was asked what censure should be inflicted upon him that had given such instructions to the Prince and whether he could be well affected to Religion that had delivered such precepts of Government The Kings Commissioners in the Synod apprehending the Libell to concern his Majesty whom they knew to be the Author of the book inquired for the Presenters And all pretending ignorance the Commissioners shut the doors and purged each one by oath yet was it prooved the next day to be Iohn Dikes Minister who in fear of the Citation before the Council fled and was denounced Rebell And Hereupon rumors were hatched how prejudicial these directions were to the Church But to satisfie the truth the Book came abroad and was carried into England with admiration of all men to read the Kings piety and wisdom Heretofore somewhat doubted by the deceipt of certain discourses which now were sure to be replied unto and evermore somewhat of Consequence for the Kings just title to the Crown of England By which and his continual disputes and reasoning with learned men of all knowledg He in truth soon became royally famed through Christendom and more effectual with her whom he was to succeed Her self grown very studious and retired and because she excelled in languages she translates out of French and Latine Salust and Horace which she writ with her own hand and extant And in this general Assembly of the Church a politick Ordinance was published To have the next year begin at the Calends of Ianuary and from thenceforth for ever For before that time the year was reckoned as in some other Churches from the 25. of March And now disposing votes for the Ministry in Parliament I shall close up the yeer with the pitifull discovery of the State of Bishopricks and how farr this godly Kirk had incroched upon them So that there rested no more but to Nominate perons to the Bishopricks that were voyd Aberdeen and Arguile had their own Incumbents at the time both actuall Preachers Saint Andrews and Glascow were in the hands of the Duke of Lenox Murray was possessed by the Lord Spinie Orkney by the Earl of Orkney Dunkeld Birchen and Dumblane had their own titulars but were not ordinary Preachers Galloway and the Isles so dilapidated as scarce to be remembred that ever they had been Ross and Cathnes some provision were left And so we return to England The Queen much perplexed the Irish Rebellion mightily increasing and that Nation in lamentable condition by Ter-oen or Tyrone and others though but lately broken out and how to quench that fire was her and her whole Councils continual care And therefore they consider of present forces to be sent over extraordinary under command of a Generalis sâ—mo for that expedition And after some debate the Earl of Essex was markt out by the Queen to that purpose though Secretary Caecil hated him to the death His wit made him equal to mate the others greatness and never left untill he brought him to the Block with the weight also of his own wicked desert Give me leave to let in the Reader with some reasons why and how Essex and Caecil whom Authors make Antagonists had several
consult for peace with Spain being invited by the Arch-Duke Albert lately returned to Bruxell with his Bride the Infanta And inclusive he knew the better how to condition with the Dutch to save charges of his warre there convey home safe his Indies Fleets so at last grow infinite rich By which the English would neglect their navylodg in peace lazy and wealthy discontinue warre the easier hereafter to be soon invaded The Queen old and weary of warre very willing to make peace within her self and outward with all the world leaves the motion to the Frâ—nch Kings managing for time and place of meeting He appoints May the time and Boulen the place For the Queen came Henry Nevil her Lieger there her new Secretary Herbert Beal Secretary in the North and Edmonds her French Secretary For Spain came Don Balthasar domine de Zuniga Fonseca the prolixity of whose Name strecht out like a Cable sayes little Nevil is longer than I am his Lieger in the low Countries Ferdinando Corel a Counciller of Castile And for Albert came Ricardot and Verskenie And must not these men quarrel for Precedencie as before Anno 1598. at Vervin â— They did so now and did nothing else but quarrel the peace By which means they were the better known for the arrand of the English which was first to stand upon punctilios of place but not altogether before profit or else by caâ—ting lotts Then not to be cousened into any kindness for the Low-Countries traffick Nor in the trade to the Indies but to be free as in 1591. general freedom to all places of Charles the fifth But then if Spain hath the place let him lose the advantage and propound first He inviting the Treaty Copies of their Delegation being given to each other they now differ about Title Most Illustrious she gave to the Arch-Duke but he clames to be Most Puissant as descended from sacred Emperours and he son in Law and Brother to the King of Spain The English Answer Kings have no more difference from an Arch-Duke And Arch-Duke Philip father to Charles the fifth had no more from Henry the eighth But then say they those times afforded no more unto Henry himself The English found fault with them The very Form of the Delegatâ—on to be wanting and obâ—curely Intermixing other Commissarâ—es anâ— made up only with a Privy Signet when theirs was with the Broad Seal of England Nor does their King ratifie what ere shall be concluded They Answer to all Par trattar y hazar trattar in Spanish comprehends all formall subdelegation That in Spain no such distinction of seals Private and Broad This being yo el Rey the Kings own hand in presence of his Secretary with the publick seal And by Estar y passar y â—stare y passare all warrants fil'd Then they meet as yet but by papers the English demand priority as if Le premier demandeur estoit le vancuer A Challenge say they never presumed upon before nor equality yielded Little Edmonds was angry who had prepared Richardot with the Queens Priority That the presence of an Ambassador Nevil was to be preferred before a Delegate Title They reply for England to be but equall submits Spain as inferiour to France England alwaies yielding to France And such a doe it came unto that Edmonds comes over and â—ath Item not to stand upon Place so he should get the Profit in particular demands hard enough to be allowed In the mean time the Spaniard complains that succour and subsidy was sent to the States and ships ready for the Indies They were answered it was in ballance with their assistance to the Rebells in Ireland And so far they were from Submission to Priority or to admit equality as to break off the Treaty And so at leasure let us discuss Priority for England Among the Temporal powers The first place was to France the second to England the last to Castile and the Book of Ceremonies at Rome saies so as a Canon at three general Councils Pisa Constance and Basil it was in Example The title Castilâ— which the Spaniard most boasts of is but a late Monarchy to England having neither Earls nor Kings before the year 1017. and those Kings not Anointed That England is the third Intituled Most illustrious and Spain the fourth Pope Iulius the second gave it to Henry the seventh before Ferdinand of Castile The Queens ancient years and Reign an argument they urged at Bazil against Henry the sixth and all this original exceeds mans memory Whilst these treat for peace The Dutch soring high imped with English feathers bethink how to fall upon the Spaniard It was when their Enemy Arch-Duke Albert was weak in forces and those in Mutiny Hasty intelligence did this good service to Prince Maurice who finding them in this disorder resolved to fall upon him in Flanders And because the English had the brunt of the Battel and Sir Francis Vere the honour of that day we may take boldness to add it in memory with matters of our own Historie Our fate with those people evermore to be left out of the fame though we fought for their freedom and is called the Battel of Newport The Princes Army lands at Philipine upon the River Scheld 12000. foot and 3000. horse in 3. Tercias Commanded by Count Ernest of Nassaw Count Solms and Sir Francis Vere taking their daily turns by change of Avant-guard Battel and Rere The Van of Horse consisted of ten Cornets and led by Count Lewis Brother to Ernest being Lieutenant-General And to them were adjoyned Prince Maurices guard and the Regiments of Sir Francis Vere and Sir Horace Vere accounted 1600. English As also the Frizons being seventeen Companies In all of the Avant fourty foot Companies which Sir Francis Vere commanded The Battel was Numbred seven Cornets of Horse To whom were joyned nine foot Companies of Walloons and four Swisse for the first division With two other divisions of French the first of three Companies the second of twelve In the midst was Prince Maurice himself with his Brother Prince Henry and divers Noblemen strangers and voluntiers so that the Battel had seven Troops and 25. Comapnies The Rere consisted of three Cornets and thirteen colours in the first division And in the second eight Companies And in the third three Troops and twenty six Comapnies The Arch-Dukes army had 25. hundred horse and 15000. foot divided also as the other into three Brigades Before the Armies should meet the Dutch conclude the siege of Newport the States taking leave and go to Ostend and got to the Downs by the Sea-side so to Newport where in three daies they had taken Fort Albert encamped and quartered raising a stone bridge over the Haven for the Carriages to pass The Arch-Duke hastens his Marches came neer the Fort Albert with some horse and foot which the Prince supposes but a Bravado and meant to retire Sir Francis
fell dead upon him and his hurts affording him no help of assistance being alone there he lay till by good hap Sir Robert Drewry and Sir Iohn Ogle drew him from under his Horse and being set up behinde one he escaped the Enemy at his heels his hurts bleeding much at four holes he was forced to fall off for that present His Brother Sir Horace he found at the two Canons having gathered some three hundred retreat Foot and there staid the Enemy who came up to the very handing the Ordnance which fired on them with a Train also of some Barrels hid in the sand and made wondrous Execution And not till now comes Succour two Cornets of English from the Prince which encourages Sir Horace and bold necessity to boot beat the Spaniard back again by the way some others fell on also and followed them to Execution The Arch Dukes Phalanges and Battalions startle and rowse up rather for defence than revenge and now Orange findes his Friends have fresh courage by the tottering effects of fight caused his whole Battell to advance both meet and joyn pell mell Horse to Horse Foot to Foot till the fate of fight forced the Arch Duke to turn faces and fly and were followed to Execution as far as the Morish Dam. The English having the Chace took Don Iasper Sampen Don de Villars Maestro del Campo and the Arch Duke escaped hardly for his Horse-bit was held by a Souldier and he spurred on and got off losing in this Battell the most of his chief Officers the Prisoners were Don Francisco de Mendoza Lieutenant General 〈◊〉 Count of Solms on his side Don Lewis de Aville Don Piedro de Mendoza Doctor Anarea the Arch Dukes Physician Don Iaspar Marogan and five and thirty Horse and Foot Captains three hundred and ten more men of note eight Pieces of Cannon most of the Ammunition Baggage and Furniture the Arch Dukes own Tent Cabinet Plate Seals of Arms one hundred and six Colours five thousand slain on the place besides hundreds of others out-lying in fight the loss fell most upon the Spaniards and Italians who fought bravely and bore all their brunt taking too much heart upon their morning success On the Orange part were slain two thousand and five hundred most English who were put to it against the Spaniards and Italians in several brave Charges and so lost six English Captains Yorkley Huâ—â—iwood Tyrrill Duxborow Priton Woodward and most of the Officers slain or hurt The Spaniards complained of their own Horse which jâ—ded and should have succoured their Foot that fought bravely and commended the Dutch's order in marshalling their men into severall light Divisions when as the Adversaries great Pâ—alanges and Stand of Pikes were unwieldy heavy to charge The Danes dispute the English Fishing upon their Coasts Norway and Island and seize the English and Goods there who indeed made no claim of Right but onely Leave and Custom from Norways Kings before their conjunction with Denmak and confess that by the League with King Iohn heretofore they were to ask it from seven to seven years which had been neglected with King Christian for in 1585. they had Liberty without further Licence and concluded which I wonder at Mare liberum This occasion acquainted the English Delegates that were sent thither to treat with the mystery and benefit of Trading and for the Londoners to be instituted into an Eaest-India Company with great Privileges King Iames nearly concerned to congratulate the happy prevention of Essex his Rebellion sends to England the Earl Mar Ambassadour with the Abbot of Kinloss to congratulate the Queens happy success against such treasonable Attempts which she takes well coming so seasonably to satisfie ill Rumours That Essex was made away for affection to the King of Scots Title and that the Ambassadours Commission had been to plead for his part And withall to expostulate her remisness for not due punishing Valentine Tomas a base Calumniator of their King and that Ewer and Ashfield should be shadowed here two Fugitives from Scotland But Ashfield might be â—eleased And in conclusion their chiefest Errand for Assignment of some Lands in England as a Rent-charge for defraying the affairs in Scotland then too burdensom for the King She thanked the King and wished that all Rebellions against him might the Eve of that Day finde the same End and like Success of all Traitors to Him as Essex was to Her That Tomas was spared in prudence to their Masters honour lest by rubbing old sores with often Trials and Executions too frequent Examples might rather increase slanderous Tongues whose impudence in accusing even without any possibility of truth or shew of proof yet through too common rumour thereof may beget and that in time belief Ewer indeed was an ill man for denying peremptory things of evident truths which yet his protestations wrought upon easie spirits with credulity As for Ashfield he had cousened the President of the English Borders of Scotland with a Trick to go thither and play'd the Knave to get home again She always found with long experience that to countenance evil manners in her neighbour subjects was to teach her own to do worse to her self and made a distinction of that with national protection which in some cases must be maintained And that for Lands she would add to the former Advance two thousand pounds a year for maintaining inviolable unity and agreement with her with caution to him not to intrust such as seek their own private gain with the publick loss Thus much in publick besides their private contrivance with the principal Nobility and Councel to work them the Kings Friends who assured him peaceable reception into England after Queen Elizabeth The Pope Clement the Eighth had that fear and therefore by his Breves prohibits all such Professors of the Roman faith not to admit any how near soever in bloud unless upon Oath he promote the Catholick Doctrine and the like is brought over to Scotland by Hamilton and Hayes two Iesuits men of fiery spirits and working brains chief Instruments of Sedition at the holy League in Paris these men are proclamed Traitors but lurk in the North for a long time A general Assembly is there resolved at Brunt-Island for repressing Papists and very conscientious begin to rectifie themselves careless Ministery hasty admission of mean men pleasing the people and ruineth the Church and therefore they ordain Days of Humiliation and Prayer But Mr. Iohn Davidson was of opinion they did ill not to blanch the King and Court and therefore writes to them HOw long shall we fear or favour flesh and follow the counsel and command thereof Shall our Meetings be in the name of Man The King called them c. Is it time for us now our Brethren thrust out without just order Papists Jesuits Atheists countenanced and advanced to the best Room in the Realm bringing Idolalatry and Babylonish
them from the jaws of the Devil Carew forthwith drives them out of the Castle by the Haven when 150. more got in and the Haven blockt up by Levison the English vice-Admiral This news brings Ter-Oen with all the chief Rebells to joyn with some Spanish got out of the Town and all together make up an Army of 6000. foot and 500. horse assured of victory And the English wearied with winter sieges spent with poverty and hunger yet ply the siege not suffering the Enemy without to recruit the Town or Spaniards to re-enter but they adventure and are repulsed and retreat but are hotly pursued by the Deputy whilst Carew keeps the Spaniards from breaking out of the Town and forced to make a stand and fight with great loss and then to fly Don Alphonso O'campo taken prâ—soner with three of his Captains and fix Alpherez Ensignes Nine Colours whereof six Spaniards and 1200. slain with very little loss to the English And within six daies after Don Iohn designes a parly And to yield up to the Deputy what they possest and to depart with life and goods but brave Don to be the last Man left behind Their departure so sodain troubled the Irish who are worsted every where many of the chief Surprized and taken And now the old English Adage When knaves fall out truth comes to light The Ecclesiastick Papists in England go by the Ears The Jesuite against Secular Priests No blowes but Bookes and pens for Pot-guns the general thus One Blackwel sometime fellow of Trinity in Oxon was made Arch-priest for the Seculars and he too much a friend to Garnet their Jesuites general they decline him with scorn Hereupon they are degraded and appeal to Rome and therefore are Booked for Schismaticks and Hereticks but they got the censure of the University at Paris to approve the same and meaning to prevail in the Queens favour They shew that in her first eleven years reign not one suffered for his Conscience Nor for ten years after that Pius Quintus Bull against the Queen there were executed but twelve Priests most of them convicted Traytors And that then about the year 1580. crept in the Iesuite whose mischievous practices against the State had disturbed all and accasioned the severe Lawes against Catholicks And yet they say in ten years following but fifty Priests were executed the Queens mercy bâ—â—ishing fifty five more justly deserving death From that time say they Parsons in Spain an English Iesuiâ—e entertains all Vagabond English into their seminaries there and from thence came hither turbulent Priests That he incites the Spaniard now to invade Ireland again and consirms the Infanta's Title to this Crown which all the seminary Students maintained by oath That Holt the Iesuite suborned Hesket to rebellion Cullin York and Williams to kill the Queen Walpole and Squire to impoyson her They set out Parsons for a Bastard a seditious Sicophant and condemn the Iesuite libels to be full of falsities and trayterous to God and Her And conclude with advise to the English not to hazard their Children into their seminaries where with the Elements of Learning they infuse Tenents poysonous Treasons The Jesuites thus set out they retort on the other and it was best wisdom for the State to banish them both and but time for Winter and Tesmond a Jesuite were sent for into Spain to consult the destruction of the Queen and by other plots to exclude King Iames Inheritor The like Conspiracie in the Low-Countrey against the Arch-Duke and in France against the King and so against most Princes The Planets then in Conjunction Malevolent to great men and foretold by most Astrologers In which he escaped hapily Byrones Treason who was beheaded and accuses Bouillon confederate who fled into Germany and was complained of to Queen Elizabeth whose Counsel he craves in these his difficulties dangerous to his safety and the hazard of the Monarchy somewhat drooping which in police she endeavoured to support and did with Counsel and Arms in much affection also to him and reformed Religion which faith she defended alwaies in every place And now the Town and signiory of Geneve is assaulted by the Duke of Savoy much pittyed by their Pupils here in Scotland and England having their Nourishment from that seminary then of seditious reformers who by their preaching to the people procured great sums of money to be gathered by the bevolence of most Churches in this Island The Common-people well minded were often cacht in that time and oportunity of Devotion liberally to contribute especially if it please the Preacher to set it forth with Rhetorical Sanâ—tion as the Presbyters use to do for the dear Brethren of Geneve Germany and Scotland c. One for another as they for us when in truth these other were the most of them rank Revolters and it was then a great suspition that much of monies drapt short of their receiving we return to Scotland The King minding to take leave of his Native-Countrey in peace and so to settle the continuance after his remove to his second inheritance now at length very near He resolved to reduce the High-land Inhabitants of the Northern Isles into the Main to civilize them and to plant Low-land men in their habitations Some forward Gentlemen were undertakers Guided by the affection and Prayers of the Abbot of Lenders who went with them The Gallants were Colonel William Stuart Captain William Murray Lermouth of Balcolmy Iames Spence of Wormston Sir Iames Amstrader and Iames Forret of Fingasker These well furnished fell first upon the Isle Lewis and within four daies voyage landed there It was Commanded for Government these had none by Mordoch Macklond base son to old Macklond tirannously lording over the poor people Being surprized he made bad resistance his base usage of the Natives made him more fearfull of their revenge than of an Enemies Conquest and therefore hnmbling himself to Conditions even in the Treaty his heart distrusting quarter who never gave any he stole away and fled to Sea leaving the Inhabitants soon to Obedience The Laird of Balcolmy returning back with this good news to the King and not many Leagues lanched from Land but Macklond with a Number of Birlings little vessels boarded Balcolmy killed all his men and kept him alive for advance of a Ransome which was procured out of the Kings Cofers and he conveyed into Orkney where he died The other Conquerors interessed in this injurie conjure Neill Macklond brother to Mordoch to betray him for a piece of money and hopes of preferment He did so by Ambuscado surprizes him and twelve Men more Murthers these in could blood but to keep his word delivers Mordoch to the undertakers who sent him to Saint Andrews where he was executed The New Planters began to settle and share out Lands to themselves and tenure it out to the poor Natives drudges and sworn Subjects whilst
in this seeming security Norman Macklond Natural son to old Macklond with a Regiment of Rogues raised from all the Neighbour Isles fell upon them unawares and forced them to these Conditions To procure Him and His remission of all offences and pardon To resign to him all their right to the Isle Lewis That Sir James Spence and his son in Law should be Pledges to him til these were performed by Patent from the King The case thus altered Sir Iames Armstroder with his company came home many being killed obtained them remission and security of the Isle and sent to Norman by Iames Lermouth the Pledges released and this Enterprise defeated but was again attempted three years after 1605. in this manner The first Undertakers weary of thier Design by excessive expence made over their Right to Lumsdale of Ardie and Hay who with the treachery of Mackey Mackerzy and Donold Gorum forced the Indabitants out of the Isle and having done this work sends to the South-land for Artizans and Laborers and beginning to build and plant but wanting means to pay the Work-men went away the Natives abroad associate with a number of Islanders invade the Planters with often Incursions and so wearied them out of all for a piece of money to boot to Mackerzy There being no remedy left for Robert Bruce exiled into France yet upon intercession of some friends and submission to the King he had leave to return and so appearing before the King and Commissioners of the Church acknowledged his Error concerning Gowries guilt as you have heard and further to recant it in his next Sermon which Protestation he subscribes witnessed by eleven Commissioners and so had leave to preach but did not pretending That his ministery would be discredited if he should preach by injunction and was therefore discharged his Ministery by the General Assembly who enacted That in memory of his Majesties Deliverance from Gowries Attempt Sermons Prayer and Thanksgiving should be solemnied in all the Burghs every Tuesday the fifth of August for ever as the Parliament had prescribed in all Churches of the Kingdom The Iesuits as in England so in Scotland having no hopes of Toleration but much urged in both Kingdoms and that their pitifull Pamphlets for the petence of the Infanta's title to England not prevailing with the people nor their Treaty of Marriage of the Lady Arabella with the Prince of Savoy nor with her and the Earl of Hertfords Grand-childe they went the old way to work by Murder and Francis Mowbray son to the Laird of Barruâ—hoâ—g all by the Infanta'â— Court at Bruxels undertook to kill the King and in his journey home through England was discovered at London and accused by one Daniel an Italian which the other denied and were both sent secure to Scotland and there by more severe Examinations Mowbray was committed to Edenburgh castle where forcing the Grate Irons of his Window intended to let himself down by his Bed-sheets which proving too short he fell from the precipice and dasht out his brains upon the Rocks his body was ordered into quarters as the manner of Traitors though his kindred well born pretended that he was strangled in Prison and his body flung out of the Window to amuze the world with his own death and guilt Queen Elizabeths increasing towards her decreasing she was now left of all without recovery which occasioned the French King to send his Ambassadour into Scotland and another into England under pretence of impeaching the policies of Spain but rather to observe the motions and disposition of either people in reference to the Queens death accompanied with Letters to certain Lords of either Nation To Secretary Cecil with extreme affection it being high time to caress such men of interest in State when in a visit the Ambassadour to sound him fell into heart-burning for the miserable calamity that would befall the poor Nation in the death of the Queen and in particular Cecil's exchange of a gracious Mistress for a stranger King of Scotland if he should succeed a Prince no doubt subtile said he enough as yet to seem fair untill the future occasion give him power and means to revenge his Mothers death as upon others so in particulars on you for your fathers fault then and your counsels since The Secretary suspecting his drist answered That it was the usual reward of unspotted duty when Ministers of State chiefly respect the service of their Sovereign without regard to their own safety himself ready to suffer with comfort for so just a cause the credit thereof being the best security to an even conscience esteeming that Maries Martyrdom the highest honour but he supposed that matters past would not be challenged to memory if it should be so and his own case desperate he might be minded to flee into another City and take the benefit of his Majesties royal offer The Ambassadour made fair retreat and said That in case the King of Scots should carry himself with respect which was due to a King of France his Master was not purposed to impeach his interest Cecil replied The King was wise and shewed it in that resolution The Secretary sets down this passage to King Iames taking occasion thereby to assure him his faithfull service Though he does not as others had done needlesly hazard his fortune before fit time The King returns him this Answer As I do heartily thank you says he for your plain and honest offer so may you assure your self that it would do me no pleasure for you to hazard Fortune or Reputation since the loss of either would make you less valuable to me No I love not to feed on such fantastical humours though I cannot hinder busie-bodies their own idle imaginations but I hold it the Office of a King as sitting on the Throne of God to imitate the Primum Mobile and by his steady and â—ver constant course to govern all other changeable and uncertain motions of the inferiour Planets And I protest in Gods presence that for your constant and honest carriage in your Sovereigns service I loved your virtues long before I could be certain that you would deserve at my hands the love of your person Wherefore go on and serve her truly that reigneth as you have done for he that is false to the present will never be true to the future To give your judgment of the Kings wisdom and piety see the difference in his answer to the Earl of Northumberland who certified him of the Queens weakness and advised him to make sure of his Title by apprehending the necessity of hasty possession whilest time was offered To him he professeth That man can neither be religious nor just that deals not by his Neighbour as himself would be dealt withall and in a Person of quality it can be no wisdom to â—eap Hedg and Ditch and adventure his neck for gathering forbidden fruit before it be ripe
opposed by any cunning whatsoever if understood by Her he might not so easily have come to this Crown And truly whether his virtue and goodness more remark in Him than usual in Princes guided him in that to depend onely upon the providence of God for his Birth-right or that his policy under hand wrought him any advantage certainly the Success must crown the Work to admiration For though he might not despise honest and honourable advice in such correspondence as was necessary under hand with the Counsellours of Queen Elizabeth to secure himself for the time to come yet we reade not of any that came to light or so much in her days as private suspition The Reign and Death OF KING IAMES OF Great Britain France and Ireland the First c. SO then in a seasonable conjunction of things and time he succeeded Queen Elizabeth who departted this life on Thursday the 24th of March 1602. at her Manour-house of Richmond early in the morning that day being fatal to Henry 8. and to all his Children dying on Thursdays and her Funerals sumptuously solemnized with all speed in April following The same day the Lords Spiritual and Temporal assembled and having proclamed her Death and the Right and Title of King Iames to succeed her being lineally expressed from Margaret eldest Daughter to Henry 7th and Elizabeth his Wife who was eldest Daughter to Edward 4th and married to James 4th King of Scotland in the year 1503. just a hundred years since who had issue James 5th Father to Mary the First and Mother to this King James the Sixth now 36. years of age and so long King of Scotland Then they poast Letters to the King by the hands of Sir Charls Percy Brother to the Earl of Northumberland and Thomas Somerset Son to the Earl of Worcester signifying the Death of their late Sovereign betwixt two and three of the clock that morning And knowing his Right of Succession they have made Proclamation thereof at Westminster White-hall and Cheapside Cross and seeing they remain a Body without a Head they humbly desire his Mâ—jesty to hasten how soon and in what manner he pleaseth And therein complain as in publick that Sir Robert Cary poasted from hence towards your Majesty contrary to their consent and command thereby as much as in him lay to prevent and anticipate their duty and respect They acquaint the King of a fleet of ten ships royall ready furnished for the Coast of Spain under Command of Sir Richard Lawson whose Commission noâ— ceasing by the Queens death they desire his Majesties pleasure whether they shall guard the Narrow Seas or be câ—lled to the Coast of Scotland as a Convey for the Kings use Dated in London And therefore Robert Leigh Maior Signed first But as in this letter so it goes in Common report that Cary let out by his father Hunsdon Lord Chamberlain came first to the King upon his own score But secretary Cecills secret Packquets went before him or these letters or else he had little credit in his own Commands The King communicates these letters to his Lords and returns them his acknowledgment of their dutifull affections He confirms for the present all Offices Civil Martial as at the Queens death til his farther pleasure Dated the 28. and 31. of March which the Lords heer proclaim the 5. of April after And though the King sets forth his interest of succession commanding both Nations in unity of duty to him and brotherly affection to each other yet did the Scots Borderers make Inrodes into England which was severely punished and all for Example executed to death The King orders his Journey the 5. of April the Queen to follow 20. daâ—es after Prince Henry Duke Charles and Princess Elizabeth at further pleasure Brings with him those of the greatest birth and most interest in the blood royall who though farr enough off to follow after his Numerous issue of a teeming fruitfull Consort yet too neer to be trusted at home And each one of them begat trouble and charge upon him ever after to reward or to raise them up beyond any desert in both he was wisely regarding Those were Lenox Hamelton Arguile Mar Kinloss and Lord Hewm and a couple of Knights Sir George Hewâ— and Sir Iohn Ramsey of neer affection with the King So it became his future security advantage to caress those that ushered him in and had underhand merited somewhat from former very late advise and Intelligence how to correspond with his jealous Predecessor we may conceive those then in being for most of the old Ones out-liv'd not that their policie were the Howards and Percies and Caecils The first of them of high birth and former merit the Linage of the late Duke of Norfolk who suffered under the Axe for his affection to this Kings Mother as aforesaid anno 1569. And his brother Henry Howard with the Lord Cobham were the first of Eminencie that met the King at Barwick The last of great wisdom and experience for the Kings urgent affairs to make proper use of And at York Thomas Cecil Lord Burghley President of the North receives him who comes on with his Train and needed no other Guard than the affections of the People that hurried him forward with Excessive Acclamations soon forgetting as the manner of the Multitude their late Sovereign in the hope of a likelyer change in a King with which for many years this Nation had been really unacquainted And so was He feasted by the way freely at each Residence of his Person where he lodged untill he came unto Godmanchester in the Country of Northampton where they presented him with 70. Teem of Horses fairly traced unto as many new Ploughs in honor of Tillage A Custome very antient when their Sovereigns pass that Town being his Tenants and holding their land by that Tenure The King told them He liked their ayre so well and took their gift so kindly as but for undoing such good people in their bounty to visit them often which afterwards he performed that Custome being but for the first time to the comfort of that Town and County At Broxborn his next Gest there met him the gravity of the greatest Officers Egerton Lord Chancellor Buckhurst Lord Treasurer Howard Lord Admiral with the most of the Council and Nobility At Ware the King came to Wiggen heretofore so base a Cottage as begat a saying If a Man would answer the Asker as in despair That it should be granted when as the King comes to Wiggen And at Theobalds the seat of Sir Robert Cecil Secretary of State he stayes for four dayes Entertainment where were made of his Council these Scotish Lords Lenox Mar Hewâ— Elphington and Kinloss And of English Henry Howard and his Nephew Thomas Howard brother and sonne to the late Duke of Norfolk and 28. Knights-Bachelors dubbed The Name Knight is from
Prince did upon some weightier occasion no doubt than a Ladies Garter erect this Order Anno 1350. The Emblems are a Blue Garter to be worn daily buckled on the left Leg set with Gold or Pearl in these words Honi soit qui mal y pense Shame take him that evil thinketh This Order is inferiour to none in the World consisting of six and twenty Martial and Heroical Nobles the King of England the chief the rest are either Nobles of this Nation or Princes of other Countreys Friends and Confederates Emperours and Kings have desired and received that Honour Theâ—e are depending this Order six and twenty poor Knights with sufficient maintenance The Officers were the Prelate of the Garter which is inherent to the Bishop of Winchester for the time being the Chancellour the Register always the Dean of Windsor the principal King at Arms called Garter and the Usher called the Black Rod The site of this College is the Castle of Windsor with the Chapel of St George erected by Edward the third and the Chapter-house there also The Protector-Saint olim tam nobilis is St George whose Picture on horse-back killing the Dragon doth always hang at a Blue Silk Ribband about each Knights neck And the outward Vestment or Cloak hath a Star embroidered in Silver encompassing a Shield bearing the Red Cross of England with the Garter about it This I mention lest it be forgotten to after ages Amongst sundry men of valour in antient days was George born at Coventry in England his Mother with childe of him dreamed that she conceived with a Dragon which should be the cause of her death but the Wizards Witches assured her to die in childe-bed of a Son whose life and fortune shall be a mirrour to posterity and therefore he was brought up with a Person of Honour with great observance which made him capable of mighty deeds in Arms and being famous for several Adventures travelled to a place infested with wilde beasts chiefly a ravenous Dragon whom the Sorcerers pretended so far to inchant as to be for ever satisfied with a virgin Salve fastened to a Rock and fitted for Sacrifice In whose defence George fights on horse-back with his Lance and Sword and by his skill and force kills him this service done he missed not the Merit of his Reward Mariage with the Maid instructed her in Christianity with whom he lived honourably and died sainted for his virtues and valiant acts and by the Kings of England assumed for many Ages in warlike Atchivements of Honour to be their Patron This story not difficult for the Moral which served those times to instruct the ignorant with such Tales to be told to posterity that the Christian Souldier in the warfare of the World meets with Satans temptations which by the grace of God sanctifying are overcome and in particular â—escues his own soul bound under the chains of sin to be devoured of the Devil and which being redeemed by the merits of Christ is maried to Him in faith and becomes an eternal Saint in Heaven Whether this Saint and his story with others were invented to cousen men these Tales wrought much with valiant men at Arms Valour swels when set out by Examples of Extremes and oft times goes beyond her self in her atchivements conceit sometimes does things above conceit especially when the imagination apprehends them founded in Religion It is said by Matthew Paris in Gulielmo secundo pag. 57. that St George appeared in the air with an Army of white Horses fighting for the English at Antioch against the Turk But to say there was no such Saint and to change all literal sense into an Allegory of Christ and his Church yet it may seem more improbable that our English Nation amongst so many Saints that were would chuse one to be their Patron that was not at all especially seeing the World in that Age had rather a glut than a famine of Saints The intent of those times was pious to gain credit and to convert to Christianity but then so to prosecute it as the Papists still continue to do must be condemned thinking to grace the Gospel by such absurdities for Heaven has a Pillory to punish fraus pia her self and indeed better to leave Religion to her native plainness than to deck her with counterfeit dress And there were created at Windsor these Earls Thomas Howard Earl of Suffolk Montjoy Earl of Devonshire and of Barons Egerton Baron Elsmore Russel Baron Thornhall Danvers Lord Danvers Grey Baron Grooby Peters Baron Writtle Harington Baron Eaton which so troubles an Historian as a wonderfull weakness in a King and concludes against his own Argument Nothing more destruction says he to Monarchy than lessening the Nobility But he means increase of number lessens their value and hath not enlarged his reading by knowledg of their condition in other Monarchies Spain France and yet poor enough in those places where Anarchy as yet is not come in Originally within this Kingdom Earldoms of Countreys in the antient English-Saxon Government were Dignities of Honour and Offices of Justice they had Officers under them as Vice-comes or Sheriffs The Earls therefore received Sallary the third penny of the profits of the County of long time after the Conquest and were inserted in their Patents of Creation which afterwards were turned into Pensions Of the single Earls not Palatine there were two kindes subdivided into several Branches either take name of a place or without place those of a place are of two kindes either of a County as the Earl of Devonshire Cornwall Kent c. or else of some place not being a County as of a Town Castle Honour c. of which later sort as antient as the Conquest those of Richmond in Yorkshire Clarence in Suffolk Arundel in Sussex Earldoms without any place are likewise of two kindes either in respect of Office as Earl Marshal of England or by Birth and so are all the Kings Sons and therefore it is a mistake to say They are born but Gentlemen Earls are adorned with a Cap of Honour and a Coronet and the Body with a Robe in resemblance of Counsellours and are girt with a Sword to defend their King and Countrey Cook 17. Part. And are called by the King his Cosins and his Title is afterwards become parcel of his Name and so they sign T. Suffolk Not to speak of Barons by Prescription or Tenure These Barons were made by Patent as others are by Writ to Parliament and these by Writ were devised not before 49. Henry 3. for want of Peers the most of them slain in the Barons Wars Those Barons by Patent began by Richard 2. John Beauchamp being the first and is now limited in descent according to the Habendum for Life or for term of others as Estates in Tail They being thus entered into Nobility have large Privileges as Peers of the Realm Note that there be Lords in Reputation onely by
curtesie of Speech not de jure nor have privilege as Lords of Parliament and these are the Son and Heir of a Duke called an Earl his eldest Son a Baron but not in Pleadings and so of Daughters stiled Ladies by curtesie onely On Saint Iames his day in Iuly the King and Queen were crowned at Westminster in that fatal Chair of Sovereigns anointing in it remains a large blackish Stone Jacob's Pillow say the Scots in his Ladder Dream of the Messias from his Loins and indeed so ceremonious he was then that he sacrificed thereon naming it Domus Dei and in his Return from Laban forgat not thereon to pay his Vows in which esteem he conveyed it with his Râ—licks in his general remove to Egypt but from thence the Israelites flying in haste and pursued they it seems left thâ—s Monument behinde and one Gathelus wedded to Pharaoh's Daughter though a stranger observant of the Hebrews Rites transported it to Galicia of his name Port-Gathelick thence by his Seed carried into Ireland so by Ferguard sent to Penthland or Scotland crowning their Kings thereon And Edward 3. brought it from thence Even then when grave Bards did sing that ancient Saw Ni fallat fatum Scoti hunc quocunque locatum Inveniunt Lapidem regnare tenentur ibidem The Scots sall bruke that Ream as Naitiff Grund Gif Wierds fail nocht quhair eir this Chair is fund Another very ancient Post Iacobum Iacobus Iacobum Iacobus quoque quintus At sextus Iacobus Regno regnabit utroque After a James sall be a James a third James and a fourth A fifth James also but the sixth sall sway the Scepters both These are no conceits commonly made up ere half-molded for they were read many Ages before he or his abortive Book were born And with his Crown he taketh Oath To keep and maintain the Right and Liberties of the Church and shall keep all the Lands Honours and Dignities righteous and free of the Crown of England and the Rights of the Crown decayed and lost he shall call again to his power into the ancient Estate shall keep the peace of the Church of the Clergy and People and do Equity and Iustice with discretion and mercy shall hold the Laws and Customs of the Realm and the evil Laws put out to establish peace to the People and no Charter to grant but by Oath Abridgment Henry 8. Statutes This Ceremony ended there were 24. Knights of the Bath invested who were received into White-hall in the evening and supped together in one Room sitting by degrees with their Escocheons of their proper Arms placed above their Heads they were lodged upon Pallats on the floor under their Arms after they had been bathed in several Baths provided in Chambers the next morning they were apparelled in Hermits weeds and marshalled into Saint James's Park with loud Musick and the Heralds going before and so about the Courts of White-hall and then into the Chapel with their Reverence before the Altar-table and the Cloath of Estate as at St Georges Feast they take their places in stalls theirs Arms above and hear Service Then each Knight with his two Esquires offered at the Altar Pieces of Gold and so retired in the former manner to their Chambers and then adorned themselves with Robes of Crimson Taffata with Hats and white Feathers and so were conducted to the King into the Presence-chamber under the Cloath of State who girt each of them with a Sword and had gilt Spurs put on their Heels dined together and so to the Even-Song at the Chapel where they offered their Swords The next day in Robes of Purple Sattin with Doctors Hoods on their shoulders Hats with white Feathers and so feasted again and lodged that night as before and the next day departed They are dignified and distinguished from other Knights by a Medall of three Crowns of Gold which is hanging at a Red Ribband which they should wear about their necks during their life These Knights are commonly Youths of the Sons of Noblemen or Nobless So now the King is established with all the Rites of Coâ—firmation in Honour and Love of his People and may be ranked in competition with the most for the Western Monarchy which had been hotly pursued by Henry 8. in opposition to France and Spain about whose time the House of Austria settled into that Design And because we have left the King in joyfull solemnity let us step aside out of the Court jollity and seriously consider the cunning contrivances of neighbour Kings heretofore for Imperial domination It was set on work by union of Mariage in Charles the Grand-Child of Maximilian the Emperour of the House of Austria and of Ferdinand of Spain who being heir to them both inherited also the Netherland Arragon Castile Scicile and the Indies 1503. And because Lewis of France as great in power stood in Competition the other therefore sought to Master it by cunning inter-marriage with Charles and his daughter Claud which was no sooner contracted but as sodainly crackt and He affianced to Mary the Daughter of Henry the seventh of England and to whose sonne Arthur Ferdinand had married Katherin his youngest daughter 1506. This double union with England encourages the other to break with France but Arthurs death and his father soon following and they still afraid of France clap up a fresh match with the widdow Katherin and Henry the eighth and a Bull subdated the Popes death dispensed with it 1510. Henry the eighth left rich by his father young and active is put upon quarrels with France that either Kingdoms might spend themselves in War as they did in wonderfull designes To whose assistance the other interpose with either party and with inconstancy as the necessity of State-Interest intervened But upon Maximilians death the Emperial Crown falls in Competition of France and Spain Charles now put to it seeks to get in with England and acknowledges the fowl Inconstancies of his Predecessors towards Henry the eighth In which he confesses as he was involved so his youth and duty then tyed him more to Obedience than Truth but now grown a Man and Himself the mutual dangers of either would give assurance for his part where otherwise he saith single faith might mistrust Henry the eighth thus cousened into some kindness both by his own power and purse makes Charles Emperour and the French King his Prisoner 1519. And so his turn served a peace is concluded with France and the King of England at whose charge all was effected is left out of any satisfaction And to amuze him from revenge intices Desmond to rebell in Ireland and assisted Iames the fift of Scotland with amunition and mony to buysie England at home 1526. And being in this height of Imagination to have wrought wonders in reducing the Election of the Popes from the Cardinals to the Emperour set others to quarrel with the Pope also who very
in all our Scotish discourse Yet at this time they renew their former wont as in Scotland and begin to perplex the King at his Entrance To pacifie such He appoints a Conference to be held with the Episcopacie and Them at Hampton Court In the mean time to let them see what they should trust unto he sets forth a Proclamation Against such as seditiously seek Reformation in Church Matters And that the Constitution and doctrine here is agreeable to Gods word and near to the Condition of the primitive Church And forewarnes them of publick invectives gathering of Subscriptions to supplications for Reformation savouring of Tumult sedition and violence Protesting to preserve the Estate Ecclesiasticall as politick in such form as he found it Reforming abuses if they be made apparent 14 Octob. 1603. But in truth these men were too hasty and might well remember the King of such their behaviour in Scotland which to prevent he did for ever after advance the power of Episcopacie there to even that Discipline with this in England and to inlarge their Bishops into some Eminencie heretofore clowded with Envy and Malice It was now time so to do when the Presbyterian Doctrines had amplified into these Heads The Reformation of Religion belongs to the Cominaltie The punishment of such Crimes as touching the Majesty of God doth not appertain to Kings and chief Rulers only but also to the Body of the People Princes for just causes may be deposed If Princes be Tyrants their subjects are freed from their Oath of Obedience Populo jus est ut imperium cui velit deferat Penes populum est ut leges ferat sunt Reges veluti Tabulariorum Custodes The people have the same power over the King as He hath over any Person It were good that rewards were appointed by the people for such as should kill Tyrants The People may arraign their Prince The Minister may excomunicate Him He that by excomunication is cast into Hell is not worthy of Life upon Earth Objections to some of their Doctrines with their Answers Custome is against such dealing with Princes Answ. Nothing more dangerous to be followed than Custome Ob. We must obey Kings be they good or bad Ans. It is blasphemy to say so Ob. Jeremie commanded obedience to Nebuchodonozer Ans. The Example is but singular Ob. God placeth Tyrants sometimes for punishment of the People Ans. So doth he private then sometimes to kill them Ob. The Iewes dealt not so with their Kings Ans. Their Kings were not first elected by the People but Ours have nothing but from the People Ob. Shew an Example out of Scripture Ans. Sundry good laws in divers Countries though no Example in Scriptures Ob. Saint Paul commands us to pray for Princes Tim. 2. Ans. We may punish Thieves and yet we ought to pray for them Ob. Saint Paul commands us to be subject and obedient to Princes Tit. 3. Ans. Paul writ in the Infancie of the Church the Christian not ripe nor rich for such a purpose and if Paul were now alive he would leave Kings to be punished by their Subjects not to be accounted any longer King c. These and many more such not only held by Buchanan and Knox but by their whole Consistorians beyond seas as Calvin Beza Hitamor Ursinius Vindicae contra Tyrannos Eusebius Shiladephus c. And now was their former proceedings in Scotland Examined according to their doctrines for setting up their Coâ—sistorian Discipline The Parliament in Scotland 1560. being disolved and their Book of Discipline compiled by Knox and others which their favourites notwithstanding termed but a devoutâ—Imagination yet they threatned the chiefest Noblemen if they should reject it some refused but at last it was forced upon all They appoint their Assemblies particular and general They exercise Jurisdiction and cart Saunders for Adultry And excommunicate the whole Multitude about a May-pole They burn divers places pretending of superstition Bishops houses Protestants also at Pasley the Bishop hardly escaping life The very calling of Bishops though Protestants became Antichristian and command them by their Authority to leave their Offices and Iurisdiction That they should have no voices in Parliament and desire that such as themselves should send might vote Commanding the King and His Council under pain of Excommunication to appoint no Bishops hereafter because the Brethren had concluded that estate unlawfull Beza their Consistorian Patriarch from Geneva had assured them of well doing and moves them Ne unqnam c. That they would never admit again that Plague Bishops although it might allure them of keeping Unity The Bishops being discharged they agreed of Superintendents but that device was laid aside and afterwards conclude that Ministers of the word should be equal and then began the Presbytery to flourish For then they usurped the whole Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction altering all lawes as they pleased They assembled the Kings Subjects injoyning Ecclesiastical pains unto them make decrees and execute them They Trayterously rail against the King in their Pulpits and being questioned utterly disclaim his Authority as an Incompetent Iudge That the Pulpit matters were exempt from the Judgment or correction of Princes They prescribe lawes to the King and State Appoint Fasts to the whole Kingdom when their faction were to act any enterprize Anno 1582. The King to prevent the dangerous consequence thereof divers of them were silenced and imprisoned but what was the Issue They surprize the King at Ruthen and declare it to be done for resisting the present dangers to Gods true Religion and for removing from the King the chief Authors The King being afterwards released that act was adjudged Crimen laesae Majestatis and some were hanged others fled into England Yet afterwards 1585. They avow the same and excommunicate such as would not subscribe to Them Another treasonable Attempt they had against the King at Sterlin Anno 1583. So that in the Parliament 1584. the Kings lawfull Authority Ecclesiastical was confirmed the Bishops restored and to be Treason for any man to procure diminution of the three Estates The Iudgments Senates and Presbyterian Iurisdiction discharged An Act made for calling in Buchanan's treasonable Book his Chronicle and his Iure Regni apud Scotos That none shall preach declame confer or utter scandalous words or slanders against the King or his Council or to meddle in State-affairs Sub poena c. And because they did advance their Modell as the most agreeable to the best and most Reformed Churches against Episcopacy it was examined the numbers that refuse their Sanedrim besides the Eastern and Western Reformers All in the Dutchy of Saxony Brunswick and Luxemburgh All those Churches in the Countreys of the Marquesites of Brandenburgh and Badu The Churches in the Earldoms of Henebergh Lemings Marisfeilt Stalburgh
the cause why he did write it next Analyzed that Chapter shewing the precedents and consequents thereof lastly exactly and divinely unfolded the sum of that place arguing and demonstrating that whatsoever Ben Sirach had said there of Elias Elias had in his own person while he lived performed and accomplished So that the Susurrus at the first mention was not so great as the astonishment was now at the Kings sodain sound and admirable interpretation concluding that the opposers did ill to impose upon a Man that was dead a contrary sence and smyling told the Lords what trow yee makes these men so angry with Ecclesiasticus without doubt they take him for a Bishop 2. The next objection was that old Crambe â—is posita Jesus said to his Disciples when by the Original he spake to the Pharises but bearing a double sence Disciples was to be left out or in a different letter 3. The third Objection against Subscription were Interrogatories in Baptism propounded to Infants that out of Austin Baptizare was credere The King said Ego non intelligo Bishop Winton aiming at his meaning shewed the use thereof out of Saint Austin and the reason Qui peccavit in altero credat in altero It was seconded by the King That the Question should be propounded to the party whom it principally concerned as saith he by example of my self to whom Interrogatories were propounded when he was crowned in his infancy in Scotland Then Mr. Knewstubs fell out with the Cross in Baptism first as the offence of weak Brethren Rom. 14. 1 Cor. 8. the consciences of the weak not to be offended It was answered Distingue tempora concordabunt Scripturae then a Church not settled ours long flourishing asking them How long they meant to be weak Whether five and forty years were not sufficient Then who they were For it is not now required Subscription of Laicks and Idiots but Preachers and Ministers that it was rather doubted some of them were not to be fed with milk being strong enough if not head-strong and thought themselves able to teach all the Bishops Their Objections were whether the Church had power to institute an external significant sign Answered It was used in Baptism onely as a Ceremony and as by their own example who make Imposition of hands in their Ordination of Pastors to be a sign significant all our actions in Prayer are ceremonies significant the Iews to their Moses Pasover have added signs and words Take and eat these in remembrance c. Drink this in remembrance c. Upon which addition and tradition our Saviour at his last Supper celebration used the same as approving that fact of theirs and generally that a Church may instiâ—ute a sign significant Doctor Reynolds confessed the use of the Cross ever since the Apostles but whether in Baptism Quaere It was used in Baptism in the time of Constantine who was no Papist Mr. Knewstubs said Though the Church had power to add significant signs yet not to add where Christ had ordained but one as not to add a private Seal to the great Seal of England It was answered that no sign or thing was added to the Sacrament which was fully and perfectly finished before any mention of the Cross is made Then it was opposed how far such an Ordinance of the Church was binding without impeaching Christian liberty The King told him He would not dispute that point but argue as Kings speak in Parliament Le Roy s' avisera adding that it smelt rank of Anabaptism saying A beardless Boy John Black in a conference I had with the Ministers in Scotland vouchsafed to say He would conform to my Ordinances for Doctrine but for Ceremonies they were left in Christian libertie to every man as he was more or less illuminated of Gods Spirit even till they grow mad with their own light but I will have one Doctrine one Discipline one Religion in substance and ceremony They urged the stamping the Brazen Serpent to pouder by Ezekias because the people abused it to idolatry and so it was abused in time of Popery Therefore said the King It shall continue because you say it was abused in Popery to superstition it implies it was well used before Popery and so now Here the King remembered that he had lived long with such men as these but never of them they do so peremptorily disallow of all things which had been any way used in Popery The Papists object us with Novelties which truly I cannot better answer than to tell them their abuses are new but the good things which they abused we retain and forsake the novel corruption for by the same Argument we may renounce the Trinity and all that is holy because abused in Popery What resemblance is there between the Brazen Serpent a visible thing and the sign of a Cross made in the air The Papists never ascribed any power or spiritual grace to the Cross in Baptism the material Crosses are by us demolished as you desire which the Papists used to idolatry The third general Head Church-garment Then they objected the Surplice to be a Garment used by the Priests of Isis. The King smiled Is it now borrowed from the Heathen which till now ye accounted a Rag of Popery We are not in danger of Paganism though of Papism Antiquity always used different habits in divine Service principally white Linnen and he always desired not further to separate from the Church of Rome in Doctrine or Ceremony than she had departed from her self and her Head Christ Jesus The fourth general Head Common Prayer Doctor Reynolds would not have these words With my body I thee worship They told me it was divine worship The King said It was an usual English word of Reverence not to idolatry But Doctor if you have a good Wife do her to worship and more too That nothing was more meant thereby than as Saint Paul 1 Cor. 7. 4. that to worship the Wife is for the Man to appropriate his body to her alone and as 1 Pet. 3. 7. To give honour to the Wife as to the weaker vessel So to please them was added honour to the word worship The Ring they did not except As for Churching of Women called Purification the King would not alter that decent manner in matter or words saying Women of themselves are loth enough to come to Church therefore all good ways to invite them Fourth general Head Doctor Reynolds excepted against committing Ecclesiastical Censures to Lay Chancellours seeing their Authority in Hen. 8. time was abrogated in Queen Mary's and not revived and abridged by Bishops themselves Anno 1571. ordering that Lay-Chancellours should not excommunicate in matters of correction and Anno 1584 1589. not in matters of instance The King told them He had conferred therein and would consider D. Reynolds desired to have Provincial Constitutions as the Clergy to meet
to turn Martial his Apostrophe upon me Tu male jam recitas incipit esse tuus And first he discovers his real constitution and thankfulness in three Forms and Reasons of his Convention of them In the first he renders to them the Representatives of his People his Princely thanks for their affection in receiving him in his Right to the Crown The other two he describes by the effect of his Actions and shews them the blessing of his Person in their outward Peace with his Neighbours with whom he found this State imbroiled Secondly Peace within issuing not onely by his lineal descent from Henry 7. in the union of the two Houses of Lancaster and York but also the union of these two Kingdoms illustrated in the conformities of Religion Language and Manners in their security of salvation encompassed with a Wall of Water and therefore Quae Deus conjunxit nemo separet And he being the Husband Head and Shepherd advises them to a joyfull Union by comparison of this blessing in the Union of the petty Principalities heretofore of this Nation into one Kingdom as also the composure of divers Duchies in the entire Monarchy of France those being happy though conjoyned by the Spear of Bellona but we the greater blessing being bound up by the Wedding-Ring of Astrea having an appearance of perpetuity in the blessing of hâ—s hopefull Issue and his profession of true Religion which he distinguishes from the Catholick Papist and also from another Sect rather than a Religion which he calls a Puritan Novellist differing from Truth in a confused Form of policy and parity insufferable He acknowledgeth the Roman-Church to be our Mother-Church defiled with some Infirmities as the Iews Church before Christ Crucified But as not wishing a sick man dead but his body to be purged Excusable in the Laicks either as well minded subjects inured thereto by birth and custom of Age or young by evil Education and therefore not to punish their Bodies for the Errors of their Mindes As for their Clericks their doctrine and practice insufferable The Arrogancie of the Popes Supremacie in the One and Murthering Kings in the other Otherwise he doth reverence Antiquity in the points of Ecclesiasticall Policie and so cleers himself from Heresie in Faith or Schism in Government But with this Caution to all as he is a friend to their Persons so an Enemy to their Errors Advising the Bishops by their Exemplary Life to convince the others doctrine The third Reason of calling this Parliament in the action of his thankfullness is first in making Some Laws by preserving the weal of the Kingdom and in discretion of not making too many because In corruptissima Republica plurimae Leges Secondly in execution of them by the Iudges and Magistrates whom he advises not to utter their affections in that Office of Hate to a Foe or Love to a Friend fear to offend the Great or pitty to the misery of the meaner but to be blind in distinction of Persons Handless for bribes and therefore describes them three principall qualities Knowledge to discern Courage and Sincerity to execute And thus having told them the three causes tending only to his thankfullness but in divers forms The first by Word the Other by Actions he concludes himself to be Inutilis servus His felicity consistâ—ng in their prosperity and gives them his Apologie for three things expected from him by so many advancement of Honor preferment of credit and reward in Land In all he hath been reasonable and honorable for refreshing some persons that were Members of a Multitude and if his infirmity hath exceeded He blames the Importunity of Suters which experience time and labour shall recover to teach his Subjects not to crave nor he to grant The Parliament unused to Princely Eloquence and Learning withall contracted their dutyfull affections to his Eminent virtues and willingly understood the Kings ayme to unite also the two Kingdomes which was soon put forward by proclamation of his Title of Great Britain our coins all Ensignes of honor quartering this Conjunction of crosses Red cross for England and Saint Andrews white for Scotland And the Parliament by act Commissionate eight Lords and twenty Commons to treat with other Commissioners Scotchmen for the honour and profit of both Nations The King thus far setled with his Parliament and people not without wonder of all our Neighbour Nations having lain at watch for conveniencie and honor to piece with so potent a Prince the advantages alike to either They came almost together The Constable of Castile from Spain and another from the Arch-Duke Rory Duke of Solia from France to treat of Peace Barnevelt from the Netherlands Solia was a gallant Man an excellent Courtier as they are all His business needed no other policy of State but to congratulate the Kings peacable and happy Possession for they had a Leiger in Scotland that came in with the King But the other two were Enemies and were to treat for establishing a firm Peace which was granted and do doubt they might make up of their Masters bounty to be so soon dispatcht for France mightily opposed and with little cunning of our Counsel the Spaniards dealt their golden Pistols to hit the mark And as they lay equally ready so their desires for Convoy hither came together and had order accordingly Sir Robert Mansell Vice-Admiral for the Narrow-Seas attended at Graveling for the Spaniard And his Vice-Admiral of the Fleet Sir Ierom Turner at Calais for the French who coming first disputed the choice and desired the Admirals ship but being told that he was commanded by Commission for the Other Monsieur in much disdain put himself in the French Passage-boat and in a brave bore his flag on the Top. Mansel commands Turner to shoot a warning and after to hit who took in his flag but complained at Court where his faction was powerfull yet the Justice and honor of that old Custom and Authority maintains his Act against them all being in himself besides a gallant brave Commander The Puritan was much troubled to be ranked with the Papist in the Kings Parliament Speech and to be termed so and somewhat they said too saucy and therfore were to expect more cause to chaw the cud for the King proclames all Conformity to the form of Gods Service established in Doctrine and Discipline to Gods Word and the Primitive Church that the Conference of late at Hampton Court concluded no cause of alteration notwithstanding the fiery pretended Zelots renewed the Question in Parliament and had been satisfied by the Kings Speeches and otherwise that particular and personal abuses are remediable other ways than by general alteration That all shall conform and have warning till the last of November next oâ— otherwise to dispose of themselves or Families to other meet persons in their places July 1604. These men were now stark mad and intelligence hereof they send to their dear
Brethren in Scotland that they should be enforced also to conform to the utter destruction of their Sion there To qualifie this News another Proclamation comes out in September after against such calumnious surmises That the King will not alter that Form of Government proper for their constitution without Counsel there and so refers mens â—xpectation to the general Assembly to meet at Dundee in Scotland in July after It was usual with the Presbyters in Scotland to have a general Assembly once a year and oftner pro re nata upon any urgent occasion The last was a little before the Kings coming hither 1602. And the next this appointed at Aberdene this year and therefore then adjourns that Meeting unto which he especially had an eye as mistrusting their ill humors to this Summer 1604. And now also prorogues it to a longer day by Proclamation in Scotland Notwithstanding thirteen of them convene at Aberdene and in spite of the Council Authority they formallized their Judicature by constituting a Moderator a Clerk and other essential Members The Privy Council there send a Messenger accompanied with a Herald of Arms to discharge and dissolve their Meeting These holy Fathers in this Sanhedrim protested They would not nor could give way to the Kings sacrilegious power usurped which properly belonged to the Church virtual the Assembly and so sat still till they pleased and after appointed a day for the next Assembly The King hears of this and commands them to be cited and punished These men undanted appear with a Protestation a Declination from the Kings Council and appeal to their own next General Assembly as the sole and competent Judg and were therefore pursued criminally before their Lord Iustice General upon the Act of Parliament 1584. for Treason Some of them acknowledged their fault the rest Zelots were convict ad terrorem and banished and after upon submission were restored to better Benefices The excellent Acts and Laws in this Session prorogâ—ed to the fifth of November I finde our voluminous Historian passes over excepting against their number too tedious for his brevity being unwilling to mention any thing of so much honour to the King though he can waste time and paper to tell you that the blessing of his Initiation Peace and Plenty brought idle people to Luxury Roaring-boys Bravadoes Roisters and makes it a fault in the King that he breeds his People no better The Parliament began the 19. of March 1603. and continued untill the 7. of Iuly 1604. and then prorogued unto the 7. of February In this Parliament they made a Recognition of the lawfull descending of the Crown to the King his Progeny and Posterity Commissioners of England and Scotland for to treat of the Union That no Bishop should assure Lands to the King Former Statutes against Recusants to be executed Divers other Statutes concerning the City and several Towns Corporate as also other Statutes for the good of the Land And conclude with a Subsidy of Tunnage and Poundage of Wools c. The Kings second Son Charls heretofore in Scotland created Duke of Albany Marquess of Ormond Count Ross and Lord of Ardmannoth is now this year created Duke of York by the girding of the Sword Cap and Circlet of Gold put upon his Head and golden Verge into his Hand to him and his Heirs males for ever with the Fee of fourty pounds per annum out of the issue and profits of that County He is made by Patent and witnessed by all the Lords of the Privy Council and other Peers of the Realm at Westminster the 6. of Ianuary 2. Iac. 1604. K. Edw. 3. by his Charter created Edward his eldest Son the black Prince Duke of Cornwall cum feodo to him and his Heirs the first begotten Sons and Dukes of the same place so that he that is hereditable Duke of Cornwall is Dux natus non creatus and the first day of his birth is in Law presumed to be of full age and may sue out his Livery as at one and twenty years and this was the first Duke in England the reason may be because the Norman Kings themselves were Dukes of Normandy for a long time they adorned none with this Honour of Duke The Papists had very evil success in all their Designs heretofore against Queen Elizabeth and her Religion and were somewhat quieted in hopes that the Kings reception hither might prove troublesom and so proper for them to work in such waters but the Kings late Speech was desperately understood for they being denied Toleration plot his and the whole States destruction by blowing up all in the House of Parliament A story so horrid and therefore so necessary to be communicated to the memorial of our Childrens Children The Parliament having been twice prorogued already in regard of the Seasons of the year and the Terms The time drawing near their Sitting upon Saturday ten days before about seven of the clock at night a Letter sealed was delivered by an unknown Fellow unto a Foot-man of the Lord Mounteagle Son and Heir to the Lord Morley charging him to give it to his Lords own hands who opening the same found it without Date or Subscription and in Letters not easily legible and the matter to him less intelligible but as God would have it he in this doubt repairs herewith to the Earl of Salisbury principal Secretary of State who also in some doubt of the construction the King being absent in his return from Roiston they acquainted the Lord Chamberlain the Earl of Suâ—folk herewith and after consultation they joyned the Lord Admiral the Earls of Worcester and Northampton but stayed all manner of proceeding untill the Kings coming Thursday night next after Salisbury shews it him The Letter was MY Lord out of the love I bear to some of your Friends I have a care of your preservation therefore I would advise you as you tender your Life to devise some Excuse to shift off your attendance this Parliament for God and Man have concurred to punish the wickedness of this Time And think not slightly of this Advertisement but retire your self into your Countrey where you may expect the event in safety for though there be no appearance of any sâ—ir yet I say they shall receive a terrible Blow this Parliament and yet they shall not see who hurts them This counsel is not to be contemned because it may do you good and can do you no harm for the danger is past so soon as you have burnt the Letter and I hope God will give you the grace to make good use of it to whose holy protection I commend you The King conceived the Letter not to be contemned the stile quick and pithy not usual with Libells and judged the words terrible Blow this Parliament and not see who hurts them to be meant by Gun-pouder joyning thereto the other words For the danger is past so soon as you have burnt the Letter
nor protection That the King hath not taken up wisdom of Government upon credit but carrieth still the Iethro of order in his own bosom disposing the mean causes to the Rulers over hundreds and fifties reserving the greatest to the greatness of himself And freely professes though he doth not participate with the follies of the Fly upon the wheel of fortune yet is he so far ambitious of his Masters favour as to be not so much his creature by the undeserved Honours he holds from his Majesties grace and power as in desire to be the shadow of his minde towards whose royal Person he glories more to be honest and humble than to command in any other Calling And to say that men resolved to die are Masters over others lives such power hath the least Spider by permission and if so that the days of his life were in their hands to take from him some moneths of joys so more years of sorrow but he believes not that the Mountains shake when the Moles do cast nor thinks he to purchace a span of time as for the fear of any mortal power Aut Deo aut Patriae aut Patri Patriae deesse Magistrates who converse with variety of spirits must undergo Tempests And their Glasses being done that glory which makes worthy men live for ever their Heirs shall inherit after them And therefore Suadeat loquent is vita non oratio Besides Romes powers are discovered her Towers taken and it is suspected that she will play so long with the temporal powers of Kings as their work will break down her walls so therefore it ill becomes their servants to slacken for fear of malice the Evening and the Night shall come upon them naturally one after another their faith shall ascend before them and their good fame shall follow after Et hic â—aculum fixit This next Session of this Parliament the Union was revived by motion of the Kings Solicitor Sir Francis Bacon to have the Scots naturalized by Act of Parliament after many subtil Arguments on both sides pro con and to allay the heat the King convenes both Houses before him at White-hall where with an excellent method he recounts all their former controversed Arguments and concludes with Reasons undeniable for unanimous consent to admit of the Union But to avoid their tedious Disputes I shall onely abbreviate the Kings Speech in answer to all He distinguishes his desires the Union which he seeks is of Laws and Persons such a Naturalizing as may compound one Body of both Nations Unus Rex unus Grex una Lex He unravels their intricate Arguments and sweetens them with his intentions 1. That all hostile Laws should cease because the King of England cannot war with the King of Scotland That community of Commerce is necessary He being no stranger but descended of their ancient Kings It were improper for him to be their natural Sovereign and the Nations strangers to one another and being both under the same Alleageance ought to have more freedom and better respect than Frenchmen and Spaniards 2. They all agree that they are no Aliens then must they be allowed to be natural That there was a difference the Ante and Post-nati of either Kingdom and therefore his Proclamations gave notice that the Post-nati were naturalized by his accession but he confessed that Iudges may err in that opinion who told him so so may Lawyers on their side but bids them beware of abusing either lest they endeavour to disgrace King and Laws who have power when Parliaments are not to try them for Lands and Lives 3. That there were some flatterers and would prefer the Ante-nati upon a jearing pretence to have their merit preferred in his service Mel in ore fel in corde But they shall know his Prerogative can prefer at his own pleasure to any Dignity though he is willing to restrain himself for respects to the English He urged it as a special mark of Prerogative to endow Aliens with freedom and where the Law is not therein clear Rex est Iudex he being Lex loquens supplying the Law where it wants thus he speaks as skilfull in the dues of Sovereignty intends not the pressure upon their love but with conveniency to both Kingdoms The inconveniences as from Scotland are pretended to be 1. An evil affection in them to the Union 2. The Union to be incompatible 3. The gain small or none Why then is there talk of Union They allege Reasons of the first from the body of their Act To remain a free Monarchy and not alter Fundamental Laws and yet it was urged heretofore The Scots greedy of this Union to attain to the substance and end These are contradictions but for their free Monarchy he hopes they mean not that he should set Garisons over them as the Spaniards do over Sicily and Naples He need not do so who governs them by his Pen and his Council-commands and his Chancellour there can govern their Tongues too not to speak as ye do what and as long as ye list without contradiction 1. He tells them the Laws of Scotland those of Tenures Wards Liveries Signiories and Lands are in effect drawn out of the Chancery of England brought by Iames the first who lived here and differ onely in terms 2. The second are Statute-laws to which he wishes they would be no strangers 3. The Civil Law brought out of France by Iames the fifth to supply the defects of the Municipal Laws In these respects the Laws alike why not the People First it is an Objection of yours that the King in Scotland hath not a Negative Voice in Parliament he tells them that the Form of Parliaments there inclines nothing to popularity their manner is by Proclamation to bring in their Bills to the Master of the Rolls by a prefixt day then to the King to be allowed by him and then given to the Chancellour to be propounded and no other If any man offers otherwise the Chancellour corrects him and being past the King confirms them rasing out what he doth not approve and if this be a Negative Voice he hath one Secondly that which seems so incompatible is the Union of the French and Scots He assures them it was a League onely between the Kings not the People the occasion was that England and France at one time solicited a League offensive and defensive against each others Enemies The reasons went for England being our Neighbours of one Continent strong and Powerfull Nation and so more security the Amity with England than France far off beyond Seas and hazarded to Accidents of relief Then they who argued for France alleaged that England ever sought to conquer Scotland and therefore never can be Friends The remoteness of France claimes no Interest and therefore more Constant and Faithfull and so it was concluded on their part But then it was concluded meerly Personall from King to King and to be renewed by their Ambassies
to the Souldiers in Ireland the late Queens funeral charges seventeen thousand four hundred twenty and eight pounds His and his Queens Journy hither 11000l Besides the King of Denmarks reception entertainments of Ambassadors hither and sending others abroad These were reasons just and Noble to work into the hearts of obedient and obliged people but wrought not with them The Secretary of State for Scotland Sir Iames Lethington Lord Bâ—â—merino being now sent hither with letters from that Council was sodainly surprized with some Questions from the King Cardinal Bellarmine had not long before published an answer to the Kings Apologie Charging him with inconstancie and objecting a Letter that he had sent to Pope Clement the eighth from Scotland wherein he recommended to his Holyness the Bishop of Vaison for obtaining the dignity of a Cardinal that so he might be better able to advance his affairs in the Court of Rome The King meeting with this passage in Bellarmines-Book presently apprehended his Secretary somewhat Popish to shuffle such a Letter to the Pope and the King signing it amongst others which he usually sent to the Dukes of Savoy and Florence The Secretary now come and sodaâ—nly demanded if ever he had written any Letter to the Pope he answered he had by his Majesties Command At which the King bending the brow of Anger the Secretary fell down and craved Mercy Professing that his meaning was by that Letter to purchase the Popes favour in advance of his Majesties title to England Then the King remembred the challenge made by Queen Elizabeth 1599. unto the Secretary of such a letter which said he you then denied and procured Sir Edward Drummond who was accused for carrying that Letter to come into Scotland and abjure the same The Secretary in great perplexity made his excuse with his good meaning and craved pardon of God and the King for his and Drummonds perjury He was instantly Committed to his Chamber and so to the Council-Table who urged his Crime as the ground of all conspiracies since the Kings coming into England that of the powder Treason and puritans Combinations The Secretary in great humility answered Curae leves loquuntur Ingentes Stupent My Lords I can not find words to express my sorrow for my offence against my gracious Sovereign when I call to mind his Majesties favours raising me from the dust to a fortune by my Honorable preferment and thus to fail of my duty and fall into such a degree of falsity Ah! peccavi in Coelum terram My offence is insupportable and impardonable Only his Majesties rare Piety singular wisdom and sincerity is sufficient to throw all possible guilt on me without any doubt of the Kings Innocency if nothing but my life and all I am can expiate so great a Crime fiat voluntas Dei Regis I humbly submit and take my death patiently The Chancellor Egerton declared That it was the Kings pleasure to remit his Tryal to the Judges in Scotland and to be conveyed thither a Prisoner The Sheriffs attending him from Shire to Shire In the mean time he did Pronounce him deprived of all places Honors Dignities and every thing else that he possessed in England And thus conveyed to Scotland he is committed to Faulk-land Castle and so to his indictment That in 1598. by instigation of his Cousen Sir Edward Drummond a Papist he had stollen and surreptitiously purchased the Kings hand to a Letter written and sent by Sir Edward and directed to Pope â—lement the eighth in favour of the Bishop of Vaison for his preferment to be a Cardinal shuffling in this letter amongst others that were to be signed filling it up with Stiles and Titles to the Pope and sealed it with his Majesties signet which was intrusted to him as Secretary to the indangering his Majesties Honor Life Crown and Estate and the subversion of true Religion and the whole Professors thereof He acknowledged that his offence admits no defence for however he conceived that the keeping of Intelligence with the Pope might advance his Majesties Succession to the crown of England yet knowing his Majesties resolution never to use any crooked course but to rest upon Gods providence and his own right therefore he intreated all that were present to bear witness of his confession and true remorse for his offenceâ— Only he craved liberty to protest That he never intended an alteration of Religion nor Toleration of the contrary but conceiving some good might have been wrought thereby at that time and to promote his Majesties right Concluding that not to make more trouble to the Judges he had confessed the truth and wished as God should be mercifull to his own soul that the King was most falsely and wrongfully charged with the said Letter c. The Jury were Noblemen his Pares five Earls four Lords and six Knights who gave Verdict of his guilt of Treason and of art and part of the whole treasonable Crimes contained in the Indictment And ready for Execution he was reprieved by intercession of the Queen in England and returned to Faulkland Prison and afterwards licensed to his own house in Balmerinoch where his sickness increased of grief and there he dyed He was accounted a Person of abilities sufficient for his places in Session and Council whose conscience stretched out to his gain and possessing much of the Churches lands was a constant Enemy under hand to the Kings desire of restoring Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction to the Bishops And such end befalls false servants However this Man died repentant of his fact and evermore acknowledging the Kings grace and mercy which not only was thus far expressed in favour to him that once had been trusted by the King and who in truth seldom lessened his royal disposition to any of his Creatures without great cause to the contrary so not long after his son was restored in blood and honor with the like grace as formerly to his father And he also afterwards a like ungrateful wretch to his Soveraign King Charles and for an infamous Libel which he framed and dispersed against his Majesty was by his Peers in Scotland condemned to dye as a Traytor To whom this mercifull Prince the inheritor of his fathers glories afforded his Sovereign balm of mercies this Balmerino also not only reprieved but pardoned under the great seal of that Kingdom which he received upon his knees at that Council-Table with the highest magnifying the Kings mercy the humblest acknowledging his and his fathers infinite obligations by which they both stood for ever ingaged to the service of the Crown In so much the Records say the whole Council recommended him as a Person so highly resenting this grace of the King that by his own protestation inducing their Confidence He was become a Mark of the Kings mercy and as new-molded and made fit for the future No doubt an humble Subject for his
House had been Kings of England for neer 600. years untill the time of Edward the confessor The first Counts of Holland till Florus who was the last were younger Brothers of that descent Amongst whom one William was the 26. Emperour of Germany The last Kings of Scotland by alliance were of the same house of Egmont to wit the Grand-children of the Lady Mary of Egmont daughter to Arnold of Egmont Duke of Guelderland which Mary was married to Iames the second King of Scotland And the Lady Margaret his sister espowsed to Frederick the second Count Palatine from whence proceeded Frederick who married the sole daughter of this King Iames the sixth for whose restauration all Germany and many other large Countries have suffered very much in the late years then following I may add also the Lady Philippa of Egmont daughter to Adolphus of Egmont Prince of Guelderland married to Renatus Duke of Lorain from whom descended the Dukes of Lorain who assume among their titles without any Contradiction the qualities of Dukes of Guelderland Iuliers and Cleveland and that by virtue alone of the Alliance with Egmont But greatness submits to providence the remainder of this royall blood is lately Anno. 1654. wholy shut up in the veins of Prince Lewis Duke of Guelders and Iuliers Count of Egmont and Zutphen His great Estate and Revenues relinquishing in the Low Countreys 22. years before his death and sustained himself only with the means of a petty Sovereignty in Lukeland in spite of the Spaniard his mortal Enemy but ranging abroad to seek relief and support against his Tyranny he died at Paris with this Epitaph Hic jacet Egmontos Germano è stemmate Regum Cui mors plus peteret quam sua vita dedit Huic ctenim Patrios quaerebat vita ducatus At mors nobilior regia sceptra dedit As for the Netherlands It belongs not to me to judge of their duty to Spain nor their division now whether Spain hath injured them certainly they were disloyal to him He pretends Absolute Sovereignty They but conditional obedience But without dispute Holland and Zeland belonged to the Lady Iaquelin of Henault who to save her own life was forced to relinquish her Estate And Zutphen and Gelders did of right belong to the Duke Arnold who being Prisoner with the last Duke of Burgundie who died before Nancie that Duke intruded upon his possession to the prejudice of Adolph his son and lawfull Successor the immediate cause of the quarrell after But this siege of Iuliers was the last action of that fourth Henry Le grand of France for the next year succeeding he was stab'd with a Jesuits impoysoned knife as his Coach stopt upon one of the Bridges at Paris In the Junto of time when he had mustered all his forces and ransacked together much Treasure for some secret design which the Spaniard feared might fall upon him And it was suspected for that cause only that the politick Spaniards Interest sent him out of the world farr enough from prejudice of him having but lately repayed to this Crown what had been lent his necessities heretofore by Queen Elizabeth which came unto sixty thousand pounds After five Sessions in six years time the Parliament having wrastled with Sovereignty which the King moderated by often speaking to them Himself yet finding them more willing to dispute than to comply with his occasions having on his part steered with all possible judgment to terms of reconcilement between his undoubted Prerogatives and their Novell Privileges as he termed them which rather increased Arguments by their so often Meetings He resolved therefore to separate their Conjunction and to adventure on the other way to do himself right by his own just reason not to do the people any wrong in the lawes of their liberties and so dissolved the Parliament by Proclamation And now was performed what the King intended last Sessions to set forth his sonne Prince Henry then of the age of fifteen years now 16. And because he was the first Prince here since Edward the sixth we shall say somewhat of his dignity the thirteenth Prince of Wales The Kings eldest sonne heir Apparant in England was styled Prince quasi primum locum capiens post Regem Priviledg they had to wear Purple Silks and cloth of Gold and Tyssue in his apparell or upon his horse 24. Henry the eighth but King Iames had repealed all lawes and statutes concerning apparel quarto Iacobi They had purveyance as the Kings or Queens He is admitted Maintenance to give Signes Liveries Badges to his Menials as the King does but for enormities of that kind several statutes of former Kings abridged them untill 12. Edward the fourth He may have as many Chaplains as he will The King by Common Law may have aid-money of his tenants by Knights fee as of Soccage That is to make his eldest sonne Knight and for marriage of her eldest daughter He at fifteen years of age She at seven saies Fitz-Harbert the sum of money at the Kings pleasure till 25 Edward 3. who restrained it viz. of every Knights fee holden without mean rate 20. shillings of every 20. pounds Land without mean in Soccage 20. shillings and so rata pro rata of lands in Soccage and for lands of the tenure of Chivalry according to the quantity To compass his death or violate his wife is Treason 20. Henry the eighth and before the statute the ancient common law in that case He and other the Kings children Les Enfants du Roy born beyond Seas shall inherit here He had many Priviledges since 12. Edward whose device it was to draw the Welch to acknowledge the Kings Eldest sonne Edward of Carnarvan to be their Prince But 27. Henry the eighth there was a general resumption of his priviledges as to Pardon Treasons Murther Man-slaughter Felony power to make Justices of Oyre Assize and Peaâ—e Goal-Delivery c. so from thenceforth he had onely Name and Title but no other Jurisdiction then should be granted by his letters patents He is invested with a Garland upon his head a gold Ring on his finger and a Virge of gold into his hand to him and his Heirs the Kings of England for ever as Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester To sit at the right hand of the Cloth of Estate in Parliament He shall not find pledges for profecution of any Action Cook cals him Omni Nomine Numine Magnus by Destiny Name and Providence of God the greatest Yet he is as a Subject and shall be sued by action and in token of subjection he bears upon his Arms the three plumes arg with this old Saxon word Ich. Dien I serve Gascon chief Justice in the time of Henry the fourth did commit the Prince who would have taken a prisoner from the Barr in the Kings Bench which the King justified So much premised The King gave his sonne also the honor of Knighthood to
the States impudently maintaining those former Execrable Blasphemies forewarning them of the corrupt seed of the late Arminius that Enemie of God and of both their Infections dividing their Countrey-men into factions so opposite to Unity as must needs bring them to ruine Remembers them of his forewarnings by the effects since of Arminius his tenents their distractions bred from thence shews themthe impudency of one of his Secretaries Vorstius his Book and Letter If these be not motives he prophesies the rent of their Nation the curse of God and Infamy to our Religion wishes to have Vorstius suffer the fire least his poyson which denies the Eternity and Omnipotencie of God should invenome their youth corrupt their souls and hazard the safety of their State And threatens them if they fail in his Councils he will be forced to protest and separate from the Union of their Churches Westminster 6 October 1611. The States notwithstanding hasten their own resolutions and Vorstius was setled in the Chair of Professor nor did these Letters cool their affections which heightned Sir Ralph Winwood to make this remonstrance viz. My Lords if ever the King of Great Britain his Master hath merited of the states with great favours and royall assistances themselves with all gratitudes have acknowledged surely then in these his letters of zeal piety for establishing that Relion onely within their Provinces which England France Germany have mutually embraced not regarding otherwise the Persons or Profession of Vorstius or Heresies of Arminius but as by them Religion to be sophisticated or dipraved by the schismes of Arminius or the fancie of Vorstius new devised sects of several pieces of all sorts of Heresies ancient and modern and these are they Out of his Annotations That God hath a Body so as we take a Body in the Largest sence They therefore speak not circumspectly enough who say that God is altogether as unchangeable in his will as he is in his Essence We cannot read That the substance of God is simply immense nay quite contrary No Magnitude is actually infinite and therefore God is not That every event of things were precisely set down from eternity there needed not then that continual inspection and procuration which nevertheless is every where attributed to God They who teach That there is in God Universal knowledg in genere answer more fully but so as they likewise confess that there be more causes of Certainty in the visions of things present then in the vision of things future contingent Al things which he hath decreed determined â—no modo actu he doth after such his determination exactly know them But this cannot be confirmed of all and every other thing which are or come to pass being considered severally and â—y themselves because they have their existence not onely successively in time but also contingently and oftâ—times conditionally Out of his Apologie That the Faâ—â—er hath a certain peculiar being or as it were all immitted and â—ounded essence That there are really certain internall accidents in God in the very fore-electing mind and will of God In the sixteenth Chap. He dissents from the received opinions of Divines concerning the Ubiquity of Gods presence In the nineteenth chap. He attributes to God magnitude and quantity These being in part his opinions whom they had chosen in the Chair at Leyden he conjures them to beware Ne quid Respublica detrimenti capiat The disciples of Socinius seek him for their Master He is a bird of their own feather let him go Et dignum sane patella Operculum and your own Students at Leyden 56. of them by their Remonstrance but the last year to the States of Holland besought not to be compelled to receive him who is convinced of his Errors by the Divinity Colleges at Basil and Hâ—ydelburgh by evidence out of his own writings These reasons with the general petitions of all Ministers except of Arminius may no doubt prevail And withall he tells them that his Majesty moves them to set down some certain Reglement in Religion to restrain licentious disputations and absolutely to depress the liberty of prophecying so much recommended by Vorstius in his Epistle to the States of his Anti-Bellarmine so much boasted of And remembring them of their Valiances in defence of their liberties of Consciences for fourty years wars they would not now make their actions Example for the Sect of Arminius to proclame that wicked doctrine of Apostacy of Saints And concludes that Religion is the Soder of Amity between his Majesty and Them wherein if they grow cold their friendships will freeze After six weeks delay though prosecuted for an Answer they tel him How they have deliberated upon all former passages and thank his Majesty for his affection to their Countrey and preservation of the Reformed Religion and did thereupon order That Vorstius should not be admitted nor is but as an Inhabitant and unless he can clear his accusations The States of Holland and West freezeland before February next the time of their meeting would then decide the difference And thus much was all what could be done in respect of inconvenience and distast to the principal Towns of those Provinees This being all and in effect worse then nothing Winwood resolves to Protest and did in their publick Assembly He begins like the Advocates in France with a Latin sentence out of the Scripture Si peccaverit in te frater tuus argue eum inter te si audiverit te c. si non adhibiruum atquae alterum c. si non eos dic Ecclesiae and so recounting the Kings favours to them the whole matter of Vorstius and the proceedings thereupon concludes for those reasons he does in his Majesties Name protest against the receiving and retaining of Vorstius and against the violence offered unto the Alliance betwixt the King and Them founded on the Reformed Religion which they have violated of which his Majesty is so sensible if reparation be not speedily made as his Majesty will further declare to the world in print To this they Answer That however his Maiesty hath not as yet received contentment in the business of Vorstius as he might expect but at the Assembly in February next his Majesty shall receive entire satisfaction The time come and the Assembly continuing their settlement of Vorstius the King imprints a Declaration giving his reasons very learned in many particulars why he engaged In aliena Republica The glory of God The Christian charity to his Neighbours and Allies especially towards the Houshold of faith The impoysoning of their youth Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem Testa diu and the Apostle Saint Iohn in that respect Ne dicas illi Ave and answers all objections and excuses for Vorstius with this Maxime that even in doubtfull questions Men are naturally inclined co choose the evill and leave the good as
This Robert was at first Abbot of Holy-rood-house for divers years After the forfeiture of Hepburn Earl of Bothwell and the obtaining those Isles he exchanged the Abbacy with the Bishoprick of Orkney and so became sole Lord of the County Patrick succeeding to an elder Brother and grown a Courtier involved himself in great debts which inforced him the more tyrannous over the people to recover his wants At Glasgow was apprehended Oglevy a Jesuite lately come from Gratts by command of his Superior in that College He answered peremptory to the Commissioners questions professing not to prejudice others by any Confession Their torture to inforce him to impeach others was to debar him sleep for some time until he was forced falsely to accuse any body which he after repose would deny again The King was displeased with such forms to men of his profession and if no crime could be proved but his Calling and saying Mass they should banish him not to return on pain of Death but if his practice had been to induce the people to rebellion and maintained the Popes power transcendent over Kings and resused the Oath of Allegiance they should leave him to the Law But with all they were to urge his Answer to these Questions 1. Whether the Pope be Iudge in Spiritualibus over his Majesty and whether in Temporalibus if it be in Spiritualia 2. Whether the Pope hath power to excommunicate Kings such as are not of his Church as his Majesty 3. Whether he hath power to depose Kings after his excommunication and in particular his Majesty 4. Whether it be no Murther to kill the King so deposed 5. Whether He hath power to assoil subjects from the Oath of their native Allegiance to his Majesty He answers in writing To the first Affirmative in Spiritualibus But whether in Temporalibus he is not obliged to answer to any but a Iudge of Controversyes of Religion the Pope or one by his Authority To the second affirmative and that all persons baptized are under the Popes power To the third He will not declare but to a lawful Iudge of Religion To the rest ut supra He could not be moved by threats but rather railed at the Oath of Allegiance as damnable and treasonable against God and so came to Tryal of Life but was told over night That he was not to be tryed concerning his profession but for his former Answers to the Questions which he may recal and crave mercy but this he utterly refused And so was impannell'd grounded upon the Acts of Parliament against such as declined the Kings authority or maintained other Jurisdiction and upon his former answers He protests not to acknowledge the Iudges nor Iudgement Lawfull for if it be Treason here it should be so in all other Kingdoms which is not Your Acts of Parliament are made by partial men and of Matter not subject to their forum for which I will not give a fig. The King hath no Authority but derivative from his Predecessors who acknowledged the Popes Iurisdiction if the King will be to me as they were to minâ— he shall be my King if otherwise I value him not And for the reverence I do to you bare-headed It is ad redemptionem vexationis not ad agnitionem Judicii That the Iury were either his Enemies or his Friends if Enemies they could not sit upon his Tryal if Friends they ought to assist him at the Bar That what he suffered was injurious and not Iustice he had not offended nor would crave Mercy My Commission said he was by command of my Superiour and if I were abroad I would return hether again and repent only that I have not been so busie as I should in that which you call Perverting of Subjects and I call Saving of souls I do decline the Kings authority and will do it still in matter of Religion the most of your Ministers maintain it and if they be wise will continue in that mind As for that Question Whether the King being deposed by the Pope may be lawfully killed Doctors of the Church hold the Affirmative not improbably and as it is not yet determined so if it should be concluded I will dy in the defence And now to say It were unlawful I will not to save my life His insolent speech was shortned by the Jurors quick return who found him guilty and had Sentence of Treason and to stop his rayling was after Noon the same day hanged at Glasgow He was a desperate second Ravilliack and ready in that devilish doctrine of deposing and disthroning Kings which he urged the more he said as consonant to the Kirk Ministers tenents And that nothing troubled him but to be taken away ere he had done that which all Scotland and England should not have prevented and had it been performed no torments would have been by him refused So then we see the cause of his Execution For the King professed Never to hang a Priest for his Religion The opening of the Spring gave opportunity to sundry families of England to prepare themselves for planting in America Upon no great incouragement of profit or pleasure by any former Voyages of the English into those parts but people and trade increasing here they would unburthen this State with forein adventures The Design was for New England a part of America in the Ocean Sea opposite to that part of America in the South Sea which Sir Francis Drake discovered in his voyage about the world and named it Nova Albion But he was never imployed thither as a Discoverer or Planter upon this part of America taking the coast from Cape Florida in twenty degrees North Latitude North-East-ward to Cape Brittain Between the Degrees of Latitude from 20. to 45. King Iames granted Letters Patents being about fifteen hundred miles but to follow it aboard near two thousand miles And all this Coast from Cape Florida of twenty Degrees to five and forty was first discovered by Iohn Cabot with six sail of ships who had his Patent from Henry 7. Anno 1442. about the time that Columbus discovered the middle part of America for Ferdinand and Isabel of Spain and is called the West-Indies The first Colony from England was with Sir Walter Ralegh assisted in company of Sir Ralph Lane and Thomas Heriot that learned Mathematician Anno 1584. who in honour of Queen Elizabeth named it Virginia leaving there sixteen men which were brought home by Sir Francis Drake in his return from his West-India Voyage a year after and this part is contained from Florida to the Chesiopech Bay The next Northward is a part of Land to which Sir Iohn Popham Lord Chief Justice sent for Discovery and Trade 1606. but no success returned and since it is called New England Then the Land adjoyning Northward was discovered by Captain Gosnold all that coast being studded with broken Lands and called by him Elizabeths Isles Then you come to Cape Cod
themselves to search for mischiefs and being found to scandallize the State with them How these were nourished and afterwards fomented the revolution of time hath made obvious to all men and saves me the labour to set down the particulars It was no novelty then to applaud the former times and to vilifie the present for indeed her fame carried it current in a long continuance to have lived and dyed Royally and Victoriously without the disquiet of the peoples affections and being but a Sojourner in the World in respect of her Maiden-hood might be and was a blessing to her own times the impression of her good Goverment besides her happy memory is not without some effect which doth survive her But this K blessed already with Royal issue and whose fruitful Bed promised increase It was more proper and agreeable with him to be studious not onely in the Transitory part of good Government but in those Acts which are in their nature permanent and perpetual to his posterity rather to increase than diminish the Advantages of Soveraignty which he aimed at and for his part and time did perform but t is a tender subject to discuss I have done Yet I may add a truth That all the force and power of his Progenitours and all their merits and policies to boot for more then an age before her could never borrow so much credit upon their Privy Seals as she did during her time and left them all for this King to discharge great and vast sums Which shews that Necessities put her upon that piece of State when neither her Exchequer could afford relief nor the urgency of her affairs indure the delaies of Parliaments assistance For in truth she had strained likewise from her people in that way of Subsidies more then ever any Prince I will not say many that were before her She had the way to do it by complaisance of a Princess and he a King not affecting that Course failed of such effects For he was by nature more reserved than popular and had his virtues fitter for estimation then Love and did like a King his soul being planted higher overshot such matter as lay level to anothers eye And so as I have said some of these ways to get mony was set a foot this year 1614. and upon several occasions in his reign after proposed but not effected In those times of Trade the Merchant-Adventurer usually transported Our English Cloths white undress'd and undy'd and the Dutch had gotten the Art by the end fitted and stretcht them by their Knavery and so returned them to us at high rates of this the Cloth-worker of London complains which was soon remedied by Proclamation forbidding the transport and to countenance that Corporation the King was feasted in their Hall and made free of their Company the rather because their Cote Arms the Thistle is the Scots Embleme And over went our Cloaths accordingly dyed and drest which the Hollanders forbid to be bought by them and therefore dealt with our Fell-mongers and got over Our Woolls and the Mystery of making Cloth Hereupon we proclame and forbid the transport of our wools The Quarrel between those two Corporations and their respective gain is by the Merchant Adventurers complained of and for mittigation of their Mischief several warrants for some thousands of Cloths were sparingly licensed by wisdome of State to be sent over and so evenly moderating the mystery of Merchants that cozen each other and at their great Feast likewise the Prince was made free The King of Denmark makes a second visit to his Sister the Queen for fourteen daies upon no business of State onely his affections to her and jollity to himself with a Train of no more than half a hundred persons of honour and Noblesse of his own breeding to the Dutch Diet and Drink to which he was too much inclined and oft-times had his load for we were not wanting of our boon-Companions that waited on him for that purpose The Earl of Suffolk succeeding Salisbury in the Treasurership yielded his Office of Lord Chamberlain of the Kings Houshold to his Son in Law Somerset as aforesaid and he the Place of Secretary unto Sir Ralph Winwood lately returned from the Netherlands where he had been Ambassadour Lieger of a long time The Summers Progress returns the King to London where had been some muttering of Overbury's death in the Tower discovered beyond the Seas by the Apothecary's Boy that impoysoned the Glyster and having his Reward was sent out of the way to Flushing where he told the Tale to Trimball the Kings Agent there by whom it came to Winwood's knowledg and so to the King and by degrees to particular Examinations Confessions and Executions of all these Weston an Apothecary Mistris Turner a Doctor of Physick's widow Sir Iervis Yelvis Lieutenant of the Tower and Franklin all accessaries But Weston being the principal actor it was therefore his turn first to come to the Bar at the Hinstons Court in Guild-hall where beyond Judg Cook 's expectation the man stood mute notwithstanding all allurements and threats that could be used and so was returned to Prison Cook informs the King that unless the principal be convict the accessaries could not be tried but by continual cunning and some fair promises of pardon Weston put himself upon his Countrey and was cast condemned and hanged Cook not content with that gets knowledg under-hand that Serjeant Yelverton an obliged Servant to the House of Howards had advised this Counsel for Weston not to betray any parties And this Tale was told by Sir Robert Cook from his fathers confession After all comes Somerset and his Countess and both condemned some that were then at their Trial and not partial conceived in conscience he might have been spared that Sentence and as himself says to the King That he fell rather for want of well defending than by force of proofs for I so far says he for sook my self and my cause as that I might be more condemned for that than for the matter And because it was a story of evil fame near and far off I shall put it to the test in a brief Narratory being pleaded before the Lord Elsmore Chancellour and High Steward for the Day and most of the Peers at Westminster Hall May 1616. in this manner A Peer of the Land hath this Privilege upon Treason or Felony indicted to be tried by his Peers the King by Letters Patents assigns some sage Lord of the Parliament to be High Steward of England for that Day of his Arreignment who before that time makes Precept to his Serjeant at Arms to warn to appear before him a certain number of Lords of the Parliament twelve at the least upon that Day at Westminster At which time the High Steward shall sit under the Cloath of State and causeth his Commission to be read the same Serjeant returns his Precept and calls the Lords who appearing by
Cradle we shall find him as it were begotten to an inheritance of true Nobleness and Courtlike grace in more real splendour than others that seemed to appear compatible with him they being onely made so by hand His life indeed was intricate sometime struggling with the by-paths-of Sovereign-favour and afterwards of State-affairs Which at last and at worst infected him with the disease of the times more malignant in his Counsellors and other his Confidents then in his own conscience or inclination and so drew him on by various disguises of subtilty with the composition of his good nature till the remain of his life was involved into Ingagements unstable the effects whereof smothered him in the uncouth deluge of destruction I have no adverse aim or end on either side of these two Lords to embase the freedom of my Opinion or Judgement being tryed into some purity of truth by my own knowledge of the former and of this other by more exact account than by most men or by any other pen may be expected But I am not delighted to urge out this story of the Lord Haies as not willing to speak evilly of any person of his Honour unlike Our Adversaries that spare none For we should know that virtue and vice are inherent in Man And as it becomes us to tell truth when we speak of their virtues so with modesty and compassion to discover their vices Either of them being examples for the future that to imitate this to shun And I cannot but with compunction remind that the monstrous excess of the Belly and the Back by his first President became then the mode of those Times for great Persons the most part to follow and for ordinary people to put in practice even to this day and may be feared for ever hereafter The Sword being sheathed up in the Scabberd Peace and Plenty brought the Law into esteem the onely over-ruling power to set men even by the ears and make them the more quiet ever after But then Cases increased so common that Conscience was troubled to reconcile them and made a Quarrel of Justice it self between Sir Edward Cook Chief Justice of Law and the Lord Elsmore Keeper of the Conscience who had the better of the Cause to the others ruine The Case was thus Sundry Citizens got Judgment in the Court of Common-Pleas by a juggling Trick that staved off an opposite Witness the Plaintiff nevertheless exhibits his Bill in Chancery against the Defendants who sit out Process of Contempt and refusing to answer are committed to the Fleet. And for their Relief exhibit their Bill in Star-chamber against the Lord Chancellour Elsemore grounded upon the Statute of 4 Henry 4 ca. 23. That the Iudgment given in the Kings Court â—hall not be examined in Chancery Parliament or elsewhere untill it be undone by Attaint or Errour c. and so thereby he had incurred Praemunire and the Chief Justice Cook interposed and encouraged the Complainants The Chancellour acquaints the King who sends to Bacon Attourney General Sir Henry Montague and Sir Randal Crue Serjeants at Law and Sir Henry Yelverton Solicitor these men report back That there hath been a strong current of practice and proceeding in Chancery after Iudgment at Common Law and many times after Execution continued since Henry the Seventh's time to this day in Cases where there is no other Remedy at Common Law unto which the Iudges are peremptorily sworn And with this Sentence on Elsmore's side the aged Statesman leaves the Seat of deciding and sits down himself to his devotions leaving the Seal to be born by Bacon But the manner of the dispose is mis-told by the Pamphlet who makes it the Chancellour's heart-break to be rid of the charge when in ttuth the Term come and Elsmore sick the King sent for the Seal by Secretary Winwood with a gracious Message That himself would be his Deputy and not dispose it whilest Elsmore lived to bear the Title of Chancellour nor did any one receive it out of the King's sight till he was dead nor long after And because we may be assured of the Kings gratious favour to that grave Chancelour see what he saies to him in two Letters following writ every word with the Kings own hand My Lord These shall first congratulate and thank God with you for your recoverie and growing to health again for which I protest to God I praied everie Morn and Eve since you was at the worst as oft as I praied for mie self And next you shall be herebie informed how senseable I am of that disgrace offered to that Court of mine wherein you sit especially at a time so unseasonable It cannot but be a comfort to you to know how every Man censured the pertiallity and barbarity of that action and for my part you maie assure your self it shall onelie be in your default of not informing me if I do not upon this occasion free my self from fascherie of any such inconvenients hereafter I mean of such jarring betwixt my Courts of Iustice for I will whollie upon your information and advice what course to take in the handling of this business assuring my self that your conscience and care for my honour and service will set me in a course for making such an example in this case as may settle good Government in like Cases hereafter and so I bid you heartilie farewell Febr. 25. 1615. New-market James Rex Thus the King writes then and continued unto this grave Statesman such gracious Favours and esteem to the last of his daies for a twelvemonth after this letter and not long before his death he writes again To the Right Trusty and Right Well-beloved Our Chancelour of England My Lord The Letter I wrote the last year from this same Town unto you proved so good a Cordial for your health as I am thereby incouraged to do the like at this time and as I both hope and praie for with the like success I cannot but be eztremelie sorrie for your want of health but I confess I am more sorry for the evil conceit you have of your own strength which makes me the more to presume upon the good Operation of this Physick of mine since I am sure it can work more upon your mind than anie other worldlie thing The Greatness of your place and the abilitie which God hath given you to discharge it to the honour of God and the great benefit of the Common-wealth is a cause sufficient to stir you up to be careful of your own health and even to fight against disease as far as you can but when you shall remember how evil I maie want you and what miss your Master shall have of you I hope that reason will be predominant to make you not strive but conquer your disease not for your own sake but for his of whom you maie promise your self as much love and heartie affection as might be expected from so thankful and kind a Master to
their view Chancells were so divided from the body of the Church and thereupon so called And the Lord Chancelour and Lord Keeper have one power by Stat. anno 5. Eliz. So then you see how and for what he hath his name And though his Authority be highest yet it is given to him by the Law and proceedeth in course of Law not according to conscience but Law That all Justice runs from the Supreme power so by the Chancelour to all Jurisdiction A man complains of wrong or sues for right in Chancery from which Bill of complaint issues a precept commanding the Defendent to appear at a Day So then a man may not be sued before he have a Writ or Breve from the Chancelour a singular regard to the meanest The very Writs of Chancerie are prescribed by Law and a form registred in Chancery and if not accordingly issued out the Judges will reject them called in Law Abating of the Writ His Authority to judge is of two sorts by common Law or Positive Law Potentia Ordinata Processe pleading judgement Potentia Absoluta by Processe according to the Law of Nature viz. to send for the party to answer upon Oath to examine if he will not answer yet the Chancelour cannot condemn him in the cause for obstinacy Potentia Ordinata mispleading on either part may mar the matter and the judgement must be according to Law however the Equity of the case fall out But if the pleading be by Absolute Power though the party misplead if the matter be good the Iudgement must be by equity and not as the pleading be either formal good or bad or as the law will in the case The Question followes whether that conscience whereby the Chancelour be simpliciter and to be simplex conscientia or Regulata Viz. To be ordered by course of Court former Presidents and if no Presidents whether Reason in codem respectu may take cognisance of the cause viz. A rich Father to suffer an honest son to beg or a rich son contrario the Chancelour cannot Hereupon we may conclude that his Authority judicial both Ordinata and Absoluta Potestas are limitted by the Law of the Land For in the Ordinary he is tyed to the strict rule of Law and by the Absolute he is ruled though not by the course of law yet he is to deal per regulatam conscientiam but in any case not to contradict what Law hath allowed But to conclude his Absoluta Potestas by what means he should find out truth Truly it is without limitation only to be referred to his own Gifts and the grace of God that gives Wisdom Sir Francis Bacon succeeded Elsemere Lord Chancelour though a wonder to some so mean a Man to so much preferment he was then Atturney General and as others by that placc and in the usual way of preferment time beyond memory come to high Office of Indicature either there or to other Benches and so did he But his Mis-deeds afterwards turned him out of all and he dyed poor and private See Anno 1621. And as his Genesis of preferment came to the chair of State so the Exodus of the Treasurer Suffolk in his Office brought him to the Star-Chamber and the Glory of the new Chancelour Chair-man there to sit in censure upon him and so to set out himself in his Matchless Eloquence which he did then by Sentence as the Mouth of the Court as all others had done Their abilities affording them several waies and manners in that Court more particular as their Qualities concern them to distinguish So here also the Chief Iustice Cook newly revived from the sad condition of former disgrace for his too narrow inquisition upon the faults and fall of Somerset He now finding the Fate of Court-policy final in this Lord and his malice at Liberty to speak what he list Parrallels this Lords Crimes with other such corrupt Treasurers raking Presidents of all former Predecessors Even from Randolphus de Britton who was sentenced to lose all lands and goods but was restored to him and fined 3000. 1. for misusing K. H. 3. Treasure Such another was Treasurer of Ireland Petrus de Rivallis and of great command also high Chamberlain of England to Edw. 1. his Offences were Bribes of all men poor and rich Religiosis quam de Laicis fined and ransomed So did the Abbot and Moncks at Westminster took out of that Kings Treasury there ad inestimabile Damnum Regis Regni For which these privileged pretenders could not be exempt from Tryal and the Temporalities of the Abby seized for satisfaction till which time of payment they suffered Imprisonment Nay Walter de Langton Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield scapes not Edw. 2. This Treasurer took bribes then though small but a hundred pound of the Earl of Monteallo ut amicus in agendis negotiis versus dominum Regem lets him escape Prison to do his buâ—inesse and given of free Will and ex curialitate sua yet in those dayes it amounted to Extortion But he had Additionalls having indicted Iohn de Eugam of Tresgass for the Mannor of Fisby to which the King had title and imprisoned him and when another Mannor was conveyed to the Bishop for Courtesies done diversas curialitates Eugam was set at liberty but it seems the Bishops plea would not serve his turn That the King would rather punish by Imprisonment than fine And those good times accounted it Bribery Again the Bayliff of Oxford was committed for arrears of one hundred pound in his accompt and the Mannor of Calcat conveyed to the Bishop for satisfaction yet because he was of pure Devotion discharged by the Bishop these cases all three were condemned of Extortion and Bribery and the Bishop soundly paid for it by his purse and imprisonment In Edw. 3. He imprisoned William Lord Latimer with punishment and fine being in Commission to pay off the Kings debts he compounded for eighty per centum and 30. for 40. by which saies the Record he turned it upon the King to be a Bankrupt Compounder So did the Baron Nevil bought the Kings debts of the Army and though he pleaded that they forgave him the Remainder freely yet was he fined Such like as these were brought Examples to raise the Offence of this Lord Treasurer of himself as of high birth so most Noble and without doubt disdaining to commit base crimes but whether the guilt of Sir Iohn Dingly one of the Tellers in Exchequer an intimate Servant to the Secrecies of Suffolks Countess or some necessity to make bold to borrow such sums as his Fabrick Awdle-End had need of Or the vain and monstrous expence heretofore of that family All that could be besides the necessity of Court-Fate cast in his dish was the imbezeling the monies lately paid by the States of the Netherlands for redemption of the cautionary Towns Flushing and Bril and he fined thirty thousand pounds and Dingly two thousand pounds the
such as will not be themselves but their wives and families shall be and they shall appear at Church sometimes inforced by Law or for fashion these are formal to the Law and false to God The second sort are Recusants whose consciences are misled and therefore refuse the Church otherwise peaceable subjects The third are practising Recusants they will force all persons under their power and infect others to be as they are Recusants these are men of Pride and Presumption His opinion can bear with the person of a Papist so born and bred but an apostate Papist hâ— hates such deserve severe punishment He is loth to hang a Priest for Religion and saying Mass but if he refuse the Oath of Allegiance which is meerly Civil he leaves them to the Law against whom it is no persecution but Iustice and the like against those Priests that return from banishment such also as break Prison they can be no Martyrs that refuse to suffer for their conscience Saint Paul would not go forth when the doors were open and Saint Peter came not out till led by the Angell of God Then he concludes with the Ordinary charge against the numbers of Alâ—-houses too frequent buildings in and about London and also the extreme resort of the Gentry to the City bids them countenance the religious Clergy against all Papists and Puritans and God and the King will reward their service Let us remind Scotland It was eight years since the Marquess of Hunâ—lâ—y had been excommunicate upon hopes from time to time of his conformity and reconcilement but increasing insolencies was lately committed and as soon inlarged by the Chancelour underhand favouring too much the Papists The Church complain hereof to the King the Marquess posts to England to palliate his displeasure but a Messenger meets him at Huntington with command to return him home to Justice Yet here he staies until he receives new authority to appear at Court where he humbly submits and offers to communicate But being contrary to the Canons before absolution a great debate followed how to hazard him to the Church of Scotland lest by the way he should recant and indeed the King evermore endeavouring to rectifie his conscience and to recover him to be a Proselyte The adventure was thus pieced the Bishop of Catnes now at Court must consent in the name of the Scots Kirk for the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to absolve him and the Form new devised so to do in respect of the correspondency of that Church with England The Scotish Church hears of this and interprets that Act as an usurpation upon their Rites which the King is fain to excuse in a long Letter to satisfie that curiosity and lest he should seem to take upon him to palliate so great a presumption of himself onely The Arch-bishop also gave his Reasons in writing without intrenching upon the independencies of so free absolute and intire Authority of Scâ—tland And withall Huntley come home must supplicate that Assembly now convened at Aberdene for their confirmation and his submission which was solemnly performed And because it was about the end of the General Assembly we shall shut it up with inserting such Articles as may enlighten the Reader to the knowledg of the Kings elaborate care and wisdom in reducing perverse Jurisdiction to this moderate issue in conformity to the Discipline of the Church of England by which we may conclude the evident signs and hopes of a full recovery in time from their peevish Hierarchy which had been prosecuted in some measure from the very time that this King took Government to himself and brought it before his death to a semblable conformity with England and might so have prospered to perfection had not their and our sins since set a period to us both 1. That for more reverence of the holy Communion the same should be celebrated Kneeling which always had been standing 2. Not to be denied the Patient desperate sick in his Bed with three or four of religious conversation to communicate with him 3. The Sacrament of Baptism not to be longer deferred than the next Sunday after the Birth and in necessity in a private house by the Minister and publication thereof the next Sunday in the Church 4. That the inestimable benefits received from God by our Lord Jesus Christ his Birth Passion Resurrection Ascension and Sending down the Holy Ghost having been commendably remembred at certain days and times by the whole Church of the world every Minister upon these days should therefore commemorate the said benefits upon those set days and to make choice of several pertinent Texts of Scripture to frame his Doctrine and Exhortations thereto And because Confirmation after Baptism stuck in their stomachs and indeed the King was unsatisfied therein terming it a meer Hotch-potch and not clear to his apprehension But yet thus much was concluded That seeing the Act of Confirmation of Children is for their good Education most necessary being reduced to the primitive integrity the Minister shall catechize them after eight years old to rehearse the Lords Prayer the Belief and ten Commandments with Answers to Questions in the small Catechism used in the Church And that the Bishop in their Visitations shall bless them with Prayer for their increase of Grace and continuance of Gods heavenly gifts with them So much was done indeed and presented humbly to his Majesty with some Reasons why the same being novel to them were not as yet inserted with the Canons which the King did not then otherwise press as resolving to effect his desire at his coming personally into that Kingdom when his presence should satisfie with Reasons all scrupulous aversion About this time happened that difference in the Family of Sir Thomas Lake one of the Secretaries of State between his Wife and Daughter and the Countess of Exeter which involved him and his into ruine This Lake was a learned Gentleman brought up under Sir Fr Walsingham that subtil Secretary of State as Amanuensis to him And after good experience of his deserts was recommended to Queen Elizabeth and read to her French and Latine in which Tongues she would say that he surpassed her Secretaries and was so imployed all her time for he was reading as to quiet her spirits when the Countess of Warwick told him that the Queen was departed But not long before she received him Clerk of her Signet And he was chosen by this State in that Place to attend King Iames from Berwick And so sufficient he was that the King made use of his present service in some French dispatches by the way that he came hither which indeed Secretary Cecil had reason to resent as too much trenching on his Office And therefore craveed leave of the King that he might not attend beyond his Moneth to prejudice the other Clerks which was excused and he kept still at Court These sufficiencies of his enabled him in these times of gaining with much repute and
The largest was Duke of Buckingham sent unto him by Patent into Spain and last of all Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports And so have we sommoned him at once with all these Titles which came to him in time heretofore and after These accumilations might no doubt astonish the Kitchen stuff conceipt of Sir A. W. Benefits imbroydered without the least vacancy or emptiness to any others workmanship The hearts of Princes once dilated with affection cannot be satiable in the exercise of any narrow bounty or little affection choice and love begets the Gift which act becomes fomented even to be in Love with their own giving and so to excesse And thus have we put together this great Man who was pieced up by degrees and time He had many kindred for his Family was ancient Heraldry might blaze as large fields of his Pedigree as need concern any subject to prove were a Man preferred to pensil his life which I take boldness but to touch with shadows These were dispersed by time into several Matches with the Gentry and what strange or new device was it in him to raise them that were neer in blood by Noble and worthy waies as he did He made his two Brothers Peers his Mother Sister Countesses the one by Patent the other by Mariage the rest of the kindred by his countenance got means to live like their Births being a race handsom and beautiful Imeâ—n the females descending of Villiers or Beaumont either matched with Peers or with the Sons and heirs of Earls or with Knights of plentiful condition for he did not much strengthen his subsistence in Court but stood there on his own feet the most of his Allies rather leaned on him than he sholdered up by any of them And thus much as a Preface to the History of him hereafter during this Kings raign wherein his actions are successively remembred But concerning his Mother made a Countess There are in England three sorts of honourable women by Creation Descent or Mariage 1. H. 8. created Ann Bullen Marchiones of Pembroke before he maried her So was Susan Widow the Sole Daughter of the Baron of Abergaveny created Baroness de le Spencer Cambden 63. 6. So also was the Lady Compton wife of Sir Thomas Compton brother to the Lord Compton made Countess of Buckingham with the see of twenty pound per annum 18. Iac. And also the Lady Finch a Widow created Viscountess of Maidstone 21. Iacobi 2. Noble women by descent or to whom dignities descend as heirs are said to be honourable by Tenure or those Heirs whose Ancestors were seized of an estate descendable to them in their titles of Dukedome Earldome or Baronies or Heirs to Ancestours summoned to the Parliament 3. And lastly Noble Women are these married to a Lord or Peer of the Realm though themselves but in the State of Gentry Knights Wives are not of the Nobility They are stiled Ladies by the courtesie of England but not in Courts of Judicature So much for Noble Women In the Kings return out of Scotland the people took occasion to complain in common and to petition in particular That the freedom of Servants and Laborers was extremely enslaved by their Masters pretended zeal and sanction against Idolizing as was pretended of such days as ancient custome from General Councils and the Church of England reformed even to that time had appointed to be kept Holy Whereby after the â—olemnizing of Divine service the Servants and Workmen were not usual to discompany from their accustomed moderate Pastimes such as the most rigid heretofore could not justly but admit The King not so over-affected to his own sports that the sense of the peoples sufferings might take advantage by his Example and so of Liberty in the like for much of his most serious affairs were shadowed from the vulgar nay from the observing Politicque by his own publick Pastimes But in truth it came to be a business of consequence to consider how the intemperate zeal of our then rigid Reformers to countenance their own design of deforming strook at higher powers through the peoples sides in many matters so in this also For at first these pure conceited Men quarrelled at the name of the Holy seventh day called then as of old Sunday which they would have named Sabbath and thereafter would have it observed levitically so strickt as not to gather sticks This being discussed in some Counties the people forbore their Recreations Then the Reformers took the like exceptions against the peoples lawful pleasures on Saints and Holy-daies and at last against all sports and publick Pastimes exercises innocent and harmless such were Leaping Dancing Running or any Mastery for the Gaol or Prize May-pole or Church-ale as debauched Idols In some of these Pastimes several Counties excelled and to entertain community with their Mirth the Court Progresses took delight to judge of their wagers in their journey to Scotland which the people observing took occasion to themselves to petition the King in his return for freedome and leave to be merry And thus by this means this Mans Monstrum Horrendum the Church-mans Maskarado was begotten and brought to allowance by command in print to justifie the people in their lawful pleasures though upon the Sunday after service This year died Edw. Talbot the 8. Earl of Shrewsbury without issue and therfore it descended upon George Talbot son of Iohn Talbot of Grafton Esq by Katherine his wife Daughter of Sir William Peters heir male of Sir Gilbert Talbot of Grafton second Son of Iohn Lord Talbot second Earls of Shrewsbury after the death of Gilbert and Edward Earls of Shrewsbury without issue male who was this next year 1618. admitted by King Iames the ninth Earl But this man dying also without issue the inheritance descended upon the children of Iohn Talbot brother to this George which Iohn dyed and left issue Iohn now the eleventh Earl 1652. He bears Gules a Lion rampant and a border engraled Or. Sir Walter Raleigh wearied with long imprisonment and having there spent his time well in the History of the World made his petition more passable to the King whose love to learning granted him now at last his Liberty and not long after gave him leave to wander after a design to the Western world where he had been in several Climates before The common World wondering at this mans wit who had a way to break Jests though to hazard his head again for in a jear he said That his whole History had not the like President Of a Kings chief Prisoner to purchase freedom and his bosome Favourite to have the Halter but in Scripture Mordecai and Haman meaning Himself and Somerset To which he was told that the King replyed He might dy in this deceipt which he did and Somerset saved But in truth he had a reaching and roving mind from his first rise and thereafter but a mean fortune which he meant now
truly intended by God to be given unto them in such sort as his Word and Promises do outwardly sound 4. It is consequent upon the former that the work of Redemption in respect of Christ his Oblation and intention therein is common to all mankind although many by reason of their impediments do not actually receive them Now this resolution of Our Divines accordeth with the Articles and Doctrine of the Church of England but none of the Foreign Divines of that Synod were of the same opinion for they restrain this Redemption of Christ both in application and Gods intentional offer meerly and only to the Elect. The Belgicke Confession is wholly confirmed by the Synod of Dort as appeareth in the Book of the Synod pag. 329. But the 30 31 and 32. Articles of this Confession teach That the Presbyterian Discipline is of Divine institution and that all Ministers have equal Authority and Iurisdiction and consequently condemn Episcopal Government and the Ecclesiastical Policy of Our and all other Churches which imbrace not Calvins Plate-form of Lay-Elders The antient custome of convocating Synods or meeting of Divines for compâ—sing Differences in Religion and Reformation of corrupted Discipline was from the very four Apostles meeting at Ierusalem concerning the Gentiles observing Moses Law and from that example in a Province or City the Primitive Bishops assembled at several times for 200 years then following The peace and unity of the Church in CONSTANTINE gave ease for many Churches to communicate over the whole Empire and was called in his time The Holy Synod and not long after The General and Oecumenical Council though the Empire was divided Eastern and Western and afterwards amongst the Graecians from the Assembly of the five Patriarchs And in those Kingdomes from the Unity of States obedient to the Pope in Ecclesiastical causes which till the fifteenth Century of years so continued quiet unless in that of Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prague from the Doctrines of Iohn Wickliff in England In the time of Richard the second King of England who maried Ann the Daughter to Wincelaus King of Boheme And though he had no issue by her yet the conversion of Boheme from Popery may not unfitly be stiled the issue of her Mariage for they that brought her hither carried over Wickliffs Works anno 1382. to John aud Jerome So then England was Grandfather of Reformation Boheme the Father and Germany the Son Their Doctrines were against the Popes Supremacy as Antichrist they condemned Transubstanatition He translated the Bible into English and was burned in Leicestershire the first man that suffered the fire of English Martyrdome at fourty five years of age About the year 1500. appeared the first occasion amongst the Waldenses neer the Alps In some Cantons of Boheme called Picards but both of them then rather despised than feared their disciples were called Sub utraque receiving the Sacraments with the Cup and with the Bread against the Papists But their opinion of long time rather amongst themselves than communicable In 1517. began Martyr Luther an Hermite Fryer in Saxony that Covent being usually imployed to publish the Popes indulgencies he spoke against the excessive abuse of the pardons in ninety five Conclusions at Wittenburgh which Iohn Thesel a Dominican opposed in others at Frankford of Branâ—enburgh by Ecchius also and Prierius And so controversie increasing matter of greater importance they were faln to strengthen their weak Arguments with the Popes authority as being the chiefest in the Church and not able to err Martin proves him inferiour to a General Council which he craves as most needful Whereupon he was cited to Rome the next year but in favour remitted to Examination of the Popes Legat Cardinal Cajetan at Ausburgh in Germany who could not convince him and in such policy backed by some Princes he appealed from the Popes Bull to a General Council The same occasion of indulgence collected at Zurick provoked Zwinglius a Canon to oppose Samson a Franciscan who preached for the pardons These Reformers and their writings were examined and condemned by the Universities 〈◊〉 Lovain and Cullen and the more opposing the more increasing The Pope remitted the dispute unto some Cardinals Prelates Divines and Canonists and their books were condemned and burnt And the Popes Bull resolving it the effect followed first at Lovain and Collen Luther and his Scholars did the like by the Popes Bull and Decretalls at Wittenburgh and justified it by a long Manifest to all the World And this caused a Diet at Worms which examined him and his answer moved the Elector and Others to favour his Doctrine but was condemned as notorious Heretical by Imperial Edict And by example so did the University of Paris Henry the eight King of England born a second Brother and therefore bred a Scholar designed for the Arch-bishops See of Canterbury writ a Book against Luther and had his reward and Title of Defensor fidei though upon consideration of Lust and Policy turned Reformer also The like Dispute and Measure had the Doctrines of Zwinglius and the rest and so these differences increasing did necessitate another Diet at Norembergh where disputes against the Reformers increased complaints against the Courtiers of Rome and were reduced into Centum Gravaniana and at the Diet at Spire as many more The horrid plots between the Princes and the Popes and general distraction of Germany and other parts of Christendome and by the seeds of the Reformed Religion at last to amend all or make it worse the Pope was forced to consent to call a General Council at Trent The Elector of Saxony and five Princes more opposing the Emperours Decrees and fourteen principal Cities adhearing they protesting against it by Manifest were now first called Protestants as from the Reformed Doctrine of Luther and the rest At the Diet of Ausburgh the Protestant Princes fifteen and thirty Cities prefer their confession of faith of Luther called from the place Augustine The Cities also of Zwinglius doctrine presented their Creed differing onely in the Eucharist and at home were opposed by their Neighbour Roman Cities and quarrelled it by War wherein Zwinglius in the head of a Company sacrificed his life for whom Oecolampadius a Minister of Basil of the same Opinion dies for Grief and from these of the Cantons came the name of Gospellers The horrid troubles discords and disputes amongst Christian Princes from the seeds of Reformed Churches controverted by several quarrels and Armies and referred to several Diets Colloquies and Meetings in Germany It was then at last resolved of the holy Ecumenical Council of Trent as the Roman Catholiques call it Opening at Trent in Decemb. 1545. In the time of Pope Paul the third Charles the fift then Emperour Henry the eight King of England and Francis the first of France and ended Anno 1563. Eight Bishops of Rome lived and dyed during that treaty eighteen years Our Countrey-man Campian
that apostate writes to the Universities in that Councils commendations The Synod of Trent saies he the older it waxeth the more it will flourish good God what variety of Nations what choice of Bishops of the whole world what splendour of Kings and Common-wealths what marrow of Theologues what sanctity what weepings what Academical â—lowers what Languages what subtilties what infinite readings what riches of virtues and studies did fill up that Majestical sacred place And so they amuzed the after age with counterfeit value of that Council until that an Italian compiled a work of the particular ordinary Acts of that Council wherein their practices to maintain the power of the Court of Rome and to hinder the Reformation of their Eripus is plainly expressed An excellent work written in the time of King Iames and translated then into English 1618. if there were no deceit in the Writer as I have heard it pretended as that under hand he was a Protestant and so partial Having now of late 1652. with admiration beheld the horrid broyls and civil Tumults these thirteen years last past in these Western Nations of Europe how barbarously Protestants oppose and massacre each other whilest the Iesuit Projects hiss at us by the ears The Empire also having gotten but a woefull booty by her more than thirty years wars heretofore weakned her self with loss of six millions of Souldiers besides others men women and children numberless We in Great Britain having gained no better by our Civil Wars The sins of Subjects hastening untimely fate the Church delacerated our own Nations disjointed and dismembred in every part These considerations might move us to cry to Heaven for an end of such Tragedies The mysteries whereof by sundry writers take rise from the fearful blazing Star which appeared this year 1618. Longamontanus and Doctor Bambridge say That this Comet appeared but twenty eight daies for it was not observed in Denmark nor in London before the eighteenth or one and twentieth days of November But Puteanus observed it the eleventh day and so appeared thirty seven daies foreshewing that first the more Northern parts of Europe then Great Britain afterwards should feel the smart for thirty seven years even from 1618. until 1656. And not onely these Nations but the effects were to end upon all Europe and why mary because they neglect the downfal of Antichrist ruin of Rome destruction of the Order of Iesuits and State of Papistry to make way for I know not whose fifth Monarchy the Lion of the North. The matter of these Comets is variously described being some say composed of wind and lightning hot and dry exhaled by the Sun into the highest Region and there bordering the Element of fire is inflamed partly by it and the whirling motion of the Heavens And this matter whilst imprisoned in the Earth produceth Earthquakes If it ascend to the Middle Region and be from thence beaten back it turns to wind if entring that Region and being environed with thick Clouds it flashes into Lightning and if it passes to the upper Region it becomes a Comet And the common opinion promotes them as Signs and Causes prognosticating some dreadful mischiefs to the World whereof Brightman foreshewed who from Joseph Scaliger of Leyden got some Notes of Grebneer concerning those prophetical numbers in the twelve chapters of Ezekiel the three last of Revelation and the last chapter of Daniel with some passages of Hosea and Zachary But that excellent Manuscript of Johannes Bandensis de vita Grebnerii declares all In which that learned Astrologer brings reasons Divine and humane why Europe for the space of thirty seaven years following this fearful Comet should feel the Mutations of flourishing States as siuce it hath lately hapned in Portugal Swedland Bohemia Denmark Great Britain and Ireland However foretold I am sure they and we feel the sad effects and so have we mixed predictions both Astrologicall and Divine Since the spiritual Sword was sheathed in England which had lopt off the Serpentine heads of Heresie and Schism It is more then wonder how all these Sects in the whole world have with their prophecies like devouring weeds overgrown or choaked the seed of Gods word The Millenaries dream of a Personall Reign of Christ upon Earth How he shall descend 1666. and destroy all the Works of Darkâ—ess that he shall keep quarter Sessions and Goal delivery in his own person upon Mount Olivet That in anno 1700. shall be the day of Iudgement and that Iudgement last other 1700. years and a thousand other such like Fancies made familiar to us by sundry mad-headed Millenaries lately printed in 1642. 44. and 45. In anno 1650. comes another Opiniator and tells us that this year saies he all Europe being in civil Wars which shall not cease till they have mustered an Army to destroy Rome anno 1666. Then that the Western Iews shall come into the Faith of Christ and shall in anno 1683. convert the Eastern Iews being the ten Tribes hidden invisibly in Tartaria and India and these two Brethren shall ruin the Mahometan in anno 1698. aud so presently to be restored to Jerusalem and then follows the dissolution of all things and not before For my part says one in anno 1650 I am a zealous adorer of Parliaments nor desire to censure the actions of our Representative yet will not promise the term of an age to our Novel Government as hs terms it but thinks verily a change toward the old Model is neer at hand A pestilent Prophet if such should come to pass and the whole effects of Grebneer follow after And further this figure-flinger hath collected by way of Chronology upon the principal passages in Ezekiel and Revelations Grebneers and Bandensis prophecies where he observes out of the fourth Viol poured out to be in anno 1605. when the Protestant Champions Pareus Polanus Whitakers Perkins Andrews and K. James did power light upon the Sun of the Gospel against Bellarmine Stapleton Campian and other Papists Revelations 16. 8 9. The fifth Viol saies he began powring out from anno 1630. by the Swedes in Germany 1632. then the English in England 1640. and combine against Papists 1648. and shall end in Romes ruine 1666. and hath Scripture for that too Revel 16. 10 21. and so goes on to the year 1830. where he leaves the faithful to expect Dooms-day There are other Writers strongly encounter these poisonous prophecies That there is no certain predictions that Comets do not alwaiâ—s fore-run such events nor do Events follow Comets and instance wonderful fruitful blessings after such signs Peucer a Germain prognosticated upon the Comet in anno 1583 and contrariwise followed a most calm Summer no Prince dyed no war and the Plague in Lombardy then ceased Gemma Frisius spâ—aks of as many good as bad effects And the Comet in Qu. Elizabeths time in Cassiopea she being diswaded to look out of the Window upon it she went
the experience of vexation might in some degree mollifie their affections better to digest difficulties he never refused by Ambassies to both sides and to all other the intervenient Princes and States to attempt that high work of Peace first and then afterwards of Restauration of the Palatinate by other waies and means The times when these Negotiations set forward were usuall in the Kings progress or retirements from London to his Sports as was conceived but they were then chosen abroad for better leasure of business even then when Kingdoms were in dispute An art he had thus to cover his weightier Meditations for most of his Dispatches were concluded in his hunting journies Prince Charls now grown man the King had disposed to a Treaty for his Marriage with the Infanta of Spain some while since and Sir Walter Aston sent thither Lieger to fit correspondence and now conceived not improper to induce the restauration of the Palatinate by that means However it may be observed the evil success of all our former medling with that Nation in matters of marriages so malignant and disagreeing with ours Let us ravel back to the memory of the Black Prince a person of the greatest performance that Christendome can parrallel Yet in his voyage to Spain to settle Don Piedro besides their monstrous ingratitude and perfidy to him then caused also that miserable revolt in France by his absence which lost us our Inheritance there and his health ever after his body either corrupted by the air or by their Drugs impoisoned And indeed their matches with the heirs and Princes of this Crown for above six score years having been no where else except the second Marriages of Henry the eight were alwaies unhappy Prince Arthurs sudden death left his Widow to his wicked Brother with whom God was less pleased as the Match was more unlawful and therefore not a Male was left of their race only one Daughter in whose short reign of six years was more bloodshed for the true Religion than for the false in sixty years she adventuring to marry there also this discontented Nation fell into insurrections Treasons Wiats Rebellion and therefore her Husband Phâ—lip suspecting the future effects forsook her who lost Callis to the French in six daies that the English had enjoyed 200. years but altogether broke her heart and she dyed Now to parallel these foreign Matches with those at home to our own Subjects the first being by Edward the fourth and the last with Henry the eight from which two Gods blessing brought forth two Queens Elizabeths such instruments of his Glory Peace in the Land and Religion in the Church as never could produce greater examples of Happiness to England until this of King Iames who brought hither them both with him But for settling affairs at Home for his purpose abroad he resolves of a Parliament which he had thought saies one to lay them by for ever as incroachers upon his prerogative and diminishers of his Majesties glory making Kings less and subjects more than they are Certainly he had good intelligence from the Kings thoughts or else the Man had a Devilish revelation to prophesy the effects for such they proved to be afterwards But in truth the people were grown high fed with plenty and peace and pretending their zeal for regaining the Palatinate were wilde for a War with any body for any thing The King willing to let blood in that vein meant to make it his purpose and to get money to boot Some sheets of paper together is wasted by Our adversary to let in his Reader into that Parliament he saies That for the Spanish faction was Arundel Worcester Digby Calvert Weston and others Popishly affected with Buckingham and all his Train The Duke of Lenox Marquess Hamilton and Earl of Pembroke their Antagonists Such and so few were they not in anger against the King but against his Ministers a plea evermore borrowed by practical people against their Sovereigns Proceedings The Papists flourished by Gondamores power with the Ladies of England their Nieces and Daughters presenting him in their Balconies in Drury-Lane and the Strand long before any were quilt in those places and himself in a Litter but was only accosted by the Lady Jacob with a gaping Yawn telling his servant that came on the Errand to know the meaning that she had a Mouth to be stopt too which Gondamore closed with a present That this Lady was a Bawd to the beauties and poor fortunes of young Gentlewomen whose parents sent them up hither for preferment and saies that for respects to their posterities he will spare to name their persons It seems he was Pimp-Major to them all How does this diâ—â—ecting become his grave Proeme if it be his own where he saies Histories are like Anatomies if ignorance or malice attempt to hack hew or bespatter it it will be most inhumane c. And so dissect and open their own follies c. They must not cauterize and flash with malice c Therefore he that censures others and vents them for truth digs in the bowels of another and wounds himself And yet as he saies though he fly high and may rove he is sure not to light far from the mark So he there in his proeme He goes on in his History and tells us That the Earl of Buckingham now Marquess rules all That the King bought of Worster to make the Marquess Master of the Horse But in truth that antient Earl being Chamberlain also to the Queens Houshold could not attend that service and wait abroad upon the King and it was therefore his own suit and Buckingham paid him for parting with it and so was made Master of the Horse The place of Marquess is the next in honour to a Duke the title came but of late daies the first was by Richard 2. upon Robert de Vere Marquess of Dublin and so it became a Title of honour for before that time they were called Lords Marchers and not Marquesses After the Conquest as in policy they were resident upon the Confines and Borders of the Welch and other places not subdued Men of valour of high blood of the Normans with the name and privileges of Earls of Chester And for the Nort Borders of Wales to be Count Palatines And the Barons of the Middle part of the South-Marches were adorned in a manner with a Palatine Jurisdiction having a Court of Chancery and Writs among themselves pleadable least their attendance abroad might be prejudicial at home And as for the other part of the South-Marches they seemed sufficiently defended with the River Severn and the Sea By these Ascents our Marquess Buckingham climbs to succeed at this time a good and gallant old Earl of Nottingham Admiral who being almost Bedrid made Suit to the King that he might dispose of his place as a Legacy in his life time upon Buckingham which was so done and who to my Knowledge went in person
but Thomas his son was by H. 8. created Earl Marshal of England Afterwards was Seymer by Edward the sixth created Duke of Somerset and Earl Marshal of England And after him came the Grand-child of Thomas Mowbray and was by Q. Mary created Earl Marshal of England Then Robert Devereux Earl of Essex made Marshal of England by Q. Elizabeth And now this Thomas Howard Earl of Arundel and the last Earl Marshall of England But in time this Patent was divided which his greatness intended to swallow up whole And because we have done with the Keeper and his Office we will take our leave of him with this Character which here follows His Acts of Piety to the ragged and ruinous Church of Westminster new clothing warm and dry adorned with the Statues and Structures of the antient English Saints and in truth and merit set up his Master King Iames amongst them And though he sucked not the Milk of Oxford University yet he founded a decent compleat Chappel to Lincoln College there and erected the Library at Westminster as also that Eminent Structure the Library of St. Iohns at Cambridge where he had been Master for many years He had a large heart to men of learning and Arts and though his Stately gait at a blush might present him to appear proud to the common Man yet abating the nature of his Birth-place a Welch man he was not so to conversation for he made himself more familiar at the College School at Westminster than at Court not leaving that society and Mr. Osbastons Company for the consort of Courtiers at Whitehall His bounty like that of Caesar who gave gifts like a King even to mean Beggars witness a hundred pound gratuity to Monsieur du Molin a Minister of France to welcom him hither when in the Judgement of his Chaplain 20 l. had been sufficient His blaze at Court lasted out this King which by quarreling with Lawd the Arch-bishop afterwards retired him to Bugden where he lived the most Episcopal of any Priests his Predecessours how he fell from that and other waies after from worse to worst of all evil example being no rule to a Prelates conscience we leave him dead to his last account the time of Gods grace and mercy 1652. Amongst the factious party of this Parliament were a knot of discontents well mingled for Mutiny highâ—born Ambitious-bold to bear out any complottings which Subtilty suggested and Hypocrisie dissembled and got in also the plain meaning man and altogether to supplant Order of Church and State Other Characters would be counterfeit a Halter take him that would mistake them a fitter line for his long story Indeed to busie these had been junto of them of whose disposition the King was justly sensible and therefore thought fit to separate their contrivings and by proroguing the Parliament the 4. of Iune till Novem. 20. sent them home during his Summers Progress and this he did sudainly to see what they would do which as he suspected came forth in Declaration thus The Commons fair Declaration to assist the King to recover the Palatinate THE Commons assembled in Parliament taking into most serious consideration the present State of the Kings children abroad and generally afflicted estate of the true Professors of the same Christian Religion professed by the Church of England in foreign parts and being truly touched with a true sense and fellow-feeling of their distresses as members of the same body do with an unanimous consent in the name of themselves and the whole Body of the Kingdom whom they represent declare unto his most excellent Majesty and to the whole world their hearty grief and sorrow for the same and do not only join with them in their humble and dâ—vout prayers unto Almighty God to protect his true Church and to avert the dangers now threatned but also with one heart and voice do solemnly protest That if his Majestyes pious endeavours by Treaty to procure their peace and safety shall not take that good effect which is desired in Treaty wherein they humbly beseech his Majesty not to suffer any longer delay that then upon signification of his Majesties pleasure in Parliament they shall be ready to the utmost of their powers both with their Lives and Fortunes to assist him so as that by the Divine help of Almighty God which is never wanting unto those who in his fear shall undertake the Defence of his Cause he may be able to do that with his Sword which by a peaceable course shall not be effected This is well said and the King put them to Tryal sor assistance in money the sinews to help on the Treaty first and for settlement of the future effects by the Sword in case the other failed And sundry overtures and propositions amongst themselves somewhat resolving then again declined and as with the houses the like between the King and them that nothing was concluded in pursuite of their fair promises and specious pretences and so they part home to their Houses and the King to his hunting And in Autumn returns to Hampton Court where meets him Digby come home from his Ambassy with Answers dilatory and doubtful and therefore commands him to declare the particulars to the Parliament which was now set from his last Recess He tells them That his Majesty commanded him to account to them his Negotiations with the Emperour who upon advantage of fortune in the success of Bohemia hath invaded the iâ—heritance of his Son the Palatine That he was directed to treat of Peace which he seemed to incline to but the Dyet in Germany being deferred they both suffered the delay by depending on it and the Princes in the end Restitution was promised of the Palatinate which was only granted by Commission to the Duke of Bavaria until it should be otherwise settled by Peace or War That the Emperours Letters addressed him to the Duke wishing his tractable condescent to terms of peace upon which occasion he urged that he had authority from the Palatine to cause Count Mansfield to desist from War and the like from the King to Sir Horace Vere That the Duke answered He had becalmed Mansfield with money who being at quiet his peace was made To which scornful reply something he saies was answered and so departed to the Infanta at Bruxels who seemed to understand by the Emperours Letters his preparations rather for War than Peace and would give no direct answer till she heard from the King of Spain who he confesses stood at this tâ—me cleerly a Newter yet is he now prepared with five great Armies in motion which will not misbecome the Wisdome of State to fear the worst and therefore for the Kingshonour and his Sons right he presumes they will contribute not only aid to the present support but supply to invest his Son into his Inheritance But this nor what else could be said by others the true Ministers and Patriots of State could work ought out of the
continue yet to loose time And now of late upon our gratious Answer make more delay in appointing a Committee to consider of the points of our Answer concerning their privileges You shall tell them that to lessen mis-spent time we shall descend to explain our meaning Concerning what we said Not to allow of the stile Their antient and undoubted right of Inheritance which we wished that they had said Were derived from grace and permission of our Ancestours and Us for most of them grow from Presidents a Toleration rather than Inheritance And the plain truth is we cannot endure Subjects to use such Anti-Monarchical words to us except subjoined with acknowledgement of grace and favor from us Yet we never meant to deny them lawful privileges as in former times nor what they have right unto or hy Grace now and so we made that distinction either by Law or Statute or long Custom or lawful Presidents and so we shall maintain them in their Rights Therefore advises them to set afide wrangling and proceed to that which is fit for the weal of his Crown and Kingdom otherwise their curious shifts maliciously from time to time found out to frustrate the Kings good purposes to his Subjects will come to light and the Authors not thankfully rewarded Royston Decemb. 16. 1621. All these three several Admonitions of the Kings take no effect for any obedience to follow and therefore the King desirous not to dissolve them without some fruit addresses another Letter to the Speaker Richardson Mr. Speaker Whereas at the humble suite of Our House of Commons we made this Meeting a Session before Christmasse and so till Saturday next and by our Letters to take away mistakings we explained Our selves in points af their privileges and all to little purpose for preparing things necessary for a Session We think good once more to impart our mind that for the Reasons reiterated we have an earnest desire to make it a Session free pardon to the Subjects and good Laws to be passed as they have had both by the unusual examples of Iustice and â—ase and comforts by Proclamation The passing of the Subsidie the continuance of Statutes and the pardon being the most pressing to be effected and the pardon on his part now drawing up So it concerns them the Act for the Statutes And as for the Subsidie though time presses let that be no prejudice if left undon For on Saturday next he expects their performance that so they may go home to their habitations Theobalds December 17. 1921. Nor does this any more prevail but comes to be excused by way of Petition The Parliament return Thanks and Petition May it please your Most Excellent Majesty We the Knights Citizens â—nd Burgesses c. after your Majesties Letter read this morning full of grace and goodness do return our most humble and hearty thanks c. And though we have been desirous to have some good Laws passed and a Session before Christmass yet entering into serious Consideration of those things to be prepared and the straitness of time They humbly submit to the Kings Wisdom for their departure and for their re-access to perfect what is begun The Kings Reply The King returns them Answer How sorry he was this could not be made a Session Excuses himself by his former Advisoes and layes this blame before them to their face He had given Order to adjourn to the eight of February next And omits not to tell them that he expects other thanks then as they sent to him for his promises to maintain their privileges so often contained in his answers and letters explained and inlarged But for all that the King heard nothing though this message was delivered to them the next Morning and having plotted a Thin House and a late hour six a clock at night in December not a third part of their number They enter a Protestation for their Liberties in such dubious manner as may and did for the future serve to invade most of the Rights and Prerogatives annexed to the Crown for grounding the claim of their Privileges upon the Words in the Writ of Assembling the Contrivers of that Protestation craftily mentioned Super arduis Regni Negotiis but of purpose left out Quibusdam which restrains that generality to such particular cases as the King consults with them upon and the uncontroled customes of all times manifest For the King or Chancelour usually declares what things those Quibusdam are wherein he craves their advice and assistance And upon all which undutiful Protestation the King is justly occasioned to publish his pleasure for dissolution of this Parliament by Proclamation to this effect A PROCLAMATION for the dissolving the Parliament ALBEIT the assembling continuing and dissolving of Parliaments be a Prerogative peculiar to our Imperial Crown yet We are pleased to acquaint our good Subjects with the reasons of all Our publick Resolutions and actions intending to have made this the happiest Parliament in our time without imputing however to the Major part of the Members any want of their duty as hath been mutually exprest from either party Beginning in January with good harmony betwixt us so as many ages past could not parallell the like Their love to us our Iustice to them extended not only to private persons but even upon the prime Officer of Our Kingdome we found notwithstanding they mispent time in cavils yet we gave longer time continuing the Session till the eight and twentieth day of May then the Recess till the fourth of June Expressing that our Progress approaching the necessity of our Council to attend us the disfurnishing our Courts of Iustice so many Terms and the long absence of Iustices of Peace and deputy Lieatenants from their necessary duties in the Countrey Then we sent them word we would hear and answer all businesses at an appointed time They are notwithstanding in jealousie and expressed discontent yet made not their address to us and thereof we signified our pleasure to both Houses The Lords submitted to our Resolutions passed the Act for some especial Bills with commendation to the Commons which they neglect We therefore continued the Session for a Fortnight longer Our self in person offered to the Lords the passing Bills had thanks from them which the Commons the same day refuse The Grievances of England and Ireland though not presented to us were rectified by Proclamations in both Realms But during this time of Recess we mediated with the Emperour by Our Ambassadour Digby upon promise of assistance of Parliament in case that failed then we reassemble the twentieth of November and made known in particular all the transactions abroad yet some Members took inordinate liberty to treat of Our prerogative not fit to be medled withall of which we gave them warning And so reciting all the particular passages before-mentioned And therefore concludes whereas the Assembly of Parliament was adjourned untill the eight of February now next
Estate which we find in the Treaty of Mariage between Spain and England and being well assured how the ministers understand it who treated in the time of Philip the third that is that their meaning then was never to effect it but only by enlarging the Treaties and points of Mariage thereby to make use of the Friendship of the King of Great Brittain as well in matters of Germany as those in Flanders And suspecting that your Majesty is of the same opinion although the Demonstrations do not confirm it and that the Infanta Donna Maria is resolved to put her self into the Descalcas when she shall be pressed thereto I have therefore thought fit to present to your Majesty what my zeal hath afforded me the time most necessary for your Majesty with your Ministers to resolve what is fit The King of Great Brittain finds himself equally ingaged in two businesses to this Marriage moved thereto by conveniencies of your Majesties Friendship in making an Agreement with such Catholiques that he thinks are secretly in his Kingdom and so to be assured of them as likewise the honour in Mariage with one of the House of Austria and the best born Lady in the World The other is the Restitution of the Palatinate in which he is yet more engaged for besides that his Reputation is at stake there is added the love and interests of his Grand-children Sons of his only Daughter which in nature and reason of State are to be preferred what soever conveniencies might follow by dissembling what they suffer I dispute not That that Kings concernments herein are to be Governed with Art and Friendship He hath used both but as precisely not necessary I omit it But as a Maxim I hold these two Engagements to him are inseparable And for us though we make the Marriage we must fail in the other most necessary the restitution of the Palatinate Thus much supposed Having made the Marriage in the form as it is treated your Majesty and England will be ingaged in a War against the Emperour and the Catholick League and so to declare with your Arms. Or declaring for the Emperour and the League as certainly you will you will be forced to a War against England and yet your Sister married to his Son with the which all conveniencies whatsoever that were formerly thought upon will cease If your Majesty shall shew your self Newtral the first will appear very scandalous and with just Reason since in matters of less opposition than of Catholiques against Heretiques the Arms of this Crown hath taken part with the Godly against the convenient party And though at this time the French have taken the part of the Hollanders against us your pitty is such to send your Arms againsâ— the Rebels of that Crown of France leaving all the great considerations of State only because these men are enemies to the faith of the Church It will oblige your Majesty to give good occasion to those of the League to make use of France and other Catholick Princes ill-affected to this Crown as necessary for them so to do and these men against their own Religion will sement and assist the Heretiques for hatred to us and follow the contrary party only to leave your Majesty with that blemish that never hath befaln any of your Predecessours Besides the King of England will remain offended and disobliged seeing neither interests nor helpers do follow the allyance of this Crown is likewise the pretext of particular resentment for having suffered his Daughter and Grandchildren to be ruined in respect hereof For the Emperour though he be well affected and obliged to us in making the Translation at this time as business now stands the Duke of Bavaria being possesed of all the Dominions and though he would dispose all to our conveniencyes it will not be in his power to do it as your Majesty may see by the Memorial the Emperours Ambassadour gave you yesterday who make it certain Since in that List of the Souldiers that every one of the League is to pay Bavaria alone will pay more all than the rest joined together Which shews his power and intention not to accommodate matters but to keep to himself the superiority of all in this broken time the Emperour is now in the Dyet and the Translation is to be made in it I propose then for this Estate to conserve the means for a Conference with your Majesties Ministers for the Difficulty will be to find a Way to make the present Distracted Affairs straight again which with Lingring both the Power and the Time will be lost The Emperour as your Majesty knows by his Ambassadours desires to marry his Daughter with the King of Englands Son and I doubt not but he will be likewise glad to marry his second daughter with the Palatines Son Then I propound that these two Matches be made and set on foot presently giving the King of England full satisfaction in all his propositions for the more strict Union and Correspondence that he may agree to it And so all the conveniencies of allyance with us will be as full in this for it accommodates the matter of the Palatinate and the Succession of his Grand-children with his honour without blood or treasure together with the interest of the Emperour the conveniencies of England and the Palatinate and to reduce the Prince Elector that was an enemy to the obedience of the Church by breeding his Sonnes in the Emperours Court in the Catholique doctrine To conclude the business is great the difficulties greater than perchance have been in any other Case I am obliged thus to represent it to your Majesty and shall further shew what I think fit foe disposing of the things to the great Ministers of State if your Majesty please being helped with the good zeal of Count Gondamore and God his blessing therein so much for his Honour and your Majesties service Madrid Novem. 8. 1622. Olivares A wonder to some why this Bird was not hatcht in our Historians nest for it was fledged with the rest and writ you see but three daies after for Answer and might have been nestled in Mr. Prinns â—abal if either of them had been so honest as to preserve a truth Some reasons besides which animated King Iames to proceed having wasted much time of Tryal by his Ambassadours in Spain and with theirs here Gondamore a Man of subtile wit yet prevailed more with us by the advantage of time and our own distempers than by the virtue of any worth in him who having done here as you have heard was called home the last year and Don Iuan de Mendoza Marquess Inojosa with Don Carlos de Colonna sent hither Extraordinary with whom here passed more narrow overtures in the Match besides what was acted beyond Seas with such effects as are before remembred And being a mixed business of Love and State and yet in them the common good and quiet of Christendom involved standing upon
and in time might have turned to the hazard of the whole Monarchy The revolt of the Catalonians first and the whole Kingdome of Portugall following in anno 1640. The Islands and Indies after having been sixty years under the Spanish Yoke with several other considerable plumes pluckt from the Eagles wings caused this same King Philip the fourth afterwards to turn him off to his solitary home where of grief he soon dyed The Prince hastens his return the Duke staied not that time but instantly took leave to attend the English Navy at St. Anderas and ere the Prince departed from the King promises were made each to other to make Espoâ—sals ten daies after the Arrival of the next Dispensation And accordingly a Procuration was left by the Prince in Bristols hands to impower him therein And to bear the Marks of Magnificence the King presented his Princely Guest with high and eminent gifts of value and also to his Train So did the Prince if not more to the Court of Spain especially to the Infanta A Pearl Neck-Lace of incomparable value which was returned after the Breach of the Business Mr. Prinn takes the Pains to catalogue these presents not intending it I dare say for the Princes honour in the bounty And after this he takes leave The Queen and Prince in French wherein she was natural but Bristol took the Infanta's in Spanish and turned it into English which if not changed in the Dialect by his Art she seemed to deliver up her own heart in as high expressions as that language and her learning could with her honour set out But to put the Prince to his complement a Notary was present who in honour of his Highness took it upon Record the antient custome from the Mighty Empires of the East the Scribe to lift up his right leg and rest the heel upon the left Knee and so writes The King accompanied the Prince to the Escurial in his way to the Sea a most Magnificent Structure the eighth Wonder of the World and Descriptions come short I shall satisfy Curiosity with the Princes accompt thereof at his return home when he advised such as would throughly be acquainted to take the pains as he did To go and see it Leaving the Relation to Coriats Discription whose pilgrimage thither some years ago was perfected farther upon his Ten-To for he died about Ganges in the East-Indies After a Feast here in his way to the water side a Stag was roused and as if trained up to the chase he leads the hunt directly for the Journey and also as if by consent falls down in a Copice where at hand in a full grown wood they were refreshed with cool air and a curious Banquet seeming rather by Destiny than Design seeing all accidents agreed in the impossibility of any prefixed plot This Holocaust Sacrifice concludes their parting which the very beast express'd in tears And truly a Sudden sadnesse and murmur amongst them all In which general silence the Kings complement came breathing out Sir said he Men most eminent are famed by their Adventures and that your Person might give President to after times Your Highness hath taken hazard by the hand in comming hither Such Attempts in high Born Princes are without example which hath tyed up Two in mutual conjunction of Love and Honour and on my part with exceeding Obligation The Prince replyed Under protection of Your Sacred Majesty all Difficulties turn to Delight so great influence flows from You as to bind up My observance to honour Your Person Espâ—cially in preserving My Memorie with Grace and favour to me the most devoted to My Dearest Mistress The Rubrick of the day shews it the twelfth of September Anno 1623. when with imbracings they parted and a Pillow of Marble forthwith erected there with inscriptions for perpetual memory the Princes departure And therefore a false scandal on the King to have any Design to stay the Prince had he not outstript the rest The Prince hastens to the Sea-side waited on by numbers of the Spanish Cardinal Zapata the Marquess Aytone the Condies of Barajos Montare and Gondamore newly created the height of all his preferments for all his Dissemblings And Don Mendoza de Alcarnes had commission to the King of Great Brittain and command to wait on the Prince and so to congratulate his adventurous Journey into Spain and his safe return into England And from hence into Flanders Germany and Italy to make known to all those Princes and Potentates Allies and Confederates the neer approaching and consummation of the marriage and unity of both Nations The beauty of Our gallant Navy for in bigness of bulk theirs exceed occasioned an invitation of them by the Prince aboard his Ship then called the Prince Royal. The pleasant evening invites the Prince to accompany his Guests in his Barge back to the Shore they had day enough and coolest when latest the best recreation Besides they gave it as a complement to take a Round of the whole Fleet which took up more time that had like to have been their last for they were all almost lost It becomes a Story of Princely hazard to tell out the Tale when the Recovery takes delight from the danger The Barge-men have a custom at the Oar to be cheered up by the Boat-swains whistle to which One and All with courage and force strain their brawny Limbs untill they crack again with such a gird as might seem hazardous to divide the Barge and pull themselves asunder This over-wantonly done with too much daring put them to want it when they came to danger For now the damp fog fixes and descends to the deeps the Sun in shame sincks down to she Sea the winds begin to whistle and ere they apprehend danger death seems to seize them with several distractions A monstrous shower of Rain thickned the face of Heaven so dark as Hell and yet the Stars were seen affording but light to discern more dread The Sea with flames do burn and yet sad clouds do sink down shores of tears as if to quench them Yoâ— would have thought the waves to heaven had wrought and heaven to seas had sank No place for Art or force The Sea-men inured to Tryals yet now grow fearful horrour possesses all No Card or compass aboard They steered to and fro doubtful what to do but to drown and first to pray which they did and thereby were directed with wondrous chance to the glimpse of a candle being the Lanthorn of an outlying ship Hope helpt the worn-out Rowers to recover their faint hearts and yet with difficulty doubling the former danger it was impossible to clap aboard so mighty were the billows to bulge the Barge But up they get and all safe for his sake the Prince of men and of such a mind above the Power of all but fortune Seas or Wind. And in their company departs Mr. Clark the Dukes Attendant sent
by the Prince to see the Spanish Train safe at home and to bring back that good News to England This complement had more of business for he carried commands under the Princes hand to Bristol not to deliver the Procuration left in his charge till further Order from England upon the extremest peril to his person It seems the Prince was not then over-earnest in the Match Bristol bounded with this Restriction by which he foresaw the fraction having by agrement ten daies limitted after the Dispensation should come and so time to consider what to do for Clark having no order to return with any answer Bristols actions were by him narrowly observed and advice thereof sent home to the Prince by whose intelligence the jealousie upon Bristol was heightned to crimes almost to his after destruction The fifth of October lands the Prince at Portsmouth and the next day posts to London with unspeakable Love in the Peoples welcome and therefore expressed in feasting and Bonefires with little refreshment he hasteth to Royston the Kings usual abode for the air in Autumn who receiving the particular and just accompt of the Devices of Spain and communicated to the Council it was concluded to acquaint a Parliament with all the proceedings which was resolved with speed February following Then Letters were sent to the Earl of Bristol intimating the true sense in the King and his Council of the Spanish Forms and delaies which the Wisdom of the Prince by his own presence and conversation discovered most abusive But to meet in the jusling and yet to bring theirs to maturity He was to suspend the Proxie till Christmass though the Dispensation should come the power mentioned in the Procuration being no longer of force the Execution after that time would prove invalid and because the honour of England shall be preserved throughout he was to review his former Instructions concerning the Restitution of the Palatinate and his Son-in-Laws Electoral Dignity and to presse them as inherent with the Marriage But all these Items he was to reserve to himself without discovery untill the Dispensation should set those Demands on foot Bristol bound up by this Express durst not break out the least limits to discover his own dislike to his Overlookers Aston and Clark but in publick set out the Preparations of England in more expensive proportion than those Provisions of Spain for accomplishing so glorious a Marriage which put the Spaniard into a firm opinion how powerfully he had captivated the English credulity That the Ambassadour for Poland then at Madrid Seeing the Corrival of his Masters Son had got assurance of his Mistress took leave of his woing and went home with the Willow Garland For now the Dispensation come Bone-fires and Bells-jangling were signals through Spain of the mutual joy of Prince and people And few daies after the Marriage was prefixt with all possible preparations of State and Solemnity both for the present dependance and future reference even to the Ordering of her voyage to England in March after When in the interim fresh commands confirming the former by several Expresses for failing Bristol opens to King Philip his Masters resolutions That having with vast expence and inâ—inite patience expected the effects of his just desires with hazard of the Prince his Person to consummate his part in the Treaty that nothing might lodge upon the King of Englands honour so highly preserved with all Potâ—ntates of Europe and therefore unless the Restitution of the Palaâ—inate and the Electoral Dignity were included the Treaty of Mariage was 〈◊〉 to take end The King troubled to be over-reached and to see it without remedy fairly answered That those Demands were not in his power to effect the one unâ—â—â— the command of the Emperour the other in possession of the Duke of Bavaria and if those could not be reduced with reason he would with Arms asist the Kings part against them or others in that behalf And not long after the Spaniard taking it in earnest and Bristol having no motion to any further address had order in honour to the King of Spain to expect no more audience nor to send conveyance of any more Letters to the Infanta and by publick command none should call her hereafter Princess of England as in honor to the Match they had usually stiled her and Bristol prepared to return home The twelfth of February the Duke of Richmond dyed that morning being found dead by his Dutchess whom she left slumbering as she thought somewhat early when she arose and therefore forbore his disquiet until the late hour seemed necessary to call him up to the Parliament but gently withdrawing the Curtains he was found dead without the least Symptomes of any warning to shew distemper in his body This sudden amazement to all caused the King instantly to adjourn the meeting till the 19. day after Various conceipts were rumoured of his hasty end which according to the peoples fancies suffered several conjectures some attributing his death to an Apoplexie to a Surfeit to Poyson which served saies one as a forerunner to the King for he will have him impoisoned also The Parliament meet at the day assigned and the King greets them In effect thus That to justify himself and willingness with frequency to advise with his people He urges it by way of Parable in Christ and his Church so he saies as Husband to them his Spouse the effects of communion with Man and Wife is often visiting each other There being two waies of Love in a King and his people ordinary and particular administration of Iustice and by communicating with his Parliament For the first that his Government hath been without errour he cannot say but does truly avouch it before God and his Angels that never King governed with more pure sincere and uncorrupt heart from intention and meaning of Error or imperfection in his Reign The other part he imparts as a secret importance to his estate and children These waies as they procure love of his People and of them he acknowledges the effect whom the Parliament represents so he desires That they would effectually present the Peoples Loves to him as a true Mirrour not as a false Glass otherwise than it should be In a word he falls upon the Matter The match of his Sonne wherein they cannot but know his time spent his cost His Reasons Advancement of his Estate and Children and peace of Christendome depending too much upon fair hopes and promises with the necessary hazard of his Son to prosecute his desires in Spain and with him Buckingham to wait his Commands who are returned not with such effect as was desired nor altogether without profit For it took forth a point of Wisdome Qui versatur in universalibus c. is easily deceived the Generals affording others ways to evade and means to avoid effects The particulars too many for him to relate he refers them to the Prince
the pulse of that State Sir Henry Rich Lord Kensington was sent over singly and at his own time and discretion to mannage the discovery of the French affections and then to present himself with his credence He arrived in no publique splendour at Paris on Sunday after Noon and was informed that the King intended the next morning a journey for five or six daies to Shantelie a House of Momorancies and therefore in private Kensington gave visit to the Duke of Chevereux who with his Lady were appareling for instant Actors in the Queens Mask and within an hower came the Queen Regent and Madame and in an hours view might have this chataâ—ter The Sweetest Creature in France her growth as her age little her Discourse discreet and quick and had the report of Wisdom beyond her years and for additions of grace she was said to dance and sing most sweetly I am fure she lookt so My Lord had reason to suspect the Queens reserve towards him she being Spanish and so not well pleased with the breach of her Sisters match But she was changed so much French as to grace him with her hand The King was told of Kensington and because of his journey next Morning purposed to receive him an Ambassadour as some had suggested to him untill Chevereux assured him the contrary his comming meerly to kiss his Majestyes hand and see the glory of his Court this Christmass and so was taken to the Masque danced by sixteen the greatest Princesses of France with whom the King and his Masquers the last Tuesday were now by lot to dance with these Ladies and all these and the Court besides so infinitely rich in Iewels golden and silver dressing being there forbidden as their apparel almost all â—mbroidered and thick with Diamonds and Pearl as usually with purl I doubt not but some counterâ—eit or else you might have suspected the wealth of that nation on their backs The presence of a Stranger somewhat publique presented to each persons caress made most men acquainted with State to judge the plot of his Journey was rather to set an edge upon Spain to cut off delayes than to cut the throat of that business The Kings weakness or indisposition to affairs gave leave and time to Queen Mother to mannage all who receiving an humble visit by Kensington to kiss her hands she entered discourse of the Spanish Allyance The Treaty said he had suffered many Delaies and was annulled Though the Spanish Ambassadour there had given it out to be concluded on purpose to prevent conjunction with France which he suspected and his design got credit with some persons of power seeing Kensington had no Credentials positive to speak to the purpose Yet from others and not the meanest he apprehended the affections of that State generally prepared to receive offers of Amity and Allyance when the dissolution of the other shall be declared Indeed the Savoy Embassadour there said That the intention of the King of Spain was for a Cross Match with France for himself But the late abuse upon the English in that way made the French wary and hastily to bite at that bate Yet the reasons of State were not unequal Our Design was double both Marriage and League against Spain And if the French should match with Spain and so hold us to hard conditions they have the safer ground for they may expect restitution of the Valtoline as we do demand the Palatinate these two being the open quarrels on both parts to ground And these doubts were suspected to draw on a tedious Treaty and therefore it was thought fit by the English to insist upon the Match and bring on the League necessarily to follow and to have reasonable conditions concerning Catholiques in England Indeed the necessity of the French Affairs least Spain that hath begirt them should in time swallow them up was like to make this Match easie enough for the English the alarm being fresh in Court from the Spaniards raising a fort upon the ruin to command the Town of Liege Queen Mother suspecting that Kensingtons errand was in earnest by degrees gave him incouragement to speak plain though it was his part to plead and wo too without any signal The Duke of Chevereux and Le Grand of credit and power both were the men this Design most affected Kensington bore the Princes Picture tackt to his Breast limm'd in little in a Case of set Diamonds which the Queen would offer to open as to shew the Ladies which they would as often desire to please her Majesty who me thought did love to look on it She wishing that some good occasion might make them meet and she might see him like himself But because Madam could not in modesty or honor get a glance of his shadow she in private delt with a Madamoselle that had some interest in one of the Lords Family to borrow the Picture and so in secret to gaze her fill where in much hast she opened the Picture and discovered her passions her blushes not concealing her inward affections to his person which she prized by praising his Picture in presence of him that saw her Two mouths calmed the way unto the Mother she and Le Grand advised to move the King if this business were fitted to the full But Kensington declined as not to deliver the King his Masters inclination unless he might receive the return answerable to a due respect and value of the Proposition Of which being assured he took his opportunity to withdraw the K. towards the window and told him That his journey to France was singly his own inclination to honour and serve him and therein to discover how the Prince of Wales would be free and disingaged from the Spanish Treaty not finding them to his expectation in such particulars as principally should invite a Conjunction And therefore the Duke of Buckingham had exercised his interest with the King and Prince to convert those thoughts towards his Majesty from whom it was perswaded nothing but truth and honour would be returned as an advantage to both Nations And believed that if the King would shew a disposition inclineable the effects would soon confirm the end of his comming free from other Designs than what he now expressed The King often uncovered said He had not heard that the Match with Spain was as yet broke the just cause for him to be reserved But assured him in general That any propositions from the King of Great Brittain should be heartily received This was short for his Imperfection of extream stammering by nature made him usually speak very little whose affection if one might Guess by his courtesy would have said more as most of the Ministers of that State did And that nothing to them was more equal than Amity and Allyance with England This entrance encouraged Kensington to discover himself and letters of Credence to the King and so was quallified to treat fuâ—ther And to increase more than
Jealousies in the young Count Soissons who had some hopes of pretensions towards Madame but now discouraged and the more upon discourse of the Cardinal Rochfalcaut with his Mother to take off all expectation That in this Conjunction of Affairs the King would no doubt prefer his Sister into England with advantage of his Dignity and her Honour and though he loved the Count he would counsel his Master to the contrary with him Soissons encountring Kensington had his salute due to his rank a great Peer of the Blood who disdainfully turned aside and so a second time in presence of Grandmont he told it to the Marquess de la valesse a Confident of the Counts who conveys it to Soissons and was answered That he affords no better Countenance to Kensington whom he hates not but his errand which he resented so ill as were it not the behalf of so great a Prince he had a heart to cut Kensingtons throat And so retires out of Town This boldness of him to aver Corrival with our Prince and abuse of his Minister made Kensington begin the quarrel with a Challenge which the Count accepts but the former passages were so narrowly observed with the publick interest and honour of that State so neerly concerned that the Count was secured and Kensington seized into several Courtships as made it not possible to try the Combate but were both made Friends by the King The Treaty on foot and the Match mannaged most by the Constable Monsieur de Vieuxville who after some disgusts upon the peoples interest was for that secured from their rage by a seeming imprisonment and after rewarded by publique preferment being the Queen Mothers Instrument also to enter her neerer Favourite Cardinal Richlieu her Confessor and great Confident and now introduced him also into the Cabinet Council composed of the Queen Mother the Cardinals Rochfalcour and Richliew the Constable and the Guard de Seaux To assist Kensington comes over Carlile with joint Commission to ballance the French Council The first difficulty likely to be insisted upon was Religion wherein they were told the course that King Iames might be driven unto to banish Iesuits and Priests and quicken the Laws against other Catholicks in necessity of reducing them within the bounds of obedience correspondent to the expectation of Parliament now sitting for without them this work of weight could not proceed which with much altercation was at last resented as reason upon hope of Moderation herafter which was all they pretended unto And that the Grace theeof might the rather flow from the mediation of that State so much stood upon by Spain to save their honours therein who otherwise would be held Hâ—reticks And their good inclination forthwith appeared in the publick Treatment of the Ambassadours for some time at the Kings charge which so heightned them thereafter that their Expence so Magnificently profuse was never matched by any Many subtilties lengthened the Treaty the French following the former way of the Spanish delay from their several Overtures to cross ours and ministred an excuse Of unseasonable concluding in this conjuncture of time when such great changes are apt to beget jealousies from neighbour States And this was cunningly fomented by the Spanish Ambassadour who vaunted That there is not a greater change in La Vieuxville his preferment who governed all as there is in the General affections which follow the stream of his greatness and credit Casting in the Kings mind the Seeds of doubt whereto Olivares in Spain did contribute his Rodimentado to Bristol not yet come home That if the Pope should grant a Dispensation for France his Master would march to Rome and sack it However Kensington who was more interessed to press the Princes affection than his Collegue Carlisle had leave to make Address unto Madame at some distance yet neerer than before with such commands as the Prince had intrusted to him which Queen Mother would know No saies the Baron that were in example to the like prejudice which the Spaniard put upon the Prince She replyed The Case is different there he was in person here but by Deputy But yet such a Deputy saies Kensington that represents his Person Mais pour tout celas dit elle qu' est ce que vous diret Rien dit ille qui ne soit digne des orcilles d' une si virtueuse Princesse Mais qu' est ce said she Why if your Majesty will needs know it will be much to this effect and so in a way of freedom exprest it thus That your Majesty hath afforded me liberty of free Discourse presenting his Highness service not by complement but by passions of affections which both her outward and inward Beauties the virtues of her Mind hath so inlightened his resolve as to contribute his utmost to her allyance as the greatest happiness here upon Earth if the Success might minister occasion to manifest his Devotion in adoring her And going on Aller aller said she il ny a point de danger en tout cela je me fie en vous se me fie But I dare say he said more to Madame who drank down the joy and with a low courtesie acknowledged it to the Prince addiâ—g her extream obligement to his Highnesse in the happiness of meriting such eminent place in his good graces Then turns he to the old Ones that guard her Ladies saies he Since the Queen grants me these freedomes It would not ill become your Ladyships to speak and do suitable Letting them know that the Prince had Madames Picture in the Cubinet of his heart as well as in his hand and so fed his Eyes and Soul with sight and contemplation until he should be blessed with her person This serving as a second Courtship to Her self who no doubt took up each syllable as it fell from him and such success followed that Carlile had the Garter of Saint George sent him snd the Baron converted to an Earl and called Holland The Princess appearing more in publique Her Court and Train inlarged and though our Embassadours had to do with harsh and subtile Clergy and the rest resolute Statists yet so reasonable were the conditions on both sides as that the Articles were received by King James not long before his death but not sworn unto as some do say that he did and worse would make us believe That Carliles comming was to delay the Treaty in hope of renewing that with Spain A scandal â—evised to make the King odious and the Prince inconstant for the copied Articles of several Transactions and the original Dispatches are to be produced in answer to all And thus was the business mannaged abroad until she came over to be Queen of England These were times of Tryal at home Inquisition upon all Mens actions the King being willing to expose his greatest Ministers who escaped not the censure The Lord Treasurer Cranfield is questioned for mismannaging the Exchequer
released out of the Tower and banished The Borderers conâ—er and quarrel Morâ—ons wiâ—e submission Anno 1574. The Ministers stiled Praecisians Duke Castle-herauld dies His Character and Issue Oâ—mston executed for the Kings murder Heriots death Characterâ— Anno 1575. Inovation in Church by Melvil agaiâ—st Episcopal â—unction The Regent misgoverns Q. of Scoâ—s designed to dy Anâ—oâ— d'Peres in Englan Anno 1576. Don Johnâ— design blâ—sted in thâ— bud Maâ—gariâ—e old Countess Lenox dies Her Royal descent and Issue Anno 1577. Conâ—pâ—rators against the Regent Arguile and Athol at variance Forerunner of the Regents fall Complaintâ— agâ—inst Morton which the Miniâ—â—ry increase Regent offers to resign Is deposed The King 12. years old is Crowned A sactioâ— Geneve Synod Melvin Morton plots reâ—enge by the Eâ—rl of Mar. Anno 1578. Randolph Ambassadour Parliament Royal disagree and are made Friends Coyn overvalued The Chancellor impoisoned by Morton Parliament the Kings royal appearance His Speech Actâ—â—or Religion Aubigny Stuart in great favour But disliked there and in England Qu. Eliz. Messengeâ— neglected Anno 1580. Burleighs speech to the Scots Ambassadour Morton disconten tretires Charged with the late Kings Murther Randolph rides post from Q Eliz. abuses his privilege of an Ambassadour Anno 1581. Morâ—on beheaded with his own Ax. His character Ruthen created â—arl of Gowry Q. Mary writes to Q. Eliz. Anno 1582. Which troubles her conscience Surprize of the King at Ruthen Removed to Edenburgh and are confirmed by the Clergy Ambassadours ill used The King Orders to feast them but the Kirk command a fast Buchanans deaâ—h and Character The King freeth himself Anno 1583. Ambassadour from England pleaâ—s for the Rebels The late D of Lenox children prefeâ—'d factious Lords submit The Ministers meddle Melvils ill manners Gowry imprisoned His confession Anno 1584. Petition Arraignment His excepâ—â—ons Condâ—mâ—ed and executed His Character Some Ministers for medling fled to England Declarations and Acts of State They reply with Letters to Edenburgh Aâ—d are sharply 〈◊〉 Designâ— in England for Queen Mary Wade an Envoy to Spain Anno 1585. Mary proposeâ— conditionâ— The Kirk disquiet A Parliament The Kings sâ—premacy and other Lawes confirmed Ministers fly into England Presbyters equivocation Divers executed for Conspiracies Anguâ— and other Fugiâ—ives in Engl. Insolâ—nt Arran made Chancellour his great pâ—â—r in State Maxwel misused takes arms against the L. Johnston Arran declines in Qâ—een Elâ—zabeths favoâ— Holy League Wootton sent Ambassâ—dour to Scotland Propositions of a Mariage with Denmark The Lords conspire and declare Wotton ploâ—s with them and posts home The Lords seize the King at Sâ—erlin treat 1567. Parl. cap. 2 1572. Acts 46. 48. 54. 1573. Acts 55. 1578. Acts 63. 1579. Acts 69. Acts 71. 1584. Acts 130. 132. 133. 1587. Acts 23. Anno 1586. 1597. Acts 231. 1606. Act. 2. 6. 1617. Act. 1. Buchanan See his de juâ—egni Pag. 50 usque 57. Davison The 〈◊〉 trulâ— stated Genevians Whittingham Goodman Gilby Whitehead Coverdale Orthodox men Scory Barlow Cox Beacon Bale Parkhoâ—st Grindal Sands Nowel Wisdom Jewel Udal Penry Martin Gilby and others See after anno 1591. Learned Hooker Cartwrights and others League offensive and defensive England and Scotland Against the holy League of Papists Return to Quâ—â—â—aries story Remoâ—â—â—â— inâ—o custody â—o Pawlet â—rdundel 〈◊〉 Northumberland pistols himself Babingtons Treason Pooley Beâ—â—ayed by Gifford a Priest Gifford a false Priest Traytors all execuâ—ed Gifford sent â—nto France and there impoisoned Qâ— of Sâ—ots câ—mes to her Tryal The manner L. Chancelloâ—rs Speech Her Answer Chancellouâ—s Reply Gawdy Queen Queen Queâ—n Treasurer Queen Queen Queen Sentence against the Qu. of Scots Opinions of her Sentence A dâ—legate Parliamâ—nt require Execution Q. Elizabethâ— cunning reply Sentence proclamed King Jameâ— perplexed â—ends Keith to Qâ— Eliz With several directions The Queens Answer Oâ—her Lâ—tters more câ—lm and Ambassâ—doâ—â—s Ambassadoâ—rs reason with the Queen The King writeâ— to Gray â—nd Leicester to the King So does Walsingham to the Lord Thirlstan False Taleâ— Scotland in disorder The Ministers refuse to pray for their Qu. Cooper a saucy Minister Is committed More letters from the K. A Mandate for execution Davison Beâ—le The manner of her Execution Her featurâ—â— Her apparelled Comes forth of her chamber Commissioners receive her who speaks with Melvin her maâ— And to the Commissioners Who denie heâ— some requests At which she weepâ— And they yield and she comeâ— to the Scaffold Sits down Bealeâ— speech Dr. Fleâ—cher Dean of Peterboroughs exhortation She interrupts him He prayed for her Her demeanor in Prayers Executioners and servants disrobe her Her servants sorrowful She kneels at the Block And is executed 46. yeers old 18. yeers prisoner Observable her Dogs dâ—meaner Her Corps buried in the Cathedral of Peterborough Magnificently removed by K. James to Westminster 1612. Her Epitaphs Q. Elizabeths Letter to the K. of Scots Davison sentenced in Star-chamber His apology unto Walsing Foul play on all hands Walsinghams Letter to pacifie the K. Walsinghams Letter to the L. Thirlstan The Kingâ— deportment upon his Mothers death Whom Queen Elizabeth caressed Anno 1587. Designs upon the King to revenge Designs in Scotlaand Earl Aâ—gus dies bewitcht His Character Civil broylâ— in Scotland to kill the Lord Thirslton by Gray accused of Treason also He was banished A Parliament the King reconciles the Lords And endeavours to do so by â—he Kirkmen who refuse mediation Borderers in â—â—wd Hunsdon Ambassador to Scotlaâ—â— Ambassadours about the mariage with Denmark Jesuitâ— arrive in Scotland Kirk-men insolent Anno 1588. and in mutiny for Gibson Gibsons abâ—se of the King He flies into England to the Schismaticks Puritans of England Martin f. 780. Maxwell in Rebellion is pursued by the King Maxwell fliâ—â— Caâ—tles rendered Taken Prisoner Rumouâ— of the Spanish Navy The Kings Speech The Chancellors opinion Bothwell perswades to invade England Col. Semples false designs is rescued by Huntley who is dismissed the Court. Q. Elizabeths message The narration of the Spanish Navy The number of particulars Officers Their Design with Parma The first approach Anno 1589. Defeated by a Sâ—ratagem of fire ships Several Shipwracks Great Losses prophecies Scots Catholiques disâ—ayed Huntly writes to Parma So doth Arrol And so do Huntley Crawford and Maxwell Catholique Lords Rebell Design how to meet Queen Elizabeth writes to the King Proclamations against Jesuits who join with the Rebels The King incourages his forces Commission ers sent to â—etch the K. Bride from Denmark Rebells submit and are committed Ministers make work The Kingâ— design to meet his Queen in Norway The cause and maner therof with further directionâ— What Lords shall govern and how He maries the Queen And goes forward to Denmark Anno 1590. And returns to Scotland The Queens Coronation by a Minister E. of Arundel arraigned in England Popes Bull. Condemned pardoned English expedition to Portugal land at the Groyne Colâ—mella Plâ—niâ— Navars title to France Holy Leaguâ—rs Guiâ—es â—â—râ—hred Henry 3. murâ—hered Justified by the Pope Q. Elizabeth
seas 1652. The Kings grace and preferment to all those Rescuers The Thaâ—ksgiving day settled by Parliament Hendersons confession of the whole matter Testimouy of the Arch-biof St. Andrews The Ministâ—rs refuse to give God thanks for the Kings delivery They are silenced The King forewarned out of Italy of Poyson Prince Charls born The Life and Death of John Cragg Minister Esâ—ex his Treason His descent Heâ—r to his Father His entrance into Court by the Earl of Leicester His great â—â—ferments His contemporaries Sir Ch. Blunt and Generâ—l Norris Essex goes into Ireland and lands at Dublin His Mâ—ssengers Trâ—asonâ— with Tyrone Warrens confession Woods confession Resolves how to return into England And lands with a 100. Gentlemen September The Queen offended He is committed And censured Consults of Treason with Cuff his Secretary Blunt and Davis confession Blunts confession Their plot For the Tower For the Court And for the City Nevils confessions The day of Preparation February â— He is sent for to the Council Earl Rutlands confesion The day of rebellion Council sent to Essex house Essex pretences And Southhamptons The multitude clamour Secures the Counsel and goes into the City Earl Rutlands confe ssion Proclamed Traytor Earl Rutlands Confession Forces oppose â—ssex Encounter at the west end of Pauls some slain He returns home by water and is besieged by land and by water Submits the same day Essex executed Southampton reprieved Blunt sent Deputy of Ireland Tyrone had friends in the English Court The Popâ—s pardon to the Râ—bells Anno 1601. George Carews service Spanish designes Treat with English commissioners at Bulloine Dispute precedencie and titles Priority disputed And defended for England Battel of Newport in Flanders Prince Maâ—rice his forces Anno 1601. The Arch-Dukes forces Battel Anno 1600. 1601. The Danes deny the English to fiâ—h Anno 1601. The King congratulates the defeat of Essex's Treason The Queens Answer Pope Clement his Bulls against Scotland An Assembly Davidson's Letter to them He desires a new Translation of the Bible 1601. The Duke of Lenox Ambassadour into France From thence comes into England and returns home The siege of Ostend Marshal Byron sent to the Queen executed after Irisâ— money abased 160000. per annum Spanish land in Ireland are defeated 24. December and depart home Ecclesiastick Papists at difference Seculars set out the Jesuites in their Colours Anno. 1602 Both are banished England Geneve besieged the peoples contribution of â—ony The Isle Lewis reduced to the Kings Commands The undertakers Macklond flyes to Sea and takes Balcolmy Mordock Executed The new Planters beaten out of all and again attempted but to no purpose Bruce the Minister his 〈◊〉 Mowbrays intent to kill the King He breaks his own neck Anno 1601. The French Ambasladours in England Delivers Letters to Cecil and discourses with him Cecils answer Anno 1602. The Kings answer to the Earl of Northumberland Spaniards drove out of Ireland Ter Oen submits to mercy Charges of the Irish War in the four last years and a half 1198717. l. 9. s. 1. d. The Queens ominous remove to Richmond in January past hope of recovery The Court custome Counsellours come to her Q. Elizabeth dies on a Thursday so did her Father and all his children Basilicon Doron See Boltons Lectures p. 13 14 x 5. Answer to the Libell of England p. 176 185. Wâ—stonus in peroratione ad Academicos Dilemma in King James What to do in reference to his Inheritance in England The King settles affairs in Scotland in Religion Bacilic on doron And ordering his Nobility He preferred faithfull servants near his person Bazilicon Doron and disposing himself for his Succession Q. Elizabeth not willing to publish her Successor Q. Elizabeth dies King James proclamed and Letters sent to him Anno 1603. The King returns them thanks Borderers executed The King sets out for England With his Lords Howards Caecil At York met by the President of the North. A Notable P. esent The grand Officers meet the King Wiggen Theobalds Counsellors sworn And Knights made De moribus Germanorum The dignity of a Knight The King comes to Charter-house in London and creates Honors Barons created Beaton Arch-Bishop of Glascow dies in France Queen Ann sent for Her desire to seize the Prince See 1595. pa. 183. The Garter sent to the King of Denmark Sir Henry Wootton sent to Venice The Pope and Senate at Variance St George's Feast ar Windsor Order of the Garter Of St George's story Earls created at Windsor Hist. Gr. Brit. p. 7. Of Earls their dignity Barons their dignity The King Qâ—een crâ—wned at Wâ—stminster in that 〈…〉 Hist. Gr. Brit. p. 6. Coronation Oath Knights of the Bath their manner of creation Digression concerning Imperial Rule Emperour Spain France England Charlâ—s cunning Is made Emperour But to little effect He tacks about with England Queen Mary Queen Elizabeth French interest and condition Empire Dane Swede Switzâ—rs Italy Muscovite Spain the most Monarchall King James Interest Of the consequences of War and Conquests Peace and the â—ffâ—cts Of success in evil and the consequence of good Preface to the History of the World Sir Walter Ralegh's Treason Court and Character of King James p. 31. Hist. Gr. Brit. p. 4. His birth and breeding His Imployments Occasion of his preferment Envied in Courâ— His Preferments by the Queen His Conspiracy and manner of Treason Laurencie His Arreignment at Winchester His Inditement June 1603. Two parts Brooks his confession Cobham's confession Cecils speech Cobham's confessions Laurencie's confession Ralegh desires his Accusers to be present Ralegh at first discovers Laurencie Cobham singularis testis Cobham's last Letter condemned Ralegh Ralegh desires his Answers to be read Tryalls of the â—â—st 1 Sam. 9. The Kings Letter of Reprieve for three of them Court and Charact. p. 35. Hist. Great Brit. p. 4. Observations of the Tryall Presbyterians perplez the King Proclamation against them Knox to the Cominaltie fol. 49. Knox. apeal fol. 30. Knox. Hist. pag. 372. fol. 78. Buch. de jure Regni pâ— 13. pa. 25. 38. 40. 62. 70. Buch dâ— jure Regni pa. 49. Knox. apeal fo 26. Buch. de jure regni pa. 53. pag. 57. ibid. 57. ibid. 57. ibid. 57. ibid. 50. 57. Knox. Hist. pa. 504. Declar. B. 1. 2. Knox hist. p. 523. 527. Knox Instit 534. Declar. B. 2. Epistol 79. Declar. B. 3. B. Act Parliament Cap. 4. Declar. B. 3. Declar. 1582. Parl. 1584. Ca. 7. Declar. 1585. Cap. 2. 3. 4. 8. Conference at Hampton-Court See Confer at Hampton-Court The Kings private Demands Confirmation Absolution Opponents Doctrine Answer 1. Elizabeth Falling from grace Licensed Ministers Confirmation Opponent Answer Opponent Catechism Answer Opponent Translation of the Bible Opponent Answeâ— Opponent Answered Subscription Opponent Answer Opponent Answer Surplice Opponent Answer Of Mâ—tâ—imony Opponent Discipline Opponent Answer 1 Cor. 14. Acts 11. Answer High Commission Ex officio Opponent Answerr Opponent Answer Proclamation for Uniformity Against Jesuits Presbyters displeased
whom adjoyn the Clanchattons and Dunbars Huntley advertised that Murray and Athol were to confederate with those Glamis in Forres intends to dissolve that knot ere it were hard bound but before he came they fever themselves and Murray returns to Huntley's way lay by the House and some of his men braving thereabout they within discharge some Shot which killed Gordon and for which Huntley invades the other with Forces and Murray assisted by Arroll his Cosin prepare to defend These tidings came to the King whose command separates each one to his own home which served the turn for a time but brake out in disorder after Another of the same nature an antient emulation of the Kers the one of Cesfords Family the other of Farnherst for the Wardenry of the Middle Marches and the Provostry of Iedbury which the Heir of Farnherst William Ker a young Spark maintains to the death and in a Trial of Theft before the Council for English Goods stollen it was taken as done in spleen and derogate to the honour of Sir Robert Ker of Cesford the Fellow being his follower The lady Cesford of an haughty heart never ceased peuling until her Son had basely murthered the other These were men of good repute wise and of great courage and of much loss to the Borders the one dead the other undone who fled for his life until he made a large satisfaction for maintenance of the fatherless children and by Marriage with the Chancellours Niece came again to his Family and into favour We have hinted heretofore of the Northern Nations much inclining to Witchcraft and in Scotland those of great Families this Winter produced many Examinations Agnes Simson the wife of Kieth a Matron of a grave and settled behaviour she declared that her Familiar appeared in a visible form and resolved her doubts concerning the Life or Death of any she used to call him Holla Master Ho la in Spanish Who is there as he directed her and confessed that Bothwell bid her inquire of the Kings Reign Life and Death whom the Devil undertook to destroy but failing confessed to her not to be in his power speaking words in French which she understood not but could repeat them Il est homme de Dieu Another one Richard Graham confessed the like against Bothwell which was the cause of his Commitment out of which he escapes by corrupting his Keeper and so far guilty hath his Doom of Forfeiture and is denounced Traitor the Proclamation speaks That he being tender in bloud to the King and further advanced in Honors and Offices above his Birth having heretofore in an unnatural humor committed Slaughters raised Arms against his Majesty and practised with strangers against the Religion and whereof his Conviction in May 1589. was superseded in hope of amendment but since heaping Treasons he concluded with the consult of Witches against the Kings Life as by confession of sundry persons appears and for all being committed he hath broken Prison and thereby taken these Crimes upon him which concludes him a Traitor But he enters band with the Lord Hume and others and being forsaken flies into England his secret Harbours till next year The Archbishop of St. Andrews lies Bed-rid and fallen into some wants by mis-government the Presbyters like Crows about Carrion the common way of the Romish Catholicks to procure Proselytes labour him to leave some Lines under hand his opinion of matters of Discipline they form his words That he did not trouble himself then with thoughts of that nature and had never allowed of any other Bishop of the Church but St. Paul ' s Bishop to which he would sign And so Articles were drawn framed to their Design which he subscribed but whether in truth he did so or some for him or that their charity seldom upon better terms wrought upon his necessity or weakness of his spirits the Recantation came forth in publick of which injury he complained and committing his cause to Gods justice died the end of this year and accounted a man of some scale in Learning as they seldom want to account of themselves one commending another if he dies a Proselyte to them But presently that Church falls into Schism several Assemblies to compose Dissentions set up several Superintendents in one Presbytery or Popedom the Lay Parishioners siding with each Faction and coming to the question most Voyces pretended best interest but the other had gotten a new Paradox Quod suffragia essent ponder anda non numeranda and yet to end strife they part stakes and divide the Presbytery the one to sit at Cowper the other at St. Andrews I mention this for a Note That of all men none could worse endure parity and loved more to command than these which introduced it into the Church We have had to do with Secretary Walsingham of England and may not forget to take our leave of him also that lived not out this year He was industrious wise and religious a searcher in the secrets and mysteries of all States he had an art in past imitation to dive into mens dispositions and something for polite service screw simple Proselytes beyond common danger his Preferment no higher than Secretary and Chancellour of the Duchy of Lancaster and with Honour of the Garter his profuse expence for Intelligence abroad and at home kept him under compass during life and dying so poor that they buried him by dark in Paul's Quier Another of the same Sir Thomas Randolph so near in time that Death might do it with one Dart He was bred a Civilian and taken from Pembroke College in Oxford to Court from thence his Imployments were forein Embassies thrice to the Peers in Scotland and thrice to the Queen seven times to King James and thrice to Basilides Emperour of Russia once to Charls the Ninth of France and again to Henry the Third he was advanced to the Office of Chamberlain in the Exchequer and to be Master of the Ports the first formerly of great profit the later not so till these last times of ours which we make of immense gain but he was rich of children and therefore in my Lord Bacons opinion poor in Purse he had leave to retire some time before his Death to which his advice to Walsingham to leave the Tricks of a Secretary as himself would the deceis of an Ambassadour Sir Henry Wootton afterwards observed as much who could example with the most Hoc tandem didici says he animas sapientiores â—ieri quiescendo To accompany these of the Gown died that gallant man at Arms George Talbot created Earls by Henry the Sixth and he the sixth Earl of Shrewsbury who in Queen Maries Reign with three thousand Foot in the Scotish Wars rescued the Earl of Northumberland at Lowick he was of the appointed Guard of that Queen whilest here in Prison and succeeded the Duke of Norfolk and Marshal of England and in much honour
for fifteen yeas together to his Death at Burdeaux his Predecessour in the time of Henry the Sixth hath on his Tomb this large Title Iohn Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury Washford Waterford and Valence Lord Talbot of Goodrich and Orchinfield Lord Strange of Blackmore Lord Verdon of Acton Lord Cromwell of Wingfield Lord Lovetoft of Warsop Lord Franifall of Sheffield Lord Falconbridg Knight of the Noble Order of the St. George St. Michael and the Golden Fleece great Marshal to King Henry the Sixth of France and died in the Battail of Burdeaux 1453. These he had and deserved more by the French Chronicle Orock Roe of noble birth in Ireland and by the Sir-name Mack-Mahon being purchased by might or right seem'd to privilege him in any tyranny over the People for which he was hanged his next Neighbour Brian Orock in Brenny for fear of the like turned Traitor and being pursued by Bingham President of Connaught flies into Scotland but was delivered to Queen Elizabeths command and executed for the ease of the King esteeming her Enemies his and caused Mack-Conel to give caution not to nourish Sedition by correspondence of the Hebrides and Orcades The Spaniard nourished Rebellions in Ireland the Queen protected the French against him who by the Duke of Parma was got into Picardy and his other Forces in Brittany wherefore she sends over four thousand covenanted at her cost but for two moneths under conduct of the Earl of Essex and land at Diepe expecting to joyn with the Kings Forces who came not in any reasonable time when they did it was too late to do much service yet they besiege Roan to no effect the English wasted the Queen displeased she sends for Essex but leaves the remain of his men to the command of Sir Roger Williams The Reformed Churches of Christendom increased number and repute by pious Doctrine and Discipline much to the prejudice of the Romish Catholicks that mightily opposed the publick peace of the Church and certainly had Satans help to boot to undermine the mindes of some more fiery zealous Professours that took the poor peoples affections with their seeming devout carriage and this way the Devil inâ—inuates to heighten their pride and self-conceited holiness with some pricks in the flesh and buffetings of Satan every day producing Examples of divers kindes in several places At this time more remarkable in the person of one Hacket in London illiterate and insolent seldom separate and poor who becomes suddenly seemingly holy and by degrees into that cheating way to be inspired with the evil spirit of Revelations He used says an Author a strange and monstrous form and manner of praying falling upon his face sometimes as if in an extaâ—ie otherwhile expostulating with God himself another kinde of prayer he used ordinary and familiar for as other mens devotions and ejaculations aim at the obtaining the sweet comfort of Gods heavenly presence he would in his hottest zeal intreat and as it were force upon God to depart from him and not assist such sinfull creatures which manner of prayer most of his own Disciples construed the effect of his rare and excessive humility and so as a rare Example might finde charitable censure yet it was to be adjudged in him as in truth it falls out frequent with some in these our last times the voice not of man but Satan dictated onely to him from that evil spirit that possest him for so his end discovered it in him He confederates the Devil goes by Legions with Wiginton a Genevan Minister Copinger a Gentleman and Arthington like the Fool in the Comedy a Lay admirer to be called by God to prophesie to the people and alter the English to the Genevan Discipline printing in Prose and Dog-rythm what was fit to seduce others and Hacket as the most proper person must be Arch Prophet But see how Satan brings it on Copinger and Arthington Knave and Fool tell Wiginton of Christ's appearing to them spiritually by Dreams and by Visions that Hacket was that Angel with his Fan and Hook to separate Sheep from the Goats overcome Satan and Antichrist and then follows the Day of Iudgment These prostrate themselves before Hacket in earnest prayer and he skips out of his Bed joyns his devotion with acknowledgment of his own divine nature and so seems in a Trance whilest Arthington bids Copinger in the name of Christ to annoint Hacket with the Holy Ghost and make him King kissing the Ground with bended knee and other reverence but he with careless gesture refuses being as he said already anointed by the Holy Ghost Go forth says he preach of me that Iesus Christ is come with his Fan to judg the World if they believe not let them come and kill me At the instant the Devil driving they all in fury fly abroad and cry out Christ is come repent repent that Hacket had a body truly glorified to constitute a new Discipline and Common-wealth that they were his Prophets of mercy and others of judgment for perfecting his work And this they declared by Vows Protestations of salvation to be all true that he was sole Monarch of Europe and all Kings his Vassals and the Queen to be deposed and so with a preass of people they return home to Hacket who were apprehended and are insolent before the Privy Council Hackets Crimes were condemned as Treason for the Devil prompt him to confess so much with such horrid Blasphemies as I tremble to relate He seems not as distracted but with settled gravity and temper and in the way to Execution he cries out fearfully Iehova Messias Iehova Messias behold the Heavens open Thou Son of God come down and deliver me And at the Gallows he roars out Thou God Iâ—hova Iehova Alpha and Omega c. Thou knowest that I am the true c. whom thou hast sent c. Shew some Miracle from the Clouds to deliver me from these accursed if thou wilt not then will I c. horrid Fire the Heavens and with these hands pull c. from thy Throne nay worse than can be imagined then turns to the Hangman who hastned the Halter Thou Bastard says he wilt thou hang the King of Kings and facing Heaven cried out Is this my reward for my Kingdom bestowed c. Behold I come and will revenge c. the rest Throttled with the Rope he was immediately cut down fresh alive and quartered Copinger stervs himself to death in Prison the others repent and are pardoned On the other side the Iesuits were lurking in every corner Emissaries from several Seminaries Rome France and especially from Spain against them therefore Proclamations forbid any man to be entertained as a Lodger unless his Hoast examine his condition his abode before and whether he will go to Church and Delegates in every Shire to receive the Accounts accordingly The Spaniard having very lately erected a Seminary at Valledolid in
hapily in the nick of time confederates with the Italian Princes with the French and with Henry the eighth as Caput foederis and so Charles is forc'd to descend and at a Treaty at Cambray obliged to render some Pieces to the French and so to sit still from open violence The General safety of Christian Princes necessarily being involved in the danger But He begins again and contracts to assist Henry the eighth for his Title to France who no sooner entered into war and recovered Bullen but the Emperour concludes a perpetual peace with France and joynt confederation for restoring the Catholick Religion which was much declined of its lustre by the protestation of Luther and others in Germanie and soon after spread into all parts of Christendom Henry the eighth wearied with other mens designes with vast expence of blood treasure dies and leaves all the glory of his good actions to this son Edward the sixth who succeeds with no advantage by these and with less money in his purse whose wise Counsel meddles the less with Spain or France but contracts onely Union with the German Princes and other Allyes in confederation of Religion that could best ballance the Emperours ambition His successor Mary Imbarks her body in mariage with Philip of Spain and her Estate in war with France and lost Calice into the bargain 1558. Queen Elizabeth comes to the Crown and at the Treaty of Cambray King Philip pretends to assist her in recovery of Calais but his own turn served he leaves her in the lurch to work out her own safety but under a feigned pretence of Mariage wrought a stay of the Popes declaration against the Queen grounding this favour no doubt from his own fears lest that a Union of France with Scotland in the person of Mary the Mother of this King Iames should Unite these three Kingdomes against him How equall soever Queen Elizabeth had been for peace or war in her own nature and her people humble to follow her will in either yet her course more ambitious in ballancing Neighbour Princes from overgrowing than apt to conquer others carried her all her life in defensive actions at home and abroad and so to impoverish her Enemies but not to inrich her self for by those courses King Iames found her Treasure exhausted and the Estate of the House of Austria in this Condition when he came hither As for the French King his Crown-demain exhausted which he endeavours to recover by Impositions the people light enough the Nobility prone to dismember upon every occasion and so not easie to be governed for the Sovereigns Designs or Interest the Kingdom thereby the likelier to be cantonized by self-division than to conquer others yet their native wealth and variety of Objects preserve both King and people to live secure from their mighty Enemy the Spaniards even by the providence of chance I speak as it was when King Iames came here He saw Germany upon an immoveable centre of self-greatness governed with Bit and Bridle by the Emperour to do as he list with all the Princes or they by love or by fear obeying And however the Danish King was so much of Kin as to stick to his Brother King Iames's friendship the benefit of his Sound and unexhausting profit able to second with Ships and Money and active undertaking yet no doubt if to be trusted unto with all these helps the King might find him wary lest by strengthening a Neighbour himself become overmastered And indeed too wise in common actions to intangle his Estate being also in those daies not so absolute to do of Himself without leave of his people what he hath done very lately against this State in favour of the Dutch he feels the smart I need not repeat it The Swede incompassed with dangers and Enemies the Pole pretending Title to that Kingdom and in Arms they were for the wager and defended barely enough by the distance of Sea and Land between them Be fi des the Dane upon his back in all Advantages to quicken the quarrel though Providence since hath done wonders The Cantons swoln big with pride and equality divide themselves between two Monarches France and Spain that for each others ends they are supported by them both as their hired servants Italy distinguished into Principalities yet bundled together by common caution restrained of their freedoms by force of French and Spanish Multiply profit by strangers and spare the pains to do it themselves So by this narrow kind of wisdom become all Merchants and abused by the Conclave and Spain as never to be Monarchal The Muscovite from a Duke grown big with a Timpanie of Titles was kept under by the more huge and vast Enemy the Tartar making Inrodes of barbarous Murther upon each other without any Interest of Christian Princes unless sometime the Pole at leasure quarrels for the skirt of his Empire as he did very lately and prevailed Now whilst these Potentates lived thus fettered within the narrowness of their Estates or Humours Spain managing the Popedom by his power in the Conclave and pensions to the Cardinals seemed to give law to the Western part of the Christian world His Mines of gold effectual not only to carry on any design with Fleets and Armies where he had will or interest But also to make way where he list by corrupting the Counsels and Actions of any King with temptation and underminings either by his purse or the pates of Iesuits So that in a word he was now grown hard to be pleased and dangerous to be offended Through all these Considerations King Iames comes in to choose his Game and through all these distempers abroad he was to secure himself and his new Inheritance His safest way to take breath for the present was to make peace with Spain first of all and after with the rest which indeed were done together presuming that being in his power so to do then it should depend on his pleasure to break off after or to conserve it to his death which he did And being a wise and wary Prince rather solid than formal having been well seasoned at home with practice and broken to affairs abroad therefore now freed from former Distempers he began to search into the ground of his preceding miseries in Scotland and well assured where the Sword bears sway Virtue and Fortune the Guiders of the best of humane Action do not always endure the lasting no not of the memory of the Actors Here therefore He began to consider what advance ambitious Princes lust after for the present when hazardous success hurls upon them miserable events He was not ignorant of the interests of Christian Estates one with the other as is said and how it concerned them to caress him for his amity Amongst them all whom to trust he was not assured and how to depend upon his new Inheritance without confederacy