ajutata da quel buon Spirito che l'ha mosso le concede sua Beneditione plenaria Indulgenza remissione di tutti li peccati secondo che V. S. ha chiesto assicurandos si che oltre il merito che n'havera in cielo vuole anco sua Santita constituir si debitore a riconoscere li meriti di V. S. in ogni miglior modo che potra cio tanto piu quanto che V. S. ùsa maggior modestia in non pretender niente Metta dunque ad effetto lìesuoi santi honorati pensieri attenda astar sano Che per fine io me le offero di core le desidero ogni buono felice suceesso Di Roma a 30 di Gennaro MDLXXXIV Al piacer di V. S. N. Cardinale di Como Al Sig. Guglielmo Parri Cardinal de Como's Letter to Will Parry January 30th 1584. by accompt of Rome MOnsignor the Holiness of our Lord hath seen the Letter of your Signory of the first with the assurance included and cannot but commend the good disposition and resolution which you write to hold towards the Service and Benefit publick Wherein his Holiness doth exhort you to persevere with causing to bring forth the effects which your Signorie promiseth And to the end you may be so much the more holpen by that good Spirit which hath moved you thereunto his Blessedness doth grant to you plenary Indulgence and Remission of all your Sins according to your request Assuring you that besides the Merit that you shall receive therefore in Heaven his Holiness will further make himself Debtour to re-acknowledge the deservings of your Signorie in the best manner that he can And that so much the more in that your Signorie useth the greater Modesty in not pretending any thing Put therefore to effect your holy and honourable thoughts and attend your Health And to conclude I offer my self unto you heartily and do desire all good and happy success From Rome the 30th of January 1584. At the pleasure of your Signorie N. Card. of Como UPon all which former Accusation Declaration Confessions and Proofs upon Munday the 22th day of February last past at Westminster-Hall before Sir Christopher Wray Knight Chief Justice of England Sir Gilbert Gerrard Knight Master of the Rolls Sir Edmund Anderson Knight Chief Justice of the Common Pleas Sir Roger Manwood Knight Chief Baron of the Exchequer Sir Thomas Gawdy Knight one of the Justices of the Pleas before her Majesty to be holden and Will. Perriam one of the Justices of the Common Pleas by vertue of her Majesties Commission to them and others in that behalf directed The same Parry was Indicted of High Treason for intending and practising the Death and Destruction of her Majesty whom God long prosper and preserve from all such wicked attempts The tenour of which Indictment appeareth more particularly in the course of his Arraignment following The manner of the Arraignment of Will Parry the 25th of February 1584. at Westminster in the place where the Court commonly called the Kings-Bench is usually kept by vertue of her Majesties Commission of Oyer and Terminer before Henry Lord Hunsdon Governour of Barwick Sir Francis Knolles Knight Treasurer of the Queens Majesties Houshold Sir James Croft Knight Comptroller of the same Houshold Sir Christopher Hatton Knight Vice-Chamberlain to her Majesty Sir Christopher Wray Knight Chief Justice of England Sir Gilbert Gerrard Knight Master of the Rolls Sir Edmund Anderson Knight chief-Chief-Justice of the Common-Pleas Sir Roger Manwood Knight Chief-Baron of the Exchequer and Sir Thomas Hennage Knight Treasurer of the Chamber FIrst three Proclamations for silence were made according to the usual course in such cases Then the Lieutenant was commanded to return his Precept which did so and brought the Prisoner to the Bar to whom Miles Sandes Esquire Clerk of the Crown said William Parry hold up thy hand and he did so Then said the Clerk of the Crown Thou art here Indicted by the Oaths of twelve good and lawful men of the County of Middlesex before Sir Christopher Wray Knight and others which took the Indictment by the name of William Parry late of London Gentleman otherwise called William Parry late of London Doctor of the Law for that thou as a false Traitor against the most Noble and Christian Prince Queen Elizabeth thy most gracious Soveraign and Liege-Lady not having the fear of God before thine eyes nor regarding thy due Allegiance but being seduced by the instigation of the Devil and intending to withdraw and extinguish the hearty Love and due Obedience which true and faithful Subjects should bear unto the same our Soveraign Lady didst at Westminster in the County of Middlesex on the first day of February in the 26th year of her Highness Reign and at divers other times and places in the same County maliciously and traiterously conspire and compass not only to deprive and depose the same our Sovereign Lady of her Royal Estate Title and Dignity but also to bring her Highness to Death and final Destruction and Sedition in the Realm to make and the Government thereof to subvert and the sincere Religion of God established in her Highness Dominions to alter and subvert And that whereas thou William Parry by thy Letters sent unto Gregory Bishop of Rome didst signifie unto the same Bishop thy purposes and intentions aforesaid and thereby didst pray and require the same Bishop to give thee Absolution that thou afterwards that is to say the last day of March in the 26th year aforesaid didst traiterously receive Letters from one called Cardinal de Como directed unto thee William Parry whereby the same Cardinal did signifie unto thee that the Bishop of Rome had perused thy Letters and allowed of thine intent and that to that end he had absolved thee of all thy Sins and by the same Letter did animate and stir thee to proceed with thine Enterprize and that thereupon thou the last day of August in the 26th year aforesaid at Saint Giles in the fields in the same County of Middlesex didst traiterously confer with one Edmund Nevil Esquire uttering to him all thy wicked and traiterous devises and then and there didst move him to assist thee therein and to joyn with thee in those wicked Treasons aforesaid against the Peace of our said Soveraign Lady the Queen her Crown and Dignity What sayest thou William Parry Art thou guilty of these Treasons whereof thou standest here Indicted or not guilty Then Parry said Before I plead not guilty or confess my self guilty I pray you give me leave to speak a few words and with humbling himself began in this manner God save Queen Elizabeth and God send me grace to discharge my duty to her and to send you home in charity But touching the matters that I am Indicted of some were in one place and some in another and done so secretly as none can see into them except that they had eyes like
sprung upon her was forced to be cast off and the men with much difficulty recovered the Shore and saved their Lives The other being sent for England and tossed with contrary Winds was for want of Victuals forced into the Groyn where they rend'red themselves to the Enemies mercy The Spices were determined to be sent for England and a Ship appointed for that purpose with other Ships to guard her and Captain Monson was sent on Board her to the Islands of the Burlings with a Charge to see her dispatched for England But the other Ships not observing the Directions which were given them and the Night falling calm early in the Morning this scattered Ship was set upon by six Gallies and after a long and bloody Fight the Captain and the Principallest men being slain both Ship and Spices were taken but whether it was the respect they had to the Queen's Ship which was Admiral of that Fleet or Honor to my Lord that commanded it or Hope by good Usage of our men to receive the like again I know not but true it is that the ordinary men were treated with more Courtesie than they had been from the beginning of the Wars My Lord of Cumberland considering the Disasters that thus befell him and knowing the Spanish Fleet 's readiness to put out of Harbor but especially finding his Ship but ill of Sail it being the first Voyage she ever went to Sea he durst not abide the Coast of Spain but thought it more Discretion to return for England having as you have heard sent a Pinnace to my Lord Thomas with the Intelligence aforesaid A Voyage undertook by Sir Walter Rawleigh but himself returning left the Charge thereof to Sir Martin Forbisher Anno 1592. Ships Commanders by Sea Commander by Land The Garland Sir Walter Rawleigh Sir John Boroughs The Foresight with divers Merchants Ships Capt. Cross and others Sir Walter went not but Sir Martin Fobisher  SIR Walter Rawleigh who had tasted abundantly of the Queen's Love and found it now began to decline put himself upon a Voyage at Sea and drew unto him divers friends of great Quality and others thinking to have attempted some place in the West Indies and with this resolution he put out of Harbour but spending two or three days in fowl Weather Her Majesty was pleased to command his Return and to commit the Charge of the Ships to Sir Martin Forbisher who was sent down for that purpose but with an express Command not to follow the Design of the West Indies This suddain Alteration being known unto the rest of the Captains for the present made some Confusion as commonly it happens in all voluntary Actions Their General leaving them they thought themselves free in point of Reputation and at liberty to take what course they pleased Few of them therefore did submit themselves to the Command of Sir Martin Forbisher but chose rather each one to take his particular Fortune and Adventure at Sea Sir Martin with two or three other Ships repaired to the Coast of Spain where he took a Spaniard laden with Iron and a Portugal with Sugar He remained there not without some danger his Ship being ill of Sail and the Enemy having a Fleet at Sea Sir John Boroughs Captain Cross and another stood to the Islands where they met with as many Ships of my Lord of Cumberland's with whom they consorted After some time spent thereabouts they had sight of a Carreck which they chased but she recoverd the Island of Flores before they could approach her but the Carreck seeing the Islands could not defend her from the Strength and Force of the English chose rather after the men were got on Shore to fire her self than we the Enemy should reap Benefit by her The Purser of her was taken and by Threats compell'd to tell of another of their Company behind that had Order to fall with that Island and gave us such particular Advertisement that indeed she fell to be ours In the mean time Don Alonso de Bassan was furnishing at Lisbon 23 of those Gallions which the Year before he had when he took the Revenge he was directed with those Ships to go immediately to Flores to expect the coming of the Carrecks who had order to fall with that Island there to put on Shore divers Ordnance for strength'ning the Town and Castle Don Alonso breaking his Directions unadvisedly made his repair first to St. Michaels and there delivered his Ordnance before he arrived at Flores and in the mean time one of the Carrecks was burnt and the other taken as you have heard This he held to be such a Disreputation to him and especially for that it happened through his own Error and Default that he became much perplex'd and pursued the English 100 Leagues but in vain they being so far a Head The King of Spain being advertised of his two Carrecks mishap and the Error of Don Alonso though he had much favoured him before in respect of divers Actions he had been in with his Brother the Marquess of St. Cruz and for what he had lately performed by taking the Revenge Yet the King held it for such a Blemish to his Honor not to have his Instructions obeyed and observed that he did not only take from Don Alonso his Command but he lived and died too in Disgrace which in my Opinion he worthily deserved The Queens Adventure in this Voyage was only two Ships one of which and the least of them too was at the taking of the Carreck which title joyned with her Regal Authority she made such use of that the rest of the Adventures were fain to submit themselves to her Pleasure with whom she dealt but indifferently The Earl of Cumberland to the Coast of Spain Anno Dom. 1593. Ships Commanders The Lyon The Earl of Cumberland The Bonaventure and seven other Ships Capt. under him Capt. Monson Sir Edward Yorke THE Earl of Cumberland finding that many of his Voyages had miscarried through the Negligence or Unfaithfulness of those who were entrusted to lay in necessary Provisions and yet being incouraged by the good Success he had the last year obtained two of her Majesty's Ships and Victualled them himself together with seven others that did accompany them and arriving upon the Coast of Spain He took two French Ships of the League which did more than treble the Expence of his Voyage My Lord being one day severed from his Fleet it was his hap to meet with 12 Hulks at the same place where Captain Monson was taken the same day two years before He required that Respect from them that was due unto Her Majesties Ship which they peremptorily refused presuming upon the Strength of their 12 Ships against one only but they found themselves deceived For after two hours Fight he brought them to his Mercy and made them acknowledge their Error and not only so but they willingly discovered and delivered up to him a great quantity of Powder and
the guarding of his Coasts and securing of his Trade and though there was little fear of any Fleet from England to impeach him besides this in the Indies yet because he would shew his greatness and satisfie the Portugal of the care he had in preserving their Carrecks he sent the Count of Feria a young Nobleman of Portugal who desired to gain Experience with 20 Ships to the Islands but the Carrecks did as they used to do in many other years miss both Islands and Fleets and arrived at Lisbon safely The other Fleets of the King of Spain in the Indies consisted of 24 Ships their General Don Bernardino de Villa nova an approved Coward as it appeared when he came to encounter the English Fleet but his Defects were supplied by the Valor of his Vice-admiral who behaved himself much to his Honor His Name was John Garanay The Earl of Essex and the Lord Admiral of England Generals equally both by Sea and Land Anno 1596. Ships Commanders The Repulse The Earl of Essex Capt. under him The Ark-royal Sir Will. Monson The Mere-honor The Lord Admiral Capt. under him The Warspite Ames Preston The Lyon The Lord Thomas Howard The Rainbow Sir Walter Rawleigh The Nonperil Sir Robert Southwell The Vauntguard Sir Francis Vere The Mary Rose Sir Robert Dudley The Dreadnought Sir John Wingfield The Swiftsuer Sir George Carew The Quittance Sir Alexander Clifford The Tremontary with several others Sir Robert Crosse  Sir George Clifford  Sir Robert Mansfield  Capt. King THE first of June 1596. we departed from Plymouth and our Departure was the more speedy by reason of the great pains care and industry of the 16 Captains who in their own Persons labored the Night before to get out some of their Ships riding at Catwater which otherwise had not been easily effected The Third we set Sail from Cansom Bay the Wind which when we weighed was at West and by South instantly cast up to the North East and so continued untill it brought us up as high as the North Cape of Spain and this fortunate beginning put us in great hopes of a lucky Success to ensue We being now come upon our Enemies Coast it behoved the Generals to be vigilant in keeping them from Intelligence of us who therefore appointed the Litness the True Love and the Lion's Whelp the three chief Sailors of our Fleet to run a Head suspecting the Spaniards had some Carvels of Advice out which they did usually send to discover at Sea upon any Rumor of a less Fleet than this was made ready in England No Ship or Carvel escaped from us which I hold a second Happiness to our Voyage For you shall understand hereafter the Inconvenience that might have happened upon our Discovery The 10th of June the said three Ships took three Fly-Boats that came from Cadiz 14 days before by them we understood the State of the Town and that they had no suspition of us which we looked on as a third Omen of our good Fortune to come The 12th of June the Swan a Ship of London being commanded as the other three to keep a good way off the Fleet to prevent discovery she met with a Fly-boat which made Resistance and escaped from her This Fly-boat came from the Streights bound Home who discovering our Fleet and thinking to gain Reputation and Reward from the Spaniards shhaped her Course for Lisbon but she was luckily prevented by the John and Francis another Ship of London commanded by Sir Marmaduke Darrel who took her within a League of the Shore and this we may account a fourth Happiness to our Voyage The first as hath been said was for the Wind to take us so suddainly and to continue so long For our Souldiers being Shipped and in Harbor would have consumed their Victuals and have been so pester'd that it would have endangered a Sickness amongst them The Second was the taking all Ships that were seen which kept the Enemy from Intelligence The Third was the intercepting of the Fly-Boats from Cadiz whither we were bound who assured us our coming was not suspected which made us more careful to hail from the Coast than otherwise we should have been They told us likewise of the daily expectation of the Gallions to come from St. Jacar to Cadiz and of the Merchant-men that lay there and were ready bound for the Indies These Intelligences were of great moment and made the Generals presently to contrive their business both by Sea and Land which otherwise would have taken up a longer time after their coming thither and whether all men would have consented to attempt their Ships in Harbor if they had not known the most part of them to consist of Merchants I hold very doubtful The Fourth and fortunatest of all was the taking of the Fly-boat by the John and Francis which the Swan let go For if she had reached Lisbon she had been able to make report of the number and greatness of our Ships and might have endangered the loss of the whole Design she seeing the course we bore and that we had passed Lisbon which was the place the Enemy most suspected and made there his greatest preparation for Defence But had the Enemy been freed of that doubt he had then no place to fear but Andulozia and Cadiz above the rest which upon the lest warning might have been strengthened and we put to great Hazard he might also have secured his Ships by towing them out with Gallies and howsoever the Wind had been might have sent them into the Streights where it had been in vain to have pursued them or over the Bar of St. Lucar where it had been in vain to have attempted them And indeed of the good and ill of Intelligence we had had sufficient experience formerly Of the good in 1588. For how suddainly had we been taken and surprized when it we lest suspected had it not been for Captain Flemming Of the ill in the year before this by the Spaniards taking a Barque of Sir Francis Drake's Fleet which was the Occasion of the Overthrow of himself and the whole Action The 20th of June we came to Cadiz earlier in the morning than the Masters made reckoning of Before our coming thither it was determined in Council that we should land at St. Sebastians the Westermost part of the Land and thither came all the Ships to an Anchor every man preparing to land as he was formerly directed but the Wind being so great and the Sea so grown and four Gallies lying too to intercept our Boats there was no attempting to land there without the hazard of all This day was spent in vain in returning Messengers from one General to another and in the end they were forced to resolve upon a Course which Sir William Monson Captain under my Lord of Essex advised him to the same morning he discovered the Town which was to surprize the Ships and to be possessors of the Harbor before
for Don Alonso back and so frustrated the Expectation of our Fleet. He likewise made a Dispatch to the Indies commanding the Fleets to Winter there rather than to run the hazard of coming Home that Summer But this proved so great a Hind'rance and Loss to the Merchants of Spain to be so long without Return of their Goods that it caused many to become Bankrupts in Sevil and other places besides which was so great a weakening to their Ships to Winter in the Indies that many years hardly sufficed to repair the Damage they received Our Fleet being thus prevented spent seven months in vain upon the Coasts of Spain and the Islands but in that space could not possess themselves of one Ship of the Spaniards and the Carrecks upon which part of their Hopes depended came Home without Sight of the Islands and arrived safe at Lisbon This Voyage was a bare Action at Sea though they attempted Landing at Fayal which the Earl of Cumberland the year before had taken and quitted but the Castle being re-fortified they prevailed not in thier Enterprize And thence forwards the King of Spain endeavored to strengthen his Coasts and to encrease in Shipping as may appear by the next ensuing Year Two Fleets the one by Vs under the Lord Thomas Howard the other by the Spaniards Commanded by Don Alonso de Bassan Anno 1591. Ships Commanders The Defiance The Lord Thomas Howard The Revenge Sir Richard Greenvile Vice-admiral The Nonperil Sir Edward Denny The Bonaventure Capt. Crosse The Lyon Capt. Fenner The Foresight Capt. Vavasor The Crane Capt. Duffeild HER Majesty understanding of the Indian Fleets Wintering in the Havana and that Necessity would compell them home this Year 1591. she sent a Fleet to the Islands under the Command of the Lord Thomas Howard The King of Spain perceiving her Drift and being sensible how much the safety of that Fleet concerned him caused them to set out thence so late in the Year that it endangered the Shipwrack of them all chosing rather to hazard the perishing of Ships Men and Goods than their falling into our Hands He had two Designs in bringing home this Fleet so late One was he thought the Lord Thomas would have consumed his Victuals and have been forced Home The other that he might in the mean time furnish out the great Fleet he was preparing little inferior to that of 1588. In the first he found himself deceived For my Lord was supplied both with Ships and Victuals out of England and in the second he was as much prevented For my Lord of Cumberland who then lay upon the Coast of Spain had Intelligence of the Spaniards putting out to Sea and advertised the Lord Thomas thereof the very Night before they arrived at Flores where my Lord lay The day after this Intelligence the Spanish Fleet was discovered by my Lord Thomas whom he knew by their Number and Greatness to be the Ships of which he had warning and by that means escaped the Danger that Sir Richard Greenvile his Vice-admiral rashly ran into Upon View of the Spaniards which were 55 Sail the Lord Thomas warily and like a discreet General weighed Anchor and made Signs to the rest of his Fleet to do the like with a purpose to get the Wind of them but Sir Richard Greenvile being a stubborn man and imagining this Fleet to come from the Indies and not to be the Armado of which they were informed would by no means be persuaded by his Master or Company to cut his main Sail to follow his Admiral nay so head-strong and rash he was that he offered violence to those that councelled him thereto But the Old Saying that a wilful man is the Cause of his own Woe could not be more truly verified than in him For when the Armado approached him and he beheld the Greatness of the Ships he began to see and repent of his Folly and when it was too late would have freed himself of them but in vain For he was left a Prey to the Enemy every Ship striving to be the first should board him This wilful Rashness of Sir Richard made the Spaniards triumph as much as if they had obtained a Signal Victory it being the first Ship that ever they took of Her Majesties and commended to them by some English Fugitives to be the very best she had but their Joy continued not long For they enjoyed her but five days before she was cast away with many Spaniards in her upon the Islands of Tercera Commonly one Misfortune is accompanied with another For the Indian Fleet which my Lord had waited for the whole Summer the day after this mishap fell into the Company of this Spanish Armado who if they had staid but one day longer or the Indian Fleet had come home but one day sooner we had possest both them and many millions of Treasure which the Sea afterward devoured For from the time they met with the Armado and before they could recover home nigh an hundred of them suffered Shipwrack besides the Ascention of Sevil and the double Fly-boat that were sunk by the side of the Revenge All which was occasioned by their Wintering in the Indies and the late Disambogueing from thence For the Worm which that Country is subject to weakens and consumes their Ships Notwithstanding this cross and perverse Fortune which happened by means of Sir Richard Greenvile the Lord Thomas would not be dismayed or discouraged but kept the Sea so long as he had Victuals and by such Ships as himself and the rest of the Fleet took defrayed the better part of the Charge of the whole Action The Earl of Cumberland to the Coast of Spain 1591. Ships Commanders The Garland of her Majesties The Earl of Cumberland Capt. under him Seven other Ships of his and his Friends Capt. Monson now Sir William Monson THE Earl of Cumberland keeping the Coast of Spain as you have heard while the Lord Thomas remained at the Islands and both to one end viz. to annoy and damnifie the Spaniards though in two several Fleets the Earl found Fortune in a sort as much to frown upon him as it had done upon the Lord Thomas Howard In his Course from England to the Spanish Coast he encountred with divers Ships of Holland which came from Lisbon wherein he found a great quantity of Spices belonging to the Portugalls So greatly were we abused by that Nation of Holland who though they were the first that engaged us in the War with Spain yet still maintained their own Trade into those parts and supplied the Spaniards with Munition Victuals Shipping and Intelligence against us Upon my Lord's Arrival on the Coast of Spain it was his hap to take three Ships at several times one with Wine which he unladed into his own and two with Sugars which he enjoyed not long no more did he the Spices which he took out of the Hollanders For one of the Ships of Sugar by means of a Leak that
carry them alleadging that if the Indian Fleet came home that Year by computation of the last light Moon from which time their disimboguing in the Indies must be reckoned they could not be above 200 Leagues short of that Island and whensoever the Wind should chop up Westernly he bearing a slack Sail they would in a few days overtake him This Advice my Lord seemed to take but was diverted by divers Gentlemen who coming principally for Land Service found themselves tired by the tediousness of the Sea Certain it is if my Lord had followed his Advice within less than 40 hours he had made the Queen owner of that Fleet For by the Pilot's Card which was taken in the Frigat the Spanish Fleet was but 50 Leagues in traverse with that Eastern Wind when my Lord was at Flores which made my Lord wish the first time Sir William Monson repaired to him after the Escape of the Fleet that he had lost his Hand so he had been ruled by him Being met Aboard Sir Francis Vere we consulted what to do and resolved to acquaint my Lord with what had happened desiring his Presence with us to see if there were any possibility to attempt the Shipping or surprize the Island and so to possess the Treasure My Lord received this Advertisement just as he was ready with his Troops to have landed in St. Michaels but this Message diverted his Landing and made him presently cast about for the Islands of the Tercera's where we lay all this while expecting his coming In his Course from St. Michaels it was his hap to to take three Ships that departed the Havana the day after the Fleet Which three Ships did more than countervail the whole Voyage At my Lord's meeting with us at Tercera there was a Consultation how the Enemies Ships might be fetched off or destroyed as they lay but all men with one consent agreed the impossibility of it The attempting the Island was propounded but withstood for these reasons the difficulty in Landing the strength of the Island which was increased by fourteen or fifteen Hundred Souldiers in the Ships and our want of Victuals to abide by the Siege Seeing then we were frustrate of our Hopes at the Tercera we resolved upon landing in St. Michaels and arrived the day following at Punta Delgada the Chief City Here my Lord imbarqued his small Army in Boats with offer to Land and having thereby drawn the Enemies greatest Force thither to resist him suddainly he rowed to Villa Franca three or four Leagues distant from thence which not being defended by the Enemy he took The Ships had order to abide in the Road of Delgada for that my Lord made account to march thither by Land but being on Shore at Villa Franca he was informed that the March was impossible by reason of the high and craggy Mountains which diverted his purpose Victuals now grew short with us and my Lord General began discreetly to foresee the danger in abiding towards Winter upon these Coasts which could not afford him an Harbor only open Roads that were subject to Southern Winds and upon every Wind he must put to Sea for his safety He considered that if this should happen when his Troops were on Shore and he not able to reach the Land in a Fortnight or more which is a thing ordinary what a desperate case he should put himself into especially in so great a want of Victuals And so concluding that he had seen the end of all his Hopes by the Escape of the Fleet he imbarqued himself and Army though with some difficulty the Seas were now grown so high By this the one half of the Fleet that rid in Punta Delgada put room for Villa Franca and those that remained behind being thought by a Ship of Brazile to be the Spanish Fleet she came in amongst them and so was betrayed After her there followed a Carreck who had been served in the like manner but for the hasty and indiscreet weighing of a Hollander which made her run a Shore under the Castle when the Wind lessened Sir William Monson weighted with the Rainbow thinking to give an Attempt upon her notwithstanding the Castle which she perceiving as he drew near unto her she set her self on fire and burned down to the very Keel She was a Ship of 1400 Tuns Burden that the year before was not able to double the Cape of bona Esperansa in her Voyage to the East Indies but put into Brazile where she was laden with Sugars and afterwards thus destroyed The Spaniards who presumed more upon their Advantages than Valors thought themselves in too weak a Condition to follow us to the Islands and put their Fortunes upon a days Service but subtilly devised how to intercept us as we came Home when we had least Thought or Suspicion of them and their Fleet that was all this while in the Groyn and Ferrol not daring to put forwards while they knew ours to be upon the Coast their General the Adelantada came for England with a Resolution to land at Falmouth and fortifie it and afterwards with their Ships to keep the Sea and expect our coming home scattered Having thus cut off our Sea Forces and possessing the Harbor of Falmouth they thought with a second supply of 37 Levantisco's Ships which the Marquess Arumbullo commanded to have returned and gained a good footing in England These Designs of theirs were not foreseen by us For we came Home scattered as they made reckoning not 20 in number together We may say and that truly that God sought for us For the Adalantada being within a few Leagues of the Island of Silly he commanded all his Captains on Board him to receive his Directions but whilst they were in Consultation a violent Storm took them at East insomuch that the Captains could hardly recover their Ships but in no case were able to save their Boats the Storm continued so furious and happy was he that could recover home seeing their Design thus overthrown by loss of their Boats whereby their means of Landing was taken away Some who were willing to stay and receive the farther Commands of the General kept the Seas so long upon our Coast that in the end they were taken others put themselves into our Harbors for Refuge and Succor and it is certainly known that in this Voyage the Spaniards lost eighteen Ships the St. Luke and the St. Bartholomew being two and in the rank of his best Gallions We must ascribe this Success to God only For certainly the Enemies Designs were dangerous and not to be diverted by our Force but by his Will who would not suffer the Spaniards in any of their Attempts to set footing in England as we have done in all the Quarters of Spain Portugal the Islands and both the Indies The Lord Thomas Howard Admiral to the Downs from whence he returned in one Month Anno 1599. Ships Commanders The Elizabeth Jonas The Lord Thomas Howard The Ark
did offer unto him upon opinion once conceived of his fidelity towards her as though his wicked pretence had been as he protested for her service a most liberal Pension Besides to the end that he might not grow hateful to the good and well-affected Subjects of the Realm from whom he could in no sort have escaped with safety of his life if his devilish purpose had been revealed her Majesty did conceal the same without communicating it to any creature untill such time as he himself had opened the same unto certain of her Council and that it was also discovered that he sought to draw the said Nevil to have been a party in his devilish and most wicked purpose A very rare Example and such as doth more set forth the singular goodness and bounty of her Majesties Princely nature than commend if it be lawful for a Subject to censure his Soveraign her providence such as ought to be in a Prince and person of her Majesties wisdom and quality And as the goodness of her Majesties nature did hereby most manifestly shew it self to be rare in so extraordinary a case and in a matter of so great peril unto her own Royal Person so did the malice of Parry most evidently appear to be in the highest and extreamest degree who notwithstanding the said extraordinary grace and favour extended towards him did not onely perswade the said Nevil to be an Associate in the said wicked Enterprize but did also very vehemently as Nevil confesseth importune him therein as an Action lawful honourable and meritorious omitting nothing that might provoke him to assent thereunto But such was the singular goodness of Almighty God who even from her Majesties Cradle by many evident Arguments hath shewed himself her onely and especial Protector that he so wrought in Nevil's heart as he was moved to reveal the same unto her Majesty and for that purpoce made choise of a faithful Gentleman and of good quality in the Court unto whom upon Munday the 8th of February last he discovered at large all that had passed between Parry and him who immediately made it known to her Majesty whereupon her Highnesses pleasure was That Nevil should be examined by the Earl of Leicester and Sir Christopher Hatton who in the evening of the same day did examine him and he affirmed constantly all which he had before declared to the said Gentleman In the mean time her Majesty continued her singular and most Princely magnanimity neither dismaid with the rareness of the Accident nor appaled with the horrour of so villanous an Enterprize tending even to the taking away of her most gracious life a matter especially observed by the Counsellor that was present at such time as Parry after his return did first discover unto her Majesty his wicked purpose who found no other alteration in her countenance than if he had imparted unto her some matter of contentment which sheweth manifestly how she reposeth her confidence wholly in the defence of the Almighty And so her Majesty following the wonted course of her singular Clemency gave order that Parry the same Munday in the evening though not so known to him should be sent to Mr. Secretaries house in London he being then there who according unto such direction as he received from her Majesty did let him understand That her Highness in respect of the good will she knew he bare unto the said Parry and of the Trust that Parry did outwardly profess to repose in Mr. Secretary had made especial choice of him to deal with him in a matter that concerned her highly and that she doubted not but that he would discharge his duty towards her according unto that extraordinary devotion that he professed to bear unto her And thereupon told him that her Majesty had been advertised that there was somewhat intended presently against her own Person wherewith she thought he could not but be made acquainted considering the great Trust that some of her worst-affected Subjects reposed in him and that her pleasure therefore was That he should declare unto him his knowledge therein and whether the said Parry himself had let fall any speech unto any person though with an intent onely to have discovered his disposition that might draw him in suspition as though he himself had any such wicked intent But Parry with great and vehement protestations denied it utterly whereupon Mr. Secretary the rather to induce him to deal more plainly in a matter so important declared unto him That there was a Gentleman of Quality every way as good or better than himself and rather his Friend than Enemy that would avouch it to his face Yet Parry persisted stubbornly in his former denial and justification of his own innocency and would not in any respect yield that he was party or privy to any such Motion Enterprize or intent And being lodged that night at Mr. Secretaries house the next morning he desired earnestly to have some further speech with Mr. Secretary which granted Parry declared to him that he had called to remembrance that he had once some speech with one Nevil a Kinsman of his so he called him touching a point of Doctrine contained in the Answer made to the Book entituled The Execution of Justice in England by which book it was resolved That it was lawful to take away the Life of a Prince in furtherance of the Catholick Religion But he protested that they never had any speech at all of any Attempt intended against her Majesties Person Which Denial of his at two sundry times after so much light given him doth set forth most apparently both the Justice and Providence of God His Justice for that though he was one of a sharp conceit he had no power to take hold of this Overture thereby to have avoided the danger that Nevil's Accusation might bring him into by confessing the same as a thing propounded onely to feel Nevil's mind whom before he had reported unto Master Secretary he found a person discontented and therefore his Confession might to very great purpose have served to have cleared himself touching the intent His Providence for that of his great Mercy he would not suffer so dangerous and wicked a member to escape and to live to Her Majesties peril The same day at Night Parry was brought to the Earl of Leicester's house and there eftsoons examined before the said Earl of Leicester Master Vice-Chamberlain and Master Secretary He persisted still in his denial of all that he was charged with Whereupon Nevil being brought before him face to face justified his Accusation against him He notwithstanding would not yet yield to confess it but very proudly and insolently opposed his Credit against the Credit of Nevil affirming that his No was as good as Nevil's Yea and as by way of recrimination objected the Crime to Nevil himself On the other side Nevil did with great Constancy affirm all that he had before said and did set down many probable Circumstances
I would do it if it were to kill the greatest subject in England whom I named and in truth then hated No no said he let him live to his greater fall and ruine of his house 2 It is the Queen I mean I had him as I wished and told him it were soon done if it might be lawfully done and warranted in the opinion of some learned Divines And so the doubt once resolved though as you have heard I was before reasonably well satisfied I vowed to undertake the enterprise for the restitution of England to the ancient obedience of the Sea Apostolick Divers Divines were named Doctor Allein I desired Parsons I refused And by chance came Master Wattes a learned Priest with whom I conferred and was over-ruled 3 For he plainly pronounced the case onely altered in name that it was utterly unlawful with whom many English Priests did agree as I have heard if it be not altered since the book made in answer of The execution of the English Justice was published which I must confess hath taken hard hold in me and I fear me will do in others if it be not prevented by more gracious handling of the quiet and obedient Catholick subjects whereof there is good and greater store in England than this age will extinguish Well notwithstanding all these doubts I was gone so far by letters and conference in Italy that I could not go back but promised faithfully to perform the enterprise if his Holiness upon my offer and letters would allow it and grant me full remission of my sins 4 I wrote my letters the first of January 1584. by their computation took advice upon them in confession of Father Anibal a Codreto a learned Jesuite in Paris was lovingly embraced commended confessed and communicated at the Jesuites at one altar with the Cardinals of Vandosmi and Narbone whereof I prayed certificate and enclosed the same in my Letter to his Holiness to lead him the rather to absolve me which I required by my Letters in consideration of so great an enterprise undertaken without promise or reward 5 I went with Morgan to the Nuntio Ragazzoni to whom I read the Letter and certificate enclosed sealed it and left it with him to send to Rome he promised great care of it and to procure answer And so lovingly imbraced me wished me good speed and promised that I should be remembred at the altar 6 After this I desired Morgan that some special man might be made privy to this matter lest he dying and I miscarrying in the execution and my intent never truly discovered it might stick for an everlasting spot in my Race Divers were named but none agreed upon for fear of beraying 7 This being done Morgan assured me that shortly after my departure the L. Fernehurst then in Paris should go into Scotland and be ready upon the first news of the Queens fall to enter into England with 20 or 30000 Men to defend the Queen of Scotland whom and the King her Son I do in my conscience acquit of any privity liking or consent to this or any other bad action for any thing that ever I did know I shortly departed for England and arrived at Rie in January 1583. from whence I wrote to the Court advertised some that I had a special service to discover to the Queens Majesty 8 which I did more to prepare access and credit than for any care I had of her Person though I were fully resolved never to touch her notwithstanding any Warrant if by any device perswasion or policy she might be wrought to deal more graciously with the Catholicks than she doth or by our manner of proceeding in Parliament meaneth to do or any thing yet seen I came to the Court then at Whitehall prayed audience had it at large and very privately discovered to her Majesty this Conspiracy much to this effect though covered with all the skill I had she took it doubtfully I departed with fear And amongst other things I cannot forget her Majesties gratious speech then uttered touching the Catholicks which of late after a sort I avowed in Parliament she said to me that never a Catholick should be troubled for Religion or Supremacy so long as they lived like good Subjects Whereby I mistrusted that her Majesty is born in hand that none is troubled for the one or the other It may be truly said that it is better than it hath been though it be not yet as it should be In March last while I was at Greenwich as I remember suing for St. Katherines came Letters to me from Cardinal Como dated at Rome the last of January before whereby I found the enterprise commended and allowed and my self absolved in his Holiness name of all my sins and willed to go forward in the name of God That Letter I shewed to some in Court who imparted it to the Queen what it wrought or may work in her Majesty God knoweth onely this I know 9 that it confirmed my resolution to kill her and made it clear in my conscience that it was lawful and meritorious And yet was I determined never to do it if either policy practice perswasion or motion in Parliament could prevail I feared to be tempted and therefore always when I came near her I left my Dagger at home 10 When I looked upon her Majesty and remembred her many excellencies I was greatly troubled And yet I saw no remedy for my Vows were in Heaven my Letters and Promises in Earth and the case of the Catholick Recusants and others little bettered Sometimes I said to my self Why should I care for her what hath she done for me have I not spent 10000 Marks since I knew her service and never had peny by her It may be said she gave me my life But I say as my case stood it had been Tyranny to take it And I fear me it is little less yet If it please her gratiously to look into my discontentments I would to Jesus Christ she had it for I am weary of it And now to come to an end of this tragical discourse In July I left the Court utterly rejected discontented and as her Majesty might perceive by my passionate Letters careless of my self I came to London Doctor Alleins Book was sent me out of France 11 it redoubled my former conceits Every word in it was a warrant to a prepared mind It taught that Kings may be excommunicated deprived and violently handled It proveth that all Wars Civil or Forraign undertaken for Religion is Honorable Her Majesty may do well to read it and to be out of doubt if things be not amended that it is a warning and a Doctrine full dangerous This is the Book I shewed in some places read and lent it to my Cousin Nevil the accuser who came often to mine house put his finger in my Dish his hand in my Purse and the night wherein he accused me was wrapped in my Gown six moneths at least
I mean I protest said his Honour I know not what thou meanest thou dost not well to use such dark Speeches unless thou wouldst plainly utter what thou meanest thereby But he said he cared not for Death and that he would lay his Bloud amongst them Then spake the Lord chief-Chief-Justice of England being required to give the Judgment and said Parry you have been much heard and what you mean by being settled I know not but I see you are so settled in Popery that you cannot settle your self to be a good Subject But touching that you should say to stay Judgment from being given against you your Speeches must be of one of these kinds either to prove the Indictment which you have confessed to be true to be insufficient in Law or else to plead somewhat touching her Majesties Mercy why Justice should not be done of you All other Speeches wherein you have used great Liberty is more than by Law you can ask These be the matters you must look to what say you to them Whereto he said nothing Then said the Lord Chief-Justice Parry thou hast been before this time Indicted of divers most horrible and hateful Treasons committed against thy most gracious Soveraign and Native Country the matter most detestable the manner most subtle and dangerous and the occasions and means that led thee thereunto most ungodly and villanous That thou didst intend it it is most evident by thy self The matter was the destruction of a most Sacred and an Anointed Queen thy Sovereign and Mistriss who hath shewed thee such Favour as some thy betters have not obtained Yea the Overthrow of thy Country wherein thou wert born and of a most happy Commonwealth whereof of thou art a Member and of such a Queen as hath bestowed on thee the Benefit of all benefits in this world that is thy Life heretofore granted thee by her Mercy when thou hadst lost it by Justice and Desert Yet thou her Servant sworn to defend her meant'st with thy bloudy hand to have taken away her Life that mercifully gave thee thine when it was yielded into her hands This is the matter wherein thou hast offended The manner was most subtle and dangerous beyond all that before thee have committed any Wickedness against her Majesty For thou making shew as if thou wouldest simply have uttered for her safety the Evil that others had contrived didst but seek thereby credit and access that thou mightest take the apter opportunity for her Destruction And for the occasions and means that drew thee on they were most ungodly and villanous as the perswasions of the Pope of Papists and Popish Books The Pope pretendeth that he is a Pastor when as in truth he is far from feeding of the Flock of Christ but rather as a Wolf seeketh but to feed on and to suck out the blood of true Christians and as it were thirsteth after the bloud of our most Gracious and Christian Queen And these Papists and Popish Books while they pretend to set forth Divinity they do indeed most ungodly teach and perswade that which is quite contrary both to God and his Word For the Word teaches Obedience of Subjects towards Princes and forbideth any private man to kill But they teach Subjects to disobey Princes and that a private wicked person may kill yea and whom A most godly Queen and their own natural and most gracious Soveraign Let all men therefore take heed how they receive any thing from him hear or read any of their Books and how they confer with any Papists God grant her Majesty that she may know by thee how ever she trust such like to come so near her Person But see the end and why thou didst it and it will appear to be a most miserable fearful and foolish thing For thou didst imagine that it was to relieve those that thou callest Catholicks who were most likely amongst all others to have felt the worst of it if thy devilish practice had taken effect But sith thou hast been Indicted of the Treasons comprised in the Indictment and thereupon Arraigned and hast confessed thy self Guilty of them the Court doth award that thou shalt be had from hence to the place whence thou didst come and so drawn through the open City of London upon an Hurdle to the place of Execution and there to be hanged and let down alive and thy privy parts cut off and thy entrals taken out and burnt in thy sight then thy Head to be cut off and thy Body to be divided in four parts and to be disposed at her Majesties pleasure And God have mercy on thy Soul Parry nevertheless persisted still in his rage and fond Speech and ragingly there said he there summoned Queen Elizabeth to answer for his Blood before God wherewith the Lieutenant of the Tower was commanded to take him from the Bar and so he did And upon his departure the people stricken as it were at heart with the horror of his intended Enterprise ceased not but pursued him with out-cryes as Away with the Traitor away with him and such like whereupon he was conveyed to the Barge to pass to the Tower again by water and the Court was adjorned After which upon the second day of this instant March William Parry was by vertue of process in that behalf awarded from the same Commissioners of Oyer and Terminer delivered by the Lieutenant of the Tower early in the morning unto the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex who received him at the Tower-hill and thereupon according to the judgment caused him there to be forthwith set on the Hurdel From whence he was drawn thereupon threw the midst of the City of London unto the place for his Execution in the Pallace at Westminster where having long time of stay admitted unto him before his Execution he most maliciously and impudently after some other vain discourses eftsoons and often delivered in Speech that he was never guilty of any intention to kill Queen Elizabeth and so without any request made by him to the people to pray to God for him or prayer publickly used by himself for ought that appeared but such as he used if he used any was private to himself he was executed according to the judgment And now for his intent howsoever he pretended the contrary in words yet by these his own Writings Confessions Letters and many other proofs afore here expressed it is most manifest to all persons how horrible his intentions and Treasons were and how justly he suffered for the same and thereby greatly to be doubted that as he had lived a long time vainly and ungodly and like an Atheist and godless man so he continued the same course till his death to the outward sight of men Here endeth the true and plain course and process of the Treasons Arrest Arraignment and Execution of William Parry the Traitor An addition not unnecessary for this purpose FOr as much as Parry in the abundance of
Royal Sir Walter Rawleigh The Triumph Sir Fulke Grivel The Mere-honor Sir Henry Palmer The Repulse Sir Tho. Vavasor The Garland Sir Will. Harvey The Defiance Sir Will. Monson The Nonperil Sir Robert Cross The Lyon Sir Richard Lewson The Rainbow Sir Alexander Clifford The Hope Sir John Gilbert The Foresight Sir Tho. Sherley The Mary Rose Mr. Fortescue The Bonaventure Capt. Troughton The Crane Capt. Jonas The Swiftsuer Capt. Bradgate The Tremontary Capt. Slingsby The Advantage Capt. Hoer The Quittance Capt. Reynolds I Cannot write of any thing done in this Year of 1599. For there was never greater Expectation of War with less Performance Whether it was a Mistrust the one Nation had of the other or a Policy held on both sides to make Peace with Sword in Hand a Treaty being entertained by consent of each Prince I am not to examine but sure I am the Preparation was on both sides very great as if the one expected an Invasion from the other and yet it was generally conceived not to be intended by either but that ours had only relation to my Lord of Essex who was then in Ireland and had a Design to try his Friends in England and to be revenged of his Enemies as he pretended and as it proved afterwards by his Fall Howsoever it was the Charge was not so great as necessary For it was commonly known that the Adalantada had drawn both his Ships and Gallies to the Groyne which was not usually done but for some Action intended upon England or Ireland though he converted them after to another use as you shall hear The Gallies were sent into the Low Countreys and pass'd the Narrow Seas while our Ships lay there and with the Fleet the Atalantada pursued the Hollanders to the Islands whither he suspected they were gone This Fleet of Hollanders which consisted of 73 Sail were the first Ships that ever displayed their Colors in War-like sort against the Spaniards in any Action of their own For how cruel soever the War seemed to be in Holland they maintained a peaceable Trade in Spain and abused us This first Action of the Hollanders at Sea proved not very successful For after the Spoil of a Town in the Canary's and some Hurt done at the Island of St. Ome they kept the Sea for some seven or eight months in which time their General and most of their Men sickned and died and the rest returned with Loss and Shame Another Benefit which we received by this Preparation was that our Men were now taught suddainly to Arme every man knowing his Command and how to be commanded which before they were ignorant of and who knows not that sudden and false Alarms in an Army are sometimes necessary To say truth the Expedition which was then used in drawing together so great an Army by Land and rigging so great and Royal a Navy to Sea in so little a space of Time was so admirable in other Coutreys that they received a Terror by it and many that came from beyond Sea said the Queen was never more dreaded abroad for any thing she ever did French-men that came Aboard our Ships did wonder as at a thing incredible that her Majesty had rigged victualled and furnished her Royal Ships to Sea in 12 days time And Spain as an Enemy had reason to fear and grieve to see this suddain Preparation but more when they understood how the Hearts of Her Majesty's Subjects joyned with their Hands being all ready to spend their dearest Blood for her and her Service Holland might likewise see that if they became insolent we could be assoon provided as they not did they expect to find such celerity in any Nation but themselves It is probable too that the King of Spain and the Arch-Duke were hereby drawn to entertain Thoughts of Peace For as soon as our Fleet was at Sea a Gentleman was sent from Brussells with some Overtures although for that time they succeeded not However whether it was that the intended Invasion from Spain was diverted or that her Majesty was fully satisfied of my Lord of Essex I know not but so it was that she commanded the suddain Return of her Ships from Sea after they had layn three weeks or a month in the Downs Sir Richard Lewson to the Islands Anno Dom. 1600. Ships Commanders The Repulse Sir Richard Lewson The Warspight Capt. Troughton The Vauntguard Capt. Sommers THE last Year as you have heard put all men in expectation of War which yet came to nothing This Summer gave us great hope of Peace but with the like effect For by consent of the Queen the King of Spain and the Arch-Duke their Commissioners met at Bulloign in Piccardie to treat of Peace a place chosen indifferently the French King being in League and Friendship with them all Whether this Treaty were intended but in shew only or that they were out of hopes to come to any conclusion or what else was the true and real cause of its breaking off so suddenly I know not but the pretence was but slender for there grew a difference about Precedency betwixt the two Crowns though it was ever due to England and so the hopes of Peace were frustrated though had it been really intended matters might easily have been accommodated The Queen suspecting the Event hereof before their meeting and the rather because the Spaniards entertained with the like Treaty in 1588 when at the same instant his Navy appeared upon her Coast to Invade her therefore least she should be guilty of too great security in relying upon the success of this doubtful Treaty she furnished the Three Ships before named under pretence to guard the Western Coast which at that time was infested by the Dunkirkers And because there should be the less notice taken part of the Victuals was provided at Plymouth and Sir Richard Lewson who was then Admiral of the Narrow Seas was appointed General for the more secret carriage of the business so as it could not be conjectured either by their Victualling or by their Captain being Admiral of the Narrow Seas that it was a Service from home As they were in a readiness at Plymouth expecting Orders the Queen beingfully satisfied that the Treaty of Bulloign would break off without effect she commanded Sir Richard Lawson to hasten to the Islands there to expect the Carrecks and Mexico Fleet. The Spaniards on the other side being as circumspect to prevent a mischief as we were subtil to contrive it and believing as we did that the Treaty of Peace would prove a vain hopeless shew of what was never meant they furnished Eighteen tall Ships to the Islands as they had usually done since the Year 1591. The General of this Fleet was Don Diego de Borachero Our Ships coming to the Islands they and the Spaniards had intelligence of one another but not the sight for that Sir Richard Lewson hailed Sixty Leagues Westward not only to avoid them but in hopes to meet with