world doth last shall neuer fade away 25 The summe of all is this who that will liue in name Must leaue some deed behind that worthie is of fame And to this end Salust writeth Salust fol. 1. Qui sese student praestare caeteris animantibus summa ope niti decent ne vitam silentio transeant veluti pecora quae natura prona ac ventri obedientia finxit quomam vita nostra qua fruimur breuis est memoriam nostri quā maximè longam efficere oportet nam diuitiarum formae gloria fluxa atque fragilis est virtus autem clara aeternaque habetur They which studie to excell other creatures ought not to passe their liues in silence as beasts do whom nature hath made altogether subiect to the belly but because our liues be short we ought to endeuour our selues to the vttermost of our power that our memorie may continue perpetuall for the glorie of riches and beautie are vnstable and fraile but vertue is a noble thing and most worthy to be had in euerlasting remembrance ¶ How we ought to beware of sedition amongst our selues and how that sundry attempts haue bene made by forreine enemies for the inuasion of his realme through the occasions therof as appeareth by diuerse and sundrie examples in this Chapter following CHAP. 6. NOw my deare friends and countreymen We must beware of sedition amōgst our selues to the intent to make vs the more able in this seruice of defence one thing there is of which we must chiefly beware namely of sedition rebelliō and diuision amongst our selues for out of doubt there is no greater mischief or inconuenience that can happen to a kingdome then ciuill discord as one writeth well Regnorum pessima pestis seditie Sedition is the greatest plague that may happen to a kingdome And the holy Gospell saith Math. 12. Omne Regnum in se diuisum desolabitur Euery kingdome in it selfe deuided shal be desolate As want of the feare of God Hol. 1772. disobedience to rulers blindnesse of guides briberie in Magistrates rebellion in subiects ciuill disagreement flattering of Princes vnmercifulnesse in rulers and vnthankfulnesse in subiects are causes of the ruine of a common wealth so the feare of God a wise Prince learned rulers obedience to officers in subiectes louers of the common wealth vertue rewarded vice chastened are the chief causers of a florishing common wealth It is not without great cause that we pray in our Letanie vnto God to be deliuered from sedition for sedition alwayes implieth daunger to the person of the Prince State it openeth the gate to forreine inuasion as by sundry examples we may see for when great dissention and warres were in England betwixt Herrauld and Tostus his brother Dissentiō in England opened the gate to forrein inuasiō Stow. 1066. after the death of king Edward sonne of Etheldred because Herrauld vsurped the crowne against his oath the trust put in him by king Edward who committed the gouernement of the realme to Herrauld during onely the nonage of Edgar his nephew to whom he gaue the crowne did not then William Duke of Normandy Duke of Normandie Hall 251. seeing a conuenient time and occasion offered to conquer this kingdome with a great army come into England and landed at Hastings in Sussex where in battell Herrauld was slaine Herrauld slaine and so William possessed this land by conquest Also when the great warres were in England betwixt king Iohn some of his Barons Barōs wars and sundry bloudy battels were fought betwixt them to the slaughter of many noble other valiant men Holinsh 199. did not the Barons being sore distressed with the kings forces pray ayde of Philip the Foxe 255. French king Frenchmen entred this realme when the ciuill warres were here requiring him to send Lewes his eldest sonne into England with some conuenient number of men and they would receiue him to be their king and do him homage whervpon the French king thinking rather by this deuice to conquer the realme sent Lewes his sonne with a great army of men into England whom the Barons receiued to him yeelded homage according to their promise whereupon diuerse great conflicts happened betwixt the king and the French Ibidem 600. and such of the Barons as ioyned with them who greatly indomaged the said king and got the possession of diuerse Castels Townes and other places and so became strong within this realme Likewise whē the ciuill warres were in England betwixt Edward the second his Barons concerning the Spensers did not the Scots waste destroy the countrey of the Bishoprike of Durham Scots inuaded England when ciuill warres were here and did not the French then enter the borders of Guyen hoping to haue recouered all the lands which the king had in France What imboldened the French king to surprise the holdes and fortifications neare Bulleyne in king Edward the sixt his dayes but the rebellion in Norfolke which greatly troubled the realme Fox 1309. and also to attempt the Isles of Gersey and Garnesey thinking to haue surprised the same also our ships but was repulsed to his great losses both of men and ships If we marke the fruits which haue proceeded of ciuill warres Cōquest by ciuill dissention Greece we shall sée that they haue bene alwayes guided after a most cruell and horrible kinde of hostilitie and that their issue hath bene the losse and ouerthrow of many commō wealths The Romaines came to the great Empire of Greece more by dissention and ciuill warres which they did sow amongst their neighbours then by force of armes French Academie Prou. 1. There are seuen things which God hateth and the eight his soule abhorreth and that eight is he which nourisheth discord amongst brethren French Academic ca. 63. Iustin li. 8. After the Romaines had kindled the fire of dissention in one nation they maintained one side a certaine time vntill in the end they had ouerthrowne both the one the other and so they deceiued sundry nations as the Carthagenians the Asians the Gawles Qui apertè concordiam simulant occulta dissidia serunt Bodinus li. 4 fol. 487. nihil est immortali Deo detest abilius saith Bodinus And by sowing of the sayd dissention in the end the Romaine Empire fell from her greatnesse by the meanes of ciuill warres which they had long time nourished amongest others Incidit in foueam quam fecit The Empire of Alexander being the greatest that euer was Alexander vanished as a fire of tow through the diuision and discord that was among his successors French Academie ca. 63. Iudea And Iosephus saith that the kings of Iudea became subiect and tributarie to the Romaines through the ciuill warres betwixt Hercanus and Aristobulus who were brethrē The afflictiō of Spaine by ciuill dissention There was no countrey more afflicted then
reconciliation by any speech preaching teaching writing or any other open deede or if any person or persons within this Realme or any the Queenes Maiesties dominions after the sayd first day of Iuly shall willingly receiue or take any such absolution or reconciliation or else if any person or persons haue obtayned or gotten sithens the last day of Iuly in the first yeare of the Queenes Maiesties Raigne or after the sayd first day of Iuly shall obtaine or get from the sayd Bishop of Rome or any his successors or Sea of Rome any manner of Bul writing or instrument written or printed containing any thing matter or cause whatsoeuer or shall publish or by any wayes or meanes put in vre any such Bul writing or instrument that theÌ„ all euery such act acts offeÌ„ce and offeÌ„ces shall be deemed adiudged by the authority of this Act to be high treason the offender offenders therein their procurers abbetters and counsellers to the committing the sayd offence and offences shall be deemed high treason to the Queene and the Realme and being thereof lawfully indicted and attaynted shall forfeit as in cases of high treason and their ayders counsellers or abbetters after the committing of the sayd offences and acts to the intent to set foorth vphold or allow the doing or execution of the sayd vsurped power iurisdiction or authority touching or concerning the premises or any part therof shall incurre the paine of the Satute of Praemunire made in the sixteenth yeare of king Richard the second 16. R. 2. cap. Prouided alwayes nd be it further enacted by the authority aforesayd that if any person or persons to whom any such absolution reconciliation Bull writing or instrument shall after the sayd first day of Iuly be offered moued or perswaded to be vsed put in vre Conceale or executed shall conceale the same offer motion or perswade and not disclose and signifie the same by writing or otherwise within sixe weekes next following to some of the Queenes Maiesties Priuie Councell established in the North parts or in the Marches of Wales for the time being shall incurre the paine and forfeiture of misprision of treason Treason B. 19. 6. El. 6. which is to forfeit the profit of his lands during his life all his goods and chattels and to haue perpetuall imprisonment And the paine of the sayd Satute of the Praemunire is to forfeit all his lands that he hath in fee-simple Forfeit B. 101 24. H. 8. to the Crowne for euer and all lands that he holdeth in tayle or for life during his life and all his leases for yeares and other his goods and chattels for euer and shall haue perpetuall imprisonment Protection and be out of the Queenes protection And it hath bene taken that any man might kill such a one before the making of the Statute of 5. F. n. b. 232. Coron B. 193. El. cap. 1. but now he may not Although it may be doubted for that we are deuided for religion if any inuasion should be attempted in this Realme Inuasion that some desirous of alteration thereof would ioyne with them yet it is to be hoped that there are thousands and thousands of true and faithfull subiects German fo 122. Forfâ—it B. 102 Triall F. 54. 5. R. 2. 2. H. 5. cap. 7. which will spend their lands liues and goods as they ought before the enemy should preuaile And one reason moueth me thus to thinke for that the Quéenes Maiestie doth not punish them by death nor losse of goods and lands as was vsed in Queene Maries time for religion but imposeth vppon some of them a certaine summe of mony to be payd monethly for not comming to Church besides great numbers of others which perhaps would like well of the change of religion as well as the rest and yet are neither charged with like payment nor otherwise any way dealt withall And another chiefe reason moueth me thus to thinke for that they which shall shew themselues traytors false and vntrue to their owne Prince and countrey A forreyn Prince that conquereth trusteth not him that is conquered in adhering to strangers besides that they shal ouerthrow themselues and their houses and vtterly vndoe their wiues children for that they shall forfeit al they haue may in all reason assure theÌ„selues the no forreyn Prince will thinke that such persons wil be true to him for he that will not regard his countrey where he was bread and borne his father mother wife children kinsfolkes nor allies his lands liuings and possessions his liberty and freedome how can a stranger that commeth to conquer and bring all these into his subiection seruitude and bondage be perswaded that he will loue obey or carry any loyalty or faithfulnesse towards him as is aforesayd How such haue bene dealt withall by them with whom they haue ioyned against their Prince and countrey how faire soeuer they haue promised appeareth in part afore and more ensueth Of the conspiracies and trecheries of certaine Nobles and others against their Prince and country and what haue bin the rewards of such traitors by them who made vse of their treasons and how dangerous the controuersie in religion is to a common wealth CHAP. 10. WHen William Duke of Normandie attempted to inuade this land Holinsh 298. WilliaÌ„ Duke of NormaÌ„dy there were certaine Noblemen of England which were aiding assisting to him in this action to whom he made many faire and large promises vntill he had wonne the Crowne and then he forgot and nothing regarded them and they which thought themselues sure to be made for euer by bringing in this stranger into this realme did sée themselues vnderfoot and to be dispised mocked on all sides Ibid. 197. Againe when the variance was in England betwixt king Iohn and some of his Barons and that the king did put them often to the worst they did write to the king of Fraunce Philip Ibid. 600. Lewes the FreÌ„ch kings sonne came into EnglaÌ„d when ciuill waires were there praying aide of him and requiring him to send Lewes his sonne with men of warre into England to assist theÌ„ against their king promising that they would accept him for their king and do him homage whereupon the French king sent his sonne Lewes with a great company into England to whom the Barons did homage and the said Lewes tooke an oath also to maintaine and performe the old lawes customs of the realme and to restore to euerie man his rightfull heritage and lands requiring the Barons to continue faithfull vnto him and he vsed them so curteously and gaue them so many faire words and made them such large promises that they beléeued him assuredly but they remembred not that Lewes looked for a kingdome And what will not manie do if they may thereby be sure or in hope to get a Crowne as one writeth Ad quid non adagis regnandi dira cupido
s. which amounted to an inestimable sum Holinsh f. 11. Graft abridg An. 1085. when it came all together into his exchequer And did not he shortly after cause all mens goods and chattels to be valued and raised thereof also a maruelous great masse of mony to the great greife and impouerishment of our people who so sore lamented the miserable case wherein they were thrawled that they hated the Normans in their hartes with deadly mallice howbeit the more they spake and séemed to grudge against such sore touls tallages and cruell oppressions as were daily deuised to their vtter vndoings the more they were burdened after the manner of the bondage which the children of Israel sometime suffered in Egipt for on the other side the Normans perceiuing the hatred which the Englishmen did beare towardes them were sore offended in their mindes and therefore sought by all manner of waies how to kéepe them vnder In like sort did not Wil. Rufus ouerthrow diuers and sundry townes Holinsh 313. parishes villages and buildings for the space of thrée miles together to make thereof a Forrest which to this day is called the new Forrest for wilde beasts and deare whereby no small member of the poore lost their houses their lands and liuings for the maintenance of sauage beasts Nevv forrest Camden 188. of whose hard dealing in this case Doctor White Bishop of Winchester hath these verses written as Camden affirmeth fo 198. B. of Win. Templa adimit diuis fora ciuibus arua colonis Rufus instituit Beanlensi in rure forestam Rex ceruum insequitur Regem vindicta Tirellus Non bene praeuisum transfixit acumine ferri Did not he cause a greiuous paine to be ordained insomuch that who so euer did kill any of the same deare he should haue his eies put out Eies put out for hunting wherevpon many refusing to sustaine such an intollerable yoke of thrauldome as was dayly laid vpon them by the Normans choose rather to leaue both lands and goods and after the manner of outlawes got them to the woods with their wiues children and seruants meaning from thenceforth wholy to liue vppon the spoyle of the Countries adioyning and to take what so euer came first to hand wherevpon shortlie it came to passe that no man might in safetie trauel from his owne house or towne to his neighbours and euery quiet and honest mans house became as it were a hould or fortresse and was furnished for defence with Bowes Arrowes Billes Pollaxes Swordes Clubbes and Staues the dores kept locked and strongly boulted and namely in the night season for feare to be surprised as it had bin in time of war and amongst publique enimies Prayers were made also to almighty God by the maister of the house to saue and defend them as though they had bin in the middest of the seas in some stormy tempest by meanes of these hard dealing towards the English nation The people in the North parts of this Realme did rebell whome the Normans suppressed Hands cut off for rebelling and caused some of their hands to be cut of in token of their rebellious dealings and others by death to be punished and tooke so great a displeasure with the inhabitants of those parts that he wasted all the land betwixt Yorke and Durham so that for the space of 90. miles there was left in manner no habitation for the people by reason whereof it laie waste and deserte by the space of nine or tenne yeares so that no greater misery in the earth could happen then that into the which our nation was now falne Likewise did not he take from the Towns and Citties from the Bishops and Abbies all their ancient priuiledges and frée Customes to the end they should not onely be cut short and made weaker but also that they might redéeme the same of him for such somes of money as it pleased him to appointe to obtaine their quietnesse and made protestation that as he came to the gouernance of this Realme by plaine conquest so he would and did seize into his hands the most parte of euerie mans possessions causing them to redéeme the same at his handes againe and yet retained a parte in the most parte of them so that they that shoulde afterwardes inioy them shoulde acknowledge themselues to hold them of him in yéelding a yearely rent to him and his successors for euer In like manner when the Spaniards by violence possesthe sed Crowne of Portingall Booke of the estate of Fugitiues did not the king of Spaine vse the authoritie of a Conqueror and the tyrannicall cruelty of an vsurper altring their Lawes confounding their priuiledges ouerturning the whole estate of their gouernment strangling some of their Nobilitie and other of them beheading imprisoning and banishing some other of them with many other horrible and pittifull actions These are also other miseries which followe where the enemy doth get the vpper hand and shall we looke for any other dealing if they should ouercome vs ¶ That we shal preuaile against our enimies by faithful praiers to God wherof diuers examples are here set down out of the Bible also diuers other good perswasions to withstād the enimy and how that euery man is bound so to do whereby great fame is attained and left to posterities Chap. 4. IF we wil consider how valiantly our forefathers haue alwaies resisted forren forces prepared against our countrey 6. cause of incorragemēt and what great renowne and same they haue gotten for their valour in Armes which is spread amongest all Christian Nations of whom it is written Anglia Bistonio semper gens inclita marte England a Nation euer famous in battell Bysto is a coūtrey of valiāt people in warres in thrace Camd. fol. 7. Of whome Iohn Wheathamsted sometime the Abbot of S. Albons in his Granario writeth Sufficiat igitur Britannis pro nobilitatis suae orgine quod sint fortes potentes in praelijs quodque vndique debellent aduersarios nullumque penitus patiantur iugum seruitutis It is sufficient for the Britaine 's of whom we are descended for the beginning of their Nobility that they are strong mightie in battell and that they doe euery where beate downe their enimies and cannot suffer by any meanes the yoke of any bondage If we will remember that no Nation sithence the Conquest of this lande which is about 529. yeares past coulde yet ouercome vs praised be God therfore notwithstanding sundry attempts made to that end if we will call to mind the notable ouerthrowes which king Richard the first gaue the Infidels with a few Englishmen Foxe 245. Hol. 1191. and made the king of Cypres to doe him homage for his kingdome and besides him diuers other valiant kings and people haue we brought into subiection and made them stoope to the Crown of England as by our Chronicles is euident we haue nowe then great cause to be mightily incouraged in
presented her selfe before him in his chamber and promised him faire vntill she had lulled him asleepe with drinke and then making her praiers to Almighty God to assist her against the proud Assyrian Holofernes she tooke out his sword and stroke of his head and passed through his host with her maid hauing Holofernes head in a bagge and so came to her castle in the night and the next day fixed his head vpon a powle for the view of all his army wherevpon they remoued and so she deliuered her Citie by the great mercy and fauor of God towards her What shall I say of Curtius that noble Romaine and Assurus the kings sonne of Phrigia either of which seeing in their country a dangerous breach of cliffe in the earth which they were perswaded would not be closed vp againe vntill the best thing in the citie which they tooke to be a man were cast into it willingly threw themselues into the same for the safety of the people But forraine examples are innumerable and not so well knowne vnto vs as our owne ¶ This Chapter sheweth sundrie examples of diuerse Noblemen of this land who haue aduentured their liues in defence of their countrey and how that euerie man ought to indeuour him selfe to follow their steps and most valiantly and resolutely to fight in defence of his Prince and countrey against all foreine enemies CHAP. 5. IT is not vnknowne vnto you Aduentures of the Nobilitie how valiantly the Kings Princes and Nobles of this our Nation haue in diuerse and sundrie warres ventured their owne persons and with their owne handes incountred their enemies As for example Did not Henrie the first in a battell in France Holinsh 356. smite downe to the ground Crispio Earle of Eureux by meanes wherof he was taken prisoner at the kings féet Ibidē 1181. 1170. Was not king Henrie the fifth in person in the battell at Agincourt in Fraunce and there likewise fought in his owne person Battell of Agincourt in Frāce fought by K. Henrie the 5. and caried away the stroke of the enemie vpon his helmet and man of the French at that time a glorious victorie And concerning the valiant seruice in field of a great number of the Nobilitie and others of this realme how they haue also endaungered them selues in the defence of their Prince and countrey against the enemie performed most famous actes of chiualrie therein to their great honors immortal fames which obliuion the cankred enemie to fame shall neuer be able to blemish but they shall remaine as spectacles to posterities for euer to behold and to encourage them to ensue their martiall actes and enterprises Among other what valiant and faithfull seruice hath the noble house of the Lord Talbot done from time to time to their Princes and countrey The valiant seruice of the noble house of the Lord Talbot Hall 596. Mauns in Fraunce when the Earle of Suffolke hauing the charge of Mauns in France and the magistrates specially the cleargy of the same citie conspired with the French assuring them that if they would come to surprise the citie they should find them ready to receiue them and so they did by meanes whereof the said Earle with the rest of the said English men were forced to take the castle there and keepe it and in all hast sent to the Lord Talbot who then lay at Alaunson certifying him in what state they stood hauing neither victuall nor munition and their castle almost vndermined so that yeelding now must follow for resistance would not helpe if they were not aided with speed Did not the said Lord Talbot hearing this newes with all hast assemble his Captaines and souldiers to the number of seauen hundred men of warre and in the euening departed from Alaunson and that night entred into the said castle of Mans at a posterne gate secretly Whereupon about sixe of the clocke in the morning the English men issued out of the Castle crying aloud S. George Talbot The Frenchmen within thinking nothing lesse then of this sudden approchment rose out of their beds and fled leauing all their horses armour and riches behind them at which time there was slaine and taken foure hundred gentlemen of the French And thus was the Citie of Mans reduced againe vnto English Mauns takē by the Lord Talbot Holins 1262. Awians Ibid. 1262. mens possessions by this most noble seruice and bold enterprises of this Lord Talbot Did not the Lord Talbot likewise with a companie raise the siege of the French at Awrans then being in the allegiance of the king of England Did not he the Lord Scales and others hearing the Frenchmen to be come within foure leagues of Rone which then was then also Rone vnder the subiection of the king of England by night issue out of that citie and in the morning by day came to the place where the Frenchmen were and then set vpon them where many of them were slaine and taken prisoners Also did not the Duke of Burgundie when he beseeged the towne of Cretoy with ten thousand men Ibidem 1263 Cretoy hearing of the comming of the Lord Talbot raise his siege the sayd Lord Talbot sending him word that he would giue him battell if he would not that the said Earle would wast and destroy his countrey in Picardy and according to his promise so he did Was not Iohn Lord Talbot for his approued prowesse and tried valiancy performed in the warres of France Ibidem 1276 Camden 462. Iohn first Earle of Shrewsburie Normandy Hall 31 h. 6. Aquitaine Burdeux taken Diuers other cities and townes taken created Earle of Shrewsburie about the ninteenth yeare of Henrie the sixt and after sent againe with 3000. men into Normandie for the better defence thereof who neither forgot his duty nor forslowed his businesse but daily labored and hourely studied how to molest and indanger his enemies Did not the kings Counsell then send the said Earle with an army into Aquitaine at the earnest sute of the Magistrates and inhabitants of the citie of Burdeaux who receiued him and his power into that citie by a posterne gate where they siue many of the Captaines and others of the Frenchmen and so was Burdeaux taken by the said Earle which he fortified and after rode into the countrey thereabout and obtained diuers cities and townes without dint of sword And among others did not he take the strong towne of Castillon in Perigot Castillon in Perigot where the French king whē he vnderstood thereof assembled twenty thousand men and entred into Aquitaine Aquitaine Castillon befieged by the french where Castillon is and besieged the said towne of Castillon with a strong siege where vpon the Earle of Shrewsbury assembled 800. horsmen and 5000. footmen and went to the rescue of the said towne in which battell very valiantly he behaued himselfe Earle of Shrewsbury slaine Anno 1453. Camden 462. and there
was slaine with a small shot and this was the end of this noble Earle after he had with much honor more fame and great renowne serued his Prince in warrs foure and twenty years in France and was honorably interred amongst them on whose Tombe in ingrauen as followeth Inscription on the tomb of Iohn first Earle of Shrewsbury Here lieth the right noble knight Iohn Talbott Earle of Shrewsbury Washford Waterford and Valence Lord Talbot of Goodrige and Vrchengfield Lord Strange of the blacke Meere Lord Verdon of Alton Lord Crumwell of Wingfield Lord Louetoft of Worsop Lord Furniuall of Sheffield Lord Faulconbrige knight of the most noble order of S. George S. Michaell and the Golden fleece Great Marshall to king Henry the sixt of his realme of France who died in the battell of Burdeaux in the yeare of our Lord 1453. 1453. If I should set downe euery particular seruice of such as haue discended of this noble house done from time to time in the warres for their prince and countrey it would aske very long time therefore he that desireth to knowe more thereof I referre him to the Chronicles of this realme where they are set forth at large to their great honor and glory And touching the loyalty of this noble house to the Crowne I find it not attainted for any disloyalty to the same sithens the conquest of this realme for which they are most deepely bound to yeeld their most humble thankes to the goodnesse of Almighty God that so from time to time hath blessed the same and so much the more for that a great number of other Peeres and Nobles of this land haue bene attainted sithens that time for their disloyalty In honor of which house of the Lord Talbot I haue made these few verses following TAlbot I am that euer haue bene true Vnto my Prince her crowne and dignity And hope in God my fathers to ensue So as my bloud shall neuer stained be Prest I will be my countrey to defend As doth belong to men of my degree And on her foes my life and land will spend As each man ought for her securitie The acts of warre performed by my name I shall increase as God shall giue me might To serue my Prince when she commands the same As doth belong vnto a faithfull knight My gracious Prince hath honored me With name of thorder of the garter knight Of which great kings haue much desired to be Wherein these words with golden letters bright Hony soyt qui mal y pense are seene As much to say as ill to him befall That ill doth wish vnto so good a Queene And so I pray and during life I shall And for some among many examples of the loyaltie of that noble house Holinsh 368. first I find that William Lord Talbot in king Stephen his time tooke vppon him to defend Hereford in Wales as diuerse other nobles of this Realme did other Castles and townes in England to the vse of Maud the Empresse and her sonne against the sayd king Stephen who vsurped and detayned the Crowne against her sayd son contrary to his oath made to the sayd Empresse her said son being the right heyre to Henry the first his Realme of England Iohn Earle of Shrewsbury was slaine at North taking part with Henry the sixt against the Duke of Yorke others then I find how Sir Gilbert Talbot was sent by the yong Earle of Shrewsbury being within age and ward to Richard the third with two thousand of his tenants and friends to ayde Henry Earle of Richmond against the sayd King Richard Stow. 121. being not onely an horrible murtherer of his Nephewes king Edward the fourth his childrē but also an vsurper of the Crowne whom the sayd Earle ouerthrew at Bosworth field and so obtayned the Scepter Royall of this Realme I note also the great loyalty of the right noble George fourth Earle of Shrewsbury that where diuerse euill disposed persons in the rebellion in the North parts of this Realme about the 28 yeare of the raigne of King Henry the eight gaue forth very slanderous and dishonorable speeches against the sayd Earle Holinsh 1567. as though he had fauored more the part of the rebels then of the king his Maister for a full testimony and declaration of his truth to his Prince he caused his Chapleyn to minister to him an oath in the presence of a great number of people assembled by him to represse the sayd rebels by which oath he did protest that as his Auncesters had bene euer true to the Crowne so be wold not staine his bloud in ioyning with a sort of rebels and traytors against their Prince but sayd he would liue and die in defence of the Crowne if it did stand but vpon a stake How faithfully did the Lord George last Earle of Shrewsbury discharge the great trust reposed in him by her Maiestie and her whole Councell in the garding safe keeping of the Quéene of Scots by the space of seuenteene yeares at the least a matter of such importance as the like so long time was neuer committed to any State or Péere of this Realme sithens the conquest thereof and how carefully he did preuent the sundry deuises and subtill practises wrought by her selfe and others for her escape it is sufficiently knowne The trust was the greater for that if she had escaped no small danger might haue ensued to the person of our most gracious Queene and to the whole Realme as may appeare by her sundry conspiracies against the same In like manner when any matter of great importance for the seruice of the Realme in those parts was committed to him as often many were how carefully and painefully Camden 463. and with what expedition he would dispatch the same the world can testifie what great confidence was reposed in him by the Queenes Maiestie when he was made Lieutenant of the counties of Darby and Stafford in those dangerous dayes and how he performed the same trust to the preseruation of the common peace and quietnesse of those Shires is well knowne to all men what great trust was committed to himselfe also when he had authority in times of rebellion and other outrageous actions in those parts to suppresse the same in forcible manner and to execute the offenders by Marshall iustice without further proceeding in law against thē by the large Commission directed vnto him is manifest Gilbert now the seuenth Earle of Shrewsbury And lastly was not the right honourable Gilbert now Earle of Shrewsbury in the xxxviij yeare of her Maiesties most gracious Raigne sent into Fraunce to receiue the oath of the French king for the confirmation of the most honorable league betwixt her Maiestie and the said king and did not he performe that Embassage to his great honour And did not the sayd king in proofe of his great good acceptation thereof His Embassage most honorably performed in Fraunce giue him
Prince the preseruation of her person the safety of your countrey nor the safegard of your owne liues if the forfeiture of your lands and goods if the vtter vndoing of your wiues and children the corruption of your bloud the terror of your execution the shame and ignominy of the world to be left to your posterity the sorrow of your parents the griefe of your friends and reioyring of your enemies to see you come to this miserable and lamentable ende will not moue you to desist from this your outragious dealing and to submit your selues as is aforesayd yet at least remember your soules health and the saying of Saint Paule which I put you in mind of in the beginning that such as rebell against their Prince shall procure to themselues damnation whereof if you will haue no regard then of all people you are the most miserable and it had beene better you had neuer beene borne then to be condemned to hell fire where there is no redemption and where you shall be tormented world without ende with Lucifer the first rebell against God and father of all rebels and with his angels where is weeping wayling and gnashing of teeth and perpetuall horror amongst the damned spirits for euermore from which Almighty God for his mercy deliuer vs. ¶ A repetition of certaine Statutes whereby it is high treason as well for any man to withdraw her Maiesties subiects from their loyaltie as also to be so withdrawne CHAP. 9. IT is not vnknowne vnto you how that the Bishop of Rome by certaine Iesuits practised as you haue heard by the sayd proclamation to deale with her Maiesties subiects to renounce their obedience vnto her highnesse which no man can do No man can renounce his naturall allegeance because it is due to her Maiestie by the law of God and by the law of nature of all which are borne vnder her obeissance and that which nature hath giuen no man can take away as the saying is Quod natura dedit nemo est qui tollere possit And in proofe thereof Dyer 300. I find that Doctor Story an Englishman borne fled into Brabant and there tooke his oath of allegiance to be subiect to Philip king of Spaine and after being brought into England he was arraigned for practising beyond the sea with the king of Spaine his deputy there in forcible and warlike manner to inuade this Realme of England Doctor Stories arraignment and in this practising did shew how and where the best place was to make this inuasion And if he would so doe there should be diuerse ready to ayde him he confessed that he was an Englishman borne at Salisbury but sayd he was the sayd king of Spaine his subiect and therefore refused to answere to that inditement saying also that he was no subiect to the Quéenes Maiestie that he had bin subiect to the king of Spaine this seuen yeares and thereupon prayed that his plée might be entred because he would giue no other answer he had iudgement as a traitor Stories execution 13. Elizabeth that is to be hanged drawne and quartered so he was executed in the thirtéenth yere of her Maiesties raigne Therfore this deuise of the Pope and his practise to withdraw her Maiesties subiects from their loyalty is but as it were a trap layd to bring such to destruction as shall be so withdrawne and it is treason by a Statute made in the three and twentieth yeare of her Maiesties raigne as well in the practiser to withdraw as in the person which is withdrawne as by that statute appeareth the words whereof be these Be it declared and enacted by the authority of this present Parliament 23. El. cap. 1. Treason to withdraw any from their naturall obedience that all persons whatsoeuer which haue or shall haue or pretēd to haue power or shal by any waies or meanes put in practise to absolue perswade or withdraw any of the Queenes Maiesties subiects or any within her highnesse Realmes dominiōs from their naturall obedience to her Maiestie or to withdrawe them for that intent from the religion now by her Highnesse authority established within her highnesse dominiōs to the Romish religion or to moue them or any of them to promise any obedience to any pretended authority of the Sea of Rome or of any other Prince State or Potentate to be had and vsed within her dominions or shall do any ouert act to that intent or purpose euery of them shal be to all intents adiudged traitours and being thereof lawfully conuicted shall haue iudgement suffer and forfeit as in case of high treason And if any person shall after the end of that Session of Parliament by any meanes be willingly absolued or withdrawne as afore is sayd or willingly be reconciled or shall promise any obedience to any such pretended authority Prince State or Potentate as is afore sayd that then euery such person their procurers counsellers therunto being therof lawfully conuicted shall be taken tried and iudged and shall suffer and forfeit as in cases of high treason And be it likewise enacted and declared that all and euery person and persons that shall willingly be ayders or maintainers of such persons so offending as is aboue expressed or of any of them knowing the same or which shall conceale any offence aforesayd and shall not within twenty dayes at the furdest after such persons knowledge of such offēce disclose the same to some Iustice of peace or other higher officer he shall be taken tried and iudged and shall suffer and forfeit as offenders in misprison of treason And because by the sayd proclamation published in the sayd thrée and thirtith yeare it appeareth that the Pope hath authorised Iesuits and Seminaries named in the sayd proclamation by colour of Buls to absolue the persons mentioned in the Statute last before remembred I haue thought it also conuenient to set downe in this place the Statut◠made in the thirtéenth yeare of the Quéenes Maiesties raigne concerning the bringing in of Buls into this Realme which is as followeth Be it enacted 13. El. cap. 1. Buls that if any person or persons after the first day of Iuly next cōming shall vse or put in vre in any place within this Realme or within any the Queenes dominions any Bull writing instrument written or printed of absolution or reconciliation obtayned and gotten from the sayd Bishop of Rome or any of his successors or from any other person or persons authorised or claiming authority by or from the sayd Bishop of Rome his predecessors or successors or Sea of Rome or if any person or persons after the sayd first day of Iuly shall take vppon him or them by colour of any such Bull writing instrument or authority to absolue or reconcile any person or persons or to graunt or promise to any persō or persons within this Realme or any other the Queenes Maiesties dominions any such absolution or
They remēbred not that the Fowlers whistle soundeth swéetly when he deceiueth the bird most cunningly according to the saying Fistula dulce canit volucrem dum decipit auceps Neither Cato lib. 1. that faire words make fooles faine and that vnder the gréene grasse often lurketh the suttle serpent nor that in the fairest floure a man may soonest find a canker Poemata Ciceronis 249. fol. 161. Nullae sunt occultiores insidiae quà m quae latent in simulatione officij aut in aliquo necessitudinis nomine Tully de amicitia saith Apertè enim adulantem nemo non vidit nisi qui admodum est excors callidus ille occultus ne se insinuet studiosè cauendum est They had also forgotten the counsell which Vicount de Melloir a Frenchman gaue to certaine of them in his sicknesse at London Holinsh 603 Booke of Martyrs fol. 214. which was as followeth I lament saith he for your destruction and desolation at hand because you are ignorant of the perils hanging ouer your heads for this vnderstand that Lewes and with him sixtéene Earles and Barons of Fraunce haue secretly sworne and vowed that if fortune should fauour him so much as to conquer this realme of England The oth of Lewes the French kings sonne with other his Earles ◠Barons and to be crowned king to kill banish and consume all those of the English Nobilitie which now do serue vnder him persecute their owne king as traitors and rebels and furthermore to dispossesse all their linage of such inheritance as they now hold in England And because saith he you shall not haue doubt hereof I which lie here at the point of death do now affirme vnto you and take it on the perill of my soule that I am one of those sixtéene that haue sworne to performe these things and therefore I aduise you to prouide for your owne safeties and also of your realme which you now destroy and that you kéepe this thing secret which I haue vttered vnto you After this he shortly died but the curteous offer of Lewes to the Barons as is aboue remembred so lulled thē on sléepe as it were Holinsh 601. that they regarded not this good aduise for after this diuerse of those which before had taken part with king Iohn as William Earle Warren William Earle of Arundell William Earle of Salisburie William Marshall the younger and diuerse other supposing verily that the said Lewes should now attaine the kingdome reuolted to Lewes but after that Lewes was setled Note here what followed by trusting of faire words and had gotten the tower of London diuerse other holds Castles defencible places of this realme into his hands and thought himselfe in maner sure of the kingdome then the Frenchmen began to shew their inward disposition and hatred towards the Englishmen and forgetting all former promises such is the nature of strangers whē they are become Lords of their desire they did manie excessiue outrages in spoiling robbing the people of that country without pitie or mercie and bare little good will towards the Engish men as it appeareth sundry wayes and first of all in that they had them in maner in no regard or estimation but rather sought by all meanes to spoyle and kéepe them vnder Booke of Martyrs fol. 257. not suffering them to beare any rule nor putting them in trust with the custodie of such places as they had brought them in possession of Secondly they called them not to counsell so oft as at the first they vsed to do neither did they procéede by their directions in their businesse as before they were accustomed and thirdly in all their conuersation neither Lewes nor his Frenchmen vsed them so familiarly as at the first comming they did but shewed more loftie countenance towards them whereby they greatly encreased the indignation of the English Lords against them who might euill abide to be so ouerruled To conclude Holinsh 602. where great promises were made at their entring into the land they were slow enough in performing the same so as the expectation of the English Barons was made quite voyd for they perceiued daily that they were despised and scoffed at for their disloyalty shewed towards their owne naturall Prince hearing now and then nips taunts openly by the Frenchmen saying that as they had shewed themselues false and vntrustie to their owne lawfull king Note so they would not continue anie long time true to a stranger Hereupon the Barons better considering the words of the sayd Vicount of Melloit and withall the great daunger that the realme was brought in by their dissention and opposition against their soueraigne Lord and the litle account the Frenchmen made of them Booke of Martyrs 247. gaue them iust occasion to take a better course and so they reuolted to king Henrie their naturall Liege Lord for King Iohn shortly after the comming of Lewes into England departed this life and they ioyned with the King in battell against Lewes where he had a great ouerthrow whereupon he and all his companie departed into Fraunce and king Henrie possessed the Crowne after that in quiet Caesar was wont to say of such as were false to their Prince and countrey Caesar that he loued Traitors to serue his turne but abhorred them as monstrous to the common wealth It is written of Alexander the Great Alexander who had conquered many countreys that he did long time séeke many wayes to winne a certaine countrey pertaining to Darius king of Persia and perceiuing that it was inuincible he dealt with a noble man that had the charge thereof vnder the king for a great summe of money to yéeld that countrey to his possession and so did Alexander giue good countenance in his Court to this noble man a good space and in the end entring into a déepe consideration of the matter and meaning thereby to make an example to such as hée might commit trust vnto to beware of such treasonable practises he suddenly commaunded execution to be done of this noble man who hearing thereof and litle deseruing the same as he thought desired to come to Alexanders presence which was graunted besought him to know the cause of this sudden execution who sayd thou hast bene false to thine own Prince how can I then trust thée or hope thou wilt deale truely with me or be my true subiect Tullie lib. 2. officiorum Alexander if I should credit thée with the like and so he was executed Philip king of Macedon did greatly blame his sonne Alexāder in an Epistle which he did write to him saying what occasion or consideration hath brought thée into this hope that thou shouldest thinke that they wil be and continue true and faithfull vnto thée whom thou hast corrupted with money I reade of one Christopher Paris Holinsh 98. Christopher Paris Irish Chron. that had the charge of a Castle in
Ireland to the vse of his Lord Thomas Fitzgerauld and being dealt withall by the king of England his Lieutenant there to yéeld to him to the vse of the king the sayd Castle for a certaine summe of money agréed in the end so to do and deliuered vp the hold accordingly and receiued his money After the Lieutenant considering the vniustnesse of this man to his Lord which had put him in trust with the safe kéeping of his Castle and to whom he was déepely beholden meaning to make an exāple of such treacherie caused this Captaine presently to be executed declaring thereby though for the time he imbraced the benefite of his treasōs yet after he could not disgest the vnfaithfull dealing of this traitor to his Maister that had trusted him with a place of such great credence and defence Christian van de Veque betrayed for a great pension the the Castle of S. Christiā van de Veque Iohn being one of the most importāt fortresses of Portugall to king Philip who in the end was rewarded with such as a traitor deserueth for being a while entertained with hope was at last banished to the wars of Affrica for ten yeares The like vsage in maner receiued all his fellowes which betrayed the king of Portugall their lawfull king by deliueries of such places as they had in gouernement or by doing the king of Spaine any other seruice to the preiudice of Don Anthonio king of Portugall Haue we not séene the vnnaturall practises of Shelley Charles Paget and others with the Spaniards to inuade our countrey and to haue ouerthrowne this happy state and gouernement thereof looke into a litle treatise published 1585 where it is set downe at large Esay 22. Sobna The Prophet Esay speaketh of one Sobna whom the king Hesekiah had greatly aduaunced who outwardly shewed that he would liue and dye with him but he had a false hart to his Prince and more fauoured the Assirians the kings enemies who sought to inuade his countrey but he was caried captiue into a forreine countrey farre off according to Gods ordinance and there dyed in confusion Such as are traitors to their owne countrey may be well compared to the viper Rhetorik Wilso fo 64. Plinie whose nature and propertie is as Pliny writeth that when by course of time he is to come foorth of the belly of his damme he eateth a hole through the same by meanes whereof she dyeth and so is he the cause and the destruction of her that did breed nourish and preserue him It is a commō saying He is an euill bird that defileth his owne neast and so is he a monster and no man that conspireth or intendeth any perill or daunger to his natiue country Who that desireth to know what hath bene the end of traitors and false conspirators against their Prince and countrey in old time may reade M. Renegers booke Reneger wherein they are disclosed at large As ciuill warres Ciuill wars and dissentions are perillous to all states so are all occasions to be preuented which may bréed the same amongst which there is no one thing that sooner ingēdreth such discord Contention for religion breedeth oftentimes ciuil dissentiō then contention for religion which carieth away men with such vehement passions that they will fight for the same more willingly then for their wiues or children lands or goods in respect of it they regard nothing through the diuersitie thereof French Academie ca. 63 the father is against the son and the son against the father they which are nearest of kinne loose their naturall loue they which are of the same country and linage persecute one another as mortal enemies sundry nations abhorre one another for the same cause To raise seditiō tumults in a Citie Bodinus li. 4. fo 486. nothing is more daungerous saith Bodinus then to be diuided in opiniō whether it be in matters of state or of lawes and customes or for religion therefore the causes whereof such mischiefes may ensue by all pollicies in the beginning are to be looked vnto He is not counted a good Phisition onely that cureth the disease but that preserueth health and preuenteth sicknesse to come A small sparke raiseth great flames of fire as the saying is Concitat ingentes flammas scintilla minuta In the beginning a fire with litle water may be suppressed Nota. which if it increase to great flames without much ado will not be quenched Ouid. as the Poet Ouid verie well saith Ignis ab exigua nascens extinguitur vnda Sed postquam creuit volitantque ad sydera flammae Vix putei fontes fluuij succurrere possunt And the same Poet writeth also De arte amandi Principijs obstat serò medicina paratur Cùm mala per longas conualuêre moras Withstād the beginning for the medicine is too late prouiuided when the disease by ouerlong tarying is increased Afore religion is established Not meet to argue against religion setled by authority Bodinus li. 4. fo 481. Paradox fo 1 to argue of religiō to try the truth is allowable but when it is set downe by common authoritie it is not after to be disputed vpon or brought in question as Bodinus affirmeth for there is nothing so firme or stable which by force of argument can not be peruerted and to that effect Tullie writeth Nihil est tam incredibile quod non dicendo fiat probabile nihil tam horridum aut incultum quod non splendescat oratione tāquam excolatur And Plutarke affirmeth Quod extat Licurgi lex antiquissima Plutarke 5. quam Florentini disputatores omnium acutissimi in populari statu inferunt nec scilicet de legibus semel receptis ac probatis disserere liceret Bodinus li. 4. fo 48. intelligit leges disputatas in dubium reuocari dubitationem verò iniusticiae opinionem afferre ex quo legum ac magistratuum contemptum reip interitum sequi necesse est Quod si Philosophi Mathematici suarum disciplinarum principia in dubitationem reuocari non patiuntur quae demētia est de religione non modo priuatim sed etiam publicè disputare velle There is an ancient law saith he amongst the Ligurians which the Florentines most quicke in disputation did commaund to be holden that of lawes once receiued and allowed to dispute it should not be lawfull for to call in questiō lawes afore determined vpon doth bring in doubt the thing afore agréed vnto as though it were not right and iust whereupon contempt of the lawes and gouernement and the ouerthrow of the common wealth doth consequently ensue If the Philosophers Mathematikes will not suffer the grounds of their learning to be brought in question what madnesse is it then priuately or publikely to dispute of religion once set downe and allowed Fo. 5. Doctour Smith in his booke de Repub. Angl. saith Certaine it is
tooke good assurance of king Peter for the paiment of the souldiers wages 1367. The Prince setteth forward to Spaine Thus when the Prince had taken order for his iourny in each condition as was thought behoofefull he with the king of Spaine in his companie passed forth with an army of thirtie thousand men Henrie king of Spaine hauing knowledge that the Prince of Wales was thus comming against him to restore his brother king Peter to his former degrée assembled of the French and of his owne people to the number of fourescore seuen thousand or there about of men of warre wherof seuen thousand were horsemen King Henrie sent to the Prince an Herald of armes with a letter The king of Spaine sendeth to the Prince requiring to know of him for what cause he moued warre against him sith he had neuer offered him any such occasion The Prince dispatched the Herald with an answer to the Letter containing in effect that for great considerations he had taken vpon him to aide the rightfull king of Spaine thased out of his realme by violent wrong and that if it might be he would gladly make an agréemēt betwixt them but so algates that king Henry of necessitie must then forsake all the title of the kingdome of Spaine which by no rightful meanes he could enioy and therfore if he refused thus to do he was for his part resolued how to procéed The Herald departed with this answer and came therewith to king Henrie and deliuered it vnto him as then lodged with his puissant armie at Nouarret which he liked not whereupon both parties prepared themselues to battell and ioyned The battell was eagerly fought the victorie fell to the Prince There were staine of men of armes fiue hundred and thrée score The number slaine at this battell at Nouarret and of Commons about seuē thousand and fiue hundred of the kings part and of the English part there was slaine of men of account but verie few viz. foure knights two Gascoynes one Almaine and the fourth an Englishman and of other meane Souldiers not past foure hundred Froissard as Froissard saith but other affirme that there was slaine of the Princes part about sixtéene hundred which shold séeme to be more like a truth if the battel were fought so sore fiercely as Froissard himselfe doth make report This battell was fought vpon a Saturday Caxton the third of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord 1367. There was taken prisoners of the kings part to the number of two thousand and amongst them the Earle of Dene Sir Berthram de Cleaquine the Marshall Dandrehen or Dandenhien and many other men of great account After the battell King Peter went to Burgis and was receiued into the Citie and shortly the Prince came thither Froissard and there held his Easter with king Peter and taried there aboue thrée wéeks in the meane time they of Austergus Toledo Lisbon Cordeua Gallice Ciuill of all other places of the kingdome of Spaine came in did homage to King Peter promising him to be true to him euer after for they saw that resistance would not auaile so long as the Prince should be in the Countrie I note by this discourse Note the mightie courage of this noble Prince that durst enterprise to displace a king of his royall seat in his owne kingdome being there a méere stranger and to encounter him in so great an action hauing not aboue thirtie thousand in his Campe the king being about fourescore sixe thousand strong whereof aboue seuen thousand were horsmen and in his owne countrey where he might be furnished to supply his want And here I may not omit to speake of the notable and valiant seruice performed by the said noble Earle of Essex and the right noble Charles Haward now Earle of Nottingham high Admirall of England and diuerse other Lords Knights Esquires and Gentlemen at Cales in Spaine in the thirtie eight yere of her Maiesties raigne where they found fiue Gallions of the king of Spaines that is to say the Philip being Admirall the S. Matthew the S. Andrew the S. Thomas the S. Iames three Leuantices two great ships of Noua Hispania and diuerse gallies and 20 marchant ships richly loden for the Indies at which time the English had fight with the said Gallies about an houre the next day the English men and the Spaniards incountred each the other valiantly which conflict continued from seauen of the clocke in the morning till one in the after noone which was so sharpe that some of the Spanish ships did runne vp the riuer further into the country to saue themselues The said ships called S. Mathew and S. Andrew were taken and brought into England the Philip another being Uiceadmirall ranne themselues on ground and the English entred the Philip to haue had the spoile of her which the Spaniards perceiuing did set on fire and went out and the English men escaped the fire with danger some other of their ships were fired by vs there the Generall landed about sire thousand men and marched towards Cales citie being led by the said noble Earle of Essex giuen in the head of that troupe whome certaine of the Spaniards met some on foote and some on horsebacke out of the citie about halfe a mile but they did not tarie but retired to the towne The said Eerle of Essex pursued them resolutely and with such inuincible courage vnto their walles where they played vpon them with their ordinance and small shot awhile but in the end they entred by plaine force with small losse of their men The Earle of Essex was one of the first that entred with many voluntarie Gentlemen and they which entred were not aboue 1000 men which wanne the towne but there was good ayde at hand In the towne there were 500 horsemen and a thousand footmen besides a great number of other townesmen and great store of munition ordinance and victualles The towne was strongly walled hauing a castle strongly edified in the midst thereof and so fortified and victualled that it was thought impossible to haue bene wonne without cannon shot and the houses were all of stone very strongly and defencibly builded so as if they had stood to it it had not bene possible with a far greater number to haue bene so soone surprised We tooke the spoyle of the Citie being very rich in Iewels Plate Money Cloth of gold Silke Sugars Wine Oyle Rice and other marchandise which was esteemed with the losse of the said ships and goods in them to be worth a huge sūme of money The said noble Earles of Essex and Nottingham knowing the loosenesse of soldiers very honorably caused the Ladies and gentlewomen wherof there were diuerse in that Citie with the rest of the women and children with 500 men to be safely conueyed out of the Citie and a straite proclamation made that none should offer to any of them any
violence vpon paine of death and shortly after they fired the towne and tooke the seas and they brought also with them into England diuerse of the best sort of the Spaniards taken in the said Citie as prisoners to abide their ransome what the king will do being herewith moued I know not but no doubt her Maiestie will prouide to defend the worst as good pollicie willeth Salomon saith Beatus qui semper timet hoc est qui cautus prouidens est ad omnia mala quae possunt in illum incursare depellenda paratissimus How most graciously Almighty God hath dealt for her Maiestie to defend her her kingdomes from forraine forces inuasion you may sée in that in the beginning of winter about three yeares last past when the king of Spaine had gathered together as great a number of Shippes as he could furnish from all partes of his dominions or could recouer by imbarking all other shippes of seruice which came for trade into Spaine or Portugall intending to haue inuaded her Maiesties realme of England and yet such was the prouidence of God contrary to his expectation intētion by hastening of his enterprise in a time vnlooked for to surprise some place in England or Ireland before her Maiesty could haue had her owne force in readinesse she still prouiding to haue liued in peace which she professeth both to her self all Christēdome it pleased him who frō heauen with iustice beholdeth all mens purposes sodainly most strāgely to drowne make vnseruiceable diuerse of his best ships of warre being vnder saile comming from Lisbone and verie neare to the deffined hauen of Ferroll with destruction of no smal numbers of souldiers and mariners among which manie of those Irish rebels which were entertained in Spaine to haue accompanied either that Nauy or some part therof into Irelād were also cast away by which manifest act of Almightie God the Armie was so weakened as the same could not put to the seas according to his former purpose And here I protest that I write not anie thing to disgrace anie Prince or nation against whom our nation hath so often preuailed but that you may by the said examples sée that God giueth the victorie where it pleaseth him although the said other Princes be right couragious and valiant in armes That notwithstanding the difference of religiō or anie other cause whatsoeuer we ought all to ioyne together for the defence of our Prince and countrey against the enemie with a repetition of certaine lawes tending chiefly to the preseruation of her Maiesties person and the safetie and defence of the realme CHAP. 12. ANd though we be deuided for religion which God of his mercie bring to vnitie yet I trust that we will wholly Though we be deuided for religion yet we must ioyne against the enemie faithfully and as we are bound and belongeth to good and loyall subiects and naturall men to their countrey ioyne together in this seruice of defence of our Prince and countrey against the enemie following the good example of the Iewes who although great dissention and ciuill discord was among themselues as Iosephus writeth in his booke de bello Iudaico yet when the enemie did inuade their countrie Lib. 6. cap. 10 they ioyned together and valiantly defended thēselues So did the Romans as Bodinus writeth his words be these Bodinus 563 Cùm enim aliquando in visceribus vrbis Romanae patres cum plebe capitalibus odijs inter se contenderent hostis in Capitolium inuasit repentè ciues ad concordiam adducti hostem repulerunt rursus parta pace cùm ciuiles discordias relapsas intuerentur venientes Romanos agros vastare coeperunt repent è ciuilis motus conquieuit vt hostes propulsarent That is When the chiefe of the citie of Rome with the common sort of the Citizens there were at deadly hate the enemie entred the Capitoll wherupon sodainly the Citizens being reduced to concord they did driue away the enemie and by that meanes peace being obtained when they againe fell into ciuill discord the enemy that perceiuing they destroyed the fields at Rome whereupon the commotion ceased that they might repulse the enemie To that effect he writeth of the troubles of Spaine Ibidem 563. thus Nec verò motus ciuiles Hispanorum aliter sedare potuerunt cum absente Carolo quinto Imperatore nouum creauissent regem Gallorum exercitu in Cantabriam Nauarram tunc irruente quas regiones Galli occupauerant sed Hispani repentè conciliatis animis hostiles impetus represserunt amissa recuperarunt That is The ciuill warres and troubles in Spaine could not otherwise be appeased when Charles the fift Emperour being absent they made a new King at which time an armie of the Frenchmen entredinto Cātabrie and Nauarre and possessed the same but the Spaniards sodainely according within themselues did expell them and recouered againe those losses By these examples the naturall affection which these men had and euerie man ought to haue to the preseruation and safetie of their countrie doth euidētly appeare And whatsoeuer the cause be that moueth ciuill warres yet that ought not to worke such malice in them as the safetie and good of their countrie should thereby be endangered or neglected wherby the saying of the Poet Ouid may appeare to be true Nescio qua natale solum dulcedine cunctos Ducit immemores non sinit esse sui And because there are many good lawes ordained Diuerse lawes meet to be set downe and knowne in these dangerous dayes as well in the time of our most gracious Soueraigne Ladie that now is as also of her noble Progenitors by the authority of their high Courts of Parliament touching the securitie of her Highnesse person and the safety and defence of the realme which be necessarie at all times but especially now in these dangerous dayes to be knowne I haue thought good here to make mention of them to the end men should not be ignorant thereof although in truth the ignorance of the law doth not excuse German fol. 52. but of the déed as the saying is Ignorantia legis non excusat sed ignorantia facti And first touching her Maiesties person 25. E. 3. cap. 2 Compasse or imagine the death of the Queene it is ordained by a Statute made in the fiue and twentieth yeare of Edward the third which some hold to be but a confirmation of the common law that if anie compasse or imagine the death of her Maiestie whom Almightie God of his great mercy vouchsafe to preserue and to graunt her life with most prosperous health in high felicitie long to cōtinue and to raigne ouer vs to the ouerthrow of her enemies confusion of all traitors this is high treason Treason B. 24. 1. Mariae These words ompasse or imagine the death of the King or Quéene are large words for he that doth deuise how the Prince shall come