before the Conquest there was a mutual exchange of these contracts betweene the ancient famous Saxons and our pious Kings Princes ancestors haue bin famous matches for the good benefit of both Kingdomes for both the Lines of Egbert the Saxon K. of England Alphin K. of Scotland met in the mariage of Malchol the 3 and Margaret sister of Edgar Ehelin right heire to the Crowne of England who died an 1093. Which Malchol was the son of Duncan who vanquisht Mackboth in fight yet afterwards himselfe was slaine in anno 1092 whose Father Dunken the 1. king of Scotland heire of Beatrix who succeeded Malchol was slaine by Makbeth in anno 1046. Beatrix eldest daughter and co-heire of king Malchol the 2 was maried to Abineth Crinathany of the West Ilands of Scotland Malchol the second king of Scotland sonne of Kenneth the 3 subdued king Trim was slaine in anno 1034. Kenneth the third king of Scotland succeeded king Culen became a tyrant and was murthered 994. Malchol the first sonne of king Donald was the successour of Constantine the 3 and was murthered in the yeare 958. Donald the sixt king of Scotland next after king Gregory was his predecessour who died anno 904. Constantine the second king of Scotland after the death of Donald his Vnckle was slaine in anno 874. Keneth the second king of Scotland called the great succeeded his Father king Alphen and died in anno 894. Alphin sonne of K. Achai who made the first league w th France after the death of king Dongallies hee likewise recouered the kingdome of Scotland anno 830 and was afterwards slaine in anno 834. This is the royall descent of our renowned Prince by the Fathers side being sprung by the Fathers and Grandfathers side from so many glorious stemmes of the kings of Scotland By the Grandmother from the renowned race of the Kings of England to whom Scotland hath beene often lincked by the performance of Hymens rites and the celebration of happie nuptials but now it hath found by the meanes of our gracious Soueraigne a more blessed and assured vnion Whose ancestours the true obiects of admiration haue euer beene famous for vertuous actions for what haue they beene defectiue in which sauoured of perfection what worth haue they wanted that might make them esteemed to bee the most noble worthies that euer liued For he hath beeneallyed to so many mighty Kings of England and Scotland and in fine doth heire rightfully the vertues and renownes of both Kings and kingdomes for who can be silent but dumbe men in his praises or can any be tongue-tide whose heart is lincked to him by the bond of obedience and can any one which is a true subiect but make such a Soueraigne the subiect of his praises and obiect of his duty But to the intent that all may know the highnesse of this Princes birth as well as the goodnesse of his minde examine but the greatnesse of his ancestours and allyes of the mothers side whose remembrance to vs is like Myrrhe vnto the body which it embalmeth incorruptible but wonderous bitter for how can it bee better then bitter vnto vs seeing it reduceth into our reminiscence her Name which was so delightfull seeing that putting vs in minde of her perfections the which making vs see how necessary she was for vs manifests vnto vs how miserable we are for her Oh no it is impossible for vs to remember her and to forget her vertues or to retaine the losse of them in our minds and to forget sorrow but to haue weeping eies and bleeding hearts considering that the perpetual welfare of England required that she had bin immortall frō whose death our griefe hath birth and from whose tombe floweth our sorrow But why should I thus produce this mournful dish at this mariage feast vnlesse it should be like sowre sawces tobeget vs better stomackes to our sweeter dainties and to make the beautie of our solace more amorous and excellent by the proposing of the palenesse of our sorrow So doth a faire stately Steede seeme most to bee esteemed being amongst a number of ill-fauoured Iades So doth it serue as well as a painting for a faire Lady to haue a foule Chamber-maid so doth a passionate speech delight in a pleasant Comedie and a sorrowfull passage thrust in amongst a company of merrie scenes And no doubt this serues like the face of a blacke-Moore to his teeth makes them seeme more white and comely This sorrow for the losse of our Queene Anne makes our ioy for the enioying of this Princesse the greater who is like her for perfections as She seemeth most fortunate in being the wife of such a Prince descended from such a mother who although dead yet liue in Her as being the true Mirrour of her most gracious qualities He also most happie in Her in finding a kinde of a mother in a wife so like Her who may serue Him for his mothers picture all times to looke on with a respectiue louing ioyfull remembrance to see his mother liuing in Her For surely her beautie and vertue cannot die so long as this famous Princesse shall liue And thus like Isaak with Rebecca Hee shall bee comforted after the death of his mother who for the goodnesse and the greatnesse of her bloud was almost vnparalleld For how many royall Kings which weilded their regall Scepters with policie power and pietie is Shee descended from How neerely allied was She to multitudes of potent Princes in so much as walls of friendship were erected by her meanes round about these Kingdomes as the King of Denmarke who for his place and person is both wealthie and worthie and able both for men and money to raise a friend or ruine an enemie but howsoeuer to defend an Allie who was the naturall and most affectionate brother of our most royall Queene who by this most happie Contract is vnited to France as we to Him who will be alwayes in readinesse to doe any office of friendship and fraternitie vnto it What should I speake of the Ancestors of our Queene as Fredericke the second King of Denmarke Norway Goths and Vandalls sonne to Christian the third who died in that menacing memorable yeere 1588. and the 32. of the reigne of Queene Elizabeth of neuer-dying fame and memorie who maried Sophia not vnworthily so called in respect her disposition did answer her denomination for indeed Shee was all wisdome as her name importeth Queene of Denmarke sole heire to Vlrick Duke of Meckleburg in anno 1572. from whose blessed loynes and fruitfull as from a fertile Soyle hath flowed such a noble Progenie as seemed to promise to people the world with Princes as that Princely royall religious pious prudent Queen Anne the mostrespected chaste meeke mercifull Maiestique Wife of the Sacred Maiestie of our most mightie Monarch Iames the first and the most happie Mother of our most promising Prince Charles the Felicitie of his Father and the Pledge of our
Imperiall Maiestie of our mightie Soueraigne so long looked for and so much longed for in which Shee might haue a Sister by mariage though not by birth with whom She might make a mutuall exchange of intire affection that She might finde one true friend that might bee her Sister both in deed and vertue that hauing found one so neere Herselfe so like Herselfe her ioy might euen almost exceed Herselfe and who more fit to be Sisters than those who are so concording in vertuous conditions the least of whose rare exquisite perfections cannot bee imitated by any but by one another for who so modest so bountifull so beautifull so chaste so constant so wise and euerie waies so worthie as Elizabeth but Henrette Maria all that they differ is in that which notwithstanding in either of Them is a vertue for the one is a chaste Matron the other a pure Virgin the one the Mother as well of many children as of many holy deeds the other the mother onely of vertuous actions The Almightie of his mercie grant that as Shee is her perfect Patterne in the one so Shee may truely resemble Her that so Shee may bee the happie Mother of many children and Hee the fortunate Father and Progenitour of many Princes that Shee being like a fruitfull Vine vpon the wall-side his children may bee like Oliue Branches round about his table and that in his Posteritie not onely his Highnesse but all the world may bee happie so also the Pfaltz-graues Princely Babes and hopefull Issue reioyce in regard all their Friends are not likely to decease with their Parents but that from their mightie Vncle Prince Charles his loynes shall spring such Princely Sprigs who will take their parts against all those which with an enuious eye and a malicious minde behold their persons For euer therefore let this Contract bee chronicled in the Register of Fame which hath thus imposed an Epilogue to the dolefull Tragedie so passionately acted in the bosomes of the Royll King and Queene of Bohemia and hath begun a Prologue to a ioyfull Comedie the beginning of which shall bee warre and bloudie dissention but the last act containeth the peace of the Church the releefe of the oppressed the ruine of Antichrist and the aduancement of Christian Religion Thus from these two most excellent Princes spring tides of happinesse ouerflowing many Countries and good fortune of which they are the Authours crownes many forraigne Nations but most especially this our Iland and all his Maiesties of Great Brittaines Dominions For if wee shall but behold France with the eye of mature iudgement wee shall finde it stored with all kinde of commodities fit for commerce and traffique being as it were Gods garden in which Hee had planted all his blessings and benefits for what rare blessing is it not richly furnished with as corne cattell fish fowle and all manner of fruit either pleasing to the eye or delightfull to the taste whose soyle is cloathed in a greene mantle decked and adorned with all kinde of various delectable sense-delighting odoriferous flowers Indeed no Kingdomes soyle hath more beautie and bountie than France no Countrey better situated more abounding with excellent wits both in the time of warre and peace than France there is no Kingdome established with godlier Lawes no Monarchie more mightie of authoritie more absolute Soueraigne being a Kingdome so well fortified with power and so well qualified with pietie Indeed neuer was the foundation of any Empire laid with more wisdome and being built vpheld and the ruines repaired with more discretion than France Doe you inquire after the greatnesse of her Prouinces They are like so many Kingdomes yet all vnited in one Neuer were there any Soueraignes of any Kingdomes which haue more constantly laboured for the propagation of the Gospell and the planting of Religion than the French Kings who haue made cleane the floore of Christen dome swept away so much filthinesse and diuerted that great Deluge of Infidels which threatned shipwracke to the French Nation from whence they haue their deserued titles of most Christian Kings What worthie men yea and most excellent Kings hath France produced of whom wee may truely report that they were most valiant in warre most wise in counsell carrying themselues not insultingly in their prosperitie nor yet deiectedly in their aduersitie but being almost conquered in shew they became Conquerours in effect and when they were most in despaire yet neuer despaired of the Common-weale who as they manifested great loue to their subiects so their subiects expressed great loue and affection to them Doe you search who were the Ancestours of the French and inquire after the originall of that Nation you shall finde them neither in the ruines and ashes of Troy neither in the Fens of Moolides but were principally descended from them in Germany a Nation mighty in strength and valour who by defending themselues and succouring others came to be a people powerfull in Armes who still maintained their liberty with their sword from whence they were called by the other Germanes Fraunce which signifies free or reiecting seruitude and bondage And it may bee spoken truely and without flatterie that neuer Kingdome might better boast of so many worthie Princes as this may As Pharamond the first Layer of the Foundation of this Monarchie Clodion his Successour in this building Meroued the Continuer and Augmenter of the Edifice Clouis whose memorie is to bee reuerenced of all posteritie and whose worthie deeds are to bee had in an euerlasting remembrance as being the first that added Christian religion to others conquests and adorned that rare foundation with the faith of Christ the primest ornament of any Principalitie by which meanes the hearts of the Gaules who for the most part embraced the Gospell were as much vnited to him by fauour as his was to God by faith who by this meanes obtained from them voluntarie obedience and was made assured possessour of the others victories who likewise receiued the name of his new Dominions and were called by the name of France To omit that renowned Prince Charlemaigne who being inriched with singular gifts both of bodie and minde repaired the ruine of the Empire was confirmed King of France and Emperour of Rome to the great aduancement of Religion and comfort of the Common-wealth whose issue although it did not alwaies inherit either their Fathers valour or his honour yet God who though He may alter the persons yet still guardeth and guideth the state of Monarchies did raise vp a worthie Successour of that Race to wit Hugh Capet a Prince adorned both with wisdome and modestie ioyning wholsome Lawes to his force of armes and well-gouerned equitie to his authoritie did so ouercast this erected Kingdome with such both godly and goodly Ordinances as it withstood the stormes of many miserable ages And of late yeeres Henrie the fourth the prime Prince of the bloud and first King of the Royall Race of Burbon a Prince
endowed with all gifts and rare qualities requisite for the restoring of a Kingdoms sicke and languishing estate to the former health and happinesse who succeeding Henrie the third the last of the Royall Race of Valois who was slaine by a Iacobine in the Crowne and Dignitie of a King found the Kingdome pestered with so many pestilent euils which was like a bodie surfetted and weakned with all kinde of diuersitie of diseases surcharged with melancholy and diuers other bad humours which did so contend for predominancie as it was full of intestine broyles and ciuill dissentions the which being fed with choller of the people did daily threaten the ouerthrow and destruction of the whole Continent if God had not in time sent that good Physitian Henrie the fourth whose might and mildnesse composed such wholsome medicines and rare remedies for the recouerie of his Kingdomes welfare that by his valour hee encountred his enemies and reduced his distracted and almost destroyed subiects to their dutifull obedience in so much as his most gracious gouernment was likely to haue brought that Kingdome to a most peaceable and prosperous estate if a cursed cruell murtherer had not imposed an vntimely end by an vnfortunate stab to his life and by consequence to his gouernment with whose life the present prosperitie of the Kingdome was ended in regard He left none to weild his Scepter but his Sonne then Daulphine now King Lewis whose tender yeeres though they promised much yet they could performe verie little in the ruling of such a mightie Nation But God who is euermore a Father of the fatherlesse and a Husband to the Widow became a mightie Protectour of this fatherlesse Countrey still preseruing it from all perills guarding the Daulphine from all dangers till at length Hee attaining to the ripenesse of yeeres and vertues was fit to bee the Gouernour of such a Kingdome in so much as now it may bee truely stiled The most flourishing and fortunate Common-wealth in Christendome Then what better or fitter amitie than betweene Nations and People so faithfull and two Countries so fruitfull as France and Brittaine What greater likelyhood can there be of loue than between men so like in qualities as the French and English and two Countries so rich as France and England It is an ancient approued Maxime in Philosophie Simile simili gaudet The like reioyceth in the like and it is as receiued an axiom in Moralitie Amicitia debet esse inter aequales For if a rich man be in the bond of friendship with a poore man their loue is not likely to bee of any long continuance for the want of the one will wearie the good will of the other and like Pharaohs kine the leane ones will eat vp the fat But when two fertile Kingdome which are the Palaces of Ceres and Temples of Bacchus shall ioyne together it is not onely likely to bee great for the quantitie but durable for the time when as they shall not onely haue the interchanges of peace but also of plentie when as neither of them shall impouerish but both of them ioyntly enrich each other This is the ioy of our most mightie wise inuict Monarch King Iames who is as well the father of his Countrey England as of his Sonne Prince Charles who cannot chuse but reioyce to see his Countrey so well matched to a Kingdome so commodious and profitable There is no father but desireth and ioyeth to see his daughter wealthily bestowed vpon one of equall worth and meanes then well may his Royall Person reioyce at this Mariage of his Kingdom which hath found a Mate so powerfull so plentifull so abounding with all riches so enriched with all benefits as France Doth He desire peace it is able in the time of peace to send Him rich commodities out of her store-house Doth He desire warre what is wanting there to maintaine it It is populous for men powerfull for money plentifull for prouision there are men to bee procured for money money for men sustenance to be had for money that nothing might be wanting requisite for the vpholding for the beginning or continuance of a iust warre Then how is England for euer obliged to the Almightie who hath thus directed our King thus affected our Prince to chuse and select so blessed a Princesse in so happie a Countrey which is the fertile Mother of such excellent wits which is the Continent of such affable debonaire and courteous people a rich Fountaine From whence all necessarie benefits flow to neighbouring Nations which wanteth neither a fat fruitfull soyle to yeeld increase nor laborious painfull industrious men to till it which hath beene the seat of so many mightie wise valiant vnconquered Monarchs Oh happie Brittaine which though thou wert most happie in thy selfe yet if it be possible art more than most happie in such a Sister which is the Palace of pleasure the Mansion-place of delight which sendeth all rare delicates as gifts vnto thy People and the rarest Gemme of Nature the most exquisite Fruit that euer that Countrey could make it selfe or other Countries happie in The Ladie Henrette Maria to thy Prince whose vertues shew themselues to the life more to the eyes of all than the most perfect eloquence is able to declare them to the eares of any who in her virginitie was wedded to Vertue and is now marched with the most vertuous Prince that euer liued who for vertue parentage education proportion and portion stands as a matchlesse Mirrour to all her sex and no whit vnworthie of such a Husband Consider but her vertues and you will say and yet speake nothing but that which you thinke that Shee is rather an Angell sent from Heauen for to bee a Miracle and Oracle of her time for all to admire than borne of mortall seed for any to imitate in whom wisdome sits in her perfection and all to make Her perfect whose words are all weighed in the balance of consideration in her minde afore they be vented by her lips for Shee knowes words are like time once past they cannot be recalled and howsoeuer the tongue bee an vnruly euill and that euill most predominant in a woman yet Shee deeming it most vnworthie to command others and not to command Her selfe alwaies premeditating of whom to whom where and what She speakes and as Shee suffers not her tongue to be the key of her mindes closet where silence is a vertue so Shee will not neglect to let her tongue bee the testament of her minde where necessitie enforceth Thrice happie Kingdome at this instant in which there is such a Princesse extant so fully accomplisht with such rare vertuous qualities It is She whose chastitie doth challenge the superioritie of all her Ancestours and stands as a Patterne to future ages whose heart neuer harboured the least thought of vncleannesse whose Iuorie Alablaster Soule hath not beene toucht or tainted with the least impuritie can be imagined but from her infancie hath been
fauourer of all good and worthy proceedings by which your name is embalmed with fame and your memory will bee immortall Not doubting therefore but you will grace this worke with milde acceptance though not for the manner of writing yet the matter written of in it I cease to trouble you but alwaies rest an humble suiter to your grace for acceptance and to God for the continuance of your happinesse in the present and your increase of it in the future that you may bee blessed internally externally and eternally and that the highest would multiplie all temporall and spirituall graces vpon your Grace Your humbly deuoted George Marceline To the Reader GEntle Reader I hope I shall not miscall thee the ioy conceiued by mee for this contract the loue to my Country the zealous affection I beare to the vertues of our hopefull Prince and his happy Princesse haue ioyntly enforced mee to vndertake this Enterprize in the which though many calumniating censures may blame my Pen yet they must honour the Persons handled in it in the blazing of whose perfections if they tax me with flattery they brand themselues with follie and an ill affection to their King Prince and Countrey and manifest themselues either to haue their eares stopt and their eyes blinded or their Iudgements defectiue for they ought to account it their chiefest honour to honour if it bee possible to adde honour to their names whose vertues honour themselues more than lieth in the power of any Pen to honour them their soueraigne and his onely Sonne and our onely hope But sure I am that multitudes will loue and honour this worke if it be onely for the Subiects handled in it the loue of whose worth may claime an obseruant looke on these my labours in which are shewed the fortunate consequences likely to ensue vpon this contract which are the destruction of the Foes of Christ and the Enemies of Christians the tranquillity of the Truth the Peace of the Church the prosperity of all people which sheweth though in an Epitome the vertues of thy King the Happinesse of the Father in the enioying of such a ioyous Sonne as the mighty Prince Charles whose names offer not so much as to reade without a true loue ioynd with a trembling feare for it is they by whose meanes thou dost enioy thy meanes vpon whose life dependeth thy welfare rather therefore shew thy wisedome in silence for if thou termest me a Parasite thou prouest thy selfe a Parrat which speakest Epithalamium Gallo-Britannicum OR GREAT BRITTAINES And FRANCES Joy THE Felicitie of a Kingdome is placed in the Prosperitie of the Prince and the welfare of a Prince either made or mangled in his Matching But neuer was Kingdome more happie in a Prince neuer Prince more fortunate in his Choyce than the Treasure and Store-house of our hopes the Summe and Substance of our future blisse the high and mightie Prince Charles in obtaining this Princesse who vnparalell'd for perfections both externall of her bodie and internall of her minde stands as a matchlesse Mirrour to all her Sex if not to be adored yet at the least admired hath made a Contract between three Kingdomes and happinesse which were a long time diuorced from it being like the house of Abraham troubled vntill their Isaak had found out a Rebecca Oh Peerelesse Prince fortunate beyond the imagination of mans minde then surely more transcending the limits of my pens relation could you but pry into the hearts of millions of people you should see all the veines streets of those Metropolitan Cities of those little worlds swell'd and full with ioy who formerly found no tranquillitie of minde though in the peace of the State because your Royall Selfe had not found out a Second Selfe whereby their posteritie might shroud and refresh themselues hereafter vnder the shadow of your Branches and that from your Issue fountaines of fortunate ioy might flow to succeeding ages How many Kingdomes doe bathe themselues in the sunne-shine of solace and finde more than earthly happinesse in those resplendent beames which shine from this blessed Contract conceiuing no leffe ioy in your relinquishing of the Ladie Maria of Spaine and matching and vniting your Soule which is the Court of the Highest and King of Kings the Temple of the Holy Ghost vnto the heart of that vnparalell'd Princesse the Ladie Henrette Maria of France which is a rich Cabinet fill'd with the Gemms and vnualuable Iewels of morall vertues and diuine graces If it please your hopefull Highnesse to retire a little from home and to cast an eye of consideration vpon France there may be seene such an infinite ineffable measure of mirth and an incomparable treasure of true ioy found by them in this Coniunction and from the highest to the lowest from the Peere to the poore nothing but applause and triumph For can they chuse but reioyce to see that Vertues Paramour and Darling of Venus whose vertue ennobleth her birth whose birth doth make her vertues eminent whose countenance and whose conditions doe mutually grace and adome each other so worthily bestowed and their perfectly accomplisht Princesse vnited to so glorious so gracious a Head as who is the Ioy of his Friends the Terrour of his Enemies the Comfort and Hope of his Country the Patterne of Princes the Admiration of the world the mightie Prince Charles For what Countrey could haue beene the Emissarie of such a Prince or what Prince the Possessour of such a Countrey as Great Brittaine of Charles or Charles of Great Brittaine the which as Hee is blest with all graces so it aboundeth with all blessings that He might be happie in it and it fortunate in Him that as He blesseth that with peace so it might satisfie Him with plenty Had she forsaken a fat fruitfull soile to come into a barren Countrey it might somewhat haue impaired her happinesse and beene a wound to her welfare but this is a Paradise of pleasure a Land like Canaan flowing with milke and honie Had she found such a fertile Kingdome destitute of so royall a Prince shee could not haue had so much ioy in the one without enioying the other if the ring be void of a precious stone it is not so much esteemed neither hath a Diamond set in lead such store of luster But our Prince seated and planted in such a pleasant place is like a Diamond set in Gold the one of which makes the other of more estimation Oh fortunate France if thou doest not vndervalue thy happinesse that art linked in the bond of amitie with faire Albion whose climate is temperate whose aire serene and cleare here is not heat so excessiuely parching in Summer but that any constitution may endure it nor the cold so piercing in Winter but that the most tender may withstand it How many Crystall fountaines and running streames bee there like so many veines in this bodie of our Kingdome and to the intent that none of the elements might be defectiue
life in his doctrine and doctrine in his life for He appeares to his Subiects vertuous as He would haue them be and labours to be such as He appeareth that as his Lawes giue life vnto his people so he giueth life to his Lawes for they be but as Maximes deriued collected out of his life for it is as a great Volume in which they may reade whole Lectures of wholesome Precepts Neither doth He driue his Subiects on the path of Vertue so much with the Rod of Law as He doth draw them with the Adamant of Loue for can they chuse but dearely and nearely affect Him who as Hee is aboue them in place so Hee exceeds them in loue who being the Head cannot see one of the members hurt but Hee doth sympathize in sorrow with it not placing his gaines in their paines or esteeming Himselfe most a King when they are most basely subiected Neither is his Estate with the peoples welfare as it were in an vniust ballance so that his goes highest when theirs goes lowest but the seat of all his happinesse is situated in their good fortunes Neither doth Hee rule them with a Rod of Iron but a Scepter of Gold neuer restraining their libertie vnlesse it tended to licenciousnesse nor pulling goods from any particular vnlesse it were for a generall good In fine Hee hath brought all his Subiects to such a passe that though He takes nothing by force yet He hath all by loue for who would not venture either his purse or his person to performe his pleasure which of his Subiects would not entertaine his death with sweet embracement so that his Princes or Soueraignes Successours and Posterities welfare might haue birth from his death and spring out of his ashes Certes there is none but would willingly shake hands with life libertie or estate in a gratefull requitall of those blessings we here enioy by the meanes of his Maiesties most gracious gouernment Indeed they are so vnited vnto him by the inviolable bonds of feare and loue that all his Subiects as his Pulses doe beat according to the motion of his heart For ought not they willingly to performe his will who denieth to grant none of their wishes for hath his Kingdomes desired peace how long haue they possest it yea in such a turbulent time when almost all Europe hath had warre in her owne bowels But doe our people thirst for reuenge vpon those which haue iniured their Soueraignes Issue and wronged the Princely Branches sprung from their Royall Stocke for feare they should not be deliuered of that which they trauell of but lose their longing Hee assumeth Armes for the restauration of his Sonne to doe that by force which Hee could not purchase by fauour And sithence He findeth his Enemies not to be like Flints which may be broken vpon the feather-bed of perswasions but as Nettles the which by how much more they are easily handled by so much the more violently they sting He resolues to handle them more roughly lest they as much hurt him as they iniured his Neighbours Then surely what vnspeakable ioy ought this to be to that matchlesse Princesse of France and all her Nation She not more reioycing that Shee hath found such a royall wise and euerie way accomplisht Father than they that they haue found such a noble worthie Friend She may exult that She is ingrafted into such a Stocke they of such Alliance for He is not onely potent in men but powerfull in money and munition that as his money wants not men so his men want not money Howsoeuer indeed some may suggest and obiect that his bountie hath almost exhaust his Treasurie Yet as the candle though it giues another light yet it selfe is not darkened So though our Soueraigne hath enricht many of his Subiects yet Hee hath not impouerisht Himselfe for Hee hath so bestowed it vpon such persons as were not so willing to receiue it but they will be as well content to surrender it vp into his hands againe if either their Kings pleasure or their Countries profit giue them summons to make such a redeliuerie Then surely not onely the Throne but the Footstoole not onely the French Prince but the People may swimme I had almost said surfet with delight in this Blessed Vnion for what hindrance is there whereby that most Christian King Lewis the thirteenth may expect but that as our Princes Highnesse ioynes hands with his Sister so our Kings Maiestie will ioyne Armes with him for the regaining of those Kingdomes which vniustly an vsurping hand detaineth from him for Vis vnitafortior and that I may vse our Prouerbe Many hands make light worke Diuerse threds twisted together as they doe more strongly binde so they are not so easily broken of an enemie It was King Richards comparison A bundle of arrowes bound together could not be broken but disseuered with much facilitie they may be cracked and I may make application to these Kingdomes as Hee did to that his Kingly Issue It is not to bee doubted but that since Iames and Lewis two Kings so valiant Great Brittaine and France two Kingdomes so potent are vnited and ioyned in this bond as well of affection as affinitie their enemies shall not bee of power to preiudice them nor of strength to withstand them And howsoeuer the whole world is an eie-witnesse of the beautie and bountie of both their mindes which is so great that each of them doe esteeme it a greater honour to giue a Kingdome than to get it yet where there is wrong offered them and their Allies all the might of their foes shall be as a stone dasht against steele which shall rebound in their owne faces to their owne disgrace and ruine Neither let their enemies thinke but that howsoeuer they doe not loue to seeke others Dominions yet they will not lose their owne without stirring For will our dread Soueraigne when both amitie and equitie religion and affection doe giue him loud summons to restore his children to their inheritance detaine his helping hand from his hopefull issue Will He or can He see without sorrow and by consequence labour to redresse it that his posterities Countrey which formerly was the garden of the world vnpeopled ruinated and made a desolate Desart his Issue to be exiled from their inheritance and hope banished from them his childrens children forced to flie before they were taught to goe Can he I say see this and not sorrow at it Can he sorrow at it and yet suffer it Can he haue power and yet want will to reuenge it Oh no his hand is full of vigour and hee is fraught with valour his subiects soules doe thirst for reuenge and all his foes shall haue wofull experience that he is as valiant to maintaine a warre as wise to entertaine a peace and he can as well sacrifice at the altars of Mars as Ceres and is as well Achilles for his courage as Vlysses for his counsell Then who
loue their Soueraigne Haply indeed afore they were acquainted with his vertues and the light of his royall worth shined amongst them they might attempt some thing vnworthie of themselues nay base in the highest degree as to be the death of Him which gaue life to so many and with the pulling downe of the Primus Motor ruine all the inferiour orbes of our Kingdome but when they saw that his vertues made God his Friend it was in vaine for them to bee his enemies for all their treacherous attempts were but as sowing the shoare or washing a Blackmoore labour in vaine It is folly for Balaam to curse Israel when God blesseth him and for them to ruine when God preserueth in so much as now his gouernment pleaseth the Romish Catholiques whom formerly their palates distasted and all our Nobles if their bad consciences doe not infringe that title doe honour Him and beare a most affectionate respect to all his Posteritie especially our royall Prince whom all our Nobles labour in all their actions to please and imitate Oh blessed Kingdome where the Nobilitie doth so affect the Prince and the Prince doth so much respect the Nobilite and both of them are in loue with vertue where the Peeres are so peerelesse in their courtesie loue to their Kingdome and loyaltie to their King who are neuer more happie than when they vndertake some enterprise for the happinesse of both who are not seruants to seruile feare but Master-peeces of valour so that they are as much feared abroad as fauoured and honoured at home and how can they want honour so long as our King and Prince to whom true honour is due honour them Or haply if they should as they neuer doe neglect to respect them yet then owne vertues would in silence speake them worthie who are so wisely valiant that they will not refuse to hazard their liues for the safetie of their Countrey their estate for the preseruation of a limbe nor the cutting off of a limbe for the welfare of the whole bodie who though they can actiuely suffer prines to preuent other dangers which would passiuely fall vpon them yet they will not submit themselues to any base kinde of miserie No surely they know valour is vertue and vertue hath euer more her limits and therefore as the Eagle preyeth not vpon flies so they which are nobly bred and haue their great birth seconded with good education scorne to aime at atchieuements of small import but shoot at high marks of great consequence Some of them valiantly defend the walls as I may so terme them of their Countrey lest their enemies too neere approach might make their Countrey too neere a ruine Others like Hercules doe not sticke to forsake their natiue soile their wiues their children their lands and their possessions to seeke for honour in a foraigne Countrey and restore the wronged to their right to reuenge a Prince great in his vertues though meane in his fortunes his fortunes not so meane by birth but by oppression oppression of a Tyrant vsurping his Dominions Dominions the which I cannot name nay not so much as thinke on but it forceth brinish teares forced and banisht from a grieued heart to see Religion so defaced a Countrey so dispeopled the people so massacred and murdred Then on braue Brittaines Heroes runne in your intended course and being prickt on with valour continue vntill you come to your iournies end that so future ages may erect Trophees to the eternall memories of your famous names that children yet vnborne may say These were the Worthies by whose meanes a desolate Countrey was repeopled a wronged Prince releeued an oppressing Tyrant discomfited Consider oh yee truly ennobled the cause of the war the iustnesse of the cause the vertue of the Prince the rare perfections of his Spouse the hopefulnesse of their Issue the neere affinitie they haue with your Soueraigne being deriued and propagated from his loines the consanguinitie with your Prince and surely these motiues cannot chuse but inflame you with courage and accend your furie to make you fight valiantly and conquer victoriously the enemies of him who is a fauourer and follower of your true religion a Sonne to your Soueraigne a Brother to your Prince a friend to you all But alasse what a needlesse thing it is to cast a drop into the Ocean or to adde a sparke to the fierie region My words are but as wind to blow the fire which is sufficiently kindled for I and all this Realme and Dominion with me are verily and really perswaded that your valour is at so high a pitch it cannot bee raised higher such be our Nobles and therefore fit obiects for such a Princesse who thogh her sex will not permit her to be an actor yet her noble minde doth incite her and no doubt shee cannot chuse but delight to see her Court composed of nothing but such vndaunted and couragious Captaines who though they bee most affable courteous in Court yet they are most terrible couragious in combat I doubt not but it is a delectable spectacle to see your braue Martiallists as Caesar Pompey Alexander and such like though painted that not vnto the life for time hath wasted and worne out the true pictures of them But in these your Nobles most illustrious Princesse you may see them all liuing for if vertue can make one like there is none suruiuing hath a neerer resemblance to them than your noble Seruants and obseruant Nobles haue of them Is it the care of their Countrey which wee should make the subiect of our comparison the Publique good hath beene respected of them more than their priuate commoditie They know they are not borne to themselues onely but to the benefit of the place in which they haue had birth and being This is their resolution in generall but giue me leaue As the whole Kingdom is bound by dutie and gratitude to nominate some particulars as he who is the Fauourite of God his King Prince and Countrey the Duke of Buckingham who is not so stiled vnworthily for hee doth truely deserue it Hath he not beene loyall to our Soueraigne And wheras other subiects which haue beene though neuer thus aduanced haue sought to flie too high vpon the waxen wings of ambition higher than either modestie or his Maiestie permitted hee neuer rose higher than it pleased the King to lift him so that he hath gained more honour by his honestie and vertue than the King could giue him by his meanes for goods may bee giuen by an earthly Soueraigne but grace is an effect of a higher power comming immediately from God the King might preferre him but it was God onely could make him humble in his performances the which hee hath alwaies beene shewing no lesse loyall affection to the King than louing affection to his kinred But looke into his loue which hee beareth to our Prince and you shall finde him to be as a faithfull Ionathan vnto our
respect him the more hee rebelled against him Is it possible then that her minde can euer lose the impression of her fathers remembrance And can Shee remember Him and yet forget his death Or can reminiscence retaine his death and not thinke of the instrument of it Or can the instrument of that murther be in her memorie and the setters on work of that wicked Instrument the Instigatours of that bloudie Butcher to that beastly cursed cruell fact be out of her minde And can Shee remember them and not abhorre them And can She abhorre them and not relinquish their religion which hold that lawfull which Gods Law hath forbidden For God prohibiteth the murther of any priuate person but these Doctors maintaine it to be lawfull to kill Kings which are publique persons Neither doe they permit it as a worke not impious but perswade men to it as a deed meritorious For Rauilack had no sooner playd his part in that bloudie Scene but hee was so confident in the blessednesse of the act as hee thought immediately to haue flowne to Heauen and beene crowned a Saint by God as well as canonized a Saint by the Pope Such is the leauen of the Popish Doctrine that sowres all the subiects of the Prince which doth professe it For what treacherous attempt against any King either Protestant or Papist hath beene made by a Protestant in our memories Oh no we are taught to feare God to honour the King wee must follow Dauids example to Saul not lift vp our hands against the Lords Anointed wee know Hee is Gods Vice-Gerent placed there by God and therfore to be displaced by none but Him But on the contrarie what plots haue beene laid What treasons haue beene committed either for the destruction of a King or subuersion of a Kingdome in which the Papists haue not only been Parties but principall Agents Who were they which plotted so many treasons against the Person of Queene Elizabeth but Papists But what treasons were plotted against Queene Marie by any Protestant notwithstanding shee was a cruell persecutor of that Profession What was Gowrie that conspired the ouerthrow of the Sacred Maiestie of King Iames but a Papist What were the plotters of that horrid Gun-powder Treason who sought with one puffe to blow away both the Prince and Peeres of our Kingdome but all professors of the Romish Religion What was hee which murthered King Henrie the third of France but a Papist Iacobin In a word what treasons haue beene committed which are contained in the Register-booke of mans memorie which haue not beene plotted and performed by them And no maruell the Priests and people practise it since they preach it and it is an orthodoxall opinion and position amongst them that the Pope hath power both to dispose of Kingdomes and depose Kings and that King-killing is not onely a lawfull but a holy and honourable calling Who then can suspect that a Princesse of her peerelesse part of her pious disposition of her matchlesse vnderstanding and discretion doth affect truly that religion which doth infect the hearts of Princes subiects which doth teach men to be monsters in gouernment and not to subiect themselues to higher powers but to rebell against the rule and authoritie of the Regall Scepter How can those Princes haue any peace with God that doe so little respect and much hazard their liues as to harbour and foster such murtherous rebellious minded men in their Kingdomes How can Princes haue any peace with men when they suffer men which are so wicked to preach such doctrine and practise such villanie How can they haue any peace within thē when they may iustly feare that each one which smiles in their face may smite their heart when they nourish vp such vipers in their bosome as are readie each moment to eat out their bowels How can then this Royall Princesse affect that religion or the professors of it which was the death of her Father and his Predecessor which may be a disturbance to the peace of her Prince and the safetie of his person if it be tolerated which may impaire the securitie of her posteritie who are neuer like to possesse their Princedomes in peace vnlesse such vermine bee hunted out of their Territories for peace and such people cannot inhabit in one Kingdome or dwell together no more than wine and poyson in a crystall glasse but the glasse will bee broke and the wine spilt and spoiled If then a Prince will possesse his soule and soueraigntie in peace he must banish these breakers and disturbers of it Neither is it a strange or vnheard of matter for France and England to shake hands of amitie and vnitie in those blessed Contracts for since almost the beginning of either Monarchie there haue beene continually these friendly and fortunate interchanges of mariage For it was not concealed from our Ancestors how beneficiall peace was betweene France and England therefore Steuen Earle of Bloys was linked in the bond of mariage w th Adela daughter to William the Conquerour And on the other side William Waren Earle of Surrey sonne of Gunred daughter to William the Conqueror maried the daughter of Hugh Vermandoys brother to the King of France For in like manner William Duke of Normandie did marrie Marie daughter to Foulke Earle of Anjou Maud the Empresse was linked in mariage with Iefferie Plantaginet Earle of Anjou And for the happinesse of his Kingdome the tranquillitie of his Countrey and felicitie of his Countrey-men Steuen King of England maried Constance daughter to the King of France Henrie the second maried Elenor sole heire to William Duke of Aquitaine Henrie sonne to King Henrie the second maried Margaret daughter to Lewis the French King Richard Cordelion maried Berenger daughter to Sanches King of Nauarre Iohn King of England maried Isabel daughter and heire of Amorie Earle of Angoulesme Arthur nephew to King Iohn maried the daughter of Philip King of France Edward the second maried the daughter of Philip King of France Isabel daughter to Edward the third maried Ingelram de Guisnes Earle of Soysson and Bedford Richard the second maried Isabel daughter to Charles the French King Henrie the fourth maried Iane the daughter of Philip the third King of Nauarre Henrie the fifth maried Catherine daughter to Charles the French King Henrie the sixth maried Margaret the daughter of Reiner Valois Duke of Anjou Marie daughter to Henry the seuenth maried Lewis the twelfth French King Charles Prince of Great Britaine betrothed to Maria Henrette daughter to Henrie the fourth and sister to Lewis the thirteenth Kings of France Thus hath there been a long and sweet continuance of blessed Contracts between France and England fortunate in each mariage producing peace and plentie to each Dominion so haue these matches beene prosperous to former so is this like to bee to future ages that all happinesse to either Kingdom shall be the issue of this most longed for and liked Vnion For who can bee