death And he entreated the standers by to accompany him in a little short prayer which with a feruent eiaculation and hearty deuotion he made to God Then he forgaue his executioner and repeated his Creed and fitting his necke to the blocke hauing repeated the fiue first verses of the 51. Psalme hee said Lord I cast my selfe downe humbly and obediently to my deserued punishment Thou O Lord haue mercy vpon thy seruant that is cast downe Into thy hands O Lord I commit my spirit His head after that was stricken off at the third blow but the first tooke away both sence and motion Thus although Byron and the French scoffed at him and this his deuotion which they said was fitter for a Parson then a Souldier as if the feare of Hell were not the valour of a Christian dyed Robert D'Euereux Earle of Essex at the age of foure and thirty yeares very godlily and truely Christianly in as much that his Fathers admonition proued not altogether vaine who bid him haue a care of his six and thirtieth yeare when hee lay a dying Hee was a man certainly very vertuous for all parts that became any Noble man His stocke was very ancient and Noble His sirname was deriued to him from Euereux as the vulgar call it a Citie in Normandy His title of a Lord came by marriage with Cisely the Daughter of William Bourchier whose Grandmother was Sister to Edward 4. K. of England whose great Grandmother was Daughter to Th. of Woodstocke the Son of Edward 3 borne of one of the Daughters of Humphrey Bohune E. of Hartford and Essex whereupon the Title of Viscount of Hartford was bestowed vpon his great Grandfather Walter by Edward 6 and the Title of Earle of Essex bestowed vpon his Father by Queene Elizabeth He being a young man was brought vp at Cambridge in the studies of learning and Religion and afterwards commended by the Earle of Leicester his Father in Law to the Queene and made Master of the Horse although with much adoe he obtained it of the Queene she being somwhat grown strange to his mother But afterwards when by his obseruancy and duty he had purchased her full fauour she forgaue him the debt which his Father owed she made him one of the Order of S. George and of her Priuie Councell when he was scarce 23. yeares olde He was often Commander of Armies although fortune failed him in good successe which I will not say was by reason of the Planet Mars who in the 11. house of Heauen shined most afflictiuely ouer him at his Natiuity And when as now he had not alone the shew of the Queenes fauour but the excesse thereof in very deed he made all haste as the Courtiers most did complaine to outgoe all his Equalls and Superiours too to speake euilly of the praise of any man that was not wholly addicted to him to take heinously if any man had gotten either power or fauour with the Queene to hunt after the popular commendations that alwaies is very short in durance and military praises which are as dangerous by his meeknesse and liberality Also he began to be somewhat selfe-willed and stubborne towards the Queene and rather out of his great minde then pride especially after that she out of her courtesie had renewed her fauour to him which he once lost and had opened a way for new benefits to him But this his contumacy vntowardnes as it were in wrestling out benefits from her and his lothsome neglect of obedience towards her with the crafty vndermining of his enuious aduersaries by little and little toled him out of the Queenes fauour and at length quite estranged him from it Neither indeed was this noble Earle made for a Courtier who was slow to any wickednesse very warie in taking of offence and very loth to forget it and one that could not couer his minde But as Cuffe often vsed to complaine to the Authour of the originall of this Story hee was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that could neither conceale his loue nor his hatred but alwaies shewed them in his countenance Hee married Frances the Daughter of Francis Walsingham the Widow of Sir Philip Sidney the Queenes aduice not being taken who was offended at it as if by that affinity he had debased Essexes family of whom he got Robert his Sonne Frances and Dorothy his Daughters and Walter by the Lady Southwell On the fift day of March S. Christopher Blunt S. Charles Danuers S. Iohn Dauis S. Gill. Mericke Knights and Cuffe were all arraigned at Westminster before the Lord Admirall of England Hunsdon Chamberlaine Cecill Secretary Sir Iohn Fortescue Chancellour of the Exchequer the Lord chiefe Iustice and others where they were accused of the same faults as the Earles before were to wit that they intended mischiefe to the Queenes Maiesty by consulting of inuading the Court and by rebelling in the Citie The three first of them were demanded whether or no they could not deny one part of their accusation and confesse the other which they did for they denied that euer they intended any thing against the Queene Mericke and Cuffe being taken aside the Iudges as before declared THat he that intendeth to prescribe Lawes to his King or Prince whereby he restraineth his power doth intend mischiefe and destruction to his Prince and doth intend both to take the Crowne Life from him This they proued from the examples of silly Countrimen that were condemned for treason euen in the memory of our forefathers for that they tooke armes and met in Oxford-shire and Kent one to encrease their daily pay for their worke the other to take away the Inclosures of pasture fields For confirmation of this they brought many things besides shewing also that it could not be but that they must needs bring in the Queene vnder subiection also offer violence to her because that Conquerours are alwaies insolent and the fury of a multitude cannot be restrained who to prouide for their owne security and safety feare not the performance of any villany Blunt he is vrged with his owne confessions and the confession of the Earle himselfe who but lately accused him as the onely entiser of him to all wickednesse when he heard it read and signed with the Earles owne hand as he saw it he grew altogether amazed with admiration and greatly required that in some other place he might talke with the Admirall and Cecill concerning that matter but lifting vp his eyes he cryed out openly THou O God knowest well from what purposes and plots I disswaded the Earle of Essex Then was read the confession of Thomas Lee who acknowledged that by the leaue of Blunt who was then Marshall in Ireland he had sent to Tir-Oen and againe from him vnderstood that Tir-Oen had said THat if the Earle of Essex would but hearken vnto him that he would make him the greatest man in England
put to flight his Catholique Maiesties forces the most potent Prince in Europe landed in fowre seuerall places marched with banners displayed in the enemies ground seuen dayes together attempted one of their greatest cities with no small forces lodged three nights together in the suburbes thereof chased the enemy to their owne gates tooke two castles by the sea side and vnfurnisht the enemy of great store of warlike prouision Yet wanted there not some discontented detractors who by interposing the losse of six thousand souldiers and mariners which the violence of the disease swept away sought to discredit the true glory of this noble and heroicke enterprize But certainely by it England hath learned not to feare the conceited power of the Spaniard and is now better flesht against the next occasion of the like seruice It hath beene much controuerted concerning the originall cause of this disease amongst thâ— English whether or no it proceeded from immoderate drinking of wine and excessiue eating of fruit from the naturall disproportion of theirs and our ayre or from all of them And it is an obseruation as worth our wonder as our memory that expeditions from England into Spaine haue beene for the most part euer infortunate to this Nation as was that of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster about the yeere of Grace MCCCLXXXVI wherin of twenty thousand Englishmen ten thousand died And that of the Marquesse Dorset in the yeere 1512. wherin of ten thousand English a disease murthered 1000. in a short space and that in the hithermost coasts of Spaine But the obseruation of the learned may giue this wonder a probability of reason For they argue that an army comming from the South into the North is thereby the more hardened according as the Inward heat is either remitted or intended by the outward ayre and that that of Vitruvius is very true They that remooue out of cold countries into hâ—tter cannot long continue But they that come from hot countreyes into colder in the North doe not impeaâ—h their health by this change of ayre but confirme it When that the tract of small time had acquainted those of the Hanse townes with the vnexpected surprizall of their captiue Hulkes they begin to fashion their discontents into a forme of complaint seasoned with some weake 〈◊〉 which they present to the Queene concerning the violations of their ancient Priuiledges and customes The Queene returnes them this answer That her former admonition to them of not transporting come or any other warlike prouision to the Spaniard had made this surprizall which they complayned of very lawfull and that it could be thought of no otherwise vnlesse that they would haue her preferre their Priuate commodities before the good publique of her owne common wealth That shee ought not to auouch such Priuiledges which are onely Priuate Lawes against the safety of her Dominions whiâ—h is a Supreme Law And that the same Act with which they vrge the violating of their customes doth annihilate their complaints for that in the Priuiledge granted to them by King Edward the First there is this clause interweaued That they should not transport or conuey any 〈◊〉 or merchandize into the countreyes of manifest and notorious enemies of the Kingdome of England That therefore in the heat of any warre their Traffique was wont to be stayed when they furnished eyther enemy And that not onely the English serued them so but euen Charles the fift the King of Sweden and Denmarke and Poland and not long since the Prince of Orange and all iustly euen according to the Law of Nations wishing them heereafter so to vse the benefit of their neutrality that whilest they aâ—â—isted the one they iniured not the other party And lastly gently admonishing them of their vnseemly threats especially to a Prince who in respect of Ability dreaded not the mightiest Monarch breathing yet in respect of her Honour would imbrace a peace with the meanest and most constantly obserue all lawes of Neighbourhood And of this her constancy the King of Nauarre and France was no small witnesse one whereof shee succoured both with money and munition to the suppressing of a difficult warre and the other she established in quietnesse euen vpon the very point of despayre of it Foâ— to digresse yet a little in the way the Duke of Aniou brother to the King dying without issue the King at that time being both without children and the very hope of euer hauing any the kingdome of France was lineally to descend to the King of Nauarre and afterwards to the Prince of Conde both zealous professours of the Reformed Religion Whereupon the Catholike Princes of France not vnknowne either to the Pope or to the Spaniard complotted a diuellish conspiracy wherin they had onely interested the cause of Religion and therefore termed it the Holy League vtterly to ouerthrowe the King by heaping the enuie of the whole land vpon him and so by peruerting the naturall course of succession with that to ruinate also the Reformed Religion They that impiously combined themselues in this conspiracy bound themselues by a strong oath neuer to suffer any one to rule France that eyther had euer or was likely to professe any Religion but the Romane Catholique that they would neuer allow of one that being brought vp and bred in the Reformed Religion should afterwards absolutely forsweare it least hauing once gotten the Kingdome he should change his Religion with his State Who could be so besotted in his iudgement as not to see that this businesse tended onely to excluded Nauarre and the Prince of Conde Yet notwithstanding the mystery of this conspiracy wrought so couertly that it was long ere it could come to ripenesse For first the Duke of Guise the chiefe Head of this villany hauing valiantly defended Poitiers against the Protestants and vanquished the Germane horsemen sent by the Duke of Alenzon and scattered the mighty leauy of Germanes vnder the conduct of Baron D'onawe was so infinitely magnified both by the Laity and the Popish Clergie of France that to the preiudice of the King himselfe he was euery where stiled the Sole defender of the Catholique Religion and the Hammer of the Protestants Vpon but his very 〈◊〉 into Paris at one time there arose such an vproare amongst the inconstant people that the King for the safety of his person was compelled to impeach his owne Honour to retire from Paris and to call a Councell aâ— Bloys In which Councell his necessities droue him to a forced patience of these inconueniences to consent to this Holy League by his expresse Proclamation in Iulie to root out the Reformed Religion to constitute the Duke of Guise the Great Master of the French Warres and to seale to him the confirmation of these Articles with the receipt of the Sacrament The King himselfe now fearing him whom he himselfe had made thus to be feared and so great that no Law could question him or
and that there shall be no peace betweene him and them without their mutuall consent thereunto Yet for all this is Britaine still neglected by the French King France in the very bowels thereof still labouring and neitheir yet could the Englishmen get so much as Pimpol or Breac a little Island for their retiring place but vpon extreame hard conditions to wit that they fortifie it not neither that they lodge either in the houses of Priests or Noblemen Yet for all this the States of Britaine humbly requested the Queene not to recall her forces which she had euen resolued on but euen ouer-entreated commanded them to stay and they dispersed and scattered vp and downe about the Country Villages and exposed both to the malice of the Heauen and their enemies were â—ainâ— to haue a lamentable wintering when Pimpol by reason it was so little could not containe them all Neither spared she her continuall admonitions to the King of France that he should consider how much it stood him vpon to protect and keepe in hold the Sea coasts which once being gotten into the power of the enemy opens a way for further losse and is not easily recouered againe she wished him by Sir Robert Sidney to protect in safety the professours of the reformed Religion He promised againe that as he had hitherto beene so he would alwaies be their Protector and Defendor although that euen the chiefest Nobles of them had already forsaken him But when Sidney would haue dealt with him about Brest for a retyring place for the English forces and a pawne for the monies he had already had which indeed the Queene greatly desired hee stopt his eares at that For truely the Frenchmen could not indure that the English should once set foot in any other possessions in France no not so much as in their Hauens noâ— being forgetfull how easily they a great while agoe hauing but once beene possessed of their Hauens victoriously ran ouer France and how hardly they resigned vp againe their possessions And thus miserably did the French turne the counsell of the Queene vpon her selfe and the English which she gaue them for a caution against the Spaniard The Queene that she might secure her own selfe from the Spaniard fortified the Islands of Silley in the British Ocean hauing erected a Fortresse in S. Mariâ—s Island which by reason of the fashion of a starre like to which it was made she called the Starre-Marie she fortified that also with a set Garrison Also she strengthened her Islands of Gaâ—nsey and Iersey opposite against France and other places besides with great cost and charges and as great courage and alacrity although the times then were very heauy For in that yeare Saturne running through the end of Cancer and the beginning of Leo as in the yeare 1563. the Pestilence or Plague miserably tormented the City of London insomuch that the rigour thereof in the whole course of one yeare mowed downe the people of the Citie and Suburbes to the number of 17890. besides Sir William Roe the Lord Major and three more Aldermen Bartholomew Faire was not kept that yeare in London and Michaelmas Terme at S. Albanes twenty miles from London At which Terme Richard Hesket was condemned and executed because he had perswaded Henry Earle of Darby whose Father Henry died not long before that he should claime the Crowne of England fetching his right from his great Grand-mother Mary the Daughter to Henry the seuenth largely promising moreouer assistance and money from the Spaniard withall threatning the Earles sudden destruction if hee kept it not secret and if he put it not in practise But the Earle fearing this to be a plot onely to bring him into danger betrayed his conspiratour who of his owne accord acknowledging his fault before the iudgement seat sorely cursed those that aduised him thereto and those also that hearkened to his aduise in it and indeed those curses fell vpon some body in all probability For the Earle within foure moneths after died of a miserable kinde of death as shall be spoken of shortly In this yeares space two famous Earles of England died both of the Order of the Garter Henry Stanley whom I now mentioned Earle of Darby the sonne of Edward by Dorothy the Daughter of Thomas Howard first Duke of Norfolke He got of Margaret the Daughter of Henry Clifford Earle of Cumberland of Elenor Brandon the Niece of Henry the eight by his Sister Mary two sonnes Ferdinand and William that in order succeded him The other Earle that died was Henry Ratcliffe Earle of Sussex Gouernour of Portsmouth hauing left onely one Sonne Robert which he had by Honor the Daughter of Anthony Pound At Portsmouth Charles Blunt afterwards Lord Montioy succeeded him Three Lords accompanied these Earles also into another life Arthur Grey of Wilton that famous Warriour and of the Order of the Garter to whom succeeded Thomas his sonne by Iane Sybill Morrison The second Henry Lord Cromwell the Nephew of that Thomas Earle of Essex so often spoken of that was the mocking-stocke of Fortune after him succeeded Edward his sonne by Mary the Daughter of Iohn Powlet Marquesse of Winchester The third Henry Lord Wentworth whom succeeded Thomas borne of Anne Hopton his sonne and heire Neither will we conceale the death of worthy Christopher Carlile whose warlike skill was sufficiently tried in the Low Countries France and Ireland and in America at Carthage and Santo Dominico in the yeare 1585. for he about this time accompanied the forenamed into a better life In Ireland O-Conor Dun Mac-Daâ—y and O-Brien Nobleman of Conaugh and others make complaints that they were vniustly gone to law withall about the possessions of the Mortimers Earles of March which they had no colour of pretence for but continuance of long time wherein they had onely vsurped the same Also about this time the Noblemen of the Prouince of Vlster who long before feared lest they should fal into a conformity to English lawes which they thought would be brought in vpon theÌ„ as they saw it done already in Monaghan and that they should loose much of their power thereby whereby sometimes they did euen tyraâ—â—ize ouer the people begin now to bring to light that rebellion which before long had beene conceiued and first of all Hugh O-Donell on a sudden surpriseth Montrosse Castle Now there had beene a grudge long betweene the Earle of Tir-Oen and Henry Bagnall Marshall of the Irish forces whose Sister the Earle had stolne for his wife The Earle he made his complaint before the Lord Deputy of Ireland the Chancellour and others that whatsoeuer he had brought in obedience to the Queene at Vlster by his continuall labour and euen hazard of his bloud that redounded onely to the commodity of the Marshall and not to himselfe that yet the Marshall had falsly accused him of treason and to that purpose had suborned base
was wounded first in the leg and then in the thigh afterwards drawing towards the shoare his horse fell vnder him he also lying downe vpon him till he was helped by Drury and Higame and put vpon Drury's horse and in good time for the enemy was neere hand Vere coming thâ—ther found his Brother Horatio with three huâ—dred foot where he commanded the Ordnance to be discharged vpon the enemy his Squadrons and that of Baely to set vpon them and his Brother Horatio to be at hand with the foot who all so violently beat vpon the enemies with their shot that they droue the enemy to flight Many in the flight were slaine in all about nine thousand There were taken the Admirall of Arragon Vigilare Sapena and many more of great note and Nobility The Arch-Duke himselfe was sore wounded Duke Aumale also and Alphonsus Dauales Master of the Campe Rodericke Lasso and many more But let the Writers of the Low Country affaires report these things at large It is enough for me to speake this out of Veres owne obseruations who hath left to vs to consider what the valour of the English was amongst one thousand fiue hundred of them that there were but eight hundred slaine and wounded and eight Commanders lurking and all but two wounded The Spaniards were very loth to attribute their losse to the valour of the English but were contented rather to impute it to the greater number of them or to their toilesome wearinesse by reason of their exceeding long iourney or to the Sunne or the winde that blew the dust and sand in their eyes or to the lasinesse of their owne Horsemen Amongst the English they that best deserued in this seruice were Francis and Horatius Vere brothers Edward Cecill Calisthenes Brookes Thomas Knolles Daniel Vere Iohn Ogle Yaxley Fairfax Valuasour Holcroft Denis Tirrell Hammund Sutton Foster Garnet Morgan and Scot. In this yeare also as in the former betweene the English and French on both sides complaints were heard concerning Prizes which were become very many by the mutuall insolence of their Pirates but by the care of Thumer Boisisse a graue man and then French Embassadour IT was agreed on that the Subiects of both Princes should be mutually protected in the lawfull exercising of Merchandize according to former Treaties that sufficient heed might be taken concerning the sending out of Merchants ships and others with warlike prouision and Letters of Mâ—rt to wit with double quantity of furniture and victuals but of the single prouision of those ships without Letters of Mart also that the Officers of the Admiralty should be bound to answer for all iniuries happening by their fault if they had receiued none of a lesse conuenient charge That care should be taken for the costs of Merchants That if possible their cause may be dispatched within six moneths That in actions legally â—egun hereafter might be pronounced soundly That sureties shall onely discharge the stipulation satisfying the Creditor if iustice be denied three moneths after the demand of the Prince or Embassadour there reâ—ident That Letters of Mart shall be graâ—ted That no Armour or warlike munition of any sort be transported into the Spanish Dominions if any thing be taken or detained by the Kings Subiects the randsome not payd That care might be taken by both Princes that in due time the iust randsome may be payed That ships sent forth by the immediate command of the Prince or assigned by the gouernours of the Kings Nauie to publique warres may be accounted the Kings ships if any thing be by them committed that either Prince take care for the administring of iustice That Letters of Mart be nâ—t onely suspended but on both sides called in That Prâ—clamation be made that neither diuision transpartation or alienation of taken goods be suffered That no man may either by them receiue them or conceale them vnlesse by the Iâ—dge of the Adimralty they be thought a lawfull prey That Pyrats should not be receiued into Cities Ports or Villages or suffered to tarry not laid hands on and bound ouer That they be present vpon paine of lawfull punishment and make restitution notwithstanding with this protestation That these things be not otherwise construed but if any thing be repugnant to ancient Leagues that nothing be vnderstood derogatiue from them but because of the iniury of these times That there may be better heed taken against the depredation of Pirates That this may be taken onely by the way of prouiding vntill a larger Treatie may be held concerning these seuerall Articles for the commodity of each Prince Controuersies also arose concerning the new impositions put on English Merchandize contrary to the Treaties of Blois concerning English cloath deceitfully made not without the discredit of our Nation the Queene also requiring the money she lent to the French King and part of it was repayed withall tokens of thankfulnesse Not onely in France arose a fresh controuersie but also in Denmarke concerning the traffique and their fishing on the shore of Norway and by Island In the former yeare the Danes being angry with this fishing and the English Piracy suddenly set vpon the English of Hull fishing not farre from Norway confiskated their ships and goods to a great value and put their Marriners to the racke hauing caused this punishment to be denounced two yeares before in England with an interdiction of fishing These things the cause vnknowne the Queene tooke heinously and as proceeding from an enemy who neither respected her person or Subiects or his owne ancient League she mediated for the men of Hull in Letters sent by Stephen Leisere and Thomas Ferrar acknowledging that Whitfield and Bernicke had verbally pretended that that fishing by Island and Norway was vsed of the English contrary to their League but of this that they had shewed no proofe she taught also that many priuiledges of fishing were granted to the English by the ancient Kings of Norway before the coniunction of Denmarke and Norway and that the same were confirmed by Iohn and Christianus Kings of Denmarke which was affirmed out of the Treatie with Iohn that licence of fishing from seuen yeares to seuen was to be asked she answered that it had beene omitted many yeares of them that the Danes were in fault not the English for vntill the expulsion of Christierne their King in the yeare 1521. this licence was asked since then that neither Fredericke the Kings great Grandfather nor Christian the Grandfather nor Fredericke the Father had enacted it who in the yeare 1585 promised by his Letters that if the English abstained from iniury they might enioy the liberty which formerly they had without any asking leaue wherefore that now the English were vniustly dealt withal since that of late they had not refused to aske licence from seuen yeares to seuen as before also the most famous Lawyers had iudged the Sea to be common not to be interdicted of any Prince by the Law of
Nations To let passe many words the Queene required the whole matter should be referred either to Delegates on both sides or to the Elector of Brandenburgh the Kings Father in Law the Duke of Mekelburgh Henry Iulius the D. of Brunswicke Vncle to the Kings Sister But when neither Stephen Leisiere nor Ferrar nor Nicholas Crage a learned man the one sent into England the other into Denmarke could compose the matter at length it was agreed on that Delegates should be sent to Embda thither the Queene sent Embassadours Richard Bancroft Bishop of London Christopher Perkins and Iohn Swale who might parley with the Delegates of Denmarke But when they came not at the appointed day whether hindered by the winde or some other errour the Danes alleaging that the time of their Delegates was out went home or as some thought because they wanted victuals for the Danes giue to their Embassadours Captaine victuals not mony as other Princes neither could endure to heare that they should require the prolongation of that authority Hence the English complained of the Danes as men proposing nothing else to themselues then that things should remaine as they were to wit that they might exact new tribute daily in the Oresund Sea that by new decrees they might confiscate their ships and merchandize that they might hold their fishng in the Northerne Sea and then saying through the same into Moscouia notwithstanding about these times for the better furtherance of Nauigation the Trades increase and the Kingdomes honour the Queene instituted the Company of East Indie Merchants giuing to them great priuiledges they sent thither with three ships Iames Lancaster of whom we before haue spoken that in the yeare 1594. he ouer came Fernambucke in Brasil Since that time and not vnluckily they sent euery yeare a small Nauy and to their Kingdomes honour erected Markets in Lurat the great Maguls Country in Mossolupatan Bantan Patane Siam Sagad Mecassar also in Iapan crushing by happy victories aswell the insolent enemy as the Turkish falsnesse but whether so great a summe of money daily transported hence and so many Marriners wasted be for the common good let wise men iâ—dge and posterity perceiue While the Queene thus prouides for her Subiects inrichment Clement the eight Pope vnderstanding her to be well in yeares for the better restoring of the Roman Religion to its former height in England sent thither two Breues one to the Clergy the other to the Laity in which hee admonished that they should admit no one to the Scepter after her decase how neere a kinne soeuer vnlesse he were one who would not onely grant a toleration of the Romish Religion but also with his best indeuour further it To the doing of which he must binde himselfe by an oath after the manner of his predecessours but the contents of these were as sparingly reuealed as they themselues closely sent notwithstanding hence was the originall of the monstrous powder-plot and as these Breues were sent from Rome to England for the easier excluding of King Iames from his inheriting England so at the same time was prepared in Scotland a deadly Sword by the Rethuens Brothers who in reuenge of the lawfull punishment inflicted on the E. of Gowry their Brother in the Kings minoritie appointed the same good King to die treacherously seducing him to their house and they had not come short in the performing of this designe had not the Protectour of Kings by these instruments the Kings fortitude the loyall endeauour of Iohn Ramsey and Thomas Areskins made themselues the authours of destruction on themselues for they were made aswell partners in death as in that plot and by decree of the State their goods confiscate their house made leuell with the ground themselues quartered and the Quarters hung on stakes through the Cities and as many as had to their surname Rethuen were commanded to leaue it for the better obliterating both of name and memory let it not be accounted fraud in me to relate their punishment since other Writers in this matter haue beene profuse about this Prince through England arose great complaint of the scarcity of victuals which also increased by reason of the moist constitution in the heauens at the end of the former yeare the vernall cold of this and the priuate auarice of some who by the abuse of an obtained licence transported great store into other Nations Hence the people moued no lesse with opinion then if they had had more rationall proofes by Libels railed on Buckhurst the Treasurer as if he had granted the licence but hee not lightly regarding these things repaires to the Queene from whom by Proclamation his innocence was testified a fault transferred on the Hucsters of Corne the Libellers apprehended and punished But such is the querulous enuy of the people that they complained the more and lashed him by priuate backe-bitings as if he had acknowledged it And now Essex hauing beene vnder the Lord Keeper of the great Seales custody this halfe yeare began mooued thereto by his naturall inclination to goodnesse and by this physicall affliction and many of his friends especially Henry Howard began I say to come to a better minde also determining to send away far from him those turbulent spirits that suggested him to all that was naught Gill Mericke and Cuffe he himselfe putting on such piety patience and modest humility that all his friends hoped well of him againe and his enemies enuied thereat The Queene in short time being pacified with his humble and submissue Letters commanded him to keepe onely his owne house vnder the free custody of Richard Barckly withall protesting that these her punishments were not entended for his ouerthrow but for his amendment But the common people altogether pleading for his innocency thinking him shrewdly wronged it seemed good to the Queene to eschew all kinde of seuerity iniustice or preiudice to her or her Councel that his cause should be heard yet not in the Starre Chamber lest he were too seuerely punished but onely priuately in the Lord Keepers house the Iudges thereof were allotted the Councell-table of the Queene foure Earles two Lords and foure Iudges that thereby he might onely be censured alike but with no marke of treachery or treason The summe of his accusation was that hauing no such authority in his Commission he made Southampton leader of the Horse that he knighted many that he drew his forces from Tir-Oen whom he should haue prosecuted into Mounster that he had priuate conference with Tir-Oen to the violation of the Maiesty of the Queene and the honor of the the Deputy himselfe and that this conference was the more suspected because it was priuate and secret These things the Lawyers sorely aggrauated bringing in also abrupt sentences of his out of Letters writ by himselfe some two yeres before the Copies whereof were dispersed by his followers vp and downe England such as these THat there is
but yet he saw that the Queenes command could not keepe Southampton from iniurie by reason that Grey durst assault him publikely with his sword and that there he prouided some safeguard for himselfe from his friends and Clients to withstand the violent fury of his enemies And that there was such violence offered and intended against him would appeare if but from that that Gorge was admonished by Rawleigh that assoone as hee could he should separate himselfe from him as a ship that was now sincking Then he complained that some Papists were accusers of him onely being hired thereto as also that they had counterfeited his hand-writing which indeed was done by an Impostor a cheater to get money as we shall shew So that hereupon Gorges testimony was brought in who had confessed that the Earle had determined to inuade the Court and to call a Parliament trusting to the helpes of the Londoners c. And then Gorge himselfe was sent for out of prison hard by to witnesse this before his face The Earle assoone as he saw him supposing that either out of hope or â—eare he had betrayed all by reason his was the first testimony that was brought and also because he came as a witnesse of his owne accord very passionately traduces him esteeming his testimony of no truth by reason of his variable countenance which was by and by pale and then red Then was obiected their meetings and consultations in Drury house about the seizing of the Tower or the Court. To which Southampton in a very milde speech protesting his true heart to the Queene made answere that such as those things were indeed there proposed but not determined but onely referred to the Earle of Essex Neither was that which was consulted put into practise but another to wit his going out into London which was to no other end then to get thereby secure accesse vnto the Queene and complaine freely to her of his iniuries That all the day long he drew not his sword neither that he heard of any Proclamation whereby he was proclaimed Traitour That as much as he could he hindered the shooting out of Essex house Wherefore he requested that they iudge of the matter not according to the rigour and letter of the Law but equity And being demanded if he thought not that to seize vpon the Court and to bring the Queene vnder their power was not Treason Hee answered him asking him what hee thought in his conscience they would haue done against the Queene The very same answered the Recorder that Henry Duke of Lancaster did to Richard the second who humbly came into the Kingdome vnder pretence of remoouing away from the King some naughty Councellours but hauing brought the King himselfe vnder his power he took from him his Crowne and shortly after his life The Iudges after this were demanded by the Peeres whether or no that consultation in Drury house were Treason by reason it came not to effect They all said it was and the rebellion in the Citie to be a prosecution of that their consultation for that if so be they could haue got aide enough at London amongst the Citizens they would haue inuaded the Court. Then it being asked whether Essex were the Author and occasioner of these meetings that was proued by many testimonies by the contents of their meeting written with his owne hand and by his casting of some papers into the fire for babling as he said The Earle assoone as he heard these things which he hoped had beene concealed hope said hee of getting their liues or escaping from punishment hath wrought these testimonies out from some and indeed let them enioy their liues as long as they can or will Death is more desired to me then life onely the violence of Cobham Cecill and Rawleigh droue mee to a necessary defence of my selfe which was all howsoeuer the Lawyers interprete my going out into the City my own conscience being cleare from any treachery is my greatest comfort Cobham rising vp protested that he neuer did Essex any malicious office but onely alwayes disallowed of his ambion Essex answered but I with all my heart euen with the losse of my right hand would haue remooued such a calumniator and tale-teller from the Queene Sir Francis Bacon politely and like an Oratour endeauouring to take away that colour from their rebellion which they drew from the enmity that was betweene them affirmed that both Cabham Cecill and Rawleigh were so truely honest and of so good estates that they would neuer hazard both of them in the attempt of any such wicked act Then he shewes that those fictions of waite laid for his 〈◊〉 were false by reason of the variety of them sometimes in that he would cry out he should be murthered in his bed then in the Boat and lastly by the Iesuites Then he accused him of great vanity for crying out in London that the Kingdome of England was put to sale to the Spaniard and to be diuided for the Infanta adding that it was an ordinary matter with Traitours not indeed directly to rise against their Prince but onely obliquely and through the sides of some of the Peeres Then he checkes him for his deepe dissimulation in that he had put on such a Vizard of godlinesse comparing him to the Athenian Pisistratus that would teare his owne body that hee might shew it to the people as if it had beene rent and torne by his enemies and so hauing got aide of them oppressed the whole Common-wealth Essex interrupting him in his proceedings remember how that but lately he himselfe had very efficaciously and pithily written Letters for him to the Queene against these his aduersaries adding besides that he vnderstood that Secretary Cecil had said to one of the Priuy councell that the right of the Infanta to the Realme of England was as good and iust as any of the rest of the Competitors Scarce had he said these words but Cecill that had stood hidden in a little Closet to heare all the proceedings straight way comes forth and falling downe on his knees beseecheth the L. High Steward that he would giue him leaue and licence to answere for himselfe to such a calumny so foule and false Leaue being granted he speakes to Essex in this manner IN wit indeed I giue you place wherein you are very excellent In your Nobility I giue you place for I am not reckoned amongst my Predecessours that were Nobles although I my selfe am In your military affaires I giue you place I am no Souldier But yet for all this my innocence shall protect me in this place am I free where you are guilty Wherefore I challenge you if you dare to tell who was the Priuie Councellour to whom I said these words Essex refused it Therefore sayes Cecill it is but a fained tale Essex denied that Wherefore Cecill turning to South-hampton entreates him by all their acquaintance euen
It was also affirmed that Lee had said that he knew that both Essex Blunt and Tir-Oen thought all the same Neither indeed did Blunt denie but that he gaue leaue to Lee to goe or send to Tir-Oen but it was by Essex's command And then are read many other things that were sent out of Ireland to prooue the intimatenesse that was with Essex with the Earle Tir-Oen Flemming then the Queenes Solliciter turning to Danuers discourseth out of the points of Law how that if a man be ignorant of their determination of taking armes against the Prince and yet ioyne himselfe in action with those that doe it he is guilty of Treason That then Danuers was much more guilty who as is prooued by his owne and others confession was a partner both in the consultation and the conspiracy acted He answered little or nothing to this onely that his loue was so great to the Earle of Southampton that for his sake he would neglect life and goods for the Earle had before entertained and hid this Danuers that fled for a murther and afterwards sent him ouer into France where he followed the Campe with great credit till such time as the Queene being with much adoe ouer-entreated gaue him his parâ—don Sir Iohn Dauis being in a manner conuicted by his owne conscience and confession held his peace and being taunted by the way that he was a Papist he denied not that at Oxford he was instructed in the Romish Religion by his Tutor and confirmed in the same by Blunt while he was in the Irish warres At which words when hee perceiued Blunt was mooued he straight appeased him affirming that hee was confirmed in that Religion not by Blunts perswasion but by the example of his Christian and religious life After this Cuffe and Mericke were arraigned and Cuffe is laid hard at with the confession of Essex and Danuers and Henry Neuill Danuers had confessed that Cuffe knew of alâ— the consultations and meetings and that he alwaies perswaded them to assault the Court. Essex had confessed before the Councell that hee was the instigator of him to all this treachery and signed this truth with his owne hand Henry Neuill had confessed that Cuffe presently after his returne from France had suggested to him that the vnfortunate successe of the Treaty at Boloigne would be imputed to him that after that hee would diuers times come and see him and perswade him to come and see the Earle of Essex which he once did Afterwards when he returned last that he entreated him to come to Drury house and heare what was consulted on protesting that he should heare of nothing there which was not beneficiall to the Kingdome and the Earle of Essex and what hee might heare with loyalty towards the Queene that afterwards he entreated him to be present with him and the Earle at the inuasion of the Court and that then he opened all the councell vnto him which when Neuill disliked as dangerous difficult and wicked and said that they were of those kinde of purposes that are neuer commended till they are ended that then Cuffe extenuated both the danger and difficulty intimating all London and the Aldermen themselues to be for Essex altogether and ready at a becke and that then he would vse the verse of Lucan To him that holds vp armes in sight He giueth all things that denies his right Neither could Cuffe denie any of this Whereupon the Recorder Syllogistically argues against him and he so wittily and acutely answers him that Cecill called him a subtle Sophister And Anderson chiefe Iustice of the Common Pleas was so angry at it that he cried they both made foolish syllogismes and he fell to vrging the Law against Traitors in Edward the third But to conclude Cuffe tooke vpon him to answere his accusation which consisted of two parts For that first said he I am accused of Treason for being in Essex house on the day of the Rebellion you might as well haue accused one of the Lions too for lying in his Den. All that day I sorely lamented the ill fortune of my Earle neither did I doe any thing else I perswaded him as I could to cry the Queene mercy which I could not compell him to except he pleased And then for the consultation in Drury house that is no more to be adiudged a piece of Treason when it neuer tooke effect then an Embrion or an vnperfect creature not full borne is to be adiudged a man The Lawyers vrged against him that no necessity lay vpon him to continue in Essex house at the siege of it besides that euery one had his office allotted him some to defend the House whereof he was one and others to seize vpon the Citie who all did their endeauours equally and all were equally too guilty of Treason Then they answered that the meeting of them at Drury house was of it selfe Treason by reason there was order taken against the Queene which was also put in practise Then they vrged out of the Law That if more conspire against a Prince and yet practise that their conspiracy diuers waies yet is the fault of Treason one and the same in all by reason of one and the same malice of the Conspirators Their discreet answeres with the confessions of Essex Neuill and Danuers quite spoiled Cuffes cause so that all his wit and sophistry could not worke it out againe into an ambiguity Mericke he is accused for sending Letters to his brother Salisbury Groyne and other audacious fellowes whom hee drew to his side also for vndertaking the defence of Essex house against the Queene for giuing mony and causing an olde obsolete Tragedy of the deposing of Richard 2. to be acted publiquely before the Conspirators which the Lawyers did iudge of as if he had shewen them now that vpon the stage which he would haue them act the next day vpon the Queene The like iudgement spent they vpon a Booke of Sir Iohn Haywards a learned man that was written about the same matter as if it had been written to encite and stirre the Earle to depose the Queene to the ill fortune of the worthy Authour who lay long in prison punished for his vntimely Edition of it and these words in his dedicatory Epistle to the Earle of Essex TV magnus spe maior futuri temporis expectatione that is to say Thou art great in hope but farre greater in the expectation of future times All this Mericke heard and with a resolute silence said not any thing againe but onely this ESsex lifted mee vp and Essex hath throwne mee downe After this euery one of them are found guilty by the Iurie of treason against the Queene and their sorrowfull sentences were pronounced After that Blunt and Danuers earnestly desired that they might die like Noblemen by being beheaded and indeed they came of the Noble stocke For Danuer's Mother was Daughter and one of the Heires to Neuill Lord Latimer by
of being impudently vnmannerly who finding his Arme stronger then his Cause pull'd the Embassador of the King of England out of his seat which he had taken on the right hand of him and there far himselfe as Embassadour of Casteele Nam cum Henrici Regis Angliae Legatus saith he dexteram occupasset suâ validâ dextrâ eum à loco divulsum dejecit ibidemque ut Legatus Castellae sedit ut rem gestam etiam memoriae prodidit Ferdinandus Pulgar cap. 8 Illustrium virorum Valdesius de dignit Hispaniae in prooemio pag. 14. Pag. 371. Lin. 23. By appealing to the Court of warre Although in rendring the Latine words after this manner I followed the aduice of so discreet a iudgement that I might almost better errare with it then with another benè sentire yet hauing vpon stricter examination found that the words beare another Translation I shall willingly acquaint the Reader also with it It seemes the words ad Cameram Castrensem should not haue beene translated to the Court of Warre as they are in the body of this History but they should be rendred thus to the Chamber at Castres as appeares by part of a Letter sent by the Duke of Bouillon to the King in this businesse which I found thus translated I Most humbly beseech your Maiesty to send my Accusers and my Accusations thinking the imputation which is laid vpon me heauy and the time tedious vntill your Maiesty may be fully satisfied of mine innocency For the speedy effecting whereof I will attend at Castres the iustification of my Fault or Innocency iudging that the time which I should haue spent in going to your Maiesty would haue but prolonged the affliction of my soule remayning accused seeing that your Maiesty was to send me backe to the Chambers to condemne or absolue me being the Iudges which your Edict hath giuen me That it would therefore please you to relieue my minde speedily in giuing me the meanes to make my innocency knowne and that by this proofe you may rest assured of my faithfull seruice and I of your fauour the which shall be aboue all things desired of your most humble most obedient and most faithfull Subiect and Seruant Henry de la Toure Pag. 379. Lin 8. I acknowledge and aske pardon This is not Tir-Oens submission verbatim collected neither was it done as it is here specified before the death of the Queene For the Queene dying on the 24. of March the Lord Deputy Montioy vnderstood thereof not till the seuen and twentieth So vpon the 28. day the Lord Deputy being at Mellifant wrote to Sir William Godolphin to cause Tir-Oen to dispatch his comming to submit himselfe which he presently did hauing met Tir-Oen on the 29. of March at Toker some fiue miles beyond Dunganon On the 30. of March Tir-Oen and all of them came to Mellifant in the afternoone where Tir-Oen admitted into the Lord Deputies Chamber submitted himselfe vnto him but the next day signed this submission following with his own hand and deliuered it vp to the Lord Deputy The forme was thus I Hugh O-Neale by the Queene of England France and Ireland her most gratious fauour created Earle of Tir-Oen doe with all true and humble penitency prostrate my selfe at her Royall â—eet and absolutely submit my selfe vnto her mercy most sorrowfully imploring her gratious commiseration and appealing onely to her Princely clemency without presuming to iustifie my vnloyall proceedings against her sacred Maiesâ—y onely most sorrowfully and earnestly desiring that it may please her Maiesty rather in some measure to â—itigate her iust indignation against me in that I doe religiously vow that the first motiues of my vnnaturall rebellion were neither practise malice or ambition but that I was induced first by feare of my life which I conceiued was sought by my enemies practise to stand vpon my guard and afterwards most vnhappily led to make good that fault with more hainous offences which in themselues I doe acknowledge deserue no forgiuenesse and that it is impossible for me in respect of their greatnesse in any proportion euen with my life to make satisfaction I doe most humbly desire her Maiesty to pardon them that as I haue already beene a sufficient argument of her Royall power hauing little left but my life to preserue it selfe so that it may now please her Maiesty to make me an example of her Princely clemency the chiefest ornament of her high dignity And that I may bee the better able hereafter with the vttermost seruice of my life to redeeme the foulnesse of my faults I do most humbly sue vnto her Maiesty that she will vouchsafe to restore me to my former dignity and liuing in which estate of a Subiect I doe most religiously vow to continue for euer here after loyall in all true obedience to her Royall Person Crowne Prerogatiue and Lawes and to be in all things as farre and as dutifully conformable thereunto as I or any other Noble man of this Realme is bound by the duty of a Subiect to his Soueraigne or by the Lawes of this Realme vtterly renouncing and abiuring the Name and Title of O-Neale or any other authority or claime which hath not beene granted or confirmed vnto me by her Maiesty and that otherwise by the Lawes of this Realme I may not pretend iust interest vnto And I doe religiously sweare to performe so much as is aboue mentioned and the rest of these Articles subscribed by my owne hand as farre as shall any way be in my power and to deliuer such pledges for the performance thereof as shall be nominated vnto me by the Lord Deputy I doe renounce and abiure all forreigne power whatsoeuer and all kinde of dependancy vpon any other Potentate but her Maiesty the Queen of England France and Ireland and doe vow to serue her faithfully against any forreign power inuading her kingdomes and to discouer truly any practises that I doe or shall know against her Royall person or Crownes and namely and especially I doe abiure and renounce all manner of dependancy vpon the King or State of Spaine or Treaty with him or any of his forces or confederates and shall be ready with the vttermost of my ability to serue her Maiesty against him or any of his forces or confederates I doe absolutely renounce all challenge or intermedling with the Vriaghts or fostering with them or other neighbour Lords or Gentlemen out of my Countrey or exacting any Blacke Rents of any Vriaghts or bordering Lords I doe resigne all claime and title to any Lands but such as shall now be granted vnto me by her Maiesties Letters Patents Lastly as the onely being a Subiect doth include all the duties of a Subiect so will I be content to be informed here and aduised by her Magistrates and will be conformable and assisting vnto them in any thing that may tend to the aduancement of her seruice and the peaceable gouernment of this Kingdome as namely for the