Savage a barbarous fellow vpon the instigation oâ— Rhemish Priests voweth to kill Queene Elizabeth Babingtons treasonable practise to take away the Queenes life vpon a motion from Ballard the Priest defeated and he with his Complices deservedly punished CHAP. X. The French Ambassadours plot with Stafford to take away the life of the Queene detected by Stafford himselfe The end of Yorke and Stanlâ—y traytors to their Countâ—â—y CHAP. XI The Spanish preparations for the Invincible Navie The Duke of Parma treateth of a peace Delegates sent over about it The conference of the Delegates broke off without fruit CHAP. XII The Invincible Armie described At the first setting out shaken sore with a tempest The gests of each day related particularly and punctually The trusted in their strength we in the name of our God They are fallen and we stand vpright CHAP. XIII Trouble from Ireland by Tyrone lurking in Spaine His many dissembling submissions to the Queene of England A treatie of peace concluded CHAP. XIV Vpon the comming of the Earle of Essex into England from Ireland Tyrone contrary to his promise stirreth and rebelleth afresh and is incouraged by the Pope and ayded by â—he King of Spaine These forces are vanquished by the Lord Deputie Herevpon Don Iohn de Aqâ—ila a Spanish Captaine who was sent to ayâ—â—e the rebells and kept Kinsale capitulates for peace Tyrone forsaken of his followers submits himselfe to the Lord Deputie and is pardoned Plotting a new rebellion when he was called by Processe to answer a suit of the B. of Derry thinking the treason to be discovered by O cane who inforced the Bishop in his suit sted out of Ireland In â—hese troubles and treasons see the Machinations of Satans seed against the seed of the Woman that is the Church and the miraculous deliverances and victories of the Church according to that The Womans seed shall breake the serpents head spoken of Christ appliable to the Church and particularly to our Church of England which that Bâ—laam of Rome seeks now by all meanes to draw from God because he knowes he cannot prevaile against vs till we for sake God CHAP. XV. A great mischiefe intended to the Kings Maiestie at his first entrance into the Kingdome of England before his Coronation Watson and Clark Priests administring oaths of secresie and applauding the proiect It came to nothing by Gods mercie The Kings Maiesties clemency towards the Conspiratours after iudgement paâ—t vpon them No treason in England attempted but had a Romish Priest in the practise CHAP. XVI A horrible treason was a hatching and breeding in the last yeare of Queene Elizabeth By Garnetts meanes and others the King of Spaine is delt withall for an invasion he entertaines the motion but vpon the entrance of King Iames did not proceed to any forcible enterprise The Gun-powder treason takes ground and life from the doctriâ—e of Parsons and the Iesuites It was first propounded by Catesby to Winter The oath of secresâ—e taken by the Conspiratours Provision of Powder and Wood for the mine Their consultation what to doe after the blow was given The letter sent to the Lord Mounteagle scanned by the Earle of Salisbury and other Prâ—vy Councellers but truely interpreted by the King in whose mouth there was a divine sentence at that time so that he did not erre in iudgement The Examination of Fawks The apprehension and confusion of the Powder-traytors God from heaven both by his Word and protection hath manifestly showne our Church to be the true Church and the Popish Church to be the malignant Church and degenerate from the auncient Romane Church both in manners and doctrines Coronis The Conclusion containes diverse Considerations proposed to such as are not well affected to Religion A THANKFVLL REMEMBRANCE OF GODS MERCY CHAPTER I. HAving a purpose to obserue Gods great and merciful deliueraÌ„ces of the Church of England and Gods holy protectioÌ„ of the same against the manifolde most dangerous most desperate practises of the adversaries that haue with strange malice and crueltie sought the destruction thereof and intending to fetch the beginning of this search from the beginning of the Raigne of Queene ELIZABETH of blessed memory I knew no better way how to enter into this Narration then to begin with the consideration of the State of Queene ELIZABETH at her first entrance for therein will appeare a wonderfull Worke of God and my intention is to obserue the great Workes of God that God may be glorified When this famous Queene first entred shee found the State much afflicted and weakned All the great States about her were enemies Friends none King Philip who offred his loue and kindnesse to her and would haue married her offering to obteine the Popes dispensation for him to marry two Sisters as the like dispensation was obteined by Ferdinand his great Grand-father for hâ—s daughter Katharine to marry two Brothers he offering this kindnesse and being refused and reiected grew first into dislike and discontent afterwardes into hatred and at last brake out into open Warres The French King Henry the 2. with whom she sought peace fell off also into open Warres His sonne Francis having married Mary Queene of Scotland was moved by the Guysians to cause the Armes of England to be ioyned to the Armes of Scotland to professe the Queene of Scots the heire of England and because Elizabeth was accounted by them an Heretike therefore they sought to put her by to set the Queene of Scots in her place so should the French King haue England also For the effecting of this they sent their Armies into Scotland purposing fâ—om thence to haue subdued England In so much that Sebastianus Martignius a young Noble man of the family of Luxenburg who was sent into Scotland with a thousand â—oote and some Companies of horse could hardly be disswaded from entring England presently So that Spaine France and Scotland were enemies The State was then much troubled and oppressed with great debt contracted partly by Henry 8. partly by Edward 6. in his minoritie The treasure was exhausted Calis was lost Nothing seemed to be left to her but a weake and poore State destitute of meanes and friends If shee would haue admitted the Popish Religion then might all these difficulties haue beene removed But establishing the Gospell shee vnderstood well that shee drew all these troubles vpon her owne head Yet she gaue the glory to God and in hope of Gods holy protection she established Gods holy truth And verily she did not serue God in vaine For it is a thing to be wondred at that the Land being then without strength without Forces without Souldiers yea without Armour all things necessary should be so suddenly furnished She had provided Armour at Antwerpe but King Philip caused that to be stayed Yet was she not discouraged but layd out much money vpon Armour though she found the Treasury but poore She procured Armour and weapons out of Germany She caused many great
the Souldiers of Berwick with the power of Northumberland were in New-castle they turned backe againe and besieged Bernard Castle Sir George Bowes and his brother Mr. Robert being driven by an hard siege and wanting provision yeelded the Castle and they and the souldiers were dismissed carrying their armes with them as it was covenanted vpon the first newes of the feares which the Earle of Sussex brought against them the Earles fled to Hexham from thence seeking by-wayes to Naworth Castle Whence the two Earles flâ—d into Scotland the Earle of Northumberland hid himselfe in the house of Hector of Harlaw an Armstrang having confidence in him that he would be true to him who notwithstanding for money betrayed him to the Regent of Scotland It was observed that Hector being before a rich man fell poore of a sudden and so hated generally that he never durst goe abroad in so much that the Proverb to take Hectors cloake is continued to this day among them when they would expresse a man that betrayeth his friend who trusted him The Earle was afterward delivered into England and condemned of high treason and beheaded Westmerland found meanes to hide him a while with Fernihurst and Bucklough and escaped into the Low-Countries where being susteined by a poore pension of the King of Spain he liued a poore life all his time This is the fruit of Popery It bringeth Noble houses to destruction It pittied their hearts against whom the rebellion was raised to see such Noble persons brought to such a destruction But the Pope is without pitty and mercy the Priests and Iesuites that bring such noble men into such snares haue no pitty nor mercy therefore it behooveth all noble persons to be wise and to avoyd pestiferous waies that is to shut their eares against Priests and Iesuites These be pernicious instruments that secretly convey themselues into great mens favour to bring them to ruine they tell them of the Religion of their Fathers but true Religion bringeth a blessing and Religion that bringeth alwayes a curse is to be suspected And to say truth the Religion of Rome as now is not the Religion of our Fathers For Religion was changed in the Tâ—ent Councell and therefore they cannot say they haue now that Religion which their Fathers had And that Religion was changed in the Trent Synod is by learned men sufficiently proued and we are readie to maintaine it for where the rule of faith is changed there must needs follow a change of Religion and a change of the Church But in the Trent Councell the rule of faith is changed And therefore men may obserue a great difference between these men that are now called Papists and their forefathers God blessed their Fathers because they serued God in sinceritie according to that measure of knowledge which was reuealed to them for he that serueth God truely according to that measure of knowledge which he hath and holdeth the rule of faith is without doubt accepted of God and God doth blesse such But after that God hath reuealed a greater measure of knowledge by the spreading of the savour of his Gospell they who then forsake the truth offred are followed with great curses And therefore we may plainly obserue the curses of God vpon them that forsake God and his truth Where the Pope curseth we see that God doth blesse and no 〈◊〉 followeth where God doth curâ—e we see destruction followeth This rebellion was scarce extinguished when another little flame rose from this greater combustion Leonard Dacres the second sonne of William Lord Dacres of Gillestand whose eldest brothers sonne was killed with a Valting horse was much grieued to see so great a patrimony to goe from him to the daughters of the Baroâ— whom the Duke of Norfolk their Father in law had ioyned in marriage with his sonnes This so troubled Leonard Dacres that having no other way to revenge himselfe he tooke the course of impatient and discontented men to revenge all vpon himselfe and ioyning himselfe to the rebells striued but in vaine to deliver the Scots Queene When they were in armes then was Leonard Dacres at Court and offred the Queene all his helpe against them and for that service was sent home But as it came to light afterward in his iourney by messengers with the rebels he had communication and incouraging them vndertooke to kill the Lord Scroop and the Bishop of Carliell Which when he could not effect he tooke Grastocke Castle and other houses of the Lord Dacres and fortified Naworth Castle holding it as in his owne right and gathered souldiers about him Against him came the Lord Hâ—nsdon with the trained souldiers of Berwick Leonard not trusting to his fortified places came to meet the Lord Hunsdon and meeting him when he passed the Riuer Gelt after a sharpe battell finding himselfe put to the worse his men killed he fled into Scotland And so went into the Low-Countries and in a poore estate died at Louaine The Queene by Proclamation pardoned the multitude which he had drawne to take his part This man run a strange course When he might haue beene out of danger he run into a quarrell which he might evidently see to be lost before he came to it But he was drunke with the cup of Rome for who would run such courses but drunken men It may teach others to beware of those that bring such poysoned and intoxicating cuppes from Rome CHAPTER III. TO proceed and to declare the pestilent fruit of the Popes excommunication which wrought still to the confusion of them that served it At this time in Ireland Edmond and Peter Botlers brethren to the Earle of Ormond ioyning with Iames fitz Morice of Desmondes family and with others â—ought to doe service to the Pope and Spanyard against Religion and with a purpose to draw Ireland away from the obedience of Queene Elizabeth To this end they made a league among themselues To inflame this rebellion Iohannes Mendoza came secretly out of Spaine and to extinguish the flame the Earle of Ormond went out of England into Ireland who laboured so effectually that he perswaded his brethren to submit themselues They were put in prison but that they might not be brought to iudgement the Earles daily intercession prevailed with the Queene It grieued the Earle exceedingly to see such a blot vpon so noble a family And the Queene was willing to preserue the honor of the house as for the reliques of that rebellion they were in short time dissipared by the wisedome of the Lord Deputy and the industry of Sir Humphrey Gilbert This was but a small motion but it sheweth the restles spirits of the Pope and Spanyard against our Church and State And we render thankes to God for breaking the purposes of our adversaries before they grew great This is his goodnes toward his Church and his iudgement vpon the adversaries The King of Spaine never rested to stirre vp troubles to Queene Elizabeth pretending the
a breach yet others followed lowed as desperate as the first And would not vnderstand that they ventured both soule and body in the cause of the Pope against Christ for such is the cause of treason being commanded by the Pope and forbidden by Christ. The Priests and Iesuites at this time spent all their learning and skill to stirre vp rebellion in England giving out in corners and in publique Printing Bookes to declare that the Pope and King of Spain had conspired that England should be overthrowne left as a prey This was done of purpose to confirme their owne side and to deterre others from their obedience to their Prince Wherevpon the Queene set out a Proclamation signifying that she had never made attempt vpon any Prince onely defended her own not invading the Provinces of other Princes though she had beene provoked with wrongs and invited by opportunitie If any Princes should oppugne her she doubted not but by Gods favour she should defend her owne and had therefore Mustered her Forces by Land and Sea and was readie against any hostile incursion She exhorteth her faithfull subiects to hold their faith alleagance firme to God their Prince Gods Minister For others that had shaken off the loue of their Countrey and obedience to their Prince She commandeth them to carry themselues modestly and not to provoke the severitie of iustice for she would no longer indure sparing of evill men least so she might be cruell against the good Among the Iesuites that came then into England Robert Parsons and Edmond Campian were chiefe they had procured a temper or qualification of the Bull of Pius V. obtained of Greg. 13. in these words Let petition be made to our holy Father that the Bull declaratory of Pius V. against Elizabeth and her adherents be interpreted which the Catholikes desire to be vnderstood so that it binde her and heretiques alwayes but not Catholiques things standing as they doe But onely then when the publike execution of the Bull may be had These foresaid favours the Pope granted to Robert Parsons and Edmond Campian now ready to goe into England the 13. day of Aprill 1580. in the presence of Oliver Manarcus assisting This was procured to giue some content to the Recusants that were offended at the publication of the Bull and found that it did them more harme then good Parsons and Campian came secretly into England and changed their exterior habit and apparel that they might the better passe vnknowne Somtimes they went like ruffians somtimes like ministers somtimes like noble men somtimes like souldiers somtimes like apparitours they walked secretly from Recusants houses to Recusants houses and did in words and writings roundly set forward the businesse for which they came Parsons was the superior a man of a seditious and turbulent spirit armed with audaciousnesse he brake out so farre among the Papists against the Queene as to propose the proâ—ect of deposing of her In so much that some Papists themselues as they themselues hauâ— said did thinke to haue delivered him into the hands of the Magistrate Campian was somewhat more modest yet by a Booke which he had much laboured and brought with him which as himselfe sayth might be taken with him if he were apprehended did provoke the Ministers of the Church of England to disputation the Booke was Intituled A Booke of ten Reasons or Arguments written politely in Latin to confirme the doctrines of the Church of Rome Parsons wrote more virulently against Mr Charke who had written soberly against Campians prouocation but Campians ten reasons were throughly and solidly answered by Dr Whittaker Campian was taken and brought to disputation where it was found that in learning and knowledge he came farre short of that expectation which himselfe had raised of himselfe the whole disputation was afterward set forth in Print In the meane time many threatnings were published against the Church and State of England and much speech was of the Pope and the Spanyards preparations to subdue England By which manner of proceedings it may appeare that the end why these other such were sent into England was not to draw men to God but to betray the Land to strangers for these men cared not what became of England so the Church of England might be displanted and Popery set vp againe For which purpose we may obserue the Colledges for Seminaries set vp at Rhemes and Rome These Colledges did strangely swarue from the end and foundation of the ancient Colledges The ancient Colledges were founded for learning and Religion these for meere faction the ancient Colledges were for the furtherance of godlinesse and piâ—tie these for the practises of â—ngodlinessâ— and vngracious treasons Let no man tell me that the ancient Colledges were founded by Papists so were these Seminaries and therefore for the maintenance of the same Religion for this is nothing but colouring and daubing of their new practises from the sight of the ignorant for all their hope is in the ignorance of men hoping that they shall haue the greatest part because the greatest part are ignorant But now God in his mercy hath so plentifully revealed the truth the ignorance of men is not so great as the Papâ—sts would haue it for men are taught to know that in the Councell of Trent there hath beene hatched a new birth of Popery Where they haue changed the rule of faith which was ever maintained in the Church of Rome before that time Wherevpon there followeth a change of the Church a change of Religion They that founded the ancient colledges knew not this new Church this new Religion which is newly hatched in the Trent Councell Therefore these late Colledges of Seminaries are founded vpon a new Religion This new Râ—ligion of Rome is nothing but the practâ—se of Treasons against States Surely it must be a sâ—rangâ— Religion that must be maintained by vngodly practises There was never any Religion that allowed such practises And herein the Papists exceed the Heathen who being guided onely by the light of nature yet haue disallowed such vngodly and vngracious practises which the Papists vse Let all men consider whence this new Religion of Rome proceedeth that in vngodly practises is founded and maintained that all such practises proceed from the devill no man can doubt that God hath preserved this Church of England from all these practises this is that which causeth vs to trust in God and to giue all the glory of our deliverance to his holy name Edmond Campian Ralfe Sherwin Luke Kirby Alexander Briant were taken in the yeare 1581. and being brought to iudgement were accused of treason against the Queene and State that they were directed by the Pope came into England to stirre vp sedition and to make a strong partie and herevpon they were condemned as offending against the lawes Campian was demanded whether he tooke Queene Elizabeth to be Queene of England by right and law to that he refused to answer
Then he was demanded if the Pope should send an Armie into England against the Queene whether he would take the Popes part or the Queenes To this he protested openly that he would take the Popes part and confirmed it by his hand-writing he was put to death and some others for the same cause When as yet from the time of the rebellion there was but fiue put to death in this cause The Queene thinking that mens consciences should not be forced did often complaâ—ne that she was necessarily driven to these courses vnlâ—s she would suffer a mischiefe to fall vpon her selfe and her subiects by them that sought to colour their treasons vnder a pretence of consciencâ— and Catholike Religion And yet she thought that some of the poore Priests that were sent were not acquainted with the secret plots of treason but found that their superiors vsed these as instruments of their wicked intentions and they yeelded the whole disposing of themselues to the iudgement of their superiors for they that were then and afterward apprehended being demanded whether by the authoritie of the Bull of Pius V. the subiects were so absolved from their oath and alleagance that they might take Armes against the Prince Whether they held her for a lawfull Queene Whether they yeelded their coÌ„sent to the opinioÌ„s of Sanders Bristow concerning the authoritie of that Bull Whether if the Pope should warre against the Queene they would take his part or hers To these things they answered some so ambiguously some so fiercely some by preuarication or by silence shifting that diverse other Papists who were not acquainted with the secrets of their villanies began to suspect that surely they nourished some secret mischiefe and Iohn Bishop otherwise much addicted to their Religion wrote and soundly proued that the constitution obâ—ruded in the name of the Councell of Lateran from which they founded all their authoritie to absolue subiects from their alleagance and to depose Princes was indeed nothing but a decree of Innocentius III. nor was ever admitted in England Yea that Councell was no Councell and that nothing was decreed there by the Fathers Suspitions were still increased by reason of the number of Priests daily comming into England and creeping in corners who secretly sought out the minds of men and taught that Princes excommunicated were to be throwne out of their Kingdomes that Princes that professed not the Roman Religion were fallen from the title and Kingly authoritie that they who had taken orders were by the libertie of the Church freed from all iurisdiction of Princes neither were bound to their lawes or bound to reverence their Maiestie that the Magistrates of England were not lawfull and therefore not to be accounted as Magistrates Yea and moreover that what things soever had bin established by the Queenes authoritie after the publishing of the Bull of Pius V. were voyd altogether by Gods law and mans law and to be respected as things of no account Neither did they dissemble their purpose that they were come into England for this end that this Bull might be effected and that they might in private confessions reconcile men and so absolue them from all faith and alleagance toward the Queene This thing seemed to be more easily effected when men were absolved from all mortall sinne as the Priests perswaded them and this way was the safest because the most secret and vnder the seale of Confession These practiâ—es extorted of the Parliament held then â—n â—anuary An 1582 new lawes and more severe against these Popish practises By which lawes it was made treason to disswade any subiect from their alleagance to their Prince and from the Religion which was then established in England or to reconcile any to the Romish Church the same punishment was to be inflicted vpon them which were so perswaded or reconciled To say Masse was punished with two hundreth markes and a yeares imprisonment and to be farther punished vntill they had payed To be present at Masse willingly was punished with an hundreth marke fine and a yeares imprisonment They that refused to come to their Parish Churches were to pay twentie pound a moneth This manner of punishing refractary men that in matters touching the Church were troublesome and seditious was taken from an ancient manner of punishing such men in the time of St Augusâ—in for he speaketh diverse times of the Pecuniary mulct of the Emperours which was inflicted vpon the Donaâ—ists And because the seminary Priests and Iesuites who haue bin punished not for Religion but for Treasons in the execution of civill Iustice for offending against the lawes of the Land haue given out that they haue bin perfecuted for Religion and some of them haue beene made Martyrs these be a new kinde of Martyrs not for Christs cause but for the Popes cause against Christ and against his Word and Commandement It shall not be amisse to obserue the State of the Church in S. Augustines time and the iudgement of the Church then which in diverse resemblances doth answer to our times for then the Emperour had that power and authoritie which we now giue to our Kings The Pope had no more authoritie then then we would yeeld him now if he would maintaine the doctrine that the Popes then did The Pope was then vnder the Emperour the Emperour punished both Pope and others if they offended his lawes Parmenianus a Donatist complained they were punished by the Emperour and persecuted and called their persecution Martyrdome as did the Papists that were punished S. Augustin answering the Donatists saith Si quis quis ab Imperatore c. If every man that is punished by the Emperour or by the Iudges which he sendeth must presently be accompted a Martyr then shall we haue all Prisons full of Martâ—rs c. And after he sayth Therefore not every one that in some question of Religion is punished by the Emperour must presently be accompted a Martyr for he is iustly punished for superstition which he thought to be religion No man verily that in any respect is a Christian dare avouch this for such men proceeding like blind men see not that they who thus thinke proceed so farre as to proue that the very devils may thus chalenge to themselues the glory of Martyrs because they suffer this persecution by the Christian Emperours for as much as their temples are destroyed over all the world in a manner their ldols are broken in peeces their sacrifices are forbidden they who honor them are punished if they be found Which if it be madnesse to mâ—intaine then it followeth that righteousnesse is not proued by suffering but by righteousnesse suffering is made glorious therefore the Lord said not blessea are they that suffer persecution but he addeth that which maketh the difference betweene pietie and sacriledge blessed are they which suffer persecution for righâ—â—ousnesse c. And after he sayth If these men being convicted of their wicked practises shall
Gunnes to be cast of Brasse and Iron And Gods providence and favour appeared in her protectioâ— For new Mines of Brasse were found at Keswike that had long beene neglected From Whence there was not onely sufficient matter to supply her wants but abundance thereof to be transported to other Countries The stone called Lapis Calaminaris whose vse is needfull for working in Brasse was also at the same time first found in England There was provision made at home also for the making of Gunne-powder Which was done first here by her Commandement For before it was bought and imported Berwick before her time was weake and had but fiue hundred Souldiers She fortified the Towne made the new inner Wall and increased the number of Souldiers and their stipends that provision might be made for the training vp of experienced Souldiers and martiall men She provided a Navie the best furnished that euer England sawe Neither needed she to doe as her Father and Ancestours were wont to doe when they wanted Shippes to send for Shippes and hire them from Hamburg Lubeck Dantisk Genua and Veniâ—e for she had them ready at home to serue her Yea all the good Townes vpon the Sea-coast beholding this incredible alacritie and forwardnes in their Prince strived also to imitate the same and therefore with great chearfulnesse and readinesse built Shippes for Warre So that in a short time the Queenes Shippes and those of the Subiects ioyned together rose to such a number that they were able to imploy twentie thousand men in Sea-fight at once The Noble-men the Gentlemen and Yeomen did all striue to answer so noble a resolution of their Prince And therefore great store of Armour and Weapons were every where provided And braue spirits were bred and inabled to service whereby they became an helpe and ornament to their Countrey So that Queene Elizabeth was quickly growne so strong that all her adversaries were not able to hurt her And was not this a great worke of God That so weake a Woman should be able to defend her selfe against so many so potent enemies Yea and not onely to match them but to master them This was Gods doing Behold what it is to trust in God and not in an arme of Flesh. God will haue his great Workes to be had in remembrance that all men especially Princes may be taught to know that their safetie is not in worldly policie but in God which never forsaketh them that trust in him Here then we haue a Worke for which we are bound to glorifie God Elizabeth a Prince at the beginning weake destitute of friends vnfurnished of treasure vnprepared of all things had in no other accompt of her great neighbours round about her but as one left as a prey to the strongest that would inuade her and her kingdome yet preparing her heart to God giuing God the glory establishing his truth in her Land trusting in him She was in a few yeares made strong against her enemies they feared her more then she feared them This is an example can hardly be paralleled It was a worke oâ— God in defence of his Church here and we yeeld all glory and prayse vnto God for his mercies shewed herein From this example Princes may take a worthy instruction to rest vpon God and to seeke his glory and know assuredly that when they are at the weakest state if they giue their hearts to God and their service to his true Religion God will raise them to greatnes who hath promised to honor them that honor him and threatned that they that dishonor him shall be despised Before I leaue this example of Gods protectioÌ„ of this noble Queene in her first entrance Let this be remembred that as all the great Princes adioyning with the Pope and all were her great enemies so there were no friends able to helpe her for they that were friends and would haue helped if they could stood all need of her help The Scots were sore troubled with the French Armies procured by the Guysians but shee helped them and protected the King in his minoritie and freed that State from the tyranny of the French governement The Low-Countries were tyrannised by the Duke D' Alva who changed their governement and inhibited their meetings in councell For to speake somewhat of the ancient governement of that people to stop the common imputations cast vpon them by such as are not well affected to them Their governement was by a generall assembly of the States Their governours were such as were borne within the 17. Provinces no strangers These were anciently the Clergie the Nobility and the Deputies of the Provinces and of good Townes meeting together in their generall Assemblies These so meeting made lawes and orders whereby that State was governed The Deputies were sent to the generall Assemblies by the Suffrages of the people and vpon cause they were recalled by the people and other sent in their roomes This manner of governement some of the Dukes of Burgundy and some others disliked as giving too much power to the people and to little to their Dukes and therefore laboured to change it but could not Charles the fift Emperour would gladly haue changed their governement but when he saw that it could not be done without the commotion of the whole State he left it vndone Philip 2. Anno 1549. Iuly 8. tooke his oath which he made and renued againe Annoâ—555 â—555 to keepe maintaine and preserue these Countries in their ancient rights priviledges and customes without breaking them or suffering them to be broken in any sort or manner But when the Duke D' Alva was governour there vnder the King he practised the contrary and professed that the King was not to governe them as his ancient inheritance but as vpon a new conquest making what lawes he would and setting what governement best pleased him Whereupon his whole drift and practise was for a newe conquest of all the Provinces and Townes The pretence of religion was sought but it was resolved by the Counsell of Spaine to change the whole governement and to erect a new This appeared aswell by the Dukes open profession as by those designes which he practised vpon the persons of some of the Nobility and vpon the good Townes For when the Earles of Egmont and Horne were apprehended and putto death mistrusting nothing because they knew no cause to mistrust they that did this could not pretend religion because these Earles were of the Popish religion they could not pretend any disloyalty against them for their firme loyalty and their great services to the King made them so confident onely it was thought that these Noble men would neuer yeeld to the change of the government of that State therefore they were cut off The like appeared in the strange surprises and cruelty practised against many Townes which were of the popish religion For divers townes that were firme to the Spaniard in the point of religion and in obedience to the
Brother Cormac Mac Gennis Mac Guiâ— Ener Mac Cowly Henry Ouiâ—gton and O Quin attended their comming And vpon conference it was concluded that certaine Commissioners should the next day meet for a treaty of peace and in the meane time there should be a cessation of warres from sixe weekes to sixe weekes vntill the first of May yet so as it might be free on both sides after fourteene dayes warning giuen to resume hostility afresh And if any of Tyrones confederates would not thereto consent to be prosecuted at the Lord Lieuetenants pleasure CHAPTER XIIII THe Queene was presently informed that in Ireland the Spring Summer and Autumne were spent without seruice vpon the Arch-rebell that her men were diminished large summes of money consumed without doing that for which he was sent that by this meanes the Rebels were incouraged and the Kingdome of Ireland laid at hazard to bee lost Whereupon the Queene wrote somewhat sharpely to the Lord Lieuetenant which mooued him so much as leauing his charge to bee managed by others he came into England hoping to pacifie the Queene When he came he was commanded to keepe his Chamber and soone after was committed to the custody of the Lord Keeper No sooner was the Lord Generall departed from Ireland but that Tyrone notwithstanding the cessation from warre drawing his Forces together tooke the field to whom Sir William Warren was sent to charge him with breach of promise he answered that his doings were according to couenants hauing giuen warning before his cause was iust for that the Lord Lieuctenant was committed in England vpon whose honor he reposed his whole estate neither would hee haue any thing to doe with the Councellors of Ireland Hereupon presuming vpon Spaine hee sent Odonel into Connaught receiued tumultuous persons strengthened the weake glorying euery where that hee would restore againe the ancient Religion and liberty of Ireland and expell the English out of Ireland To which end some money and munition was sent from Spaine and Indulgences from Rome And for an especiall fauour the Pope sent him a plume of Phoenix feathers for a Trophy of his victories Tyrone vnder pretence of deuotion in mid-winter went to the Monastery of Tipperary to worship the Crosse from thence hee sent out Mac Guir with a number of rifeling robbers to spoile and prey vpon the peaceable subiects with whom Sir Warram Saint Leger met and at the first incounter ranne Mac Guir through the body with a Lance and was likewise runne through with his Lance. Whereupon Tyrone made ready to returne from Monster sooner then was expected or himselfe meant At this time Charles Blunt Lord Mountioy was sent Lord Lieuetenant generall into Ireland At his first comming hearing that Tyrone was to depart out of Monster hee hastened to stop his passage in Feriall and there to giue him battell which the Earle preuented by taking another way hauing intelligence of the Lord Generall his designes The spring drawing on the Deputy put himselfe in his march toward Vlster with purpose to driue the Earle to a stand In the meane time Sir Henry Docwray at Loughfoil and Sir Maâ—thew Morgan at Belishanon planted the Garrisons which they effected with small resistance and repressed the Rebels in diuers ouerthrowes The Lord Generall likewise held Tyrone very hard and with light skirmishes euer put him to the worst sothat he now perceiuing his fortunes to decline withdrew himselfe backwards into his ould corners The Lord Lieuetenant entred in Lease the place of refuge and receit of all the Rebels in Leinster where hee shew Ony Mac Rory-Og chiefe of the family of the O Mores a bloudy bould and desperate yong man and so chased out the rest of his companions as that neuer since they were seene in those parts And though winter began to draw on yet marched hee forward to the entry of the Mairy three miles beyond Dundalk The passage into Vlster is euery way naturally cumbersome and it was helped by the Rebels who had fortified and blocked vp the entrance with fences of stakes stucke in the ground with hurdles ioyned together and stones in the midst with turfes of earth laid betweene hills woods and bogges and manned the place with a number of souldiers But the English brake through their Pallisadoes and beate backe the enemy The Lord Deputy placed a garrison eight miles from Armagh where in memory of Sir Iohn Norrice he named the Fort Mount Norrice In his returne he had many skirmishes At Carlingford the enemies were assembled to stop his way but were all discomfited and put to flight In the midst of winter hee entred the Glinnes that is the vallies of Leinster a secure receptacle of the Rebels There he brought into subiection Donel Spanioh Phelim Mac Pheogh and the O Tooles of whom he tooke hostages Then went he to Fereall and draue Tirell the most approued warriour of all the Rebels from his fastnesse that is his bogs and bushes vnto Vlster and after some other good seruices done here the spring approaching he marched into Vlster fortified Armaugh and remoued Tyrone from the Fort of Blacke-water where hee had fortified himselfe In the meane time the Pope and the King of Spaine laboured to maintaine the rebellion in Ireland and to helpe Tyrone Their agents were a Spaniard elected Archbishop of Dublin by the Pope the Bishop of Clowfort the Bishop of Killaloe and Archer a Iesuite These by prayers and promises of heauenly rewards perswaded the Spaniard to send succours into Ireland which hee did vnder the Generall Don Iohn d' Aquila a man that conceiued great hopes and was confident of much aid from the titular Earle Desmond and Florence Mac Carly a Rebell of great power wherein the man was much deceiued for Sir George Carew Lord President of Munster had preuented all his designes and sent them prisoners into England where they were fast Don Aquila with two thousand Spaniards of old trained souldiers with certaine Irish fugitiues landed at Kinsale in Monster the last of October Anno 1600. and presently published a writing wherein he stiled himselfe Master Generall and captaine of the Catholike King in the warres of God for holding and keeping the faith in Ireland this drew diuers distempered and cuill-affected persons on his side The Lord Deputy gathering his companies hasted to Kinsale and incamped neere vnto the Towne on the land side In the meane time Sir Richard Leuison with two of the Queenes shippes inclosed the hauen to forbid all accesse to the Spaniards Then on both sides the Canon played vpon the towne But newes was brought that two thousand Spaniards more were arriued at Bere hauen Baltimor and Castle hauen Sir Richard Leuison was imployed vpon them in which seruice he sunke fiue of their shippes Vnto these new landed Spaniards whose Leader was Alfonso o-campo O-donel ouer the ice by speedy iourneyes and vnknowne by-wayes repaired vnseene of the English And a few dayes after Tyrone himselfe with O Roik Raimund
whatsoeuer haue beene attempted against vs the Pope is firme on their side God hath manifested himselfe many waies to be on our side What cause haue we then how many waies are we prouoked to trust in God to loue him to worship him that so miraculously hath defended vs to cleaue with all singlenes of heart to that cause that hath bin so mightily maintayned by Gods hand and power And what cause haue our aduâ—rsaries to examine themselues and more narrowly to examine the cause which God by so many iudgements hath condemned The people of Israel were mightily protected by the hand of God so long as they truely serued God al their aduersaries could neuer preuaile against them they were defended by power from aboue God did watch ouer them but when they fell from God God did suffer them to fall into the hands of their enemies There will hardly be found any president euen among the people of God that for so many yeeres together they haue bin continually deliuered from so many so cruelly intended so dangerous assaults The deepest deuises of malice reaching euen from hell vnto hellish men vpon earth haue beene practised against vs as this last which came from the deepenesse of Satan wherein without sword or speare without any shew of warlike preparations their hellish deuise was at one blow to root out religion to destroy the state the head with the body the King with the statâ— the Father of our Country the Mother of our Country the oliue branches the hopefull succession of our King the Reuerend Clergy the Honourable Nobility the faithfull Councellors the graue Iudges the greatest part of our Knights and Gentry the choisest Burgesses the Officers of the Crowne Councell Signet Sâ—ales and of other seates of iudgement the learned Lawyers with an infinite number of common people the Hall of iustice the houses of Parliament the Church vsed for the Coronation of our Kings the monuments of our former Princes all Records of Parliament and of euery particular mans right with a great number of charters and other things of this nature all these things had the diuell by his agents deuised at one secret blow to destroy If the Lord had not beene on our side may Israel now say if the Lord had not beene on our side when men rose vp against vs they had then swallowed vs vp quicke when their wrath was kindled against vs praised be the Lord which hath not giuen vs vp a prey to their teeth our soule is escaped as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowlers the snare is broken and we are deliuered our helpe is in the name of the Lord which hath made heauen and earth We labour against the Papists to proue our Church a true Church of God They on the other side labour to proue themselues the onely Catholike Church and our assemblies to be as they call them assemblies of Heretikes God hath determined this controuersie most euidenâ—ly by his word and most powerfully from heauen by his continuall protection of vs and destruction of all the wicked practises which they haue attempted against vs. Was there euer any cause in the world so strongly maâ—ntained on the one side as our cause hath beene was there euer any execrable practises in the world so powâ—rfuâ—ly condemned from heauen as their practises haue beene God open their eyes that they may see and vnderstand that they fight against God The Church of Rome so long as it stood the Church of God did neuer practise either by open warres or by secret conspiracies to destroy Kings and subuert Kingdomes but by the preaching of Gods word by examples of piety and sanctimony laboured to draw the ignorant vnto the knowledge and obedience of the truth that course is now vtterly forsaken of them for how can they teach the truth to others that are themselues in ignorance and in the shadow of death or how can they giue examples of an holy life whose whole practise and conuersation is in bloud in malice in wicked and wretched actions And will they neuer vnderstand that they who practise such things can not inherit the Kingdome of God cannot be the Church of God cannot pray to God or expect any blessing from him vpon their execrable practises there is a manifest change of their Church and they will not see it They aske vs when was this change vnder what King vnder what Emperour vnder what Pope But if they were wise they would first inquire whether there be a change or no and then inquire further of the time and manner of it We say that which no man can deny that there is a notorious change this is euident for the Church of old neuer allowed the cruelty the impiety the execrable wickednesse which is daily practised by the great Masters of the Church of Rome and allowed and approued by the Pope Then there is a change it is euident to all But this is a change of manners of the Church not of the doctrines If therefore they demand of vs how a change of the doctrines may be proued We are able to point out from time to time that the doctrines which they haue inuented were neuer heard of in the Church before such times as wee are able to point at Master Iewell the reuerend Bishop of Salisbury for piety and learning the mirrour of his time hath made full and faire proofe that of those Articles wherein he challenged all the Learneâ— of the Church of Rome not one of them was euer taught in the Church before the 〈◊〉 of Christ 600. his proofes stand vnanswered to this day Though Master 〈◊〉 haâ—â— done his best to examine them who wanted neither learning nor eloquence buâ— onely trutâ— wanting on his side the challenge is still made good We are also able to point to another time before the year of Christ 1000. many of the grâ—atest grossest errors in popery was neuer taught or heard â—n the Church as the doctrines of transubstantiatioâ— of the reall presence as it is vnderstood in the Church of Rome of the Popes power to depose Kings and absolue their subiects fâ—oâ— their allegeance or to warâ—ant their subiects to rebell â—gainst them of he doctrines of Grace and iustification as now they are taught in the Church of Rome of the doctrine of merits whether ex congruo or condigro of the seauen sacraments and many other of this nature of which we are assured that not one of them can be proued euer to haue beene taught or heard of in the Church before the yeare of Christ one thousand Wee are further able to point to another time before which the rule of faith was neuer changed in the Church this was their last attempt in the points of Doctrine a desperate attempt against the truth For from the Apostles time till the Councell of Trent the rule of faith was euer held in the Church one and the same that is the doctrine contained in