earnestly with Queene ELIZABETH for the re-establishment of the Queene of Scotland complayning that she was more strictly handled then formerly vnder the custodie of the Earle of Huntington her sworne enemie and emulator who as well as she had secret aimes to the Kingdome of England The Ambassadour of Spaine also at the sollicitation of the Bishop of Rosse prest that point very hard in the name and behalfe of his King But the Queene after shee had seriously reuolued the cunning deuices that they all practised to free the Queene of Scots and had couertly giuen out that she was ioyned with them in the Rebellion lately appearing answered him THat it was an inconsiderate and dangerous folly to free one that so apparantly aspired by ill practice to the Crowne of England That she had need more straightly then ordinary to looke vnto her and discharge some of her Seruants whom she had for the most part chosen for her own proper dessignes and to giue for an assistant to the Earle of Shrewsbury whom she had appointed for her Keeper who began to suspect the loyaltie of these people the Earle of Huntington whom she neuer knew to haue any title to the Kingdome but onely out of some relation to her in affinity and that neuerthelesse she had discharged him long sithence promiseth to omit no meanes of agreement with the Scots and protesteth to prosecute no iniuries receiued by her That she euer hoped that the King of France the King of Spaine and the Queen of Scotland would not take it in ill part that she onely prouided for the peace and safety of her selfe her subiects since nature reason and the honour of her Royall Name did of right require the same at her hands And that if any of them knew any way more expedient to preuent that imminent menacing danger shee would not onely heare but most willingly embrace it After this they sate in Councell often hereupon at the Court whether it were best to send the Queen of Scotland backe into her Countrie or retain her stil in England and how they might best prouide for the safegard both of the Queene and their Religion Whiles they were consulting hereabout William Herbert Earle of Pembroke happened to dye being issue to Richard son to R. Herbert the eldest Earle of Pembroke being in the Climactericall yeere of his age as if he had presaged what mischiefe should befal him if hee had longer liued leauing behinde him three children Henry Edward and Anne Hee was buried in S. Pauls Church with stately and honourable Rites and a most glorious Tombe erected for him a Noble person who out of his owne meanes rais'd a Fortune to himselfe For he so wrought into the fauour of HENRY the Eighth that he made him one of the Gentlemen of his Chamber and by his owne prudence increased his meanes especially after the King had married Katherine Parre his wiues Sister And vnder EDVVARD the Sixth hee procured whiles the Court was distracted in seuerall factions to be of the Order of Saint George Knight of the Garter the honour to be the Kings Squire the Title of Baron Herbert of Cardiffe and the dignity of the Earle of Pembroke He was Generall vnder Queene MARY of her Troopes she sent against Wyat and for the English Armie at S. Quintin President of Wales twice Gouernour of Calais vnder Queene ELIZABETH he was constituted Steward of her houshold whose fauour he lost for a time in regard that hee was the first moouer of the match betweene the Duke of Norfolke and the Queene of Scotland notwithstanding his intention and will were no way ill affected therein and failed narrowly a little before his death of being questioned vpon certaine euidences at large dilated and presumptions secretly found out Hitherto Pope Pius the Fifth had laid a foundation of abstruse darke conspiracies for Queene ELIZABETH and the yeere before she hauing no warning thereof nor cited by a Bull declaratorie priuily sends forth an Anathema and excites Rebellion and causeth the said Bull to be fixed to the Palace Gates of the Bishop of London in these words THE SENTENCE Declaratory of the Holy Father Pope Pius the Fifth against ELIZABETH the pretended Queene of England and those Heretiques adhering to her And finally all such as obey her to be insnared in the same PIVS Bishop a seruant of the seruants of GOD for the future memory of the businesse HEe that rules in the Heauens aboue and to whom all power is giuen both in Heauen and Earth gaue vnto one onely vpon Earth viz. to Peter the chiefest amongst the Apostles and to the Pope of Rome Peters Successor a holy Catholique and Apostolique Church without which there is no Saluation to gouerne it in the fulnesse of power And this he ordayned as chiefe aboue all Nations and Kingdomes to pull downe destroy disseuer cast off plant and erect to combine in the vnitie of spirit his faithfull people connext together through mutuall charitie and present them whole and sound to his Sauiour Which charge Wee who through the grace of GOD are thereunto called submitting our selues to the gouernement of the same Church cease not with all our best labours and indeuours to preserue this vnitie and Catholique Religion which hee who was the Author thereof so suffered to be incumbred for the triall of the faith of his and for our correction But the number of the ungodly is so great in power that there is not a corner left vpon the whole Earth now vntainted with their wicked Doctrines Amongst which ELIZABETH pretended Queene of England is aboue all the shelter and refuge of Error and most noysome enemies It is She who after shee had possessed the Kingdome vsurping monster-like the place of the chiefe Soueraigne of the Church in England and the principall iurisdiction and authoritie thereof hath throwne into miserable ruine the whole Kingdome when it was euen brought to the Catholique faith and began to bring forth good fruits For shee with a powerfull hand prohibiteth the exercise of the true Religion which was heretofore ouerthrowne by HENRY the Eighth the forsaker therof and afterwards repayred with the helpe of this See by MARIE lawfull Queene of England of famous memorie and embraceth the Heresies of obscure persons the Royall Councell once composed of the English Nobilitie shee hath broken off oppresseth such as made profession of and exercised the Catholique Religion re-established the wicked Ministers and Preachers of impietie abolished the sacrifice of the Masse Prayers Fastings the diuiding of the Meates the Celibate and all Catholique Ceremonies sent Bookes ouer her whole Kingdome containing manifest Heresies commended to her Subiects the prophane Mysteries and Institutions which shee had receiued and obserued from the decree of Caluin displaced the Bishops Rectors and Catholique Priests from their Churches and Benefices and disposed of them to Heretiques and is bold to take vpon her to iudge and determine Ecclesiasticall affaires forbade the
with wisedome and kept by care was firme and lasting Now how by her Masculine care and counsell she surmounted her Sexe and what shee did most wisely in preuenting diuerting and powerfully resisting the attempts of her Enemies those that now liue and shall hereafter will bee able to iudge of what I shall drawe out and set forth of things if I may call them so in the Kingdomes owne memory At that time the Emperour and the Christian Princes interceding by continuall Letters that she would vse the Bishops which were retyred out of her Realme gently and suffer the Papists to haue Churches in Townes by the Protestants She answered that although the Bishops had in the sight of all the world against the Lawes and Peace of the Kingdome and obstinately reiected the same Doctrine which the most of them had vnder the Raigne of HENRY the Eighth and EDVVARD the Sixth propounded to others voluntarily and by publike writings that she would vse them meekely for those great Princes sakes notwithstanding shee could not doe it without offending her Subiects But to let them haue Churches by the others shee could not with the safety of the Common-wealth and without wounding of her Honour Conscience neither had shee reason to doe it seeing that England imbraced no new Religion nor any other then that which Iesus Christ hath commanded that the Primitiue and Catholike Church hath exercised and the ancient Fathers haue alwayes with one voice and one mind approued And to allow them to haue diuers Churches and diuers manners of seruice besides that it is directly oppugnant to the Lawes established by the authority of the Parliament it were to breede one Religion out of another and drawe the spirits of honest people into varieties to nourish the designes of the factious to trouble Religion and Common-wealth and to confound humane things with Diuine which would be ill in effect and worse in example pernicious to her Subiects and not assured at all to those to whō it should be allowed and aboue all at their request she was resolued to cure the particular insolency of some by winking at something neuerthelesse without fauouring in any sort the obstinacie of their spirits The Spaniard hauing lost all hope to marry her and beeing ready to marry the Daughter of France notwithstanding thinkes seriously of England nothing desirous that it should be ioyned to the Scepter of France and to retaine the dignity of so great a Kingdome in his House obtained of the Emperour Ferdinand his Vncle that he would seeke her to wife for his second Sonne which he as soone did by very louing Letters and followed it very carefully by Iasper Preimour a resolute Baron of the Countrey of Stibing The Spaniard himselfe to bring her to that promised her speciall affection and she of her side made him offer by Thomas Chaloner of her Ships and commodity of her Hauens for his Voyage for Spaine which he was about with all remarkable duties of Friendship The French on the other side casting an eye vpon England left the French Garrison in Scotland in fauour of the King Dolphin his sonne and Mary Queene of Scotland which hee had promised to take from thence vpon the agreement before mentioned and sent thither vnder-hand supplies sollicites the Pope of Rome more vehemently than euer to declare Queene ELIZABETH an Heretique and illegitimate and Queene Mary of Scotland legitimate of England and although the Spaniard and the Emperour hindered by their contrary and most strong practices though secretly by the Agents which they had at Rome neuerthelesse the Guizes carried their credulous ambition with such a flattering hope to ioyne Englands Scepter to France by the meanes of the Queene of Scots their neece that hee came so farre as to challenge it for his Sonne and for his Daughter in Law and commanded them in all their Royall Letters to take this Title Francis and Mary by the grace of God King and Queene of Scotland England and Ireland and to let the Armes of England be seene in all places causing them to be painted and grauen together with the French Armes in their moueables and vtensils in the walls of their houses in their Heralds coates of Armes notwithstanding any complaint that the English Ambassadour could make that it was a notorious wrong to Queene ELIZABETH with whom hee had newly contracted a friendship being manifest that hee had not done it during the reigne of Queene MARIE though she denounced warre against him Hee also leuied horse and foote in France and Germanie to goe to the Territories of Scotland neerest adioyning to England insomuch that Queene ELIZABETH had good cause to apprehend it seeing that he breathed nothing but after the bloud slaughter of the Protestants But these enterprizes were broken by his vnlooked-for death hapning at the Tilting which was for the recreation and solemnizing of the marrriages of his Daughter with the King of Spaine and of his Sister with the Duke of Sauoy And much to the purpose it fell out for Queene ELIZABETHS businesse whom hee resolued to set vpon with all his forces as well for being an heretique as also illegitimate on the one side by Scotland and on the other side by France Neuerthelesse to giue him royall honours after his death shee caused his funerall solemnities to be performed as to a King a friend with the greatest pompe in Saint Pauls Church in London and forthwith sent Ch. Howard Effinghams sonne now great Admirall of England and Ireland to condole with him for the death of his Father and to congratulate his succession to Francis his Sonne and Successour exhorting him to entertaine inuiolably the friendship which had lately beene begun But Francis and the Queene of Scotland his wife by the counsell of the Guizes who then had some power in France behaued himselfe publiquely as King of England and Ireland kept alwaies the English Armes which hee had vsurped and made shew of them more than euer and N. Throgmorton ordinary Ambassadour a wise but a hote man complained to them of this They first answere him that the Queene of Scotland had right to carry those Armes with a barre to shew the proximity of bloud which shee had with the royall Race of England After when he had maintained that by the Law which they call the Law of Armes it is not permitted to any to take the Armes and Markes of any House vnlesse hee be descended of some of the Heires of it obseruing to tell him that shee carried them not but to cause the Queene of England to leaue those of France But hauing vpon that put them in minde how D. Wotton had afore-time treated at Cambray how twelue Kings of England had carried the Armes of France and by a right so seldome called in question that by any of the treaties which were made betweene the English and the French nothing had beene resolued to the contrary hee gained in the end
differences between the Earles of Ormond and Desmond who in an ill time bandied one against another Shan re-assuming courage after he had spoyled and ranged farre vp into the Countrey he againe besieged Dundalch which he was presently constrained to giue ouer with great losse and shame many of his men being slaine insomuch that enraged with fury and madnesse he practised most barbarous cruelty against them for many had forsaken him and he perceiuing that his number was greatly diminished for besides those that left him he lost a thousand in fight and how the passages were stopped and all places of retreat seyzed vpon by the English he resolued to prostitute himselfe at the Deputies feet and to craue pardon with an Halter about his necke But being disswaded by his Secretary and first to try the amity of the Scots of Hebrides who were returned into Clande-boy from whence he had formerly driuen them and were there re-entred into an hot warre vnder the conduct of A. Oge which is to say the youngest and M. Gillespic whose Brethren Anne and Ioh. O-Neale himselfe had slaine in fight he first sent vnto them their Brother Surley-boy that is to say Surley the Redde to recouer their fauour and then went to them himselfe with the Wife of Odonel whom he had stolne away They boyling with choller to bee reuenged for their brethren and cousins whom he had slaine entertayned him but with feigned courtesie but presently leading him into their Tent in drinking they quarrelled with him vpon some obscene speeches he vsed of their Mother and so falling vpon him with their naked swords slew both himselfe and many others of his company And thus you may see what a bloudy end this Shan came to in the middest of Iune after he had taken away all gouernement from his Father and life from his bastard-Brother A man wonderfully polluted with Homicides and Adulteries a great gourmand and an infamous drunkard who to refresh his body inflamed with too-much Wine and Vsquebagh he was faine to bury himselfe often-times in ground vp to the chin He left behinde him Henry and Shan his Sonnes that he had by his Wife and many others whom he begot on the Wife of Odonel his other Concubines His possessions and goods were confiscated by the Parliament of the Kingdome of Ireland and Turlogh-Leinich the mightiest man of the Family of O-Neale and of a stayed spirit proclaimed O-Neale by the Queenes permission and the peoples election Neuerthelesse the Queen for an opposite to him if he should chance to exceed the bounds of his duety receiued to grace Hugon Nephew to Shan by reason of Matthew his Brother who was commonly called the Baron of Dungannon a young man then of small note and yet afterwards he proued the Tempest yea the very Plague and Pestilence of his Countrey Thus peace was concluded vpon Vlster But in the meane while new troubles grew in Munster through the debate and secret grudgings about their seuerall limits and borders which fell out betweene the Earles of Ormond and Desmond so as they came to hand-blowes neere to Dromell and were both summoned into England to plead their causes before the Qu. Priuy-Councell But they the matter much encombred sent them backe to the Vice-Roy in Ireland where they might haue both their titles and testimonies neere at hand Both of them being equall in the number of warlike subiects in courage and friends at Court contemning the decision of Lawes they resolued to end their suite by the sword The Vice-Roy hindred it as much as he could both by his authority and armes But Ormond who would be thought to haue the best cause so wrought that the Vice-Roy was blamed for bearing too-much with Desmond and commanded to seyze his person which he did when hee least thought of it and together with himselfe he tooke Ioh. Desmond his Vnkle by the Fathers side neere to Kilmalec and so he sent them both into England where they had a strong Guard set about them THE ELEVENTH YEERE OF Her Reigne Anno Dom. 1568. WHen Tho. Harding N. Sanders and T. P. Diuines and Fugitiues out of England boldly exercised the Episcopall Authority they had lately receiued from the Pope IN iurisdiction of conscience to absolue all those English that would returne into the bosome of the Romane Church to dispence in cases of irregularity except in poynts proceeding from voluntary manslaughter or growne to a contentious iurisdiction and of irregularitie by reason of Heresie so the absolued abstaine for three yeeres from ministring at the Altar On the other side it hapned that Colman Button Hallingham Benson and some others who with ardent zeale professed the more pure Religion reprehended whatsoeuer was performed without authority out of the holy Scriptures and whether transported with a desire of purer doctrine of nouelty or of dissentions but in the open view of all men they questioned the Discipline of the English Church authorized and receiued the Liturgie and vocation of Bishops expresly condemning them as senting too strongly of the Romane Church with which to hold any thing in common they daily preached to be a singular impiety vsing all meanes and endeuour that matters in the English Church might be reformed according to the forme of Geneua And although the Queene commanded them to be clapt vp in prisons yet they had an incredible number of Followers who were presently branded with that odious style of Puritans And in all places they encreased out of a wilfull obstinacy the imprudence of the Bishops and the secret fauours of some of the Nobilitie who barked at and maligned the riches of the Church And when some French likewise laboured after reformation of Religion and fearing lest the Papists would enter into league against them they repayred to the King with armes in hand by reason of the iust feare they stood in and in this manner presented vnto him a Supplication A second ciuill warre hapned for cessation whereof the Queene commanded her Ambassadour Norris to sollicite the King and so hereupon a Peace was agreed vpon but questionlesse hollow and full of deceit and stratagem At the same time the Queene mother to the King of France shewing great affability and grace both to the Ambassadour himselfe and diuers of the English couertly shee vsed some speech as pretending to treat of other affaires that shee was desirous to marry Henry Duke of Anjou her Sonne to Queene ELIZABETH who was hardly seuenteene yeeres old to diuert her as diuers supposed from assisting the Protestants of France in the third Ciuill-Warre which shee plotted presently to be set on foote But then in Spaine Man the English Ambassadour was disgracefully entreated For it beeing imputed to him that he had spoken vnreuerently of the Pope hee was prohibited the Court afterwards banisht from Madril to a little Village among boorish and rusticall people he is forced to heare Masse and
to consider amongst your selues whether hee is to be holden guilty or no and to giue vp your verdicts according to conscience and honour They likewise withdrawing themselues at his command consulted together after a while they returned to their places Then the Lord High Steward beginning at the lowest said Lord De la Ware Is Thomas Duke of Norfolke guiltie of the crimes of Laesae Maiestatis for which he is heere arraigned at the Iudgement-Seate De-la-Ware rising vp and laying his hand on his brest hee answered Guilty the like did euery one in order being demanded Then was the Duke againe brought before the Tribunall to whom the Lord High-Steward in this manner spake THomas Duke of Norfolke you are heere arraigned for diuers crimes of Laesae Maiestatis and haue submitted your selfe to God and these Peeres by euery one of whom you are pronounced guiltie Is there now any cause why Iudgement should not be pronounced The Duke answered The will of GOD be done that will be iudge betweene mee and my false accusers Then euery man being silent the edge of the Axe was turned towards the Duke and Barham in the Queenes name required the Lord High-Steward to pronounce his Iudgement which hee with teares in his eyes according to the forme pronounced in these words FOrasmuch as you Thomas Duke of Norfolke beeing accused of the crimes of Laesae Maiestatis haue pleaded Not guiltie and submitted your selfe to the Iudgement of these Peeres who declared you guiltie The whole Assembly adiudged you to be committed back to the Tower from thence to be drawne vpon a Sledde thorow the Citie to the place of execution there to be hanged and cut downe halfe dead then to haue your Bowels taken out your Head cut off and your Body quartered into foure parts whose Head shall be at her Maiesties disposing and at the Queenes pleasure But GOD bee mercifull vnto your Soule The Duke hauing heard this Sentence with a minde full of courage he said THis Sentence is pronounced against mee as a Traytor my confidence is in GOD and the Queene hoping that if I bee depriued of your company I shall reioyce with them in Heauen and so will prepare my selfe for my death I desire no other thing but that the Queene would shew her selfe propitious to my Children and Seruants and bee carefull for the payment of my debts These were the particulars that passed in these affaires which I haue here declared because it is expedient for our posterity that in great matters the lesse occurrences should be remembred A few dayes after Barney and Marter were put to death for hauing conspired against the death of certaine of her Maiesties Councell and plotted the freedome and libertie of the Duke One Herle was priuy thereunto and of the same company but hee soone reuealed the same and as hee was brought face to face before Barney Truely said Barney thou hast preuented mee but of an houre for if thou hadst not so soone discouered it I purposed to haue done it and so now should I be in thy place to accuse thee and thou in mine to be hanged This conspiration and other plots which were practised to set the prisoners at liberty was the cause that a Parliament was forthwith summoned At which time the Queene created Walter d' Eureux Earle of Essex for that by his great Grand-mother hee was descended from the Bourchiers sometimes Earles of Essex And Edward Lord Clinton who had large possessions in Lincolneshire Earle of Lincolne Her Maiestie likewise made Iohn Pawlet of Basing Sonne to the Lord Marquis of Winchester Henrie Compton Henrie Cheyney and Henrie Norrice Peeres of England summoned them into the Vpper-House there to haue their voyces and after to beare the Title of Barons Amongst other Acts it was made Felony to intercept ruinate or burne any of her Maiesties Ships Fortresses or Harbours Item It was enacted that whosoeuer should attempt to set at liberty any person or persons committed by her Maiesties expresse command or which had trespassed against her Maiestie or was held suspected to haue offended if the partie were not indicted he was to be punished with onely losse of goods in stead of life and imprisonment during her Maiesties pleasure if indicted with death if condemned to be held guilty of treason But as necessitie brought in Decrees for the time so the States thought good they should be temporary or during the Queenes life But as new practices were daily discouered so they serued to hasten on the Dukes punishment which notwithstanding was yet deferred some fiue moneths more or lesse nor before could either the Lower-House of Parliament the Lords of the Priuy-Councell or the importunacy of Preachers aggrauating how great and eminent danger there was ouercome her Maiesties mercifull clemency The fourth day of Iune by eight a clocke in the forenoone the Duke was brought to a Scaffold built vpon the Tower-Hill whereupon being mounted and Alexander Nowell Deane of Saint Pauls who was appointed his Comforter had requested the confused People to be silent he said among many other words that I heard these IT is not strange to see some suffer death in this place although that since her Royall Maiestie began to reigne I am the first and I pray God I may be the last with that the People cried all aloud Amen Then continuing his Speech he said I know well said hee the Peeres of the Realme haue iustly iudged mee worthy to dye nor haue I purpose to excuse my selfe I haue treated I freely confesse in matters of great importance with the Queene of Scots without the priuity of my Soueraigne which I ought not to haue done and for that I was first committed and hauing had my libertie vpon my humble submission I past my faithfull promise that I would neuer more conferre with her yet I did I confesse which torments my Conscience but I neither promised nor swore as they say at the Lords Table I went and but once to Ridolfe but with no intent of conspiracie against her Maiestie For it is well knowne that I had great dealings with him vpon my accounts and reckonings I found he enuied the present peace of the Land and was very subtill in plotting proiects of mischiefe Twice there came Letters to my hands from the Bishop of Rome to which I neuer gaue consent nor to the Rebellion in the North. I renounced Papistrie after I tasted the sweete of Religion and reiecting the Popes doctrine I embraced the true Religion of Iesus Christ beleeuing wholy and soly in his precious bloud my Sauiour and Redeemer yet I cannot deny but many of my Family and familiars were addicted to the Romish Religion wherein if I haue offended GOD the Church and Protestants I beseech him and them to forgiue mee Then after they had sung a Psalme or two he said with a lowd voyce Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit Then imbracing Henry
subiects In the meane time as I dayly laboured in the Court for the gouernment of Saint Katherines I receiued Letters from the Cardinall Comense wherein I found mine enterprize much commended and an absolution in the Popes name This I likewise imparted to the Queen What effect it wrought with her I know not But it gaue fresh courage to mee and remoued all scruple Neuerthelesse I had no will to offer any violence to the Queene if she would be perswaded to deale more mildly with the Catholiques But so often as I was to come into her presence I laid aside my dagger lest I should be transported to murder her And when I considered her person and her truely royall vertues I was distracted with many doubtfull cares for my vowes were recorded in heauen my Letters and promises amongst men These things did I often tosse ouer in my vnquiet minde She neuer deserued well of mee indeed she saued my life but if in such a cause had shee taken it away it had beene tyrannie Thus being discontented with my estate and condition I left the Court. At last I happened on a booke of Alans against the Iustice of Great Britaine out of which I was taught That Princes excommunicate for heresie might be lawfully depriued both of rule and life This vehemently incited me to prosecute my purpose This to Neuil whom I had inuited to my table I read ouer six whole moneths before he did accuse me After this he came home to me And let vs heare quoth hee somewhat since we can obtaine nothing of the Queen and so he propounded some things concerning the releasing of the Queene of Scots But quoth I a matter of more weight and more aduantagious to the Catholique Church is now hammered in my head The next day he likewise visited me and touching the Bible with his hand he did sweare he would conceale and constantly pursue all whatsoeuer that might bee profitable to the Catholique Religion I in the same manner took mine oath So we determined with ten Knights more to set vpon the Queene as shee rid through the fields and there to murder her which thing till now he hath concealed But receiuing newes of the Earle of Westmerlands death being transported with the hope of succeeding him he forthwith violating his oath discouered and accused me This was his confession in the presence of the Lord of Hunsdon and Fra. Walsingham Priuy Counsellors to the Queene acknowledging his fault he craued pardon by his Letters to the Queene to Burghley the chiefe Treasurer and to the Earle of Leicester A few daies after being brought to iudgement in the Palace of Westminster and the Articles of his accusation being read he confessed himself guilty His confession being recorded in the Acts Iudgment was demanded to be pronounced against him confessing himselfe guilty Whereupon Hatton thought it expedient to satisfy the multitude there present that the crime might openly bee declared according to his confession which Parry of his owne accord confirmed and desired the Iudges that he might reade it himselfe But the Clerk of the Crowne did read it with the letters of Cardinall Comese those which Parry had writ to the Queene to Burghley to Leicester which he acknowledged for true yet he denyed that he euer had any absolute determination to kill the Queene But being commanded to speake if he had any thing to hinder iudgement from being pronounced against him hee disturbedly answered as tormented in his conscience for the crime which he had vndertaken and said I see plainely that I must dye because I was not fast and constant in my resolution Being commanded to speake his meaning more amply My blood quoth he be vpon you So the sentence of death being pronounced he began to rage and summoned the Queene to Iudgement before God The fift day after he was set vpon a Slead and drawne through the middest of the Citie to Westminster being at the place of his execution after he had vaunted how faithfull a guardian he had beene vnto the Queene hee said hee neuer had any intention to take her life away Thus in boasting manner not in a word committing himselfe to God he was punisht like a Traytor according to the Law in the great Palace yard at Westminster where the States of the Kâ—ngdome were in great number assembled for the holding of the Parliament Iâ— this Parliament some either out of a desire of nouation or reformation earnestly persecuted the Ecclesiasticall estatâ— although the Queene had forbidden it demanding lawes to represse the iurisdiction of Bishops in that which conceâ—ned the gift of Faculties in the Collation of the holy Orders Ecclesiasticall Censures and the oath they take in their office proposing a new oath to be taken in the Chanâ—ery and Kings Bench that is they should not counterâ—and the ciuill Law of England They required that eueâ—y Pastor should be resident in his owne Church and decâ—â—med that the Church of England was destitute of learned teachers when without doubt it could then number vp more learned Diuines then any former age or any other reformed Church But the Queene fauouring aboue all the Ecclesiasticall moderation reproued those Nouators as changing still to worse and reiected their demands and propositions as intended to subuert her Prerogatiue and soueraigne power ouer Ecclesiasticall matters But as for the Association which I haue spoken of it was by the suffrages of all confirmed and established THat foure and twenty or more of the Queenes Priuy Councell or of the Nobilitie chosen by the Queenes Letters Patents should make inquest after those that would inuade the Kingdome incite rebellion or attempt to offend or offer violence to the Queenes Person for or by any one whomsoeuer that shall lay claime to the Crowne of England And that he for whom or by whom any such thing is attempted shall be altogether vncapable of the Crowne of England and depriued of all right and pursued to the death by all the Queenes subiects if by these foure and twenty Noblemen they shall be iudged culpable of inuasion rebellion offence or violence and so publikely declared Lawes also were enacted for the defence of the Queene against the Iesuites and Popish Priests which did then inuent by the Ball of Pius Quintus the Pope many mischieuous and dangerous matters That is to say That they should depart the Realme within fortie dayes And that those which should after that time come or stay in the Kingdome should bee holden guilty of Laesae Maiestatis And all such as wittingly or willingly did receiue or nourish them should be guilty of Felony For so are all capitall Crimes vnder Laesae Maiestatis called That those which were brought vp amongst the Seminaries if they returned not within sixe moneths after the denunciation made and submitted themselues to the Queene in the presence of a Bishop or two Iustices should be holden
the Noble House of the Seymors at Dudley Earle of Warwickes perswasion during his plotting of the ruine of this puissant and princely House and all to preuent lest shee who was Wife to this Noble Protector should giue place or precedence to this Queene Dowager who then was her Husbands Brothers wife The next was Sir Ralph Sadler Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster a prudent and learned man whose worth and vertue had beene approued in diuers weighty and important affaires of State He was the last Banneret of England which worthy dignity of Knighthood had bin conferred on him at the famous Battel of Musselborough After him also died Sir Thomas Bromley Lord High Chancellor of England hauing scarce attained to the sixtieth yere of his age a man excellently well seene in the Law Six dayes after he was followed by Edward Manner Earle of Rutland to whom the Queene had chosen and appointed for his Successour the third of the Noble House of Manner a Noble man most learned and skilfull in the Law and humane Arts hauing but the Lady Elizabeth one onely Daughter for heire then but very young who was married to William Cecill Baron of Burleigh Lord High Treasurer Sir Christopher Hatton who was a Noble personage excellently endued with rare vertues flourishing at that time illustriously at the Court as one whose merit had purchased him the honour to be dearely affectionate intimate to her Maiestie in whose fauour his worth greatly aduanced him was from a Courtier established to this high dignity of Lord Chancellour of England not with little discontent of the Iudges and professors of the Law who since Church-men had bin depriued and dismist of that honour had iudiciously discharged that place with no lesse glory and equity than prudence and discretion which is the supreme magistracy of the Law yet in former times past it was oftner prouided for with Ecclesiasticall men and Nobles than of others Neuerthelesse though Sir Christopher Hatton had been aduanced to that place by the subtill art of some Courtiers who hoped that by his absence from Court and the difficulty he should haue to exercise duly so high and so weighty a Magistracy should weare out and diminish the great fauour he was in neere Queene ELIZABETH Neuerthelesse hee behaued himselfe in that high Seat of Iustice discreetly and worthily to the well-liking of the Queene and admiration of all her Subiects discharging that Dignity with as great magnificence and honour as any whatsoeuer had done before him studying to supply by equitie that which he wanted in the knowledge of the Law Sir Iohn Perot being this yeere sent for out of Ireland left that Kingdome very peaceable to Sir William Fitz-Williams for he had drawne from those persons whom hee suspected to be apt to rebell oathes and hostages which they as soone granted vnto him as hee demanded for not seeming any way to fauour rebellion hee imprisoned diuers Irish Rebels and such as were more dangerously giuen to rebellion he hanged them shewing admonishing the rest of their duety and the fidelity which they ought to their Soueraigne in so doubtfull a time The Irish seeing the sincere loue respect and affection he bore to them who were true subiects most willingly lent their eares thereunto and were true obseruers of his instructions Hitherto that I may a little stray were the Irish warres very easie to the English and eight hundred foot with three hundred horse were esteemed an inuincible Army For Randolph with sixe hundred English with much facility defeated O-Neale with foure thousand Irish Collier in the yeere 1571. with his onely one Company preuayled likewise against one thousand Hebridians in Connach The Butlers with a great Company of the Rebels were ouerthrowne by three hundred Horse-men And to passe the rest ouer two Companies of foot surprized in one day aboue twenty of the Irish Castels But after that the Perots had by command daily exercised themselues at home in their owne Countrey and were well instructed in the discipline of Armes and in the vse of their Muskets to resist the Hebridians and being practized in the wars of the Netherlands had learned the arts of fortification they vexed the English as wee shall finde with a difficult and dangerous warre THE THIRTIETH and most maruelous yere of her Reigne the euer-remembred Yeere of the Lord. Anno Dom. 1588. TO this admirable yeere of Christ 1588. are we now arriued Which by Regiomontanus the Astrologian was foretold about a hundred yeeres before to be a Yeere of Wonder and by the Germane Chronologers to be the Climacterical yeere of the World The rumors of warres which were before but slender relations began now daily to be augmented and were now become not as before a variable report but an assured certainty by the generall voice of all men that the Spaniard had prepared a most inuincible Nauy against England and had out of Italy Sicilie and also America gathered into Spaine the old experienced Commanders such as were most famous Captaines skilfull in military affaires For the Pope of Rome with certaine religious and deuout Spaniards and some English Fugitiues had long agoe diligently exhorted the Spaniard to inuade and conquer England but that counsell was by the Portugals warres for tenne yeeres before interrupted which now they carefully reiterated and with much instigation perswaded him that since Heauen had heaped vpon him infinite benefits and blessings by subiecting to his Empire the Kingdome of Portugall with the East-India and many other wealthy Ilands that it was now his part of duety to enterprize something which might bee agreeable and pleasing to God That there could be nothing more acceptable to God nor ought more worthy himselfe than the aduancing of his Church That the Church could not with more glory and merit be aduanced than by the conquest of England and there by the extirpation of Heresie to plant the Roman Catholique Religion That these warres would be most iust not onely because they were most necessary but because they were vndertaken to propagate the Religion of Christ seeing that the Queene of England being excommunicated notwithstanding obstinately persisted against the Church of Rome had succoured the Rebels in the Netherlands molested the Spaniards with continuall pyracies had surprized and pillaged diuers townes both in Spaine and America and lately violating the Maiesty of all Princes had caused the Queene of Scots to be put to death Therefore such warres should bee no lesse profitable than iust Because by this meanes the King of Spaine making addition to his Empire of the most flourishing Kingdomes he might easily extinguish the Netherlandish Rebellion which was nourished as it were by the breath of England hee should assure to himself the voyages to both India's in safetie and so lessen the annuall expences laid out for the conuoying of his Fleetes forward and backward To prooue this to him with more facility
and marked it with dignities and Royall preheminences The which the States of Ireland had liberally offered to Henry the eighth and the Queene a little before vsed and enioyed the same But these things are not for this place The Romane Religion seemed then to be well established in England howbeit the Ecclesiasticall company seeing that Mary was now fortie yeeres old growne dry and sickly scarce hoping for any ofspring began forthwith to be afraid of ELIZABETH For they knew she was brought vp in the Protestant Religion and obserued that all men cast as vpon a rising Sunne both heart and eye vpon her Therefore they seriously consult from the very beginning of Maries Raigne how to preuent that the Religion now called backe should receiue any detriment by her The wiser and more consciencious sort iudged it to be an exceeding foule crime to destroy Royall Linage and Mary herselfe who was a godly Princesse though displeased with her Sister for the discord of their Mothers yet certaine sicke-braind fellowes who neither durst vndertake any thing nor performe any thing by right or wrong to establish the Catholike Religion did thinke it fit And it happened very commodiously for them that Tho. Wyat Peter Carew Iames Crofts and others for the Protestants seditiously endeuoured to doe rash and turbulent things labouring with all haste to mary ELIZABETH to Edward Courtney Earle of Deuon-shire She as being guilty hereof is thrust into prison first of all vncertaine rumors are dispersed that she was a partaker of sedition thereupon many are brought in question for their heads and others brought to the Racke Croft with a religious asseueration openly affirmed that she was no way guilty and out of all offence for sedition Wyat also it was thought who was ready to vnder-goe his last punishment would haue accused her and hee openly professed the same Neuerthelesse she is put into the hands of Keepers who hurry her this way and that way at length her Seruants and Maides are laide in fetters harder dealing then her dignity deserued In the meane time the French King Henry the second by priuate Letters full of loue comforts her and by many and great promises seekes to draw her into France whether for loue or by deceit to beget her a greater danger I will not say to make way to the Queene of Scots his Neece to the Crowne of England after Queene MARY In like manner Christian the Third King of Denmarke who long before made profession of the Protestants Religion endeuours all he can and treates vnder-hand to marry her to Frederick his Sonne Which when the Papists of England perceyued they againe threaten perill and mischiefe and fearing her cry out that all of the Romane Religion Queene and Kingdome are in ieopardy while shee subsists therefore necessarily to condemne her eyther Laesae Maiestatis or as a depraued Heretique and during that storme whilest cruelty was rigorously exercised vpon the meaner sort of Protestants I. Storie Doctor of the Law and others cunningly giue it out in all places in seuerall assemblies that they vnderstood it was practising to extirpate and ridde out Heresie ayming at her without sparing the smallest branches Notwithstanding moderating her selfe imitating the Mariner when a storme violently increaseth heard diuine Seruice according to the rule of the Romish Church came often to Confession and verily beeing oft rudely and churlishly disturbed by Cardinall Pole the terrour of death made her confesse her selfe to bee a Romane Catholique Howbeit MARY hardly beleeued it not forgetting that herselfe being forced by the same apprehension had by Letters written to her Father with her owne hand which I haue seene renounced for euer the authority that the Pope pretended to haue in England and acknowledged her Father to be Soueraigne Head of the Church of England and that the marriage betwixt him and her Mother was incestuous and vnlawfull Neyther could the Cardinall and other Prelates perswade themselues to it who to assure the Romane Church wished her to be taken out of the way But Philip MARY'S Husband and other Spaniards being more iust on ELIZABETHS behalfe would not heare of that Not that the fortune of an afflicted Princesse mooued them so much to mercy as their owne reason circumspectly aduised them Because fore-seeing if ELIZABETH were cut off that by Marie Queene of Scots next Heire to the Kingdome of England now married to the Dolphin of France England Ireland and Scotland might be ioyned to the Scepter of France then which nothing could be more fearefull to the greatnes of Spaine with whom they haue continuall warres When therefore without impietie they could not put ELIZABETH to death many thought it would be most aduisedly done to remooue her farre from England and marry her to Emanuel Philibert Duke of Sauoy Neyther did this please Spaine who before had purposed her for Charles his sonne And Thomas Cornwallis who was of the Queenes Councell likewise disswaded it telling Her that the people of Englād would hardly beare it yea in no wise suffer it that the next Heire of the Kingdome should be carryed away into a forreine Countrey At which time MARY for her inueterate hatred to ELIZABETH and because shee refused to marry with Sauoy grew to that heat of anger that shee ouer-charged her with reproaches and often-times would not stick to say that Marie Queene of Scotland was the certaine and vndoubted Heire of the Kingdome of England next to her selfe These consultations holden against ELIZABETH were taken away by a warre which MARY denounced in the behalfe of her Husband against France which although that was the prime and principall cause shee neuerthelesse alledged others and those most true viz. That France against the Lawes of couenant had nourished and sustained by his Agents and ministers the Rebellions of the Duke of Northumberland and Tho. Wyat the machinations and workings of Dudley and Ashton against her person sent out Pyrats against the English Merchants furnished Stafford with Ships and Armes to possesse the Castle of Scarborough had attempted by wicked practices to surprize Callais permitted English mony to be counterfeited and adulterated in France and inuaded the Low-Countries which the English by couenant are bound to defend In this flaming warre and the Scots stirred vp by the French inuading the Frontiers of England Calais is lost the Castles of Lisbanck Newnambrig Mere Oyes Hammes Sandgate the Castle and Towne of Guines and amongst the frequent Funerals of Prelates which sad presage seemed to fore-shew the displeasure of the diuine power MARY neglected of her Husband and with concocted griefe for the losse of Callais which had beene Englands rightfully two hundred yeeres with a Feuer and the Dropsie the seuenteenth day of Nouember 1558. departed hauing reigned fiue yeeres foure moneths A Princesse of a holy behauior to al her piety to the poore liberalitie to the Nobles and Clergie can neuer enough be praysed But the time was
infamous by the incredible crueltie of Prelates who polluted England through all parts with a most sad dreadfull spectacle in burning the Protestants aliue For as some haue obserued there were more consumed of all rankes Bishops Ministers and common people by this vengible and direfull way of death these fiue yeeres than England saw in all the seuen and thirtie yeeres of HENRY the Eighth In the reigne of Iohn Christians against Christians with vs began to tyrannize with flames The same day that MARY dyed within a few houres after Cardinall Pole Arch-bishop of Canterbury tormented with a quartane Feuer expired A man whom pietie learning and integritie had made much more famous than the splendor of his Royall Race though hee was Nephew to George Duke of Clarence Brother to Edward the Fourth King of England A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS of this matchlesse and famous HISTORIE The first Booke Anno M.D.LVIII QVeene ELIZABETH is proclaymed Queene of England Fol. 2. Choyce of her Priuy Councell Fol. 3. Her care to re-establish the Catholike Christian Religion Fol. 4. Philip King of Spaine Queene MARY's Widdower is a Sutor to her Sister Fol. 5. Queene ELIZABETH refused him and wherefore Fol. 7. Consultations about the safe re-establishment of true Religion Fol. 9. Diuine Seruice allowed by the Queene in English Fol. 11. Anno M.D.LIX. CReation and restoration of diuers Noble-men Fol. 12. A Parliament summoned and held at Westminster Fol. 14. Proposition to reforme Religion Fol. 15. Dispute established betweene Protestants and Papists Fol. 17. Sir Edward Crane Ambassadour for England is detayned at Rome Fol. 18. Disputes and strifes for Callais Fol. 19. A Treatie of peace with the French King in Cambresis Castle Fol. 22. The Articles of the said peace Fol. 23. Peace concluded betweene the Queenes of England and Scotland Fol. 24. The Baron of Wentworth and others questioned about Calais Fol. 25. The Parliament exhort the Queene to marry Fol. 26. Her Maiesties answer Fol. 27. Lawes and Ordinances established by the Parliament Fol. 29. The Nobles of the Land re-established and Papists deposed Fol. 30. By what degrees Religion was altered in England Fol. 33. The profit proceeding by Religions alteration Fol. 34. Queene ELIZABETH's Poesie or Motto Fol. 35. Her Maiesties answer to forreine Princes interceding for the Papists ibid. The Emperour seekes Queene ELIZABETH for his sonne Fol. 36. The French King challenged the Kingdome of England for the Queene of Scots Fol. 37. The King of France his sodaine death being kill'd at a tilting ibid. Francis the Second King of France and Mary Queene of Scots his Wife take vpon them the Title of King Queene of England and Ireland Fol. 38. The originall of the hidden hatred which hath beene betweene the Queenes of England and Scotland Fol. 39. The Scots refuse to obey the Queene-Regent but seeke helpe of Queene ELIZABETH Fol. 40. They resolue to driue the French out of Scotland Fol. 42. The English are sent into Scotland both by Land and Sea Fol. 43. The death of Francis Talbot the first Earle of Shrewsbury Fol. 44. Anno M.D.LX. A Treatie of peace in Barwicke Fol. 45. Martigues brings French-men into Scotland and the Marquesse of Debeux is driuen by a tempest Fol. 47. Spaines counsell to peace Fol. 48. Spaniards detaine from the English munition ibid. The French call the English from Scotland and doe protest they are meerely the cause that peace is broken Fol. 49. The Guizes are sworne and profest enemies to Queene ELIZABETH ibid. The French offer to render vp Calais Fol. 50. Queene ELIZABETH answered them and sends Viscount Montague into Spaine ibid. Arthur Gray sonne to the Lord Gray wounded and lyeth besieged Fol. 51. The English repulsed Crofts is accused Fol. 52. The Queene-Regent of Scotlands death Fol. 53. The Treatie of Edenborough ibid. A peace is published Fol. 54. Queene ELIZABETH is sought in marriage by diuers potent Princes ibid. Spaine fauoured England against the French Fol. 58. The King of Spaine deliuered backe the Order of the Garter ibid. Hee is disdained to be refused in things of small importance and the Count of Feria whets his indignation Fol. 59. The Pope is incensed against Queene ELIZABETH Fol. 60. Yet the Pope writes and sends his Nuncio ouer Fol. 61. The King and Queene of France and Scotland refuse to confirme the Treatie of Edenborough with their reasons Fol. 63. Francis the Second King of France dyed ibid. An Edict set forth by Queene ELIZABETH against Anabaptists and sacrilegious persons Fol. 64. The Colledge of Westminster founded ibid. The Coyne brought to full valew ibid. Good Coyne stampt for Ireland which wee call Sterling Fol. 65. The death of the Earle of Huntingdon the second of that Race Fol. 66. Anno M.D.LXI THe Queene Dowager of France Queene of Scotland deferred the confirmation of Edenboroughs Treaty Fol. 68. The Queene of England refused passage to the Queene of Scotland from France ouer Fol. 69. Shee complayned to Throckmorton Ambassadour for England Fol. 71. Throckmortons answer to the said Queeene Fol. 72. Contestation betweene them two Fol. 73. The Queene of Scotland laboured to content Queene ELIZABETH Fol. 74. But in vaine ibid. The Queene of Scotland takes her iourney out of France into Scotland where she well and safely arriued Fol. 75. She sends to Queene ELIZABETH who answered her Fol. 76. Queene ELIZABETH presseth the confirmation of the treatie Fol. 77. The Guizes and other French Noble-men who had conueyed the Queene of Scots into Scotland returning home thorow England are magnificently entertained with all royall courtesies by Queene ELIZABETH Fol. 77. That the right to assemble a Councel belongeth not to the Pope Fol. 78. How farre an Ambassadour ought to beare an offence Fol. 79. Queene ELIZABETH prepares things necessary for the warre ibid. She findes the Calamite stone Fol. 80. And prepares a Fleet. ibid. The English in emulation of their Queene striue who can build the best Ships ibid. Tillage more vsed than euer Fol. 81. An Edict in fauour of the King of Poland ibid. S. Pauls famous Steeple in London is burnt Fol. 82. The Earle of Bathe dyed ibid. Anno M.D.LXII ARthur Pole his Brother and others are examined Fol. 84. The Lady Katherine Gray is imprisoned ibid. The Guizes practize against Queene ELIZABETH Fol. 85. Henry Sidney is sent into France and presently after into Scotland Fol. 86. They deliberate the inter-uiew of the Queene of Scotland Fol. 87. The Cardinall of Lorraine propoundeth a marriage to the Queene of Scotland and Queene ELIZABETH endeuours to diuert her from it Fol. 88. Shee excuses the French Fugitiues Fol. 89. The death of Iohn de Vere Earle of Oxford Fol. 90. Shan O-Neale comes into England to defend his cause ibid. Anno M.D.LXIII LAw established by Parliament Fol. 92. Fifteenes and Subsidies granted Fol. 93. The Prince of Condé is taken in the Battel of DREVX Fol. 94. The King of Spaines answer ibid. Hostages giuen
best endeuours at the Popes Court in Rome for to cause the high and mighty Princesse Mary Queene of Scotland to be acknowledged and declared Queene of England yet Queene ELIZABETH neuer intended nor meant in her heart to match with the King of Spaine being quite contrary to her vertuous disposition hauing a feruent desire and settled resolution to ground and aduance the true Protestant Religion to which shee was most zealous Therefore deeming that shee could not vndertake or vphold a worthier thing more agreeable to God nor more efficacious for to quench the flames of the pretended loue of so importunate a Sutor then to labour to procure an alteration of Religion with all possible meanes and speede which could be not doubting in so doing to alter likewise the will and intent of King Philip Whereupon and forthwith her Maiesty consulted and tooke aduice with her most intimate and sincere Priuy Councellors how in abolishing the Roman Religion she could conueniently settle in stead of it the true Catholike and Christian Faith and examining what dangers might succeed and happen thereby and how they could be preuented and auoyded who fore-see and iudge what dangers could be procured either out of the Kingdome or within the Realme without either by the Pope who surely would not misse raging with his excommunications to expose the Realme as a prey to whosoeuer could inuade it Or by the French King who taking such opportunity at the occasion by that would slake and delay the Treatise of Peace which was already begun in the City of Cambray or else and rather in the behalfe of the Royall Queene of Scotland would declare open war with England vnder colour of Enemies and Heretiques and would possesse thereunto Scotland to condiscend to it which at that time was at his command and disposing Or by the Irish who were most addicted to Papistry and much apt and giuen to rebellion or by the King of Spaine who was then most mighty and powerfull in the Netherlands Englands neighbouring Countries Vpon this throughly and well considered they first resolue that for the Popes excommunication her Maiestie should not feare accounting it but as a brutish rage and fury and that if a Peace was offered by the French King it was behoofefull and requisit to entertaine it if not to seek it by all meanes because in it it would cōprehend the loue of Scotland yet neuerthelesse not to forsake or disparage any kinde of waies the Protestants of France and Scotland Also that it was requisite to fortifie and strengthen the Towne and Garrison of Berwicke with the rest of the Frontires of Scotland and Ireland and by all meanes possible to increase and maintaine such formal Ioue and the ancient alliance with those of Burgundie Within the Realme first by such Nobles who had bin deiected from the Queenes Priuy Councell next by such Bishops and Church-men who should be degraded and put out of their benefices and places and after by those Iustices of the peace that were for each County as also by the common people who vnder Queen MARIES raigne were most affectionate to the Roman Church Therefore they deemed and thought good first to depriue such of their offices and reprehend them by the seuerity of Laws as Queene MARY had formerly vsed the Protestants and therefore to admit and institute in each place and office of command the Protestants onely and to settle them in euery Colledge of both Vniuersities and by the like meanes to discharge and turne out all Papists-Professors and Rectors there and also such Schoole-masters and Tutors of Winchester Aeton and other free Schooles and for those who being possest onely of a desire of Change though Protestants had begun to inuent a new Ecclesiasticall Policie that it was likewise requisit to reprehend them in time and to suffer and tolerate but one and the selfe-same Religion through the whole Realme for feare that diuersities of Religion should kindle seditions betwixt among the people of England being a warlike Nation both couragious and generous Therefore speciall charge and care was giuen to Sir Thomas Smith a worthy Knight truely iudicious and wise also to the noble Gentlemen M. Parker Master Bill Master Coxe Master Grindall Master Whitehead and Master Pilkinton who all were most learned and temperate for the correcting of the Liturgie which had been before penned and published in English in King EDWARD the Sixt's raigne without making any more priuy thereunto but the Lord Marquis of Northampton the Earle of Bedford I. Gray of Pyrg and Cecil But certaine Ministers impatient of delay by the length of time which ranne and past away in these things desiring rather to runne before good Lawes than to expect them in their feruent zeale began to preach the Gospell of Christs true Doctrine first priuately in houses and then openly in Churches at which the Commons curious of nouelties ranne thither and whole flockes of people resorted to their hearing from all parts and places in great multitudes contesting so earnestly one with another the Protestants against the Papists vpon questions of controuersies in Religion that for to preuent tumults and seditions and also the occasions of further quarrels and strifes the Queenes most excellent Maiestie was as it were compelled of necessity to defend expressely by strict Proclamation to all in generall not to dispute any more nor enter into any such questions yet notwithstanding giuing full leaue and authoritie to reade to her people the holy Gospell and the Epistles and Commandements but not as yet to make any explication thereof and to haue the Lords Prayer the Apostolicall Creede and the Letanie in the vulgar tongue And for the rest shee ordained the Romane stile to be obserued vntill that by the authoritie of a Parliament the whole forme of Gods Diuine Seruice should be settled and of new instituted and in the meane while her Maiestie solemnized Qu. MARIES Funerall which glorious preparation made then a most magnificent shew in Westminster and shortly after shee payed to Charles the Fifth his honours who two yeares afore rare example of all Caesars and more glorious than all his victories in conquering himselfe had renounced his Empire withdrawing himselfe from this mortall life to liue for euer wholly with God THE SECOND YEERE OF HER RAIGNE Anno Domini 1559. AT the beginning of this yeere Queene ELIZABETH re-established and restored of new W. Parr to the dignity of Marquis of Northampton who vnder Queene MARIES raigne had beene degraded of that honour Her Maiesty also reconferred the Barony of Beauchamp and Earledome of Hartford vnto Edward Seymor a noble Gentleman who by the force of a priuat Law the malice and enuy of his aduersaries had beene depriued of the greatest part of his Patrimony and Ancestors honours Her Maiestie likewise honoured with the Title of Viscount Bindon the Lord Thomas Howard second sonne to Thomas Duke of Norfolke
the Queene of Scots her cause not as yet being iudged of she would not intermeddle with that election Vpon which answere they chose Lenox first of all Inter-Roy and presently after Vice-Roy the Queene of England not any way gaine-saying it because she knew well that he was naturally addicted to loue the King his Nephew and was also assured that he was well affected to the English by reason of the many benefits receiued from them and would alwaies be at her deuotion in respect that his wife remained in her power In the meane time that the Queene thus fauoured the Kings party in Scotland the Spaniard failed not in any point towards the imprisoned Queene but at the motion of the Lord of Hamilton Rector of the Church at Dunbar sent vnder the hands of the Gouernour of Flanders certaine prouision for warre as a certaine quantitie of powder with seuen Peeces of great Cannon and some small summes of money to the Earle of Huntley Gouernour for the Queene in the North parts of Scotland Wherevpon the Earle of Huntley the Duke of Chastelraut and the Earle of Argathell by a common aduice and consent with the approbation of the Queene of Scots whose Lieutenants they were did send this Ambasie to the Duke of Alua by the Baron of Setone who thus in the Dukes presence proposed his message in these termes THat he was sent from a Realme which by the treacheries of rebellious Subiects was depriued of its publike peace and a most gracious Princesse and that the tenour of his Ambassie was to demand and entreat assistance and succours to recouer her from a miserable Captiuity being detayned in a strange Land and the Realme from the oppression of strangers That the Scottish Rebells might not be suffered to traffique in the Spanish Confines and that there might bee deliuered to the Queene the tenne thousand Crownes that were assigned vnto her shewing also that shee did wholly cast her selfe into the hands of the King of Spaine well knowing that he did alwaies harbour in his heart a sincere loue to true honour iustice and piety obiects most worthy and sitting for a Catholike Prince and employed for Intercessor the Duke D' Alua who she knew would endeuour himselfe to accomplish his desires That he propounded not to the King of Spaine any profit or commodity that might redound to him beeing a thing vnworthy of so great a Maiesty but onely offers to him from an vnfaigned heart the perpetuall amity and humble seruice of his most Illustrious Queene and her most warlike Countrey-men the Scots That the Glory of Charles the Fifth his Father would for euer liue eternized for re-establishing the Duke of Ferrara and the Mahumetan King in their first dignity But if hee should re-establish the Queene being a constant Professor of the true Catholique religion and an absolute Princesse of the consanguinity and alliance of the greatest Princes of Christendome and an vndoubted Heire to two flourishing Kingdomes it would bee to him an euer-liuing glory and an incomparable argument of most Christian piety That in so doeing hee should not onely binde France Denmarke Lorraine the Guizes S. Peter and all Christendome to his loue but also make his fame equally celebrated with his Fathers nay euen surpasse him farre in relieuing and re-establishing by his example Princesses that are iniustly and treacherously deposed from their lawfull Thrones That being himselfe the greatest Monarch in Christendome and hauing vnder his command and obeisance farre distant Countreys which might giue occasion with great ease of such and so insolent arrogance yet getting by this meanes interest in all Princes they may with more ease be supprest That this pernicious example of deposing Kings was neuer left vnreuenged That he should be a most excellent and fruitfull modell of rare Iustice and that if he should re-establish her that flieth and sueth to him for succour hee should tye in most fast bands of Amity and Alliance to himselfe a Queene Dowager of France absolute of Scotland and most certaine Heire to England with her the Scottish Nation which since Charles the Great haue manifested themselues to all the world most firme constant and faithfull in their Alliance with France And furthermore that now occasion was offered him to reuenge the many iniuries which hee had receiued from the Queene of England that aideth and fauoureth the Rebels of the Netherlands that hath vniustly seized vpon his Coine and the goods of his Subiects and also euill-intreated and abused his Ambassadours That to sit still any longer and see the Scottish Nation fall vnder the subiection of the English would be a lazie slumber and absurd sottishnes That through the increase of power and domesticke strength which that Woman hath acquired shee will at last proue terrible to her neighbours and as she is of a Masculine courage and of a sexe couetous of command shee may easily finde a meanes to entangle the King of Spaine in a long and troublesome warre But if shee were preuented in this she might easily be kept vnder her proper feare That there are but a very few in Scotland that will oppose the imprisoned Queene That all the Catholikes and the greatest part of the Nobles are fauourers of her cause That she hath all the Ports Hauens in her power and that the Pope would not spare the very goods of the Church to maintaine a warre so iust and holy And that it meerely depended vpon the Catholike King who was to muster his forces and shew his power in so iust pious and salutiferous a cause and that all the Catholikes of Great Brittaine expected from him onely in this occasion either their comfort or vtter ruine To this the Duke of Alua answered that he was ready and addrest himselfe to the King of Spaine for the aduancement of this affaire but could not deny traffique with the Scottish Rebels because that might infringe the liberty of Flanders promised to supply them for the most part with money In the meane time Setone the deeper to oblige the King of Spaine and the Duke of Alua passing ouer to the Flemmings Confederats in disguised manner procured by soothing flatteries feastings and other-like meanes of corruption the Scottish Companies vnder them to reuolt and as he was ready to be questioned about it and in great danger of his life saued himselfe with much adoe vnder the Duke of Alua who promised to furnish him with ten thousand Souldiers for sixe moneths but in vaine in regard they were so full of troubles in Flanders that they could not transport any Souldiers for Scotland Whiles these things were a doing the Bishop of Rosse who had meritoriously laboured the affaires of the Queene of Scotland in England and had beene committed to the custodie of the Bishop of London about a secret practice of Rebellion being now set at liberty brought it so to passe that the King of France by his Ambassadour De Monluc laboured most
we haue created establisht and raised him to the state dignity and honour of Baron Burghley and haue imposed vpon him and giuen and granted vnto him the name stile and title of Baron of Burghley to haue and to hold the same foreuer to him and the heires males which shall be borne from his body Of whom I haue already freely spoken and will againe make mention as well as of others whom shee hath raised to the state of Barons because it is amongst the most ample degrees of Honour For the Barons of the Parliaments of England are borne Peeres and great Councellors of the Kingdome and enioy diuers immunities and Priuiledges which are not to be mentioned in this place but I haue noted else-where A little after Ridolph a Florentine who had vsed trading for fifteene yeeres space in London deliuered secretly vnto the Queene of Scotland Letters from the Pope importing promises to imploy himselfe for the aduancement of the Catholique Religion and Himselfe willed her to giue credit in all things to Ridolph and to learne from him who was then going for Italy what meanes might be best for the re-establishing of the Catholique Religion and appeasing of the mischiefs in England Ridolph also sollicited the Queene by the seuerall Letters which he wrote vnto her to aduise herevpon with the Duke of Norfolke his friends and to recommend it to them But shee deferred the returne of any answer vntill she might perceiue how the Treaty which was already begun would take effect notwithstanding the Kings of France and Spaine and the Duke of Alua had written to her to the same purpose For the Earle of Morton Petcarne Abbot of Dunfermelin and I. Macgill were come to treat about the affaires of Scotland in the Kings name and hauing receiued command from Queene ELIZABETH more cleerely to vnfold the causes of the Queenes deposing and to proue them to be iust exhibited a prolix Cōmentarie by which with an insolent freedome and vehemencie of words they strained themselues to proue by ancient and moderne examples searcht out of all places that according to the ancient right of Scotland the people of Scotland were vnder the King and that by the authority of Caluin the Magistrates were appointed to bridle their vnrulie appetites and had authority to punish wicked Kings by imprisonment depose them from their Kingdomes and vaine-gloriously boasted to haue shewed the Queen courtesie in permitting her to substitute her Sonne in her place and appoint him Tutors That it was not in respect of her innocency that shee subsisted but out of the mercy of her people with diuers other things which factious spirits are accustomed to alledge against Royall Maiesty Queene ELIZABETH not able with any patience to read this secretly condemned it as iniurious to Kings and as for the Deputies she answered them that she could not yet perceiue any iust cause why they should so vexe and trouble their Queen and therfore wisht that they would rather seeke out some meanes to quench the discord in Scotland In the prosecution whereof it was propounded in the house of Bacon Lord Keeper of the great Seale to the Bishops of Rosse and Galloway and to Baron Leuiston Deputies for the Queene of Scotland that for the safety of the Kingdome and Queene of England and the Nobles of Scotland who were of the Kings part that the Duke of Chastelraut the Earles of Huntley and Argathell of Hume of Seris and another Baron ought to be giuen in pledge and the Castles of Dunbriton and Hume deliuered for three yeeres vnto the English before the Queene could be set at liberty To which they answered THat it need not be doubted that the Queene of Scotland who had voluntarily put herselfe vnder the Protection and guard of the Queene of England would willingly giue contentment in any thing which might conueniently be done But to deliuer such great persons in pledge with such Forts were nothing lesse then in depriuing a miserable Queene of the helpe of her faithfullest friends and her strongest places of defence to be exposed as a prey vnto her aduersaries But they offered to giue in pledge the two said Earles and two Barons And as for the Forts they said that according to their Couenants with France they could not giue them to the English that they could not grant them also to the French But said Bacon the whole Kingdome of Scotland the Prince the Peeres and the Forts are not sufficient security for the Queene and the most flourishing Kingdome of England and therefore what security soeuer the Scots might propose the Queene of Scotland ought not to be set at liberty Hereupon the Scots forthwith began to coniecture and spake openly that now they fully perceiued that the English had resolued to hold their Queene perpetually in England and by the same meanes interrupt the Treaty sithence they stood so stiffly in demanding such security as Scotland could not any maner of way performe Howsoeuer the other Councellours of England protested to desire nothing more then the freedome of the Queene of Scotland prouided that they gaue good and sufficient security and in this nature they treated hereupon and to haue the King with Morton and his Companions Who plainely answered that they had no power nor authority to treat whether they ought to receiue the Queene into Scotland or deliuer the King But her Deputies reiected such flying off as friuolous iudging that those who were the authors of deposing her had power sufficient to free her without asking the other Conspirators sithence the fault of one equally polluteth all the Confederates As for the Prince who was yet scarce fiue yeeres of age he could giue no power at all And as for the Vice-Roy that he had left all his affaires to the pleasure of Queene ELIZABETH They prayed them either to bring in the others who were sworne into consultation or to proceed without them vpon equall conditions But Queene ELIZABETH knowing well that they could conclude of nothing for her security or for the King and Queen of Scotland if th' one and th' other consented not thought it reasonable that the States of Scotland who ought forth-with to assemble should make choice of certaine men who might labour the mediation of the peace Whereupon the Bishop of Rosse and his Colleagues openly complayned that certaine Councellors of England had abused the vnderstanding of their Queene and the patience of the Queene of Scotland deceiued the Stranger Princes and soothed the Scots with a preiudiciall hope the Queene of Scotland her selfe being full of indignation and griefe to see such delayes called home the Bishop of Galloway Count Leuiston notwithstanding that Qu. ELIZABETH had commanded the Bishop of Rosse to depart from London she countermanded him to continue still there which was not without ielousie to those who were of her part in Scotland who determined to take vp Armes and giue no more
credit to those hurtfull truces and assembles For whilest they treated of these things in England they receiued great dammages in the punishments of many and murdering of others the taking of Dunbrittō situated neere Glotte or Cluide vpon an arme of the sea beeing the strongest and best fortified Castle in all Scotland I. Hamilton Arch-bishop of S. Andrews brother to the Duke of Chastelraut was hanged as a confederate of murdering the King without being brought according to the custome of the Countrey to Iudgement onely vpon the testimony of a priest who iustified that vpon taking confession of the assassinates of the King he heard them say that he was of the confederacie The Queene being prisoner could no longer harbour in her heart what shee had a long time concealed perceiuing herselfe out of all hope plunged in a deepe sorrow that of all her seruants they had left her but onely 10. and a priest to doe her seruice and that all meanes both for her health and liberty being euer most charitable seemed to bee taken away She sent thereupon secretly vnto the Duke of Norfolke a forme of her dessignes which shee had written long before and certaine amorous Letters written in a particular Character only betweene them two with other Letters to perswade him still to rely vpon the Pope and the Spaniard by Ridolph whom shee recommended vnto him as one most affectionate to his seruice and very necessary to be employed in his Affaires But Higford the Dukes Secretary who copied out this remembrance and those Letters in the vsuall Character being commanded to throw them into the fire hid them secretly vnder the mats in the Dukes Chamber for some further Dessigne as it seemeth This Ridolph being one day in the Dukes presence spake and made Barker often iterate the same THat he had obserued that there was as well among the Nobles as meaner sort in England three sorts who studied nouelties some were such as had flourished vnder the authority of MARIE and were then but few in number others who beeing zealous of the Romane Religion fretted that they were not permitted the free exercise thereof others who being transported with a new hope grieued at their present fortune who to enterprize any thing that would be propounded vnto them wanted nothing but a Leader of some Noble Race money and forraigne assistance That there could not be found one more illustrious and capable in such respect then the Duke who had the generall fauour of the people and that it stood with reason that he should reuenge the iniuries done him in that they had so long kept him prisoner against the Lawes of the Countrie and that they had not called him to the Assembly of Parliament sithence hee had his place and voice as beeing chiefe amongst all the Peeres Earle Marshall of the Kingdome of England And with the greater efficacie to perswade him to these things shewed him a Catalogue of the Nobles who had deuoted both themselues and their fortunes to his seruice if hee vndertooke this assured him that for forraigne helpe the Pope would be at all the charges of the Warre prouided that the Catholike Religion might bee aduanced hauing to this end disbursed the yeere before a hundred thousand Crownes when the Bull was publisht of which he himselfe had distributed to the English Fugitiues 12000. promised that the Spaniard prouoked by the iniuries of the English would send him for aide 4000. horse and 6000. foot which might very conueniently be brought in about the beginning of summer at Harwich a Port in Essex at whose approch the Duke had a great number of strong ships and without suspicion because about the same instant the Duke Medinoe-Coeli was to come into Flanders with a great Fleet. Concluded lastly that this might be supposed to be a meanes to free the Duke from all suspicion of attempting the Kingdome and to prouide for the safety of the Queene of England prouided that she embraced or at least-wise tolerated the Romane religion and consented that the Queene of Scotland should marry the Duke The Duke conceiuing these things somewhat probable gaue eare vnto him but neuerthelesse refused to subscribe the Letters of Credit which were offered him by Ridolph being vpon departure and would not harken to the counsel which the Bishop of Rosse suggested to him by Barker after he had often reuolued it in his minde TO seize vpon the Queene on the suddaine with a number of choise Gentlemen to disturbe the Parliament being then assembled And that this might easily be done considering the opportunity of times since this Assembly afforded him so many Gentlemē at his deuotion which could not be conuented in any other place without suspition That he had iust cause to be mooued hereunto in regard they had kept him so long prisoner against the Lawes of the Countrey and that they would not admit him to the Parliament and that they had sought out most seuere Lawes against the Papists And by pregnant examples sithence Castriot in Italy and others in all Countreyes hauing inopinately enterprized waighty affaires haue happily succeeded in them And if not long since fiue Gentlemen of Scotland were able to breake off the Parliament by which Murray was to be banished and bring the Queene vnder their power they might by the same meanes and as easily if they would lay hold of the occasion offered vnto them seyze vpon Qu. ELIZABETH accomplish the marriage of the Qu. of Scotland and prouide in England for the Catholique Religion without any great noyse or need of forreine assistance The Duke who of his naturall good inclination was far from offending reiected this counsell from his heart as most pernitious and dangerous But now H. Percy offered the Bishop to imploy himselfe about the deliuerance of the Queene of Scotland from prison prouided that Grange and Carre Farnihurst should receiue him at his entrance into Scotland and that the Earle of Northumberland his Brother who was prisoner should be set free Howsoeuer being suspected because of his great familiaritie with Baron Burghley and for that hee so long deferred the enterprise they gaue as little credit to this counsell as to that of Powels of Stanford one of the company of the Gentlemen of the Guard and to that of Owen one of the vassals of the Earle of Arundell who should haue vndertaken this but the Bishop of Rosse perceiuing they were vnable to effect it being men of no note hindered them As for other businesses which were closely done in these passages wee will omit vntill the light discouer them Whiles all these things were secretly handled in London there happened a most feareful Earth-quake in the Easterne parts about the Countie of Hereford neere the Towne of Kinaston For vpon the twelfth of March about sixe of the clocke in the euening the Earth opened and a Mountaine with a Rocke vpon which it was situated after a hideous noyse and strange crash
Queene ELIZABETH in England and that shee had not treated of this marriage but to cause the King of France his Mother and Brothers to shew themselues more fauourable to the Protestants in France breake off the hopes of the Queene of Scotland and the plots which the Spaniard and the Irish practised against England by the negotiation of the Cardinall of Lorraine and to auoid the Thunderbolts of the Pope by the interposition of the French For about this time the Earle of Leicester who saw more cleerely into the deepest thoughts of Queene ELIZABETH then any other wrote vnto Walsingham Ambassadour in France THat the Queene had a desire to marry but that she was not very hot vpon it and that she was of opinion that it was more necessary then her desire was to effect it moreouer that when the Duke of Aniou went from the Article concerning the toleration of Religion which Queen ELIZABETH would with such caution haue bound him to that he no longer persisted in his suite As the French tooke care and paine to make vp this Match certaine of the English laboured no lesse to aduance that betweene the Queene of Scotland and the Duke of Norfolke which through their wicked counsels they had againe reuiued contrary to his promise which first of all was discouered by these meanes Ridolph the Florentine who we told you was sent vnto forraigne Nations about the affaires of the Queene of Scotland had declared vnto Charles Bayliffe a Flemming one of his houshold seruants all that he had laboured with the Duke of Alua and put into his hands a packet of Letters written in counterfait Characters to her to the Ambassadour of Spaine to the Duke of Norfolke to the Bishop of Rosse and to Baron Lumley which hee carried with him notwithstanding the Bishop commanded him to leaue it with the Gouernour of Callais to keepe But hee had no sooner landed at Douer but hee was apprehended and imprisoned and the Packet sent to the Lord Cobham Gouernour of the Cinque Ports The Bishop who first of all knew it wrought so quickly and craftily with Cobham who was partly of counsell in the dessignes of the Duke that he deliuered him this Packet and another in stead thereof was sent to the Queenes Councell wherein were old-dated Letters tending to small purposes and aduertised Bayliffe thereof who being brought into question neuerthelesse confessed something of what had past and amongst the rest that this Packet had past through the Bishops hands who beeing aduertised thereof forthwith sent away Cutbert his Secretary to disperse amongst his friends the counterfait Characters and all that might doe hurt so as when Sussex Burghley Mildmay and Sadler came to search his house they could finde nothing at all nor get any thing out of him by examination he standing vpon it that an Ambassadour ought not to giue an account of his dealings to any but his Prince He was notwithstanding committed for two daies after to the Bishop of Ely and a little while after that carried to the Isle of Ely Stanley and Gerard Knights and Rolston of whom I haue spoken were clapt vp in the Tower of London and Howard who aspired to the Arch-bishoprike of Yorke was deliuered vpon suspicion to the custody of the Arch-bishop of Canterbury The Queene of Scots hauing about this time sent a certaine summe of money to the Ambassadour of France to be conueyed to those that were of her partie in Scotland the Ambassadour deliuered it to Barker and Higford who aduising with the Duke put it into the hands of one Browne of the Towne of Shrewsburie a seruant to the Duke to be deliuered in Scotland to Baron Heris by Banister and Lowder Browne beeing a crafty fellow perceiuing by the weight that in stead of Siluer they had giuen him Gold deliuered it ouer to the Councell of State Hereby the wiser sort began to obserue that the Duke had already begun to trespasse against her Maiesty in lending ayde to Heris and to the Scots her professed enemies who had forâ—aged the Frontier Inhabitants of England And hereupon Higford was committed to prison who presently confessed all the businesse concerning the money and shewed where the Letters and other writings were and the secret Characters and the remembrances and instructions of the Qu. of Scotland of which I haue spoken hidden vnder Maâ—â—land Tiles importing THat the French approued of the intended meeting with the Scots but that the Proposition of marriage of the Duke of Aniou with Queen ELIZABETH was to no other end but onely the better to colour the assistance performed to the Queene of Scotland for her re-establishment That they secretly preuented any contract with Iohn of Austria but fauoured the other with the Duke of Norfolke very much for the hatred they bore to the Spaniard That the Duke of Alua did so farre disproue the Designe of sending the Queene backe into Scotland that it would certainely be the ruine of her selfe and of the Catholique Religion through all Great Brittaine because shee being returned must of necessity either hazzard the danger of beeing besieged or try her fortune of the warres against the Rebels who by the aide of the English might easily bring her vnder their power before such time that any Forraigne forces could arriue That being then in no safety in Scotland and no hope to be expected from France so pestred with intestine warres he thought it more expedient to procure ayde from the Spaniard who had made an offer of marriage with Iohn of Austria which notwithstanding she neuer intended sithence she had promised by meanes of the Duke of Norfolke to re-establish the Romane Religion in Great Britaine And moreouer to send her Sonne out of Scotland into Spaine where he might be safely preserued and instructed from his Infancy in the Romane Religion and by this meanes all pretence taken from the Scots who shaddowed their rebellion vnder colour of him and lastly for the effecting of these businesses presently to dispatch away Ridolph with caution first to conceale these things especially from the French The Councell hauing receiued these instructions the Letters whereof I spake and other dispatches from the Pope and Barker who was surprized hauing confest all these particulars they commanded Sadler with a Company of armed men to goe vnto the Dukes house in London which was then at Charter-House Two dayes after the Duke who was altogether ignorant that those people had confessed any thing and confident that those Letters and Remembrances were burned in the fire beeing questioned denyed all that they had confest and therevpon was brought backe the seuenteenth day of September by Sadler Smith Neuill and Wilson to the great griefe of the people vnto the Tower of London from whence he was but the yeere before deliuered Afterwards they imprisoned Banister a Lawyer whose counsell the Duke had taken and followed after that the Earles of Arundell and Southampton Baron Lumley and Cobham
Ley hee whispered something in his Eare and after he spoke to the Deane of Pauls who turning him to the people said The Duke intreateth you all to pray with him that GOD would be mercifull to him and that you would be silent that his spirit be not disturbed Hee forgaue his Executioner asking him pardon refusing to put the Napkin ouer his face which he offered him saying I feare not death Then kneeling downe his heart lift vp to GOD on high hee prostrated himselfe on the Scaffold the Deane praying intentiuely with him then laying his necke ouer the Blocke at one stroke his head was cut off which the Executioner shewed a lamentable spectacle to the people most mournfully then shedding teares and sighing It is almost incredible how dearely the People loued him and how by his naturall benignity and courteous actions qualities well becomming so great a Prince hee had gained the hearts of the Multitude Diuers of the wiser sort as they were affected passed their censures diuersly some from an apprehension they had of great feare and danger might haue ensued had hee suruiued others commiserating the case of one so nobly borne so gentle by nature so comely of personage of so manly an aspect so compleat in all parts to perish so pittyously one who had not the subtill sleights of his Aduersaries and the slippery hopes he had conceiued vnder a colour of benefitting his Countrey and Common-wealth diuerted from the first-begun course of his life hee had beene the greatest honour and ornament of his Countrey They called also to memory the lucklesse death and destiny of his late Father who although vniuersally admired for Arts and Armes had some fiue and twentie yeeres before this lost his head in the same place vpon sleight occasions to wit for hauing his Armes quartered with King Edward the Confessour which we reade the Mowbrayes the Dukes of Norfolke had borne being giuen them by King Richard the Second from which Mowbrayes he drew his petigree Whereupon it shall not be impertinent to the purpose briefly to adde from what shop these Conspiracies were first forged as Hierome Catene in his History of the life of Pius the fifth relateth An Author for his credit made free Denison of Rome and admitted Secretary to Cardinall Alexandrine Nephew to Pius the fifth POpe Pius the 5. saith he burning with a zealous desire to re-establish the Romane Religion and hauing no other so conuenient a Messenger to bee his Nuncio Apostolike imployed Robert Ridolph Gentleman of Florence who comming into England vnder pretext of other businesse indeuoured himselfe to nothing more then to stir the hearts of the Queenes Subiects to her destruction wherein he dealt with such dexterity that he brought not onely Papists but also some Protestants to be of his faction some for a priuate malice they bore to those which aymed at the Kingdome others out of a desire of innouation As these matters were working vnder-hand and couertly there happened a debate betwixt the Spaniard and the Queene for certaine moneys that had been intercepted now in her possession Hereupon the Pope tooke occasion to perswade the King of Spaine to lend his helping hand to those which were combin'd Conspirators in England against Qu. ELIZA that so he might with the more facillity effect his affaires in the Low-Countries and restore the Catholike Religion in England In like maner dealt he with France as if he were bound to assist his Kinswoman the Queen of Scotland and to pleasure the Scots who to diuert the English from ayding the Protestants in France had made incursions vpon the English nor ought be any lesse to some great persons of the confederacy in England who by their policy had so preuented as that the Queene should not publikely send any ayde to the Huguenots of France by reason whereof the King of France promised his aide to set free the Qu. of Scots but failed to performe In the meane time Ridolph so wrought that he brought Norfolke to bee chiefe of the conspiracie promising him marriage with the Queene of Scots with her consent The better also to effect this businesse the Pope deposed the Queene of her Crowne and Kingdome and absolued her Subiects of all Oath and Allegeance by a Bull which hee caused to be published whereof he sent copies printed to Ridolph to be dispersed through the Kingdome Hereupon the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland raised Armes in the North of England against the Queene but money failing there they speedily fled into Scotland and the Duke of Norfolke with others were committed to prison amongst which Ridolph was one who had receiued commandement from his Holinesse to deliuer to the Confederate League an hundred and fiftie thousand Crownes which hee could not doe beeing now prisoner But her Maiesty not looking so deepely as concerned her into the plot of the Conspiracie set Ridolph and some others at liberty and hauing distributed the foresaid moneys amongst the Confederates was by them sent home againe to the Pope to aduertise him that now all things were in a readinesse for the dispatch of the Queen and to procure with all speed the best supplies he might from the Spaniard out of the Low-Countries The Pope commended well this purpose although indeed the Duke of Norfolke had formerly misliked the same as a matter full of much difficulty in a priuate conference hee had with Ridolph once vpon the way and vnder a colour of other matter addrest himselfe to the Kings of Spaine Portugal to informe them thereof He promiseth the Duke of Norfolke by his Letters to send him succour mooueth with the King of Spaine to bee assistant and to further the matter the more offereth to goe himselfe in person and if neede were to spend the goods of his See-Apostolike Challices holy Vestiments and Crucifixes assuring him that he could and would easily effect the same nor was there any difficultie to be doubted would hee send ouer Chappin Vittel with an Armie out of Flanders into England which thing the Spaniard with all expedition commanded to be done whilest the Pope prouided money But the Duke D'Alua enuying that Vitel should haue the honour of this seruice sought to preferre his Sonne thereunto fearing that the French should fall from them with their Forces and doubting the Conquest of England might yeelde any profit to Spaine or that the Pope was able to comply with them for money sufficient for so great a designe Notwithstanding the King of Spaine gaue expresse command that he should inuade England and to that end sent moneys by Ridolph into Flanders But it pleased God the matter was discouered to the Queene of England by some beyond seas and the Duke of Norfolke apprehended and iudged to death which brought no lesse griefe to the Pope then to the King of Spaine who said in the presence of Cardinall Alexandrine his Nephew That neuer was
set vp in the Market-place at Westminster Stubbes and Page had their right hands cut off by the blow of a Butchers knife with a Mallet strucke through their wrests The Printer had his Pardon I can remember that standing by Iohn Stubbes so soone as his right hand was off put off his hat with the left and cryed aloud God saue the Queene The people round about him stood mute whether stricken with feare at the first sight of this strange kinde of punishment or for commiseration of the man whom they reputed honest or out of a secret inward repining they had at this mariage which they suspected would be dangerous to Religion These things passed within a little after the Dukes ariuall in England and whilest hee stayed here the Queene to take away the feare conceiued by many that Religion should change and Papists should be tolerated by the importunity of Campian the Iesuite of whom I haue spoken Ralph Sherwing Luke Kirby and Alexander Brian who were indicted by an Act made in the 25 of Edward the third for attempting the ruine of the Queene and Kingdome for adhering to the Bishop of Rome the Queenes Aduersarie for raising sedition in her Realme and gathering forces together to the vtter subuersion of her Dominions of which they were found guilty and so condemned for that they obstinately defended the Papall Authoritie against the Queene they were put to death For Campian then condemned being demanded whether Queene ELIZABETH were right or lawfull heire answered nothing and againe If the Pope should inuade the Land whether he would take his part or the Queenes hee openly said the Popes which hee testified vnder his hand-writing After these some others were executed for the like matters and for ten whole yeares space together since the Rebellion but fiue Papists But I leaue the handling hereof to the Ecclesiasticall History neuerthelesse with permission I will briefely here obserue and note some such occurrences as are adioyning with those of States These times were such as that the Queene who was neuer of opinion that mens consciences should bee constrained often complained to haue beene of necessitie forced to these punishments lest vnder a pretext of conscience and Catholike Religion she should endanger her selfe and her louing subiects neuerthelesse her Maiesty beleeued not that the most part of these poore and miserable Priests had plotted the destruction of her country but that their Superiors made vse of them as instruments of their mischiefe for as much as they which were sent were wholly subiect to the power and authoritie of them which had sent them For when as such as were now and afterwards apprehended were demanded whether by the Authority of the Bull of Pius the fift the Queene of Englands subiects were so freed of their Oath of Allegeance that they might take Armes against her whether they esteemed her a lawfull Queene whether they approued the opinions of Sanders and Bristow touching the Authoritie of this Bul to which partie they would incline if the Pope should warre against the Queene Some of them answered so doubtfully others with such pertinacy and some with such preuarication or keeping silence so mocked the questions propounded to them that diuers Papists begunne to suspect that they nourished some falshood and Bishop although ingenious most zealous for the Roman Religion writ against them shewing that this Cannon which had passed vnder the name of the Lateran Councell vpon which was absolutely grounded the oath of absoluing subiects from their Obedience and fealty to their Princes and for the deposing of them was nothing else but a Decree of Pope Innocent the 3 which neuer was receiued in England as also that that Counsell was repeal'd and annihilated wherein nothing was done by the Fathers of the same at that time The more the number of the Priests comming by stealth into England increased the more increased suspitions of them who secretly practised to grope the hearts of men preached that it was lawfull to depose Princes excommunicated muttered and murmured that such as were not of the Roman religion were to be depriued of all regall power and Dignity and that such as had taken religious Orders were exempt from all obedience to Princes nor were any such held to be subiect either to them or their lawes That the Pope had supreme power ouer the whole world yea euen in politick affaires That the Magistrates of England had no lawfull institution and therefore were not to bee obeyed as Magistrates And that whatsoeuer Queene ELIZABETH had done since the publication of the Bull Declaratory of Pius the 5 was by the Lawes of God and Man disanull'd and to be held for naught And some of them denyed not in publike hearing that they were sent for no other causes into England then to absolue euery one seuerally and apart of all oath of fidelitie and obedience towards the Queene as the Bull had absolued all in generall which they did in taking confessions of their reconciliation And this they seemed to doe with more ease in promising Absolution from all mortall sinne and with more securitie because it was done priuately and vnder the Seale of Confession THE FIVE AND TWENTIETH YEERE of Her Raigne Anno Dom. M.D.LXXXII THese and the like things brought vpon Papists new and sharper lawes made by Act of Parliament at Westminster in the moneth of Ianuary where all such were declared guilty of high Treason which disswaded any of her Maiesties subiects frō their obedience to their Prince or from the Religion now profest in England or that should reconcile any to the Church of Rome or which should haue beene so perswaded turned or reconciled Two hundred markes fine and a yeares imprisonment inflicted vpon those which should celebrate Masse so long till they had paid And such as had willingly beene at any of their Masses one hundred markes and one yeares imprisonment and such as were not found to resort to their owne Parish Churches to diuine seruice for euery moneths omission ten pounds Which was maliciously vnderstood and interpreted by the Papists of Lunarie months who before had paid but one shilling to the poore for euery Sunday or Holidayes absence But I referre it to the Ecclesiasticall Historie to intreat of these things more at large The Duke d' Anjou after some three moneths abode in England tooke his way towards Flanders in the moneth of February Queene ELIZABETH in person accompanied him to Canterbury and commanded the Earle of Leicester the Lord Charles Howard the Barons of Hunsdon Willoughby Winsor and Sheffeild Sir Philip Sidney Sir Francis Russel Sir George Bourchier Knights and diuers other noble Gentlemen to accompany him to Antwerpe where he was created Duke of Brabant of Lymbourg Lotharing c. For the confederated States of Flanders had from thence proclaimed the King of Spaine falne from his Principality for infringing their Lawes broken his Seales cast downe
extremities that can be imposed on a poore Prisoner All conference with my sonne by Letters or Messengers for this yeare hath been denyed me renting if it were possible the sonne from the mother by a sad separation of spirits I haue often propounded Articles of peace and concord to bee confirmed betwixt vs at Chatesworth by the most Christian Kings Ambassadors eleuen yeares agone both to your Deputies and to your selfe and by my owne the last yeare I dealt sincerely with Beal But these profers were still reiected delayes interpos'd my best meaning euer suspected and the affection of my true-intending heart continually condemned Nor haue I reaped any other fruit by my long suffering but that by a Prescription I am dayly handled worse and worse not indeed as a Prisoner but as some abiect seruant of base condition But truely I cannot longer endure these indignities howsoeuer the matter shall fall out if I die I will manifest the Authors of my death if I liue I shall so effect I hope that the malicious practices of my Aduersaries shall dye and passe the remainder of my dayes in more tranquilitie Wherefore to take away all occasions of scandall betwixt vs let the testimonies of the Spaniards which were lately taken in Ireland and all the examinations of the Iesuites be produced against mee Let mee be arraigned openly come in who can to accuse me prouided withall I may haue the liberty to defend my selfe and not be condemned before I be heard The malefactors and vilest Prisoners are permitted to defend themselues and to confront their accusers Why then am I denyed this lawfull libertie being an anointed Queene your nearest Kinswoman and the next lawfull heire to your Kingdome But this last is that excruciates my Aduersaries whose chiefest studies are bent to breed debate betwixt vs. Alas alas and why should this vex or afflict my enemies when as I protest before God and on my honour I haue not thought this long time of any Kingdome but that of heauen Neuerthelesse you are bound by oath royall duty and Iustice not to disturbe or impeach after my death my sonnes most certaine Right nor to abett or aide those which seriously and secretly labour his ruine both in England and Scotland as is too-too well knowne by the dealings of your Ambassadors in Scotland who haue dealt no doubt without your priuity most treacherously with me and all by the Earle of Huntingdons setting on Is there any iust dealing in this that a Mother should not be suffered to succour her sonne in distresse nay not so much as to be let vnderstand how he doth If such as you sent for my sonnes good had taken my aduice by the way they would haue beene the welcomer to him and I the more obliged to you nor was there any reason you should so long conceale their goings thither nor then keepe mee so straightly shut vp but to speake freely I beseech you let no more such be imployed for Scotland Thus much I dare promise my selfe that Hunsdon will doe nothing but that standeth with his honour nor Huntingdon any thing may tend to my good for that which he hath already practised against me I entreat you therefore by the bond of that consanguinitie which is betwixt vs to bee circumspect for the safety of my sonne not to intermeddle your selfe with the businesses of Scotland before you haue consulted with mee and the King of France and hold all those for Traitors which keepe my sonne in hold not suffering him to goe any where but at their pleasure In fine I coniure you by the Crosse and Passion of Christ our Redeemer that after so many yeares of desolation I hauing libertie may vpon iust tearmes be suffered to retire my poore weake body into some quiet place out of England there to refresh mee before my death after the long and loathsome time of my imprisonment This doing you shall eternally oblige vnto you me and mine but aboue all my sonne Nor wil I euer cease to craue this till you haue granted it me my indisposition enforcing this importunity Let mee be vsed hereafter a little more gently otherwise I shall not be able to endure nor put mee off to the disposing of any but of your selfe What good or euill hereafter shall betyde me I will impute all to you vouchsafe mee this fauour to let me know your pleasure either by your letter or by the French Ambassador I can repose no confidence in those things which the Earle of Shrewsbury hath imparted vnto me they are so mutable I writ of late to your Councell but you sent me word to acquaint none but your selfe with my businesse for there was no equity in it in giuing them so much power to afflict me And I cannot apprehend it otherwise but that some ill-willers of mine were the occasioners of it for feare that others duly considering my iust complaints in regard of your honor their duties should haue opposed thēselues And now the last thing I am to desire is that I may haue some reuerend Catholicke Priest to instruct me in Religion for the saluation of my soule This is a last duty not to be denyed to wretches of meanest ranck You suffer the Ambassadors of foraigne Princes to vse their Religion and my selfe sometimes haue granted toleration of seuerall professions to my subiects If this be denyed mee I hope to bee excused before God and I feare mine Aduersaries shall not passe vnpunished Assuredly it will be a president to other Christian Princes to exercise the like seuerity amongst their subiects of different Religions if this bee offered me an absolute Princesse of your nearest alliance As I am I will euer be affected to you in despight of my Aduersaries and stomacke they me neuer so much I desire not to haue my family increased but I vpon necessity intreat to retain two of my maid-seruants to attend me in my sicknesse let not mine enemies asswage their cruelty vpon me in causing me to bee denied so small an office of humanity Whereas I am taxed by the Earle of Shrewsbury to haue dealt otherwise then I promised Beal in surrendring my title in Scotland to my son without your priuity Beleeue not Beals suggestions for I past no promise but vpon certaine conditions which I am not bound to performe on my part vnlesse they be performed on yours I haue yet receiued no answer thereof and they haue beene long time silent but for all that in Scotland they haue not ceased their trecherous practizes to the ruine both of me and my son I cannot take this long silence but for a deniall and so I haue certified your Councell by Letters That which the King of France and the Queene his mother haue communicated to me haue I sincerely communicated to you and required your aduice but you haue not vouchsafed me one word in writing or by word of mouth I cannot before I shall know what it is submit my selfe to your
of the Duke whom shee had found a deare and faithfull friend likewise to aduertise him of the afflicted estate of the Netherlands by the losse of the Prince of Orange and the terrible puissance of the Spaniard hauing all the Princes of Italy at his deuotion the Pope most affected to him the Cardinalls as it were his vassals and many braue and singular men both for peace and warre vnder his pay that the house of Austria in Germany was farre and wide extended hauing all other families allyed to it by mariage at all times at their seruice that by the late addition of Portugall and the East India his wealth and forces were so augmented both by sea and land that he was become farre more powerfull and redoubted then euer Charles his father was and that he would goe neere if once hee had brought the Netherlands vnder his power to subiect all the rest of the Princes of Christendome to his greatnesse vnlesse hee were in time preuented THE EIGHT AND TWENTIETH YEERE of Her Raigne Anno Dom. M.D.LXXXV QVeen ELIZABETH to oblige the King of France in a stricter bond of friendship vnto her hauing the precedent yeare adopted him one of the Order of the Garter shee sent Henry Earle of Darby into France with the rites belonging to the same order there more solemnly to inuest him With great honor he receiued them and at euening prayers was inuest therewith but the English refused to be present at the Masse and with holy vowes hee promised to obserue the lawes of the Order in all points wherein they were not opposite to the order of the holy Ghost and Sâ— Michael to which he was before sworne At the same time a Court of Parliament was assembled and holden wherein Will. Parry by birth a Welchman oâ— obscure parentage and meane fortunes by his stile a Doctor of the Law but indued with little learning a man puffed vp and haughty in mind very spruse and neat was of the inferiour house where hearing a Law demanded against the Iesuits he onely opposed it declaiming that the law was cruell bloudy and pernicious to the nation the reasons being demanded of him he obstinately refused except it were in the presence of the Councell royall whereupon hee was committed to custody but his reasons being heard and submission made hee was againe admitted into the Court. Then presently after hee was accused of priuate conspiracy against the Queenes life by Edmond Neuill who layd claime to the inheritance of the Neuills Earles of Westmerland and the title of Baron of Latimer as being the next heire male This Parry to relate from the depth of the matter two yeares before returning from Italy to insinuate himselfe into the Queenes grace and obtaine credit with her he secretly made knowne vnto her that Morgan and other fugitiues had mischieuously consulted vpon her death feigning that he had dealt amongst them to no other end but to discouer intents and prouide for the Queenes safety This was the cause that induced her to giue little credit to Neuills accusation Neuerthelesse she coÌ„manded Walsingham to examine Parry if that he had to make proofe hereof treated with any malecontent or suspected persoÌ„ He plainly denied it neither being in other matters of a sharpe apprehension could he perceiue the euasion which the lenity of the Queene had laid open to him For had he affirmed that he had dealt with Neuill only to vndermine him whom before he had certified the Queene to bee a malecontent and suspected person doubtlesse he had freed himselfe from danger But mischiefe once conceiued doth dazell the fight of the most acute vnderstanding Neuill wanting witnesses was brought face to face with Parry who after many sharpe and bitter speeches on both sides began to giue way and was committed to the Tower of London where he voluntarily made this confession which in a few words I will comprise IN the yeare quoth he 1570 being admitted after my oath taken into the number of the Queenes seruants I remained affectionately deuoted to her Maiesty vntill the yeare 1580 at which time I was with much ignominy brought in question of my life For he violently had entred into the Chamber of Hugh Hare to whom he was indebted grieuously wounded him for which by law being condemned by the Queens gratious pardon he was acquitted From thenceforth I liued much discontented in minde but obtaining license I passed into France with a resolution neuer to returne because I was much addicted to the Catholique religion At Paris I reconciled my selfe to the Romane Church at Venice I had conference with Benedict Palmy a Iesuit concerning the afflicted Catholiques in England and I affirmed that I had bethought of a meanes to ease them if the Pope or some other Theologians would instruct and satisfie me whether the deed were lawful or not Palmy praised my intent as a worke of piety and recommended me to Campege the Popes Nuncio at Venice Campege to the Pope I demanded Letters to goe to Rome vnder the publique faith The Cardinall Comese deliuered Letters to me but being somewhat too briefe and succinct I demanded others of more ample contents which I likewise receiued But then I returned to Paris where I incountred Morgan who gaue mee to vnderstand that there were some that did expect that I should vndertake some not able peece of seruice for God and the Catholique Church I answered I was ready at any time euen to kill the greatest subiect in England And replyeth he why not the Queene her selfe That qd I may with ease be done if so be it were manifested to me a deed lawfull because Wiat a Priest with whom concealing the persons I had conference hereof assured me that it was not And Chreicton a Scot disswaded me teaching mee that mischiefe should not bee done that good might come of it that God was better pleased with Aduerbs then with Nownes that a deed be well and lawfully done then that the deed is good Neither if I could redeeme many soules by the destruction of one were I to doe it without the expresse commandement of God Neuerthelesse hauing bound my selfe and my faith by my Letters and promises in Italy I thought it would be a crime vnpardonable now to desist if onely the Pope would by his Letters approue the same and grant me a plenary Indulgence which I with Letters requested of the Pope by Ragâ—son his Nuncio in France who much applauded my designe Being returned into England I obtained accesse to the Queene to whom in priuate I vnfolded the whole conspiracie yet couered ouer with the best Art I could Shee heard all without any alteration by feare but I departed with much terrour neither shall I euer forget what then shee spake That the Catholikes should not be called in question either about their Religion or the primacie of the Pope so long as they were obedient and good
whole yeare were the English affaires caried in the Netherlands In England Phillip Earle of Arundel who all the yeare had beene kept close prisoner was accused in the Starre-Chamber THat hee contrary to the Lawes had succoured the Priests had interchange of letters with Alan and Parson Jesuits and enemies to the Queene That he had derogated from the Justice of the Kingdome by publike writing and had enterprised to depart the Kingdome without licence But hauing made protestation of his obedience to the Queene and loue to his Country he modestly excused himselfe out of his zeale to the Catholike Religion and his ignorance of the lawes and submitted himselfe to the iudgement of the Assembly who adiudged him to be fined 10000 pounds and so long imprisonment as the Queenes pleasure should prescribe But of these things in the yeare 1589 must more amply be discoursed About this time ariued in England frō Frederick 2. King of Denmarke Hen. Ramely Chancelor for the German affaires with a warlike traine guard of Muskettiers who at large declared with what affection the K. of Denmarke was transported towards Queene ELIZABETH and the generall peace of Christendome to which he promised with his best indeauors to moue the King of Spaine to condiscend THat as hee said the common enemie of mankinde might not any longer with humane blood water those seeds of warre which he had sowne in the Netherlands The Queene gaue him a gracious hearing and hauing often graciously entertained him with diuers discourses she highly commended the pious intention of the King of Denmarke And by the Lord Burghley Treasurer Charles Howard Lord High Admirall Henry Lord Carie Baron of Hunsdon Chamberlaine and Sir Francis Walsingham principall Secretarie she gaue him this answer THat she desired nothing more then to embrace a League of amity in which were coucht no treacheries with her neighbouring Princes But considering the complots of the Spaniard which hee had practised against her shee could not but prouide for her owne safety the defence of the True Religion of Christ and the conseruation of the priuiledges of her allyed neighbours in their entier The selfe-same answer to the same purpose she gaue to Bodellan sent into England by the Duke of Parma to treat of a Peace In the meane space shee furnished the King of Nauarre by the hands of Horatio Pallauicine vvith a large summe of money in whose person onely the Guises oppugned the reformed Religion in France But the Queene was to nothing more attentiue then to confirme a solid amity betweene England and Scotland and to conioyne them in one vnited League of mutuall offence and defence vvhereby she might not onely cut off all hope of ayde from Scotland to foraine Nations but to the Queene of Scots her selfe For Queene ELIZABETH suspected that shee being greatly incensed had imbraced some perilous counsell since that the conditions which vvere presented by her vvere reiected the association agreed vpon and she as is before related deliuered into the custody of Sir Aimé Poulet and Drury And it was apparantly manifest that the Iesuites on one side and the fugitiue Nobilitie of the other had suggested her with diuers designes and abrupt counsels by their Letters written one against the other For the Iesuites perceiuing that there was no other hope left for the establishing of the Roman Religion either by her or by her sonne they framed to themselues new deuices they beganne to coyne for the Spaniard whose greatnesse they alwayes laboured to encrease a new and fained right to the succession of England And as Pasquier reported they sent Saumier if the name be not fained into England vvhich vvas one of their owne society for to draw the Nobility to the Spanish faction and to force her to some dangerous matter denouncing that if she were any way troublesome that neither shee nor her son should raigne at all And by inciting the Guises her alliance to new commotions against the King of Nauarre and Prince of Conde to the intent to hinder them from aiding of her and her sonne But to conclude the League which was begunne by Wotton and interrupted by the slaughter of Francis Russell which also Desneuall the French Ambassador and Corselle a man of an impatient disposition who not long before was ignominiously driuen out of England began now to hinder Thomas Randolph vvas dispatched vvhose dexteritie in the Scottish affaires was accounted wise and fortunate although to the King hee was scarce welcome by reason of the troubles which he formerly moued in Scotland He proposed to the King the same conditions of the League which Wotton had before propounded The King would haue to be added the Articles concerning the yearely pension assigned and the preiudice not to be offered to his Right to the Crowne of England and vvould haue them inserted into the Contract The Ambassador according to his instructions promised him an assurance of these things in a writing separate by it selfe prouided that hee constantly embraced the League The King out of the loue vvhich hee bore to his subiects propounded that the Scots might inioy the self-same immunities in England as the English themselues But the Ambassador shewing him that it could not be done except by the Parliament authoritie and the States of England vvould not easily accord thereto the King deliberately proposing the Articles to himselfe agreed vnto them and commanded them to be imparted to his Nobility to the entent that they likewise should confirme them with their subscriptions Yet the French Ambassador murmuring first said that the Queene had desired this League not out of any loue to the King but for the iust feare vvhich shee had lest shee should bee ruined by her enemies which were ioyned against her then hee iniected many feares intermixt with threats that the amity of France which is most profitable to the Scots vvould be by this meanes dissolued Lastly he coniured the King that hee would not doe any thing without the King of France his counsell But the King who wel knew these to be but vaine speeches could not be retarded or diuerted from his purpose For hee wel knew that the English forces were much encreased by Englands League with the Low-Countries made this serious answer THat he had reposed his confidence in the diuine bounty and not in the friendship of such as were contrary to the glory of God Neither was it lesse lawfull for him to contract a League with the Queene without the French Kings counsell then it was of late for the King of France to ioyne in friendship with her without his aduice And although the Queene that she might not be thought to buy this alliance did send him lesse money then he expected and made lesse expression of the assurance of the succession neuerthelesse for the zeale which hee bore to Religion and his singular affection to the Queene hee commanded the League to bee
concluded and further to acquite his promise he determined to send into England the Carrs which were suspected murderers of Francis Russell A little after vpon the beginning of Iuly the Earle of Rutland the Lord Euers and Tho Randolph for the Queene the Earle of Bothwell the Lord Boide and Iames Humy Coldingknoll for the King of Scotland were assembled at Barwicke and there consummated the League which was called The League of fast friendship because the word of offence was displeasing to the Scots as followeth FOrasmuch as the Raignes and Gouernments of of these Princes are falne into these doubtful and dangerous times wherein the neighbouring Princes which will be called Catholiques acknowledging the Papall authoritie doe contract Leagues and by mutuall alliances doe oblige their faiths to ruine and extirpate the true pure and Euangelicall Religion not onely out of their owne Territories and Dominions but also out of foraine Kingdomes To the end that those which doe embrace the Euangelicall Religion might not seeme lesse carefull to defend and protect the same then those which at this time doe exercise the Roman Religion are for the euersion ouerthrow of it The said Princes for their greater assurance and securitie of their owne persons vpon whose safety dependeth the good and welfare of the people and for the conseruation of the true ancient and Christian Religion whereof they at this present make profession haue consulted and agreed to combine themselues in a straiter knot of mutuall alliance and friendship then hath beene till now amongst the Predecessors of their Maiesties The first ARTICLE PRimarily then to the end that this so godly and necessary Proposition of either Prince in this turbulent estate of things might come to an effect for the common good and propagation of the truth of the Gospell it is conuented agreed and concluded that the said Princes shall by this mutuall and holy League be especially carefull to defend and conserue the true pure and Euangelicall Religion which they now professe against all others that for the ruine thereof shall enterprize any thing against either of them and shall labour and endeuour with all possible diligence that the rest of those Princes which are professors of the same Religion might accord with them in this holy propounded League and conioyning their forces conserue in their Dominions the true seruice of God and defend and gouerne their subiects vnder the said ancient and Apostolicall Religion The second ITem it is conuented accorded and concluded that this mutuall League for the defending and maintaining of the Christian and Catholique Religion which at this present is holden by either Prince and by the grace of God obserued and nourished in their Realmes and Dominions shall bee a League of offence and defence against all those that shall hinder or endeuour by any means to hinder the exercise of the same within their Realmes and Dominions notwithstanding all Treaties Leagues of friendship and Confederations past betweene either of them and all aduersaries and persecutors whatsoeuer of the same Religion That if at any time any Prince or State whatsoeuer of what condition so euer he be shal inuade or infest the Realmes Dominions or Territories of either of the said Princes or any part of them or indomage or iniure any manner of way their Maiesties persons or subiects or shall attempt these or any of these things The third IT is conuented accorded and concluded that neither of these Princes receiuing intelligence from the person inuaded iniured or indomaged shall directly or indirectly openly or couertly aide counsell or fauour at any time the said inuaders or infestors in what kinde of inuasion so euer it shall bee or by whomsoeuer it shall be attempted notwithstanding all kindred affinitie amitie or 〈◊〉 before contracted or after to bee contracted The fourth THat the said Princes shall reciprocally send aide either to other in manner as followeth If the Kingdome of England shall be inuaded or molested by any stranger vpon those parts which are farre remote from the Kingdome of Scotland the King of Scotland after demand made by the Queene of England shall incontinently and without delay send two thousand horse and fiue thousand foot or any lesse number according to the pleasure request of the Queene to bee conducted at the expence of the Queene from the frontiers of Scotland next adiacent to the Kingdome of England into any part of England whatsoeuer The fift THat if the Kingdome of Scotland shall bee inuaded or molested by any stranger vpon those parts which are farre remote from the Kingdome of England the Queene of England after demand made by the King of Scotland shall incontinently and without delay send three thousand horse and sixe thousand foot or any lesse number according to the pleasure and request of the King to be conducted at the expence of the King from the frontiers of England next adiacent to the Kingdome of Scotland into any part of Scotland whatsoeuer The sixt THat if the Kingdome of England shall by any one bee inuaded vpon the North parts within threescore miles of the borders of Scotland the most illustrious King of Scotland being requested and demanded by the most excellent Queene of England shall assemble all his forces and troopes to his possibilitie effectually and without delay and ioyning them with the English troops shall pursue in all hostile manner those that shall inuade the Kingdome of England their fauourers and assistants whatsoeuer for the space of thirty dayes together or longer if occasion and necessitie shall require according to the space of time which the subiects of Scotland were anciently accustomed and to this day doe hold for bringing of succours to the defence of the Kingdome The seuenth THat when the King of Scots shall haue notice giuen him from the Queene of England of any inuasion or deuastation happening in Ireland he shall not onely forbid the inhabitants of the County of Argathel of the Iles and places adiacent to the said County and the inhabitants of all other places whatsoeuer in the Kingdome of Scotland not to enter into the Kingdome of Ireland and to his power to hinder them from entring But also in what time so euer it shall happen that the inhabitants of any part whatsoeuer of the Realme of Scotland shall contrary to the intent of this Treaty enter in hostile manner into any part of Ireland with an extraordinary and vnusuall number of Souldiers the King himselfe after he had giuen notice to the Queene of the said entry shall by a publique Edict denounce the said inuaders breaking in hostile maner into the said Realme for Rebels disturbers of the publique peace and men guilty of attempt against the estate and as such shall pursue them The eighth THat neither of the said Princes shall giue or permit any other in any sort whatsoeuer to giue at any time hereafter any aide fauour or assistance to any conspirator rebell or one reuolted from
which might ensue desisted Ballard as I said consulted of the aforesaid things with Babington hee plainely thought that the inuading of England would be to no purpose so long as Queene ELIZABETH liued But Ballard giuing him to vnderstand that she had not long to liue because Sauage who had vowed to murder her was then ariued in England Babington was of another aduice and thought it not fit that affaires of such greatnesse should be committed to him alone lest he should faile in the attempt But to sixe valiant and Noblemen of which he would haue Sauage to be one to the end he might not infringe his vow And therfore Babington sought out a new meanes for the inuading of England by the strangers at what Port they should land what assistance should be ioyned with them how the Queene of Scots should be set at liberty and lastly for committing the tragicall murder as he called it of the Queene of England Whilst hee wholly bent his cogitations vpon these matters hee receiued Letters by a boy vnknowne from the Queen of Scots written in a familiar Character betwixt them wherein she gently blamed him for his long silence and commanded him with all speed to send the packet of Letters sent from Morgan and deliuered to him by the Secretary of the French Ambassador which hee performed and by the same messenger sent her a Letter by which HE excused himselfe of his silence because hee was destitute of opportunitie to send to her since she was giuen into the custodie of Sir Aimé Poulet that Puritan wholly deuoted to Leicester and a cruell and bitter enemy to the Catholique faith He writ of the conference which he had with Ballard Hee gaue her notice that sixe Gentle-men were chosen to commit a tragicall murder and that he with a hundred others at the instant would deliuer her And he desired her to propound recompences to the heroicall actor of this tragedie so he called it or to their posteritie if they dyed in the attempt She answered these Letters the 27 of Iuly And SHe praised his singular affection to the Catholique religion and to her selfe But she admonished him to be considerate in this enterprise and that he should conclude an association amongst the authors and actors in the same for feare of the Puritans not to attempt any thing before he was sure of the foraine succors to stirre vp some combustion in Ireland whilest the blow was to be giuen here to draw to his faction the Earle of Arundel and his brothers with the Earle of Northumberland and secretly to repeale into the Kingdome the Earle of Westmerland Paget and others She prescribeth the meanes of her deliuerie EIther by subuerting of a Cart in the Port or setting fire vpon Stables or by intercepting of her when she should ride to take the aire or recreate her selfe betweene Chartle and Stafford Finally she requested Babington to promise recompences to the sixe Gentle-men and to all the rest He had now associated to him certaine Gentlemen of Noble race burning with zeale toward the Romane Religion amongst whom the principall were Edward Windsor brother to the Lord Windsor Baron of Bradnam a yong man of a pleasing and milde disposition Thomas Salisbury issued from a house of ancient Knighthood in Denbigh-shire Char Tilney of a remarkable and famous race who was the onely hope of that house with one of the Gentlemen Pensioners to the Queene whom Ballard a while before had reconciled to the Romane Church and Chidiock Tichborn of Hampshire and Edward Abington whose father was the vnder-Treasurer of the Queenes houshold two braue yong men Robert Gadge of Surrey Iohn Trauerse Iohn Charnock of Lancashire I. Iones whose father was keeper of the Wardrop to Queene MARIE Sauage of whom I haue spoken Barnwell of a Noble House in Ireland and Henry Dunne Clerke for the receipt of first fruits and tythes Into this company Polly insinuated himselfe vvell instructed in the affaires of the Queene of Scots very expert in dissembling vvho stil from day to day laid open all their counsels to Walsingham and by the mischieuous aduice which he suggested to these yong men being of themselues inclined to euill hee precipitated them to farre vvorse matters notwithstanding Naue the Queene of Scots Secretary had forwarned them of him To these Babington communicateth the matter but not to euery one all he shewed to Ballard Tichborne and Dunne his owne Letters and the Letters of the Queene of Scots Also he soliciteth Tilney and Tichborne to doe the deed At the first they refuse to staine their hands in their Princesses blood But Ballard and Babington labouring hard to teach and giue them to vnderstand how iust and lawfull it vvas to kil Kings or Princes excommunicated and that if right were to be violated it must needs be for the Catholike Religion yet notwithstanding they with much adoe are perswaded to it Abington Barnwell Charnock and Sauage yeelded their ready consent vvith alacritie swearing to act the murther Salisbury they could not possibly induce to bee a Regicide nor draw to any thing more then to imploy his best endeuours for the deliuerance of the Queene of Scotland Babington maketh choice of Tichnore to be the odde man ouer and aboue the number of those that should doe the deed of whose secrecie trust and resolution he made no doubt but he was then abroad in trauell Babington commandeth that before they had taken their oath they should not impart the businesse to any After this they met in Sr. Gyles fields to conferre further in Paules also and in Tauernes where they feasted often puft vp with vaine hopes of preferment to great honors and dignities whereupon they would often commend the noble courage of those valiant Scots which had lately seized on the Kings royall person at Sterlin and Girard the Bourgonian who slew the Prince of Orange at Delph Moreouer they grew to that height of vanity that thy would needs haue the pictures of them drawne in a table and Babington in the midst with this versicle or inscription Such be my consorts as dare incurre my dangers But this pleased them not so well as being a little too plain wherefore they exchanged it with this other Quorsum haec aliò properantibus Some are of opinion that this table was once show'd to Queene ELIZABETH in priuate of which shee could not discern or know any other man by his effigies but Barnwell onely who had had at diuers times accesse to her Maiesty from the Earle of Kildare whom hee serued but being instructed in the businesse she knew him to be the man should haue attempted her life for on a time walking abroad and espying Barnwell whom she beheld with an vndanted countenance turning herselfe suddenly towards Sir Christopher Hatton Captaine of her Guard and others she said Am not I fairly guarded now hauing not one man of my followers that is prouided of a
them that her Seruants might be gently vsed that they might enioy the things she had giuen them by her Will that they might be permitted to be with her at her death and lastly might be safely conducted and sent home into their Countries Her two first requests they granted but for the hauing of her Seruants by at her death the Earle of Kent seemed scrupulous fearing there might be some superstition in that To him she said Feare you not Sir the poore wretches desire nothing but to take their last leaues of me And I know my Sister the Queene of England would not you should deny me so small a request For for the honour of my sex my Seruants should be in presence I am the nearest of her Parentage and Consanguinitie grand-childe to Henry the seuenth Dowager of France and anointed Queene of Scotland Which when shee had said and turned her about it was granted her to haue such of her Seruants as shee would nominate Then she named Meluine Bourgon her Physician her Apothecarie her Chyrurgion two of her Maides and some others of which Meluine carryed vp her traine Then the Noblemen the two Earles and the Sherife of the Shire going before she came to the Scaffold the which was built at the vpper end of the Hall vpon the which was a Chaire a Cushion and a Blocke all couered with blacke So soone as she was set and silence commanded Beal read the Warrant or Mandate to which she listened attentiuely as if it had beene some other thing Then Doctor Fletcher Deane of Peterborough made a large discourse of the condition of her life past and present and of the life to come Twice she interrupted him intreating him not to importune her Protesting that she was setled and resolued in the ancient Romane Catholike Religion and ready euen now to shed her blood for the same He vehemently exhorted her to be repentant and with an vndoubted Faith to put her whole trust and confidence in Christ But shee answered him That she had beene borne and brought vp in this Religion and was ready to die in the same Then the Earles saying they would pray for her Shee replied shee would giue them great thankes if they would pray together with her but to communicate in Praier with them which are of a different Religion were a scandall and great sinne Then they bade the Deane to pray with whom whilst the Assembly about him ioyned in Prayer Shee falling on her knees and holding the Crucifix betwixt her hands prayed in Latine with her owne people out of the Office of our blessed Lady After the Deane had ended his Praiers shee prayed in English for the Church for her Sonne and Elizabeth Queene of England beseeching God to turne his heauy wrath from this Iland and protesting as she held vp the Crucifix that she reposed her hope of Saluation in the blood of Christ Iesus shee called vpon the holy Company of Saints in Heauen to make intercession for her vnto him Shee forgaue all her enemies then kissing the Crucifix and making the signe of the Crosse she said As thy armes ôh Lord Iesu-Christ were spred forth vpon the Crosse so receiue me into the same armes of thy Mercy and pardon me my trespasses Then the Executioner asked forgiuenesse whom shee forgaue and her seruants she making haste tooke off her vpper garments crying and lamenting aloud yet neither by her kissing or crossing of them did she euer change her cheerfull countenance but bade them forbeare their womanish weeping saying That shee was at the end of all her calamities Likewise turning her selfe towards her other seruants most pitiously weeping she signed them with the signe of the Crosse and smilingly bade them all Adieu Then hauing a linnen cloth before her face and laid her head vpon the Blocke she recited the Psalme In thee O Lord haue I put my trust let mee not be confounded for euer Then stretching forth her body and many times together ingeminating these words Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit her Head at the second blow was cut off the Deane crying aloud and saying So perish all the Enemies of Queene Elizabeth to which the Earle of Kent answerd Amen so likewise did the people weeping Afterwards her body being imbalmed and solemnly made ready was with Princely Funerals interred in the Cathedrall Church of Peterborough And in Paris were her Obsequies in most magnificent manner also celebrated by the Guises who neither in her life omitted any offices of loue or kindred toward her nor yet after her death to their great land and glory Here you haue seen what was the lamentable end of the life of Mary Queen of Scotland daughter to Iames the Fift King of Scotland grand-childe to Henry the seuenth King of England by his elder daughter of 46. yeares of age and the 18. yeare of her imprisonment A woman most constant in her Religion of singular zeale and sanctimonie towards God of inuincible animositie and courage in wisedome aboue her Sexe of surpassing beautie and worthy to be recorded in the Catalogue of those Princes who of happy and prosperous became miserable and vnfortunate Being yet an Infant shee was with great sedulitie sought for both by Henry the eighth King of England for his sonne Edward and by Henry the second King of France for Francis the Dolphin Shee was sent into France at fiue yeares of age and at ten marryed to the Dolphine After the death of her husband returning into Scotland and being marryed to Henrie Lord Darley she had by him IAMES the First Monarch of Great Britanne Shee was persecuted by Murrey her base Brother and others her disloyall and ambitious subiects deposed from the Kingdome driuen into England circumuented as some worthy persons haue conceiued by certaine in England carefull for the retaining of their Religion and the preseruation of Queene Elizabeths life exposed into perilous attempts by others desirous of re-establishing the Romish Religion and brought to ruine by the intimations or witnesses of her absent Secretaries who as it is thought were corrupted with coine By her Tombe was fixed and soone after taken away this following Epitaph MARIA SCOTORVM REGINA REGIS FILIA REGIS GALLORVM VIDVA REGINAE ANGLIAE AGNATA ET HAERES PROXIMA VIRTVTIEVS REGIIS ET ANIMO REGIO ORNATA IVRE REGIO FRVSTRA SAEPIVS IMPLORATO BARBARA ET TYRANNICA CRVDELITATE ORNAMENTVM NOSTRI SECVLI ET LVMEN VERE REGIVM EXTINGVITVR EODEMQVE NEFARIO IVDICIO ET MARIA SCOTORVM REGINA MORTE NATVRALI ET OMNES SVPERSTITES REGES PLEBEII FACTI MORTE CIVILI MVLCTANTVR NOVVM ET INAVDITVM TVMVLI GENVS IN QVO CVM VIVIS MORTVI INCLVDVNTVR HIC ERAT CVM SACRIS ENIM DIVAE MARIAE CINERIBVS OMNIVM REGVM ATQVE PRINCIPVM VIOLATAM ATQVE PROSTRATAM MAIESTATEM HIC IACERE SCITO ET QVIA TACITVM REGALE SATIS SVPERQVE REGES SVI OFFICII MONET PLVRA NON ADDO VIATOR IN the lamentable death of this