Ieremy Vide domine quoniam tribulor subuersum est cor meum in memetipso quoniā amaritudine plenus sum And so might wee with all reason if it were not most noble and pious Prince that your Catholike and Royal hart is so reddy to helpe vs as all the world knoweth But now what maruel is it hauing here present your Maiestie our most gracious protector and refuge that forgetting the teares and complaintes which our banishment requireth we reioyce and be glad for your Maiesties felicity praysing God and giuing him infinite thankes for the great fauours and benefites he hath bestowed vpon you and saying with the Prophet Dauid Exaltare domine in virtute tùa Extol the powerful hand of the almighty that hath placed your Royall dignity as a strong forte against all the enimies of his holy Church and a refuge and comfort of all afflicted Catholikes in so much that where your Maiesty reigneth there Catholike religion and the faith of Christ florisheth for this most potent king we ar glad and reioice for your power and greatnes and can do no lesse but praise and thanke the eternal Maiestie of our sauiour that in so troublesome and daungerous a time hath prouided so sure a hauen for vs and for his Church ending the Psalme with the wordes of the Prophet Cantabimus psallemus virtutes tuas At the end of this Psalme the Prophet seemeth to inuite and oblige those that enioy the fauour and protection of the good king whom before he had described to sing and shew forth his excellencie and felicity and so the English students began a sweet and artificial song made after their country manner of musicke and the ditty in Spanish to the purpose which one of them standing betweene the two settes of instrumentes sung in sight of there Maiesties and the Inglish musicke with the Spanish ditty gaue extraordinary contentment to all and no lesse when on a soddaine they saw appeare in the pulpit the childe that in the beginning made the introduction to the tongues and so all were silent and attentiue to heare him and he perceiuing him selfe to be heard with fauour took hart and spake with much more audacity and better grace then in the beginning The conclusion and thankes to ther Maiesties In testimonie of the singular loue and affection which we do acknowledge and most humbly reuerence in your Maiesties this shall suffise to all the world that a childe dare presume and be so bold as to speake in presence of the Monarch thereof neuerthelesse who would not take hart and be encoraged with so especial fauour courtesie seing so great a Maiestie and highnes humble and include him selfe with in the straite and lowly wales of this poore Colledge of banished Catholikes only to honour and comfort them with his Royal presence And if the Bishops and Prelats of the Nicene counsail who had suffered in the defence of the same faith and religion that we professe receiued so great comfort with the loue and estimation which the most Christian and religious Emperor Constantine the great shewed them for the same respect not only embraceing them but most humbly kissing the markes and tookēs of the tormentes which they had suffered what ioy may your Maiestie thinke that my bretheren and companions doe receiue seing them selues so highly fauoured and honoured with so many signes of your singular affection and with the fauorable presence of the Queenes Maiestie wherewith we finde our selues much more animated then dismaied with the cruel persecutions of our country and if the like courtesy and loue shewed to these Seminaries by your fathers your Maiesties Royall clemencie in times past did so confirme and encourage them which receiued those fauours that they feared not to shead most valerously theire blood in the flower of theire youth for testimony and defence of the holy Catholike faith suffring cruel martirdome as well-nygh two hundred of our Priests haue done for the same cause and some of this Seminary since your Maiesties last being here eight yeares agoe to what victories then to what triumphes do these newe aboundant fauoures cal and inuite vs most courteous and religious Princes me thinkes I feel the blood boyling in my companions hartes offring it selfe to be shed for Iesu Christ for whose sake we see our selues this day so honoured of your Maiesties And if it shall please God to giue any of vs so good fortune our blood shall cry to heauen asking crownes of euerlasting rewarde for your Maiesties and in the earth proclaiming and publishing the Christian zeale and piety of the Catholike Kinges of Spaine The Estrich is of so grosse cruel condition that shee forsaketh her young ones before they come out of the shell but not without especial prouidence of god they are hatched and brought vp with the heat of the Sunne what els is our lamentable country but the same vnkinde Estrich which the prophet Ieremy lamenteth saying the daughter of my people is cruel like the Estrich in the wildernes that forsaketh her young ones before they be hatched so in this our desolation and banishment he nourisheth fauoureth and fostereth vs as a father who by office title is the Sunne of Spaine And if Moyses who after was to be the captaine of Gods people had good for tune as afore hath bin said when he was a childe that being cast into the water to perish he was found by the kinges daughter of Egipt by her adopted for her owne our good fortune is no lesse but grater then his to fall here into the handes of your Maiesties and in Flanders into the handes of the Infant of Spaine In times past Englād was beholding to Spaine for gold siluer pearles oyle wine and the like fruites of the earth but now for other fruites and riches much more pretious then gold or siluer the fruites of faith and Catholike religion and all kinde of vertues and ieuells of heauen Oh that the glorious troope of martirs of these Seminaries wold come downe to giue your Maiesties thankes for the fauours which in time of this so great necessity and persecution you shew to the Inglish Catholikes and bring you from heauen the ensignes and ornamentes of triumph which there are prouided for your maiesties in recompence of the education of so many martirs and the honor done to them vpon earth Oh that they would come and giue vp to your Maiesties handes the Palmes of victory glory now in your life time which shal be brought you when you depart out of this world I dare vndertake you would remaine contented we satisfied to see our duty and obligation in part discharged but seing this my desire taketh not effect I beseche most humbly the king of kinges in behalf of all my companions present absent that he vouchsafe to receiue your maiesties with as great loue and liberality in his kingdome as you haue receiued and fauored vs in yours for his sake
and fountaiue of liberalitie and to kisse that inuincible right hand of munificence which we haue tried almost before we could breathe And if the waters caried by theire owne naturall force and inclination finde passage thorow the earth by secret conductes and vaynes to the sea from whence they haue theire begining how gladly and with what ioy desire should we recurre to your Magestie the fountayne and Ocean sea of this great benefite and bountie out of which hath issued the spirituall life we liue and whence we haue receued the bloude which we hope hereafter to shed for Christe Cyrus King of Persia hauing brought Lysander the Lacedemonian into his garden and he marueling much at the multitude varietie and order of the trees there planted Cyrus began to glorie said all these I haue plāted with myne owne hādes to whom Lysander answered O happie king of the Persiās whose wisdō fortune so much fauoreth that in the very planting of trees he hath prosperous successe But with how much more truthe and reason may we say this of your Magestie most happie Monarche of the world who hath ioyned pietie with power and so great zeale of Religion with so large Dominion of so many kingdomes in fine that the comparison may in all be like hath set in this your garden of S. Omers not earthly fading but celestiall and eternal trees which of them selues sufficiētly declare with what wisdome and prouidence they were planted by your Magestie seing they grow vp and florish dayly more and more in learning and vertu and increase with incredible frute and desire of Martyrdome Behould then most mightie and fortunate Cyrus these my companions and in them a hundered and more Noble and vertuous youthes which remaine yet at S. Omers these younge and fresh flowers of faith these greene buddes of vertue come out of your garden these tēder plantes of Religion haue sprung vp in your Seminaries these are the frutes these the trees which your Magestie hath planted with your Royall and bountifull hand which you haue nourished with so great coste and watered with so abundant streames of pietie Alexander the great when he had freely bestowed amongste his frendes all he had being asked what he had kept for himself answered hope So your Magestie dothe not lose nor spend without purpose that which so bountifully you bestowe vpon the catholike children of England for you nourishe in them the hope of England the hope of publike peace and quietnes the hope of Religion to recouer to Christ that countrie almost lost And in what place soeuer we shall come we shal be witnesses and heraldes of your praises and not dumme and dead but liuely and speaking monuments of your liberalitie bountie we shal be as it were the vaines and conductes by which the sweete showers of your benefites being deriued shall stoppe the mouthes of your enemies and vainquish them not with armes but with this most rare and christian charitie which you shewe to vs strangers Camillus a Noble Emperour of the Romans beseiging the Phaliscos a certaine people in Italie and hauing in his handes all the noblemens sonnes deliuered to him by treason he suffered no rigor nor hostilitie to be vsed with them but with notable demonstration of iustice and clemencie sent them back safe and without hurt to their parentes Euen so O most mightie and courteous Prince we being deliuered to your Magesties power and mercie by the rigour of the heresie of England your Magestie doth as another Camillus receius vs with the same courtesie and bring vs vp with far greater benignetie loue and in fine after we are indued with pietie sufficiently adorned with vertue and learning you send vs backe-againe to healp our miserable countrie is it then possible that it can be so hard and stonie harted as not to be moued with this extraordinarie and vnaccustomed clemencie Surely if our countrie could be so ingratefull as we thinke it cannot yet notwithstanding no tyme nor forgetfullnes shal be able to extinguish this your Magesties glorie whose memorie and immortall benefites are so deepe grauen and rooted in the tender hartes of these children If England should still persiste and perseuer in heresie which God forbid yet in that case this bloud of ours which we haue dedicated in testimonie of the catholike faith will obtaine without doubt at the handes of the Allmightie iust recompence and euerlasting rewarde for this your Magesties most christian pietie and munificence The Kinge was very much pleased with this Oratiō willed the father to thanke the studentes in his behalfe and tolde him he had done wel to bring them to him that he was glad he had seene them and that with the next oportunitie he would see the rest at home in theire Colledge willed him to conduct them to the Quene But for that she was not then well at ease the Oration which the second had prouided for her Magestie was deferred Not long after the weather waxing more temperate so as the king without inconuenience might come to the Colledge for as much as it was erected by King Philippe the second father to your highnes and therefore so peculiarly his owne and the kinges Magesties that nowe is as no communitie in this Citie is theirs with more particular obligation it was thought conuenient that the Rector should kisse his Magesties hand acquaint him with some particularities that might giue him occasion of more comfort at his coming so the 17. of August after humble thankes for the speciall fauours which in all occasions he had shewed to this holy worke he gaue him accompt of some thinges of no small edification and glorie of God which had passed in space of fower yeares and more that he had bene resident in the Colledge and offering twice to break of his speach least he might be tedious both tymes the kinge willed him to goe forward giuing signes of contentment with that which he tolde him and in fine signified that shortly he would come to the Colledge and cause warning to be giuen before his coming A fewe dayes following the Duke of Lerma sent woord that theire Magesties would be at the Colledge vpon S. Bernards day the 20. of August and at the self same tyme the Duchesse of Lerma chiefe Chamberlaine to the Queene sent woord likewise that the other scholler whose oration was deferred by reason of her Magesties indisposition might now come and haue audieuce and the next morning a coche was sent from the Pallace where in the younge Orator with seuen others in his company was carried who both in stature and in yeares was lesser then the former that spake to the kinge although in his behauiour and deliuery of his speech he was nothing inferiour nor lesse greatefull to the hearers He acknowledged humble duty to her Magestie in behalf of the Colledge from whence he came desiring her protection and fauour and for that
cuelgan afrentoso Y el pecho abierto el coraçon â—â—cado Viuo le desquartizan y el gozoso Sufre carcel cadenas sogasy grillos Eculeos horcas fuegos y cuchillos Seminario Anglicano al alto cielo Da gracias por auer de ti salido Quien con su sangre illustra el patrio suelo Y a ti dexa con ella ennoblecido Y muriendo en el campo del duelo Al enemigo dexa en el vencido Ganando en tan inclita victoria Fama en la tierra y en el cielo gloria Vnder this picture was opened a great dore to the schooles of the Colledge where the musike stoode On both sides of the dore were seates couered with silke and a sett of violes which the Earle of FuensaldanÌ„a bestowed some yeares a goe vpoÌ„ the Colledge with bookes of musike and betweene the twoe seates a payre of Virginales of an excellent sound that Don Francisco de Reynoso Bishop of Cordoua gaue to this Church to accompany the other instruments which the schollers vse with great dexteritie in the solemnities of Masse and Euensong vpon feastiuall dayes which they sing with no lesse deuotion and proprietie of Ecclesiasticall ceremonies as the Institution and statutes of these Seminaries ordayne The hanginges of the afore saide hall were sett rounde about with ingenious hietogliphickes verses in Latine Spanish other languages whereof the one half were composed in prayse of the king the other of the Queene In the same manner was dressed all the waye that the king was to passe from the Church to the great hall with Emblemes Epigrammes Elegies and Lyricke verses and amongst the test was one famous Poeme wherein Religion asked of God the armes wherewith the Archangell S. Michaell coÌ„quered the dragon that with the same the king might also conquere him and banish him out of all his countries dominions This Poeme for the arte and inuention wherewith it was composed was much maruelled at much desired but because it was so long contayning aboue fowerhundred verses it could not well be printed here The rest of the verses were of the kings coming to the Colledge to giue him thankes for the fauours which both he and his father had shewed to this worke and to signifie the ioye and comforte which the studentes conceiued to see them selues in this theire banishmeÌ„t and solitude visited and so much fauoured by so potent and Catholike Princes Among these verses there were but fewe in Spanish because the recollection wherewith the schollers liue doth not suffer them to haue so much vse of the language as is required for verses and because this feast should be onely theirs as was intended by theire Magesties whose meaning was to be receiued and feasted only by them The Latine verses were many in number and so full of varietie good inuention that diuers persons of the most learned of this vniuersitie were importunate to haue them all printed but because it is not meete to trouble your highnes with a volume and on the other side for as much as they were the principall parte of the feast and therefore are not wholy to be omitted I haue chosen out some fewe of the shortest that by them your highnes may make iudgement of the rest Some of the verses made in the English Colledge of Valladolid to congratulate theire Magesties comming Hierogliphicks vpon the kings armes THere was drawen in colours a castell and in it were lodged certaine Inglish students in their collegial habite one had in his hand a Pomegranat with this posie Pastus an other the goulden fleece with this posie Vestis A lyon which is also parte of the armes kept the castel gate with this title Custos ouer the castel an eagle which is an other coate soringe in the ayre caried one of the schollers with this title Dux in Caelum and the whole picture was compassed about with this posie Philippus nobis omnia in omnibus Arx praebet tutam miseris fugientibus aedem Dant granata cibos aurea lana tegit Custodit vigilatque leo vehit ales ad astra Quae phrygium puerum vexerat ante Ioui Diues hic est clipaeus rerum the saurus abundans Nilque deest miseros quod reuelare queat Arx recipit vellus vestit granataque pascunt Nos Leo custodit ducit ad astra Aquila Viue diu Princeps fortunatissimè nobis Arx Vellus granata Leo Iouis armiger ales Hospitium vestis pastus vigil author ad astra An other vpon the same armes There was drawen an eagle in the aire and the birdes doing her homage as to there Queene next was a Lion on the earth whome the other beasts acknowledged for there kinge then after a shippe sayling in the sea which had in the sterne in the flagges and sayles painted the golden fleece and fishes gathered a bout it with thes verses Ecce tibi Leo magnanimus Regina volucrum Quaeque tulit Colcha vellus ab vrbe ratis Magnammum metuunt animalia cuncta Leonem Et volucres Aquilam caecula turba ratem Ergo tibi parent volucres animalia pisces Omnia quae caelum terra salumque tenent Erige te Princeps regna immensa tuere Imperijs desunt sydera sola tuis An other vpon the whole armes of Spaine which these verses Haeres magnanimi patris qui gentis Iberae Sceptra per innumeros missa tueris Auos Quot titulos clipeo tot iunge in pectore laudes Et noli a proauis degenerare tuis Religio turrim te sentiat atra Leonem Haeresis niueae Lilia pacis amae Lilia granatis coniunge salubribus vt sic Aspicias patriae crescere gentis opes Imbuat vltrices infidus Persa sagittas Et cadat ante tuos Turcia victa pedes More Aquilae terras contemne in aethera surge Sola decent pennas sydera celsa tuas Arx iustis Leo sacrilegis Flos candido Iberis Terror Turcarum numinis ales aue Harum virtutum accessu tua gloria crescet Vt silicum attritu feruida flamma micat Hae tibi sydeream texent super astra coronam Hae tibi in teris vellera fulua dabunt The self same armes were in an other place in their colours with this explication Lilia quidue Aquilae Granatum Castra Leones Ostendunt quis sit clare Philippe not ant Lilia spem speras dum spiras candida signant Quis decor internus exteriorque tibi Regia quid vastum scandens per inane volucris Quonam animus tend at magne Philippe not at Imperij regimen Granatuui iuraque monstrat Inclusos castrum nos tua dextra tegit Quid vigilans fortisque Leo tua robora sentit Hostis excubias sedula cura not at Vpon the armes of the Kingdome of Castile There were painted the armes of Castile alone with some English schollers in the castels and ouer them this posie hic hospitamur and ouer the lions hic defendimur Hospitium
Citie and in all places were receiued with so great preparation specially in the vniuersitie fower dayes before that after so Royal entertainmentes this Colledge did feare not without reason to appeare in theire Magesties presence but that the litle gift of the widow so much esteemed and commended for the good will and affection wherewith she gaue it did encorage the studentes to doe the best they could and so all thinges were put in order as aboue hath bene said wher vpon S. Bernards day which fell vpon a sunday at two a clock in the afternoone came to the Colledge 24. of the Kings Garde with theire sargeant who presently deuided the soldiars at the gates with expresse order that none should enter because their Magesties would that day enioy the Colledge alone and a litle after came the lieutenant of the Garde who placed likewise other soldiars in all the roomes which were hung with verses with charge to keepe them as they did that none were wanting The Steward of the kings howse and some other officiers and gentlemen of the Pallace vnderstanding that his M. would see the schollers chambers and the manner of theire habitation came before as the custome is and were much delited with the order and commoditie to see that neither there was wāt of any thing necessarie nor any thing superfluous but as the widow had prouided for the Prophet Elizeus a bed a table a chaire a light so they had euery one all that was commodious for his studies and rest without want or excesse About fiue a clocke or a litle after came theire Magesties to the Colledge in signe of more confidence and good will without theire accustomed garde notwithstanding they had diuers companyes both on foote and horse lodged in the Citie which comonly wayte vpon them when they goe abroade The studentes expected them in the Church in two rankes from the doore to the high altar and the Prouinciall of the Societie being at the same tyme by chaunce in the Citie accompanyed with two Priestes of the Colledge and reuested as the manner is in such solemne receiuinges attended theire Magesties at the Church doore who at theire enterance hauing receiued holy water and kneeling downe vpon two cushens of cloth of gold which theire chaplens had there prouided adoted the Crucifix which the father offered them with so great reuerence and deuotion as the English students there present were much moued to see it who as diuers of them afterwardes did confesse reioyced exceedingly to see those two Monarkes of the world prostate themselues and adore with so great pietie the Image of our Sauiour for whose cause and Religion they see them selues in banishment theire parentes robbed and imprisoned and many of their frendes persecuted and afflicted In the meane tyme others of the students aboue in the quire sang Te Deum laudamus in theire accustomed Ecclesiastical Musike which contented so much as the Duke of Lerma and other noble men that came with the king thought the singers had bene procured frō abroad but vnderstanding that it was the ordenarie musike of the Colledge and onely the studentes receiued double contentment to heare it much more when at the entrance it was told them that nothing was borrowed that day to receiue theire Magesties but onely the hanginges The King and the Queene coming to the high altar remained there kneeling while the priest ended the versicles and prayer accustomed to be sung in the like receiuing of Princes and after they rose on foot and viewed the images of the three Inglish martyrs vpon the high altar which I mencioned before and the Queene maruailing at the pictures which were in the hanginges of the church the king told her they were the tormentes where-with the heretikes put to death the martyrs in England Before they departed vnderstanding that the Relique which stood vpō the Altar was flesh of the glorious Martyr S. Alban that had endured without corruption aboue 12. hūdred yeates they both kneeled downe againe with great reuerence and the Queene besides her cushen vpon the ground to adore it as they did both with so particular affect and deuotion as I must needes confesse to your highnes I was moued aboue measure to see it and diuers others there present as after-wardes I vnderstood no lesse then I with the same consideration how king Hentie the 8. of England distroyed the holy Reliques of the glorious Martyr S. Thomas of Canterburie the honor of his kingdome and nation seing the pietie and reuerence wherewithal our Catholike kinges did kysse and adore the Relique and flesh of this holy Martyr of a forrayne countre and kingdome As they passed out of the church the schollers who were all in order placed rounde about the first court made altogether a low reuerence and afterward by two and two went forward into the hall prepared as I haue said aboue for theire Magesties who passing a long veiwed with attention the Hietogliphicks and pictures and seamed to receiue contentment with the varietie and inuention and passing on further when the king saw them continue all the way as he went in such diuersitie number for they were aboue 270. he commaunded they should all be kept and brought him to the Palace for that he would see them at leysure as he did VVhen he entered the hall the Musicians in the other roome adioyning deuided onely with a curtayn began to play vpon theire vials and virginals a very graue and pleasant song of eight partes till theire Magesties and those that came in theire company were set the schollers stood betweene the cloth of estate and the musike in there rankes or companies on the one side stood the Poetes and Rhetoricians on the other the Philosophers and in the middest the Priests diuines And that they might be the better discerned the first ranke was of the least in the second were those of middle stature and in the third the tallest and the modestie and composition of all was such as theire Magesties did particularly note it and were not a litle edified to see together so many young youthes banished for theire fidelitie to God and theire Religion who altedy had offered vp theire labors studies and liues for the conuersion of theire Countrie liuing in collegial discipline with that example which theire very presence did declare and with so great puritie and innocencie of life as strangers of different nations continuall witnesses of all theire actions doe testifie of so rare talents as the verses and ingenious inuentions a bout the walls of the Colledge did shewe and in fiue of so good education and parentage as might be seen in theire persons countenance and behauiour in so much as diuers Noblemen there present moued with this spectacle did wish they could bring vp theire children in the same māner therefore diuers principall persons of this real me haue procured very ernestly and with great offers to haue theire sonnes brought
he liued in these our dayes to see not onely philosophers men of ripe age but children of so tender yeares as this many others to passe the seas in so great and manifest labours and daungers as they doe to come to this and the other Seminaries onely to learne and conserue the Catholike faith and with so difficult a purpose to retorne to teach it in there country where it must cost them so deare as the world knoweth and all this without any temporall hope or commodity to them selues and therefore with a far more excellent and glorious end then was that of the Philosopher This youth being in the pulpet and haueing made low reuerence to there Maiesties begonne in Spanish this breefe speech or Preface that followeth The Preface to the ten tonges THe holy ghoste hauing with singular prouidence determined to bring the whole world to the kingdome of Christe and that his name glory should he published through-out the earth by the holy Colledge of the Apostles gaue them for this end diuers tonges and languages that with them his greatnes and excellencie might more easily be made knowne to all nations accordinge to this we fyndinge our selues most highly bound and obliged to your Maiesties and desiring to declare our gratitude to the whole world haue endeuoured to imitate this paterne and example of the holy ghost with desire if your Maiesties giue vs leaue to signifie in diuers tonges and in the best manner we can that which we shal neuer be able sufficiently to expresse of our owne obligation nor of your Maiesties greatnes both which the Prophet Dauid hath combined in one and most liuely described in the twenteth Psalme which Psalme made by a king and meant of the king of kinges dooth in such manner lay before vs the benedictions which your Maiesties haue receaued of God to Heroical and Royal vertues wherewith you procure to imitare the soueraine kinge the Prophet and true paterne of kinges of whome the Psalme speaketh that all that in it is sayed may very fitly be applied to you as shal appeare in the discourse which we wil prosecute in ten different languages obseruing the breuitie due to your Maiesties presence and begin which the Spanish as the most familiar and best knowne that it may open the way and after serue to enterpret the rest The Queene and some other ladies of the court by a certaine occasiō had some dayes before heard of this litle youth and so were desirous to see him and heard him with extraordinary contentment and applause and the Psalme chosen in the opinion of all that were present fitted maruailously well the intent and obligation of the tyme and place and so presently there went vp to the pulpet another student brought vp in the Seminaryes since he was six yeares old who with all the rest that followed obserued the selfe same manner of curtesy makeing first a low reuerence downe to the bottome of the pulpet and the like as often as they spake to there Maiesties and so accompaning his speach as the rest also did with graue and modest action begonne the first vearse of the Psalme and the explication in Spanish that followeth Domine in virtute tua laetabitur Rex super salutare tuum exultabit vehementer Psal 20. The Inglish of the Spanish tongue The propet Dauid in the beginning of this Psalme discouereth two fountaines from whēce floweth the trew ioy comfort of all kinges the first is in virtute tua laetabitur Rex The king which putteth his trust and confidence not in his owne wisdome nor in his treasures not in his forces strength but in the power and protectiō of almighty God findeth him self so potent that no contrarie successe can dismay him so rich that he fealeth no want of gold or siluer so armed that he feareth not enimyes though neuer so many and so strong that he liueth alwaies in prosperity and comfort without feare for though the world and all they that trust therein be subiect to changes and that dayly experience doth shew yet he that trusteth in God is sure to stand and to enioy endlesse and vnspeakable comfort A second greater consolation which this our king may expect Dauid saith issueth from the same fountaine is that he procuring the saluation of soules and to propagate not so much his owne dominions as the kingdome of Christ our sauiour he giueth him parte of his owne felicity and ioy as to a companion partaker of his enterprise in the world and so saieth the prophet that this ioy and consolation shal be most aboundant Es super salutare tuum exaltabit vehementor O how great thinges may your maiesties hope for at gods handes sith your trust in him and your holy zeale to inlarge the Catholike Religion is so great that you haue not put non plus vltra in Spaine but extend it beyond the fardest seas to the east and west and to the north from whence we come to see and reuerence this new Salomon finde his wisdome and vertues to be more then same did tel vs. Enlarge then o happy and fortunat Spaine the foldes of thy hart for thy ioyes shal increase like the sea drowne thearin the enimies of the Catholike church These two proprieties of the good king the prophet Dauid followeth in this Psalme which shal be declared brefly to your maiesties in ten tounges where of som are profesled in this Seminary to the end that those which ar not vnderstode may notwithstanding be gratfull to the hearers I shall declare them with the breuitie I can and so I ende the Spainsh with these wordes of the holie ghost Beata terra cuius Rex nobilis est Blessed is that country and happy art thou o Spaine which hast a king of so noble a minde and of so high and holy cogitations This explication of the first verse being ended the student went downe and placed him selfe below neare the pulpit ouer against ther maiesties to declare the toūges that should neede interpretation Here I could certifie your highnes of some circumstances of particular contentment and edification concerning the other nine studentes that followed but not to be tedious to your highnes I will heere passe in silence diuers thinges worthy to be knowen and come to the second that spoke in the Hebrew tonge who obseruing the natural guttural pronuntiation of that language expounded the second verse of the Psalm which followeth The Hebrew Desiderium cordis eius tribuisti ei voluntate labiorum eius non fraudasti eum Although the tounge in it selfe was so harde to be vnderstood neuerthelesse with the conuenient actions he gaue it and the reuerences he made to there Maiesties when he spake vnto them lifting vp his eyes to heauen when he mentioned God and other actions which in parte signified what he spake but specially with hope of the interpretatiō promised notwithstanding it might be
as in these young yeares you striue to excel him neither can we feare the continuance of your prosperity which we so much desire and pray for seing the constancy of your pietie and religiō Therefore tuurning vs to God we may very well say of your Maiesty that which the Prophet hath said in this verse Vitam petijt à te tribuisti ei longitudinem dierum in seculum saeculi he hath asked life and thow hast giuen it him abounding with wisdome riches and glory in this world we hope your Maiesty shal receiue in heauen euerlasting life and length of daies for euer and euer The Cornish tongue Magna est gloria eius in salutare tuo gloriam magnum decorem impones super eum In this tongue spake a young man borne in that parte of England which is toward Britanny and the language is as far different from the English as here in Spaine the Biscay tongue from that of Castile and hath a certaine grace and reddynes of speach not vnlike to that of the Biscaies his speach was short he deliuered it very well The Interpreter He hath said in his language that many men pretēde glorie and honor but few do find it because the most parte of men seeke it where it is not in vaine ostentatiō and in the deceitfull shew of the world and so at length see them selues deceiued for trew honour is to be found only in vertue and trew religion where your Catholike Maiesties seeke it and therefore it followeth you as the shadow followeth the body of him that goeth towards the Sunne The English One of the students spake in his natural language with great liuelynes eloquence and proprietie of action and vsed so significant wordes diuers of them correspondent to the latine as the most parte of that he spake was vnderstood and for his theame he took the verse following Quoniam dabis ei in benedictionem in seculum seculi laetificabis cum in gaudio cum vultu tuo The Interpreter He hath said in Inglish that this eternal benediction which the Prophet Dauid foretelleth in this verse promiseth to a good king is no other then to defend propagate and encrease the Christian religion which is the greatest dignity and honor that God almighty hath bestowed vpon your Maiesties For the other blessings you haue receiued as the foyson of the earth the treasure of your kingdomes and all other temporal commodities vanish a way as the dew strucken with the Sunne beames but this other benediction is immoueable and permanent like to the Sunne it selfe The welsche tongue In this tongue spake a Preist borne in that Prouince who not long after was to go into England and had for his theame these two verses following Quoniam Rex sperat in Domino in misericordia altissimi non commouebitur Inueniatur manus tua omnibus inimicis tuis dextera tua inueniet omnes qui te oderunt He deliuered his speach so deuoutly and confidently as if he had had commission from heauen to promise the good successe he fore-told to there Maiesties and his presence countenance and action moued all to deuotion more those that knew him The Interpreter He hath said in welsh that this king hauing for his armes and sheild the mercie of God shal infallibly subdue all his enemyes The Flemmish He that spake in flemmish in his pronunciation and manner of speaking seemed a natural flemming and had for his theame this verse that followeth Pones cos vt clibanum ignis in tempore vultus tui dominus in ira sua conturbabit eos deuorabit eos ignis The Interpreter He hath said in flemmish that one great point of excellency and dignity of this king is that he hath the same cause the same enimies and the self same punishment for them which God hath prepared for his enemies in hel The French tongue The French tongue was very wel liked partly for that the youth spake it with the naturall pronunciation of the language and partly because his Maiesty vnderstandeth it wel and him selfe did interpret to the Queene the substance of that which was said and so there was no neede of interpretter heere not for the latin and Italian tōgue The French had for this theame this verse following Fructum eorum de terra perdes semen eorum à filijs hominum This verse of the twenteth Psalme of the prophet Dauid most puisant Monarch of the world which at this time I haue taken to discourse vpon may seeme very fit for this purpose to declare and set forth your inexplicable diligence in withstanding subduing and rooting out heresy and this not only in your owne kingdomes and dominions where no heretike dare appeare or lift vp his head but also in the countries about you Fructum eorum de terra perdes semē eorum à filijs hominū you doe extirpat and root out there fruite that is the vices discordes proceeding from there wicked doctrine reducing there seede to the Catholik faith by your care and solicitude in testimony where-of may be aleaged the peace concluded in france the continuall wars in Flanders and most of all our miserable country of Englād towards the which your loue and affection alwayes hath bin now is so great that no tongue is able to declare it for besides your great vigilance care taken to conclude amity and peace after so long war which only heresy hath caused and continued who can sufficiently admire your Maiesties fauour more then humaine in erecting and maintayning not only two colledges here in Spaine this that of Siuil but also two others in Flanders the one at Doway the other at S. Omers as it were fower spiritual bulwarkes fortresses to represse and subdue the malice of the heretikes and as a holsome hearbe calleth Brittanica to chase a way put to flight those venemous serpentes the infernal spitites that haue infected and poisoned England with heresy wherefore very wel may this verse be applied to your maiestie Fructum eorum de terra perdes semen eorum à filijs hominum The Italian tongue The Italian with the sweetnes of the tongue it self the good grace that the orator gaue it seemed wel chosē for the last verse of the Psalme because it agreeth with the Latin and Spanish it was vnderstood of all and needed no interpreter his theame was this Exalt are domine in virtute tua cantabimus psallemus virtutes tuas Although the rest of the Psalme fitteth so well the time and place as your Maiestie hath heard yet may it seeme that this last verse maketh not so much for our purpose seing the Catholike Church our mother so afflicted our most deare country so ouerrun with heresies that the wicked triumph and the faithful suffer our parents and freindes robbed imprisoned tormented and cruelly mattered VVho considering this wil not iudge that we should rather cry out with the Prophet
know his error and acknowledged the true God so by the very same meanes God is glorified with the constancie of these Inglish youthes who break through so many dangers and perils because they wil not adore and follow the Idol of heresie erected in their country but rather labour to reduce it to the knowledge and obedience of the true Catholike Church The reasons and motiues which the Earle of Ponion Rostro Don Francisco Arias de Bouadilla of the Kinges Councel general gaue to the counsail of the inquisition to the counsail Real of Castilla to the counsailes of Italy the Indies and the crowne of Aragon and to the Iunta de Cortes de Castilla which in Spaine is as the lower house of the parlament in Ingland in behalfe of the English Seminary of Valladolid in April 1600. IT appeareth sufficiently how relgious and honorable a work the foundatiō of the Inglish seminaries in these kingdomes hath bin how worthy they ar to be fauored as wel by the great priuileges which his holynes hath giuē them as by the special fauours which our soueraine the Catholike king that now is the glorious memory of his father haue done them with more then heroical liberality piety at the very times when by piracy oftē inuasions of other Inglishmen theire kingdomes subiects were most endamaged declaring therewith the excellency of this work and that they had prudently considered the important reasons why it should be fauored The same likewise may be confirmed by the testimony of Cardinal Baronius one of the greatest most learned writers of this age who speaking of these seminaries saith that this age of ours is most fortunat in that it hath deserued to bring forth so many holy preists crowned as he saith with more noble crownes of martirdō thē that of S. Thomas of Canterbury seing they died not only with the same constancy for the defence of the ecclesiastical liberty as that renowmed martir did but also to cōserue and restore the Catholique faith in theire coūtry concludeth with these words let my soule depart saith he in company of these iust and glorious champions Botius also a learned and graue author in his booke of the markes of the trew Church of God recounteth these Inglish Seminaries for a most euidēt testimony proofe that our religion is founded in the truth seing it indueth those that professe it with such courage and inuincible fortitude Boterus an other author no lesse graue and learned commendeth this work as one of the most glorious that hath bin in the church of God since the Apostles time Lastly the Bishop of Tarazona that wrote the history of Ingland other prelats men of authority and great numbers of wise and learned men of these kingdomes qualifie this worke for the most noble marke and blason in matter of faith religiō that our kingdom of Spaine this day enioyeth Although any one of these testimonies were sufficient to declare the qualitie of this holy worke yet for that many principal persons haue so great estimation and desire of the continuance and increase therof as they perswade themselues the wāt of sufficēt notice to be the only cause why it is not generaly fauored and furthered of all I haue thought good to lay downe certain particular reasons motiues wher in is discouered the quality of the worke reducing them to three heades the first of piety and religiou the secōd of Christian nobility and honor and the third of commodity Motiues of piety The first motiue and the most general is that to help these seminaries is to sustaine with temporal almes the faith of Christ the spiritual good of a kingdō which so dependeth of the labours and industry of these Priests brought vp in these Seminaries that if they failed the vtter ruine and decay of Religion in that natiō would follow And therefore if it be an act of piety to repare the ruines of material temples and ransome any one Christian from the captiuitie of infidels it must needes be a far greater to build the Church of Christ and redeeme from the tyranny of heretiks these vertuous young-men of whose safety dependeth the saluatiō of so many soules in theire country as after-ward by theire meanes shal come to know and imbrace the Catholike Religion The second is that this kingdome which we succour was the first that in the whole world publiquely professed the faith of Christ and for this respect is called the first childe of the Church and the dowry of our blessed lady and in it flowrished afterwards the same faith for more then a 1000. yeares togeither in which time it brought forth many holy kinges Queenes Bishops and other glorious saintes and Martirs And lost not the profession of this faith so longe kept by any fault of the people or corruption of manners and euil life as in other countries hath hapned but by the miserable fall and infortune of King Henry the 8. and some of his children as to the world is euident by the continual resistance which the Inglish Catholikes haue made so many yeares to heresie neuer giuing it one houre of peaceable possession though it haue cost them theire bloud which they haue shed with so great constancy and courage as highy edifieth and astonisheth the whole Church of God to see it The third and more particular is that the Catholikes for whose succour and comfort these Priests are brought vp are on the one side the most afflicted with so long and rigorous a persecution and on the other the most approued with patience and longanimity and the people to whome the profession of theire religion costeth more deare them to any other nation in the world The fourth and not the least is the purity and integrity of life of these lawdable youngmen and the many tallents and graces wherewith God almighty enricheth them and the account and estimation which they haue of the holy dignitie of preisthood for which many of them renounce their inheritance which is more to be admired after they be Priests notwithstanding they know that many of theire companions sent from the Seminaries in particular from this of Valladolid are at this present in prison and that others haue bin cruelly tormented and others vnmercifully put to death by the heretiks and that the diligence which they vse in their pursute is incredible Yet for all this they are not a whit dismaid nor seeke occasiōs to spend theire time in other countries more then is necessary to furnish them selues with learning but procure to hasten theire mission to England as much as in them lyeth departing after with so great alacrity courage and comfort that they leaue theire companions and those that send them ful of admiration and holy desirs to beare them company in theire glorious entreprise The first reason is that the end and institution of these Seminaries is like vnto that which our Sauiour Christ Iesus purposed
to him selfe who as himself declareth principaly descended from heauen to recouer the lost sheepe of the house of Israel his country where he was accused by the princes and elders of his owne people as a traytor and tumultuous person that sowed sedition trobled the common wealth and that according to their lawes was guilty of death The same in proportion is the institution and end of these Seminaries and of the same crimes are the students and Preists wrongfully accused by the Inglish heretikes who likewise haue made vniust lawes against them vnder colour whereof they cōdemne them to death lastly our Sauiour Iesus Christ was apprehēded imprisoned disgraced crucified put to death in his owne country and by his owne people for hauing procurtd theire saluation and for the like causes ar these Preists put in prison slandred tormented condemned and put to death in Ingland imitating that eminent and supreme degree of charity to the which S. Iohn exhorteth vs Quoniam ille animam suam posuit pro nobis nos debemus pro fratribus animas ponere that as Christ offred his life for our saluation so should wee according to his example spend freely our bloud to saue our bretheren The sixt is the great consolation which these Priests receiue at theire returne to Ingland when they finde many of theire schoolefellowes and equales brought vp and infected with heresie only for want of the benefit of these Seminaries which they haue enioyed whereby of force must increase in them affects of gratitude to theire benefactors and theire care dubbled to recommend them to almighty God of whose names to this end they carry particular memory when they departe in their missions remaining their perpetual chaplaines during their liues and if they dy in defence of the faith theire bloud wil aske reward for them that brought them vp with so greath charity as the bloud of Abel cried vengance at Gods hands against his Brother Caine that violently shed it Motiues of honor and Christian nobility The first motiue is that this worke discouereth and commendeth greatly to all the world the true Christian nobilitie of Spaine and of the Catholiques of Ingland whereof these Seminaries shal be perpetual witnesses to al ages following seeing the very walles of the Colledge testifie to our posterity this new and straing exāple of piety religion that being actual exercise of war betweene these twoo nations these of Ingland send their children with so great confidence and no lesse peril and dainger to be brought vp in Spaine and that heere they are receiued so louingly and intreated so honorably as if they were our owne children a thing so vnsual amongst other nations in like cases that neither the memories of men nor histories record the like and is an euident argument of the great opinion which Ingland hath conceiued of the Heroycal sincerity and Christianity of Spaine seing the heretikes feare vs so much and the Catholikes so confidently rely vpon vs in theire necessities which if no other respect were doeth oblige vs in honor to maintaine conserue and increase this holy worke and to commend to al eternity the glorious memory thereof The second is that this fauour and succour is done to persons of good patentage for such they are that ordinarily come to these Seminaries who to conserue theire faith haue left theire country freindes and tēporal commodities in the flower of theire age whē others carlesly neglect theire saluation labor not only to saue their owne but also othermēs soules taking vpon thē in theire youth the same entreprise which in riper yeares the holy Apostles vndertooke and others theire followers which first planted the saith in these and other kingdomes of Christendome and here in the Seminaries these bind them selues by solemne oth to reduce theire country to the Catholike Church or to loose theire liues in the action which they accomplish so faithfully that in these few yeares almost 200. Priests haue bin put to death for defence of this glorious quarel and so their aduersaries are more afraid of this spiritual war then of any enimy how powerful so euer and they haue reason for here Christ is the Captaine and the war is not against the bodyes but against the vnderstandinges and corrupted wils of the deceiued and so as we see they go for-ward conquering distroying and making hauock of hetesy and putting to flight the enemyes of truth which no way are able to resist them and the great solicitude and extraordinary diligence wherewith theire followers and instruments procure to aprehended these Priests seruing rather for a signe then for a remidy of theire feare discouereth the infinite wisdome of God who with a few children wageth such irresistable war against the Princes and powers of darknes The third is that if it were great reputation and honor for vs our natiō by force of armes to deliuer the realm of Inglād from heresy it wil be more honorable to reduce it to the catholck church by these other meanes of spiritual souldiours whome we bring vp for this purpose The fourth is that if heretikes for a vaine imaginatiō of infernal honor ioyn handes and succour one an other as hath bin seene in the Hugonots of Fraunce the Protestantes of Almany the continual supply both of mony and men which these of Ingland for many yeares together haue sent to the heretikes of Scotland and Fraunce to the rebels of Flanders sparing no cost nor labor by which the wicked estate of heresy might be vpholdē it is most iust that the kingdomes of Spain which God hath blessed and renowmed aboue all other naions with purity and integrity of faith should haue far greater respect of this most Christian honor and esteeme it more in procuring to maintaine healp conserue the Catholik faith where it is alreddy or to restor it in those coūtries wher it hath perished and specially in Ingland which hath suffred with so great constancy so long and grecuous a persecution for defence of theire faith Motiues of temporal commodity The infinit wisedom of god hath so disposed the affaires of Spain and knit them so together with the procedinges of Ingland that the tranquility security weale publick of the one wholy dependeth of the others cōuersion for as long as heresy shal beare sway in Inglād so long wil continew the insolēt desperat dangerous practises wherewith they molest vs our countries this cōuersion it semeth God wil haue brought to passe by the ordinary meanes of preaching his holy gospel to the end al the glory may be his seing these Priests of the Seminaries haue so prosperous successe and reaped so aboundant fruit in their missions with the example of theire patience and constancy in their prisons torments and death it self with theire zeale care and diligence in the administratiō of the holy Sacraments and propagation of the truth of which plentiful haruest and continual increase of faith religion wee need no other testimony then the great cōfiscations and summes of mony which the Catholike recusantes pay euery yeare to the Queene to be deliuered frō going to the heretical seruice the many young gentlemen of not able talents which cōtinualy come to the Seminaries as sparkles of fire that fly out of that fornace of faith which God hath miraculously kindled in that kingdome where so great a number of Preists ar allredy imployed and others enter of fresh euery day and yet the Catholikes are not content but continualy cry out for more in so much that if wee could send as many as they desire and haue neede of wee should see in few yeares the conuersion of that country withal enioy the security and prosperity of these kingdomes the rest of our dominous that wee enioyed before the breach of Ingland which ioyned againe with vs in peace concord which wil neuer be durable without conformity of religion we may expect the auncient trafick again and good correspondence so profitable to both partes as the want thereof these yeares past doeth declare and to renew establish againe this confederation and freindshippe there cannot be found any other agents or solicitours so fit as these Preists brought vp in the Seminaries who as they cannot lose the natural loue to theire country so can they not but carry allwaies most tender and gratfull affection to that which nourished and brought them vp in theire tender yeares so as the fruit of theire labors infallibly wil be in fine the conclusion of true and stable peace so much desired of both parts wherewith we shall possesse security in our coasts and excuse the infinite charges spent euery yeare in the conuoy of our Indian fleetes The rebels of Flandres wil be forced to yeild seing that without the succour of England they haue neither courage nor force to maintaine theire rebellion The necessity and charges of Armados wil be ended and finally the spiritual good of that kingdom would redowne both to the spiritual and temporal commmodity of this These be the reasons and motiues which this good noble man set downe gaue to the Counsailes aboue said in behalf of the Inglish Seminaries and those which are brought vp in them with so laudable exāple as the world seeth and partly may be gathered by these relations And the memorie of these so good children must needes comfort and encorage in theire absence so Catholike parents which not only suffer for thesame faith with patient emprisonment and losse of theire goods but also depriue them selues of the ioy and comfort which parents receiue by the presence and sight of theire children for the glory of Christ and good of theire country the memory therefore of so noble parents and children shal alwayes flowish in the Church and giueth vs great hope that this longe and rigourous winter of theire persecution shal soone haue an end and a peaceable and pleasant spring-time arise and that after this dark night of heresie and sinne that hath couered the auncient bewty and glory of that country the bright Sunne of Catholike Religion shal retourne againe which our Lord Iesu of his infinit mercy bring to speedy effect Amen