was the first Firebrand who kindled that lamentable and long War wherein the Netherlanders traded above fifty years in bloud For intending To increase the number of Bishops To establish the Decrees of the Council of Trent and to destroy the Power of the Council of State composed of the Natives of the Land by making it appealable to the Council of Spain and by adding to the former Oath of Allegiance many particulars for settling the Bloudy Spanish Inquisition and curbing their Consciences in matters of Religion These harsh unreasonable and Illegal Invasions upon their Civil and Religious Rights and Liberties were the first occasions of those dreadful Broyls and Devastations which after happened To appease which Ambassadors were dispatched to Spain from the Netherlands whereof the two first came to violent Deaths the one being beheaded and the other poysoned but the two last Count Egmond and Horn were still fed with false hopes till Philip the second had prepared an Army under the Conduct of the D. of Alva to compose the difference by Arms For as soon as he came to the Government he established the Bloet-Rad as the Hollanders termed it or Council of Bloud made up most of Spaniards Count Egmond and Horn were apprehended and afterward Beheaded Citadels were erected and the Oath of Allegiance with the Political Government of the Countrey in divers things altered This powered Oil on the Fire formerly kindled and put all in Combustion The Prince of Orange retires thereupon his eldest Son was surprized and sent as Hostage into Spain and above 5000 Families leave the Countrey Many Towns revolted which were afterward reduced to obedience which made the Duke of Alva say That the Netherlands belonged to the King of Spain not only by Descent but Conquest After this he attempted to impose the Tenth Penny for maintenance of the Garrisons in the Citadels he had erected at Grave Vtretcht and Antwerp where he caused his Statue made of Canon Brass to be erected trampling the Belgians under his Feet but all the Towns withstood this Imposition so that at last matters succeeding ill with him and having had his dear Friend Pacecio hanged at the Gates of Flushing after he had likewise traced out the Platform of a Citadel in that Town he was recalled back to Spain Don Lewes de Requiseus succeeded him who came short of his Predecessors Exploits and dying suddenly in the Feild the Government was invested for the time in the Council of State The Spanish Souldiers being without a Head gathered together to the number of 1600 and committed such Outrages up and down that they were Proclaimed Enemies to the State hereupon the Pacification at Gaunt was Transacted one Article whereof was That all Forreign Souldiers should quit the Countrey This was ratified by the King and observed by Don John of Austria who succeeded in the Government yet Don John retained the Lands-Knights still as some thought for Invading England He kept the Spaniards also hovering about the Frontiers for all occasions Certain Letters were intercepted which made a Discovery of some Projects and caused the War to bleed afresh Don John was hereupon proclaimed an Enemy to the State and the Arch-Duke Matthias was sent for who being a Man of small Performance and improper for the Times was dismist but upon Honourable Terms Don John soon after dyes some said of the Pox then comes in the Duke of Parma a man as of a different Nation being an Italian so of a differing Temper and more Moderate Spirit and of greater performance than all the rest reducing several Cities and great Towns to the Spanish Obedience He had threescore Thousand Men in Pay the choicest which Spain and Italy could afford At this time the French and English Ambassadors interceding for a Peace had a short answer of King Philip the second who said That he needed not the help of any to reconcile himself to his own Subjects and reduce them to Conformity but what difference there was he would refer to his Cosen the Emperor Hereupon the business was Treated at Colen where the Spaniard stood as high a Tiptoe as ever and notwithstanding the vast expence of Bloud and Treasure he had been at for so many years and that matters began to exasperate yet more which would prolong the War for ever he would abate nothing in point of Ecclesiastic Government but would impose the bloudy Spanish Inquisition upon their Souls and Turkish Slavery upon their Bodies and Estates Hereupon the States perceiving that King Philip could not be wrought either by the solicitations of other Princes or their own supplications so often repeated That they might enjoy the Freedom of Religion with other Civil Rights Freedoms and Infranchisements to which he was obliged by Oath being provoked likewise by that Ban or Proclamation which was published against the Prince of Orange That whosoever killed him should have 5000 Crowns They at last absolutely renounced and abjured the King of Spain for their Soveraign They broke his Seals changed the Oath of Allegiance and fled into France for Succour They set up the Duke of Anjou recommended to them by Queen Elizabeth to whom he was a Suitor for their Prince who attempted to render himself Absolute and so thought to surprize Antwerp but received there an ill-favoured repulse Yet nevertheless the Vnited Provinces for so they termed themselves ever after fearing to distast their next great Neighbour France made a second Offer to that King To desire his Protection and Soveraignty But he had too many Irons in the Fire at home the Vnholy League growing daily stronger against him he therefore answered them That his Shirt was nearer to him than his Doublet Then had they recourse to Queen Elizabeth who partly for her own Security and partly for Interest in Religion reacht them a supporting hand and sent them Men Money and the Earl of Leicester for their Governour who not agreeing with their Humor was soon recalled without any outward dislike on the Queens side for she left her Forces still with them but upon their Expence She lent them afterward some Considerable Sums of Money and received the Towns of Brill and Flushing for her Security and ever after the English were the best Sinews of their War and the Atcheivers of the greatest exploits among them Having thus made sure of the English they held the Spaniard tack many years and during those Traverses of War were very Fortunate against him At last a Treaty of Peace was propounded which the States or seven Provinces would not agree to singly with the King of Spain unless the Provinces that yet remained under him would engage themselves to the performance of the Articles besides they would not Treat either of Peace or Truce unless they were declared Free-States and Treated by the Title of The High and Mighty States of the Vnited Provinces all which was granted and so a Truce was Concluded which ended in a Peace that has continued without any
the Lantgraves Captain was slain by the Walloons which much enraged the Common people against them The Dutchess understanding their danger perswaded her husband to leave them and by the swiftness of his horse to recover some Town for his Security which Mr. Berty attempting to do was eagerly pursued by the Countrymen and the Captains Brother who thought he had been slain indeed And in the pursuit they came so near him that he had certainly been murthered but that as God would have it spying a Ladder standing against a Window he leapt off his Horse and ran up the Ladder whereby he got into a Garret on the top of the house where he defended himself for some time with his Sword and dagger till the Magistrates came and perswaded him to submit to the Law Mr. Berty knowing himself to be clear and the Captain alive yielded himself upon condition to be protected from the rude multitude and delivering up his weapons was committed to Custody till the Case should be heard Mr. Berty then writ to the Lantgrave and the Earl of Erbagh declaring his Case to them and the next morning the Earl came to Town where the Dutchess was now arrived in the Waggon The Earl having before heard of the Dutchess came to see her shewing much civility and respect toward her which the Townsmen observing and finding the Captain was alive they began to shrink away and make Friends to Mr. Berty and the Dutchess not to represent their Actions at the worst And thus through Divine Providence escaping this great danger also they proceeded in their Journey and at last arrived safely in Poland where they were entertained by the King with all humanity and kindness The King likewise settling them safely and Honourably in the Earldom of Crozan where they had as absolute a Power in Government as the King himself so that it proved to them a quiet Haven after so many Troubles in a Tempestuous Sea and there they lived with much Honour and Comfort till the Death of bloudy Q. Mary and then returned together with the Protestant Religion into their native Countrey in the Reign of Q. Elizabeth of Glorious Memory Clarks Martyr 521. IX A. B. Spotswood gives a very notable Relation of the Adventures and Dangers of Mr. John Craig as followeth In the year 1600. Mr. John Craig who had been Minister to King James in Scotland but through Age was compelled to quit the charge departed this Life whilst he lived he was had in great esteem a great Divine and an excellent Preacher of a grave behaviour sincere and inclining to no Faction and which increased his Reputation he lived honestly without Ostentation or desire of outward Glory Many tossings and troubles he indured in his life-time For in his younger years having passed his course in Philosophy in the University of St. Andrews he went from thence into England and waited on the Lord Dacres Children as a Tutor for two years But Wars then happening between England and Scotland he returned home and became a Fryer of the Dominican Order He had not lived long among them when upon suspicion of Heresie he was put into Prison after his Release he went back to England hoping by means of the L. Dacres to have got a place in Cambridge but his expectation being frustrated he went into France and from thence to Rome There he won such favour with Cardinal Pool that by his recommendation he was received among the Dominicans of Bononia and by them was first appointed to instruct the Novices of the Cloyster Afterwards when they perceived his diligence and dexterity in businesse he was employed in their Affairs throughout Italy and was sent in Commission to Chios an Island in the Ionick Sea to redress things that were amiss among those of their Order Herein he discharged himself so well that at his return he was made Rector of the School and thereby had access to the Libraries especially to that of the Inquisition where meeting with Calvins Institutions he was taken with a great liking thereof and one day discoursing with a Reverend Old Man of the Monastery he was by him confirmed in the opinion he had entertained but withall was warned by no means to discover himself or to make his mind known because the times were dangerous But he neglecting the Counsel of the old Man and disclosing his Opinions too freely was accused of Heresie and being sent to Rome after Examination he was Imprisoned for Nine Moneths at the end whereof being brought before the Judge of the Inquisition and making a clear Confession of his Faith he was condemned to be burnt the next day being the 29 of August It happened that the same night Pope Paul 4 died upon the noise of whose death the People came in a Tumult to the place where his Statue in Marble was erected and pulling it down did for the space of three dayes drag it through the Streets and in the end threw it into the River of Tiber During this Tumult all the Prisons were broke open and the Prisoners set free and among others Mr. Craig had his Liberty And as he endeavoured to escape as not thinking it safe to continue in the City two things happened to him not unworthy relating First in the Suburbs as he passed along he met a sort of Outlawed People whom they call Banditi One of the Company taking him aside demanded if he had ever been at Bononia He answered That he had been sometime there Do you not remember said he that walking on a time in the Feilds with some young Noblemen there came a poor maimed Souldier to you intreating some releis Mr. Craig said He did not well remember it But I do said he and I am the man to whom you then shewed kindness be not afraid of us for you shall incur no danger and so conveying him through the Suburbs and directing him the securest way he gave him so much money as might bear his Charges to Bononia for he intended to go thither thinking to find entertainment among his acquaintance there but at his coming to them they looked strangely upon him whereupon being afraid to be betrayed by them he got secretly away intending his Course for Millain By the way another Accident befell him which he afterwards often related to many Persons of Quality as a singular Testimony of Gods Providence and care over him and thus it was when he had travelled some days going out of the High-ways for fear of Discovery he came into a wild and desart Forrest and being sorely tired he lay down among some Bushes on the side of a little Brook to refresh himself lying there Pensive and full of thoughts not knowing where he was nor having money to bear his Charges a Dog with a Purse in his Teeth came fawning upon him and laid it down before him He being struck with fear rose up and judging it to proceed from God's favourable Providence toward him he followed his way till
health in a Moment Sandy's Ovids Met. lib. 8. LVI And as by these Examples we may observe how strangely some Persons have been saved from death so we find others have unwarily and unwittingly procured and hastened their own death and downfall For we read in Josephus that Anthony being at Laodicea sent for King Herod to answer what was objected against him touching the death of young Aristobulus Herod was an impotent Lover of his Wife Mariamne and suspecting that her Beauty was one cause of his danger before he went he committed the care of his Kingdom to Joseph his Uncle withal leaving him order to kill Mariamne his Wife in case he should hear that any thing evil had befallen him Herod took his Journey and Joseph in Conversation with the Queen acquainted her with the Order he had left with him Herod having appeased Anthony returned with Honour and speaking to the Queen of the Truth and Greatness of his Love in the midst of Embraces Mariamne said to him It was not the part of a Lover to give Commandement that if any thing should befall thee otherwise than well with Anthony I should presently be put to death No sooner were these words out of her mouth but the King entred into a strange Passion and giving over his Embraces he cryed out with a loud Voice and tore his hair saying That he had a most evident proof that Joseph had committed adultery with her because he would not have discovered those things which had been spoken to him in secret except they had greatly trusted each other And in this emotion or rage of Jealousie he hardly contained from killing his Wife yet he gave Order that Joseph should be slain without admitting him Audience or Justification of his Innocence Thus Joseph by his Imprudent revealing a dangerous Secret unwarily procured his own death Josephus Antiquit. lib. 15. LVII The same Author relates that Herod being overcome with pain and troubled with a vehement Cough and almost pined with Fasting was resolved to hasten his own death and taking an Apple in his hand called for a Knife and then looking about him least any stander by should hinder him he lifted up his Arm to Stab himself But Achiabus his Cosen ran hastily unto him and stayed his hand and presently there was great Lamentation made throughout all the Kings Palace as if the King had been dead His Son Antipater then in Prison having speedy news therof was glad and promised the Keepers Money to release him But the chiefest of them did not only deny to do it but also went and immediately acquainted the King with it Herod hearing this commanded his Guard to go and kill Antipater and Bury him in the Castle called Hircanium Thus was that wicked man cast away by his own Temerity and Imprudence who had he had more Patience and Discretion might probably have secured both his Life and the Kingdom to himself for Herod out-lived his death but five days Josephus Antiquities Lib. 1. LVIII King Francis of France had resolved upon the Murder of the Chief Lords of the Protestant Religion this secret of Council had been imparted by the Duke of Anjou to Ligneroles his Familiar Friend He being one time in the Kings Chamber observed some Tokens of the Kings displeasure at the demands of some Protestant Lords whom he had newly dismissed with a shew of Favour Ligneroles either moved with the Lightness incident to youth which often over-shoots discretion or moved with Ambition not to be ignorant of the nearest Secrets told the King in his ear That His Majesty ought to quiet his mind with Patience and laugh at their Insolence for within a few days by that meeting which was almost ripe they would be all in his Net and might be punished at his pleasure With which words the Kings Mind being struck in the most tender sensible part of it he made shew not to understand his meaning and retired to his private Lodgings where full of Anger Grief and Trouble he sent to call the Duke of Anjou charging him with the revealing this weighty secret The Duke confessed he had imparted the business to Ligneroles but assured him he need not fear he would ever open his Lips to discover it No more he shall answered the King for I will take Order that he shall be dispatched before he have time to publish it He then sent for George de Villequier Viscount of Guearchy whom he knew bore a grudge against Ligneroles and commanded him to endeavour by all means to kill him that day which was accordingly executed by him and Count Charles of Mansfield as he hunted in the Feild D'Avila's Wars of France Lib. 5. LIX Fredegundis was a Woman of admirable Beauty and for that Reason entertain'd by Chilperick King of France over whose heart she had gained such an Empire that she procured the Banishment of his Queen and lawful Wife Andovera the death of his own Mother Galfinda yet neither was she faithful to him but prostituted her Body to Landric de la Tour Duke of France and Mayor of the Palace Upon a day the King being to go a Hunting came up first into her Chamber and found her dressing her head with her Back towards him He therefore went softly and struck her gently on the back-part with the hinder end of his Hunting Spear she not looking back What dost thou do my Landric said she It is the part of a good Knight to charge a Lady before rather than behind By this means the King found her Falshood and went to his purposed Hunting but she perceiving her self discovered sent for Landric told him what had happened and therefore enjoyned him to kill the King for his and her safety which he undertook and effected that night as the King returned late from Hunting Hist France pag. 23. LX. Muleasses the King of Tunis was skilled in Astrology and had found that by a fatal influx of the Stars he was to lose his Kingdom and also to perish by a cruel death when therefore he heard that Barbarossa the Turkish Admiral was preparing a Navy at Constantinople concluding it was against himself to withdraw from the danger he departed Africa and Transported himself into Italy to crave Aid of Charles the Emperour against the Turks whom he thought had a design upon him In the mean time he had committed the Government of his Kingdom to Amida his Son who like an ungrateful Traytor assumed to himself the Name and Power of a King and having taken his Father upon his return he put out his Eyes Thus Muleasses drew upon himself that Fate he expected by those very means by which he hoped to have avoided it Wanly's History of Man pag. 458. LXI There was an Astrologer saith Wierus who had often and truly predicted the event of divers weighty Affairs who having intentively fixed his Eyes upon the Face of James Galleacius an Italian Duke and contemplating the same Dispose Sir said he of your
the King and his Cubs be taken away 2. To have a Toleration of Religion 3. To procure Aid and Assistance from Forreign Princes 4. To turn out of the Court such as they disliked and place themselves in Offices Watson to be Lord Chancellor George Brook Lord Treasurer Sir Griffin Markham Secretary of State Lord Grey to be Master of the Horse and Earl Marshal of England But it seems they made no Provision for Rawleigh which is no inconsiderable Argument of his Innocency who could have deserved and might have expected as great a reward as any of them had he been engaged in the Plot To oblige to Secrecy Watson draws up an Oath But all is betrayed they are Seized Examined and Tryed at Winchester Nov. 17. 1603. and the Lord Cobham George Brook his Brother Thomas Lord Grey of Wilton Sir Walter Rawleigh Sir Griffith Markham and Sir Edward Parham Knights Bartholomew Brooksby and Anthony Copley Gentlemen W. Watson W. Clark Priests were all found guilty of Treason except Sir Edward Parham who was acquitted and Watson and Clark were executed Nov. 29. George Brook was beheaded Decemb. 5. but here the hand of Justice staid the Lord Cobham Lord Grey and Sir Griffith Markham were pardoned at the place of Execution Sir Walter Rawleigh was left to the Kings Mercy who thought him too great a Male-content to have his Freedom and probably too innocent to lose his Life Therefore he is confined to the Tower where he writ that excellent History of the World wherein the only fault or defect rather is that it wanteth one half thereof which was occasioned as it is commonly related thus Some few days before he suffered he sent for Mr. Walter Burr who formerly printed his first Volume of the History of the World and asking him how it sold Mr. Burr answered It sold so slowly that it had undone him At which words Sir Walter stepping to his Desk reaches his other unprinted part of his History which he had brought down to the times he lived in and clapping his hand upon his breast said with a sigh Ah my friend hath the first part undone thee the second Part shall undo no more this ungrateful World is unworthy of it and immediately going to the Fire-side threw it in and set his Foot upon it till it was consumed As great a loss to Learning as Christendom could have sustained and the greater because it could be repaired by no hand but his While Sir Walter was thus confined Death took away his Mortal Enemy Sir Robert Cecil after Earl of Salisbury who had purchased the Monopoly of Favour and being jealous of Sir Walters Abilities had some fear he might supplant him which was the cause says Osborn that he was brought to the aforementioned Trial However Sir Walter outlived his Designs and Hatred and for all kindnesses bestowed on him the following Epitaph which is certainly affirmed to be his King James was so taken with the smartness of them that he hoped the Author would dye before him The Verses are these Here lies Hobnial our Pastor while er'e That once in a Quarter our Fleeces did share To please us his Cur he kept under Clog And was ever after both Shepherd and Dog For Oblation to Pan his Custom was thus He first gave a Trifle then offered up us And through his false worship such power he did gain As kept him o' th' Mountain and us on the Plain Where many an Hornpipe he tun'd to his Phillis And sweetly sung Walsingham to 's Amaryllis Till Atropos clapt him a P on the Drab For spight of his Tar-box he di'd of the Scab If the Reader desires a key to these Verses he may have it in Osborn's Memoirs Fourteen years Sir Walter had spent in the Tower of whom Prince Henry would say That no King but his Father would keep such a Bird in a Cage and being weary of Confinement his Destiny brought him to his end by Liberty which it could not do by Imprisonment For out of a longing for Liberty he propounded a Project to the King upon which being a well spoken man and of great Capacity he set such colours of Probability especially guilding it over with the Gold he would fetch from a Mine Guiana in the West-Indies without any wrong at all to the King of Spain that the King granted him a limited Commission to undertake it and thereupon with divers Ships accompanied with many Knights and Gentlemen of Quality he set forward on the Voyage but when after long search no such Place nor Treasure could be found he fell upon St. Thome a Town belonging to the King of Spain Sacked Pillaged and Burnt it And here was the first part of his Tragical Voyage Acted in the death of his Eldest Son the last part was acted in his own death at his return For Gundamore the Spanish Embassador did so aggravate this Fact to the King against him that it seemed nothing would give satisfaction but Rawleigh's head without which he seemed to threaten a breach between the two Nations Rawleigh excused his Actions and sent this Defence thereof in a Letter to King James May it please your most Excellent Majesty If in my Journey outward bound I had my men murdered at the Island of St. Thomas and yet spared to take revenge If I did discharge some Spanish Barques taken without Spoil If I did forbear all Parts of the Spanish Indies wherein I might have taken twenty of their Towns on the Sea-coasts and did only Follow the Enterprise I undertook for Guiana where without any directions from me a Spanish Village was burnt which was new set up within three miles of the Mine by your Majesties favour I find no reason why the Spanish Embassador should complain of me If it were lawful for the Spaniards to murder twenty six English-men binding them back to back and then cutting their Throats when they had Traded with them a whole Month and came to them on the Land without so much as one Sword and that it may not be lawful for your Majesties subjects being charged first by them to repel Force by Force we may justly say Oh miserable English If Parker and Metham took Campeach and other Places in the Honduras seated in the Heart of the Spanish Indies burnt Towns killed the Spaniards and had nothing said to them at their return and my self forbore to look into the Indies because I would not offend I may justly say O miserable Sir Walter Rawleigh If I spent my poor Estate lost my Son suffered by sickness and otherwise a World of Miseries If I have resisted with the manifest hazard of my life the Robberies and Spoils which my Company would have made If when I was poor I have made my self Rich If when I had gotten my Liberty which all men and Nature it self do so much prize I voluntarily lost it If when I was sure of my life I rendred it again If I might elsewhere have sold my Ship
Service In 1596. The Queen rigs out a brave Fleet consisting of 150 Ships Mann'd with 6360 Souldiers 1000 Volunteer Gentlemen 6772 Seamen with which she is resolved to fall upon the Spaniard at home The Earl of Essex and the Lord Howard were Commanders of equal Authority having been both at excessive charge in carrying on the War To these were joyned a Council of War consisting of several eminent Seamen and Souldiers among whom was Sir Walter Rawleigh The Fleet was divided into four Squadrons the first commanded by the Lord Admiral Howard the second by the Earl of Essex the Third by Sir Tho. Howard and the fourth by Sir Walter Rawleigh In the beginning of June they set sail for Cales and soon got to Gades their Design being perfectly unknown as well to their Enemies as their own men The Ebbing waters would not permit the Great Ships to engage the shelves being of greater hazard than the Enemy Therefore Rawleigh is pitcht upon as the most proper Person in the midst of the Channel to provoke them who accordingly in a little Ship called the Warspight directed his Prowe against the Spanish Men of War who thereupon presently fell back Upon this the rest of the Fleet came in and burnt and took several of their Ships After this Victory at Sea the Men were very importunate to go on shore whom Essex landed at Puntal a League from the City At first the Spaniards received them with a great deal of Courage but the English charged them so warmly that they thought it the best way to retire with more speed than they came out The English pursued so close that they had almost recovered the City Gates as soon as they The Earl got upon a Bulwark neer the Gate and from thence he espied an entrance into the Town but very hazardous it being a precipice but this did not affright several of our English who leaped from thence into the Town and engaged the Enemy in the Streets In the mean time Sir W. Rawleigh and others having forced the Gates entred the Town and the Castle was surrendred upon merciful Conditions but Sir Walter was not Idle or eager after the enjoyment of the Conquest For whilst others were reaping the plentiful Harvest of War he with some small Ships who could pass up the Channel fired their Merchant Men who were withdrawn to Port Real altho' they offered two Milions of Ducats for their Redemption Great were the Losses of the Spaniards by this War and if we may beleive our Histories amounted to no less than Twenty Millions of Ducats upon Consultation it was resolved to quit the Town though contrary to the Opinion of Essex who was for keeping it as a future annoyance to the Spaniards At their return the Queen welcomed and incouraged her Souldiers with new Honours Rawleigh continued in her Favour to the last but when King James came to take possession of the Kingdom Sir John Fortescue the Lord Cobham Sir Walter Rawleigh and others would have obliged the King by Articles before his coming to the Crown that his Countreymens numbers should be limited but this was stopt by the Treasurer and the Earl of Northumberland Sir Walter feared that the Scots like Locusts would quickly devour this Kingdom It being probable that like the Goths and Vandals they would settle in any Countrey rather than their own and would make it their business to render our Nation as poor as their own for this he with the rest of them were afterwards frowned on by the King and lost his Command of the Guards However Sir Walter still pursued the good and Glory of his Countrey and as formerly in active times gave his Advice against the Peace with Spain who might now with no great difficulty be brought on his knees At the entrance of the King he presented him with a Manuscript of his own Writing with no weak Arguments against Peace But Sir Walter was mistaken for his Counsel was ill timed and a new Part was now to be acted the Scene being changed Peace was the Kings aim whether out of Fear or Religious Principles is not determined But with Spain a Peace is concluded though an Enemy already humbled who had now time to recover their Losses and were as it were cherished to assault us with the greater Vigor and the success thereof every one knows and as if the King would go quite contrary to Queen Elizabeths Politiques the Hollanders are despised flighted and deserted under pretence that it was of ill Example for a Monarch to protect them And now though somewhat contrary to my method it may not be unuseful to give a breif Account of the fall of this once Great Favorite King James is hardly warm in his Throne but there is a great noise of a Plot generally called Sir Walter Rawleigh's Treason but upon what grounds is uncertain since at his Trial it appeared he had the least hand in it A Plot that is still a Mystery and hath a Vail spread over it A Plot composed of such a hodg-podg of Religion and Interests that the World stands amazed Sir Walter Rawleigh should be drawn into it A Plot so unlikely to hurt others or benefit themselves that as Osborn says If ever Folly was capable of the Title or Pity due to Innocence theirs might claim so large a share as not possibly to be too severely condemned or slightly enough punished Envy and Disdain as Sir Walter has told us in his Remains seek Innovation by Faction Discontent is the great Seducer which at first put him to search into a Plot he afterward was betrayed into The cheif Ingredients of this Medley were two Popish Priests Watson and Clark and Count Aremberg Ambassador Extraordinary from the Arch-duke of Austria who brought in the Lord Cobham and he his brother George Brook both seeming Protestants Brook drew in Sir Edward Parham and others and they the Lord Grey of Wilton a zealous Puritan then came in Sir Walter Rawleigh the wisest of them all says Mr. Sanderson who dallilied says he like a fly in the Flame till it consumed him Willing he was to know the Design and thought by his Wit to over-reach the Confederates whom he knew well enough though he dealt with none but Cobham One Mr. Laurency an Antwerp Merchant was made use of by Count Aremberg and was an intimate of the Lord Cobham's these says Sanderson carried on the contrivance a great while which at last was betrayed by Laurency and the Vigilancy of the Lord Cecil And indeed it was morally impossible that so many disagreeing weak Souls should carry on a Project without taking Air the least glimpse being enough to give Light to the Statesmen of those times The Design they were charged with was 1. To set the Crown on the head of the Lady Arabella Stewart or to seize the King and make him grant their desires or a Pardon and that Lord Cobham should say to Brook It will never be well in England till