A Chronicle of the Kings of England from the Time of the Roman Government
As soon as it came to the Queens knowledge, that the Queen of Scots was put to death, her countenance grew dejected, and her speech failed her; insomuch that all in mourning weeds, she gave herself over to sorrow, Commanded her Counselors from her Presence, and caused Davyson to be cited to the Starchamber. And as soon as grief would suffer her, She wrote a Letter with her own hand to the King of Scots, and sent it by Sir Robert Cary, to this effect; That her mind was infinitely disquieted, in regard of this lamentable event, against her meaning and intent; entreating him to believe, That if she had commanded it, she would never have denied it, and withal, Protesting her true affection towards him, and her assiduous watchfulness for the prospering of his affairs.
While Carye was on his journey, Davyson is cited to the Star-Chamber before these Delegates, Sir Christopher Wray Chief Justice of the Kings-Bench, for that time made Lord Privy Seal, the Archbishop; of Canterbury and York, the Earls of Worcester, Cumberland, and Lincoln, the Lord's Grey, and Lumley, Sir James Croft, Comptroller of the Queens House, Sir Walter Mildmay, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Edmond Anderson, Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, and Sir Roger Manwood, Lord Chief Baron (where note, That Bromely Lord Chancellor, Burleigh Lord Treasurer, Leicester, and Hatton, who were indeed more guilty of the fact, than Davyson, were none of the number.) Before these Delegates, Popham the Queens Attorney layeth to Davysons charge, Contempt of the Queen; Majesty, violating of his trust, and neglect of his duty, laying open all particulars of his fact; which after Egerton the Queens Solicitor, Gawdy, and Puckering her Serjeants at Law, urged also against him with great aggra • ation: To which Davyson mildly answered, That he would not contest with the Queen; only protests, That if he had done anything otherwise than he ought, it was out of ignorance and mistaking, and not out of any purpose to disobey her Majesty. It seems the Queen had carried her self, as one that would have it done, and yet was loath to do it, scarce knowing her one mind, and yet would have another know it; meaning to make it the work of mistaking, rather than of purpose, that so at least she might leave some place of satisfaction to her self, that it was not absolutely of her doing.
The Pleadings ended, the Commissioners went to censure; Manwood began, and gave his opinion, That Davyson, for the inconsideratnesse of his fact • should be fined ten thousand pounds, and Imprisonment during the Queens pleasure; the rest went on in that Sentence, only the Lord Grey excused Davyson so far, That he though • ght him worthy of reward, rather than of punishment: The conclusion was, the first Sentence for his Fine and Imprisonment, was by Wray keeper of the Privy Seal confirmed; and Davyson never after recovered the Queens favor, though she relieved him sometimes in his necessity. A man ingenious indeed, but not thoroughly acquainted with the ways of the Court; and thought to have been raised to this place, of purpose to Act this part, and for nothing else.
By this time Sir Robert Cary, Son to the Lord Hunsdon, who was sent to excuse the Queen, was come to the Borders; but being come thither, was not suffered to set foot in Scotland, The King would scarce hear him by another, and with much ado received his Letters. He called home his Ambassador out of England, and thought of nothing but revenge.
But the Queen still laying the fault upon Davyson, and the unadvised credulity of her Councellros, by little and little allayeth his passion; and expecting, till time had somewhat asswaged his grief, that it would endure to be touched, at length, by her Agents in Scotland ; And soon after by the Lord Hunsdon Governor of Berwicke, She admonished him, How dangerous it would be for him, to break out into War against England, and what little help he could justly expect from either Spain or France, but if he persisted in the amity with England, he might be sure the Queen of England, would most lovingly account him for her Son. And to the end, that he should assure himself, that the Queen his Mother was put to death without her privity, she sent him the Sentence against Davyson, under the Seals of all the Delegates, and attested under the Great Seal of England ; and another Instrument likewise signed with the hands of the Judges of England ; in which they aver, That the Sentence against the Queen of Scots, could in no wise be prejudice to his right in the Succession.
Having now by these and the like courses, somewhat asswaged the King of Scots indignation; to prevent the War which they foresaw was imminent from the King of Spain, they send forth Drake with four of the Queens ships and others, unto the Coast of Spain, to set upon their ships in the Have • s, and to intercept their Munition. Drake entering into the Port of Cales, sunk, took, and fired, about an hundred ships, wherein was great store of Munition and Victualls: Then returning to the Cape of St. Vincent, he set up three Forts, and compelled them to yield. Thence setting sail towards the Western Islands, called Azores, under the great Meridian; by great good fortune he happened upon an huge and wealthy Carack, called St. Philip, returning from the East-Indies, and easily vanquished it; Wherupon the Mariners on both sides, from the name of Philp, portended no good luck to Philip King of Spain.
At the same time, Thomas Cavendish of Suffolk, in the other part of the World, who two years before had set sail from England with three ships, passing thorough the Straights of Magellan, in the Coast of Chily, Peru, and Nu • va Hispania, fired a great number of Spanish Towns, took and pillaged ninteen great ships, and amongst them a wealthy ship of the Kings, nigh unto Caliphornia, in North America ; and so by the Philippine Isles, the Mol • cce, the Cape de Bone Esperance, and the Island of St. Helene, returned home the next year, being the third after Magellan, that sailed about the World.
As Drake and Cavendish at this time gained great fame and renown • so two other men in the Netherlands ( Stanley and York ) purchased as great infamy and disgr • ce: This York was a Londoner, a bold fellow, and of loose behavior; famous for bringing first into England, the manner of turning the point upon the Adversary in single Combats, whereas the English till this time, were wont to be armed with Bucklers and swords, and to strike with edge, and it was held no manhood to turn the point, or strike below the girdle. He suffering some affront from the Earl of Leicester, fled away, and for a time, served under the Spaniards in the Netherlands, till at length being reconciled to Leicester, he was sent over the Fort near Zutphen ; but being bribed, he not only yielded up the place to the Enemy, but drew to the like villainy one Stanley, who with great valor had served in an Irish expedition; to yield up Daventry to the Spaniards, a wealthy and well Fortified Town. But what got they by their treachery, The Spaniards set York and Stanley at variance, they poison York and seize upon his goods, his carcass was three years after digged up by the States commandment, and hanged upon a Gibbet till it rotted away • Stanley went into Spain, where there was no credit given to him; for the Spaniards have a saying, It is lawful to give honor to a Traitor sometimes, but never to trust him.
These late treacheries, wrought the Earl of Leicester much envy with the Confederate Netherlands, because the Traitors were very intimate with him; whereupon the States in large letters to the Queen, accuse Le • cester for his ill managing of the Weal-Public, in the matter of money, Merchandize, and Military affairs; and to his credulity, They impute the harm which accrued by York and Stanley. The Queen, for the narrow sifting of the matter, and composing it; sent thither Thomas Sackvile Lord Buckehurst (lately taken i • to her Privy Council in Leicesters absence) Norris, and Bartholomew Clerke : B • t when as the officious diligence of Buckhurst, seemed to trench upon Leicesters re • utation; his grace with the Queen proved so forcible, that Buckhurst at his return, was for certain months confined to his house.
Afterward, Sluce being beleaguered by the Prince of Parma, Leicester was by the States sent for out of England, to succor it; the Town was furiously a • saulted, with seventeen thousand great shot, and a mighty breach was made into it; which nevertheless, Roger Williams, Franis Vere, Nicholas Baskervile, with the Garrison of the English and Wallons, were valiantly defended for a while, but at last were enforced to yield it up • Leicester, that came to relieve it, finding himself too weak for the Besiegers, being gone away. And indeed, the States would not commit any great Army to his Command; who (they knew had a determination to se • ze L • yden, and some other Towns into his own hands, and had a purpose to surprise the absolute Government. Whereupon, the States used means, that Leicester was called home; gave up the Government to the States, and in his room succeeded Maurice of Nassaw Son to the Prince of Orange, b • ing now but twenty years of age.) Peregrine Lord Willonghby, was by the Queen made Gene • all of the English Forces in the Low-Countries, to whom she gave command to reduce the English Factions into the States obedience; the which, with the help of Prince Maurice, he easily effected.
Leicester being now come home, and perceiving that an accusation was preparing against him by Buckhurst and others, for his unfaithful managing of affairs in Holland ; privately with tears he cast himself down at the Queens feet, entreating her, that she would not receive him with disgrace, at his return, whom she had sent forth with honor; and so far prevailed with her, that the next day being called to examination before the Lord's, he took his place amongst them, not kneeling down at the end of the Table, as the manner of Delinquents is; and when the Secretary began to read the heads of his Accusation, he interrupted him, saying; That the public instructions which he had received, were limited with private restriction; and making his appeal to the Queen, eluded the whole crimination, with the secret indignation of his Adversaries.
This year was famous for the death of many great Personages: In the month of February, died Henry Nevill Lord of Aburgaveny, great Grand-child to Edward Nevill, who in the Reign of King Henry the Sixth, got this Title in the right of his Wife, only Daughter and Heir to Richard Beauchamp Earl of Worcester, and Lord of Aburgaveny ; In which right, when as the only Daughter of this Henry, Wife to Sir Thomas Fane, challenged the Title of Baronesse of Aburgaveny ; a memorable contention arose concerning the Title between her, and the next Heir Male, to whom by Will (and the same confirmed by Authority of Parliament) the Castle of Aburgaveny was bequeathed. This question being a long time debated; at last in a Parliament holden in the second year of King James, the matter was tried by voices; and the Heir Male carried the Lordship of Aburgaveny, and the Barony Le Dispencer, was ratified to the Female. This year also, in the month of April, died Anne Stanhope Duchess of Somerset, ninety years old, who being the Wife of Edward Seymer Duke of Somerset, and Protector of England, contended for precedency, with Katherine Parre, Queen Dowager to King Henry the Eight. There died also, Sir Ralph Sadler, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the last Baneret of England, with which dignity he was adorned at the Battle of Musselborough in Scotland. After him died Thomas Bromley Lord Chancellor of England ; and six days after, He, whom the Queen meant should have succeeded him, Edward Earl of Rutland ; but he now failing, Sir Christopher Hatton was made Lord Chancellor, who though he were a Courtier, yet the Queen knowing him to be an honest man, thought him not unfit for that place, where conscience hath, or should have more place than Law; although some were of opinion, That it was not so much the Queens own choice, as that she was persuaded to it by some that wisht him not well; both thereby to be a cause of absenting him from the Court, and thinking that such a sedentary place, to a corpulent man that had been used to exercise, would be a means to shorten his life, and indeed he lived not full out three years after.
This year Sir John Perot was called home out of Ireland, and left all in 〈◊〉 quiet to Fits Williams his Successor. For hitherto the English 〈◊〉 it no hard matter to vanquish the Irish, by reason of their unskil • ulnesse in Arms; eight hundred Foot, and three hundred Horse, was •• ld an invincible Army: but after that by Perots command, they were •••• cised in Feats of Arms, and taught to discharge Muskets at a Mark, 〈◊〉 had in the Low-Countries learned the Art of Fortification, they held the English better to it, and were not so easily overcome.
And now we are come to the one and twentieth year of Queen Eliza •••• s Raign, being the year 1588, long before spoken of by Astrologers, 〈◊〉 be a wonderful year, and even the Climactericall year of the World. And yet the greatest Wonder that happened this year, was but the wonderful Fleet that Spain provided for invading of ENGLAND, if the defeat of that wonderful Fleet were not a greater Wonder.
It is true, there was at this time a Treaty of Peace between England and Spai • ; and the Earl of Derby, the Lord Cobham, Sir James Crofts, Dale and Rogers, Doctors of Law, Commissioners for the Queen: for the Prince of Parma, the Count Aurenberg, Champignie, Richardot, Ma • s, and Garvyer, Doctors, had many meetings about it near to Ostend ; but it seemed on the p • rt of Spain, rather to make the English secure, that they should not make provision for War, than that they had any purpose of real proceeding, seeing they accepted not of any reasonable Conditions that were offered, but trifled out the time, till the Spanish Navy was come upon the Coast, and the Ordnance heard from Sea, and then dismissed the English Delegates.
The Spanish Navy consisted of one hundred and thirty Ships; whereof Galeasses and Galleons, seventy two, goodly Ships, like to floating Towers; in which were Soldiers, 19290; Mariners, 8350; Gallyslaves, 2080; Great Ordnance, 2630: For the greater holiness of their Action, twelve of their Ships were ca • led, The twelve Apostles. Chief Commander of the Fleet, was Don Alphonso, Duke of Medina ; and next to him, John Martin Recalde, a great Seaman. The twentieth of May they weighed Anchor from the River Tagus, but were by Tempest so miserably dispersed, that it was long ere they m • t again: but then they sent before to the Prince of Parma, That he with his Forces, consisting of fifty thousand old Soldiers, should be ready to join with them, and with his Shipping conduct them into England, and to land his Army at the Thames Mouth.
The Queens Preparation in the mean time, was this; The Lord Charles Howard, Lord Admiral, with all her Navy; and Sir Francis Drake, Vice-Admiral, to be ready at Plymouth ; and the Lord Henry Seymor (second son to the Duke of Somerset, with forty English and Dutch Ships, to keep the Coasts of the Netherlands, to hinder the Prince of Parma 's coming forth. Then for Land-Service, there were laid along the Southern Coast, twenty thousand soldiers, and two Armies besides of Trayned men were levied; over one of which, consisting of a thousand Horse, and two and twenty thousand Foot, the Earl of Leicester commanded, and pitched his Tents at Tilbury, near the Thames mouth: Over the other, appointed to Guard the Queens Person, and consisting of four and twenty thousand Foot, and two thousand Horse, the Lord Hunsdon was General. Arthur Lord Grey, Sir Francis Knolles, Sir John Norris, Sir Richard Bingham, Sir Roger Williams, and other Military men, were chosen to make a Council of War, and consult how the Land-service should • e ordered. These declared, amongst other things, That the places which lay fittest for the enemies landing, as Milford Haven, F • lmouth, Plymouth, Portland, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, the Downs, the Thames mouth, Harwich, Yarmouth, Hull, and such other, should be fortified with Works and Garrisons; the Trayned Soldiers of those Shires which lay near the Sea Coast, should defend those places, and be ready at the Alarm to hinder the Enemy from Landing; but if he did land, then to spoil the Country round about, that he might find no food; and by continual crying, Arm, Arm, give the Enemy no rest, but yet should not give Battle, till good store of Commanders were come together.
At this time many fearing the Papists at home, no less than the Spa • iards abroad, persuaded the Queen to take off the heads of some of t • e greatest of them; but she detesting such cruelty, took order only, That some few of them should be committed to custody in Wisbych Castle.
And now all things on both sides prepared, the Spanish Navy set forth out of the Groyne in May, but was dispersed and driven back by weather. The English Navy set forth somewhat later out of Plymouth, bearing up towards the Coast of Spain ; but partly by occasion of contrary winds, partly by advertisement that the Spaniards were gone back, and upon some doubt also that they might pass by towards the Coast of England, whilst they were seeking them afar off, they returned to Plymouth ; At which time, a confident (though false) advertisement came to the Admiral, That the Spaniards could not possible come forward that year: whereupon the E • glish Navy was upon the point of disb • nding, and many of the men were gone on shore; when suddenly the invincible Armada (for so it was called in a Spanish ostentation) was discovered upon the Western Coast: whereof the Lord Admiral being informed, had much ado to get the Queens Navy out of the Haven (the wind being contrary) yet at length he hailed it forth. The next day, the English beheld the Spanish Ships, in height like to Castles, sailing slowly along, whom they suffered peaceably to pass by, that they might have the benefit of the wind to follow after. The one and twentieth day of July, the Admiral of England sent a Pinnace before, called, The Defianc • , which by a great shot, challenged the Spaniards to fight, and by and by they fell to it. Then Drake, Hawkins, and Forbisher let fly against the outmost Squadron, which Recalde commanded, making him glad to fly to their main Navy for succor. The night following • a mighty Biskayner of Oquenda 's (in which the King of Spain 's Treasure was) was by chance fired with Gun-powder, but was timely quenched by other Ships sent to her succor; one of which Ships, was the Galleon of Don Pedro, whom Sir Francis Drake took prisoner, and sent him to Darthmouth. The Biskayner itself (the Treasure being taken out by the Spaniards) they left behind them, which the English brought into the Haven at Weymouth.
The three and twentieth day of this Month, they had a seco • d Fight, in which most of the Spanish Shot flew over the English Ships, and never hurt them; Only Cock an English-man, being with his little Vessel in the midst of the enemies, died valiantly. The four and twentieth day, they rested on both sides; in which time the Lord Admiral ranked his whole Fleet i • to four Squadrons: The first he ruled himself, Drake the second, Hawkins the third, and Forbisher the fourth.
The five and twentieth day (which was the Saint James day) they fell to it the third time; in which Fight, the English had again the better, so as after this time, the Spaniards would no more turn upon the English, but holding on their course, dispatched a Messenger to the Prince of Parma; Requiring him forthwith to join himself to the Kings Fleet, and withal to send them Bullets.
The day following, the Lord Admiral Knighted Thomas Howard, the Lord Shefield • Roger Townsend, John Hawkins, and Martin Frobisher ; and holding a Council of War, they decreed not to set again upon the Enemy, till they came to the straight of Calais, where the Lord Henry Seymor and Sir William Winter waited for their coming. And now so far were the English from being terrified with this invincible Navy, that many of the Nobility and other of special note, hired Ships at their own charges and came to the Admiral; as the Earls of Oxford, Northumberland, Cumberland, Thomas and Robert Cecil, Henry Brook, Sir Charles Blunt, Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir William Hatton, Sir Robert Carie, Sir Ambrose Willoughby, Sir Thomas Gerard, Sir Arthur Gorge and others.
The seven and twentieth of July towards the Evening, the Spaniards cast Anchour near unto Calis, and not far from them rode the English Admiral, within shot of a great Ordnance, to whom Seymor and Winter joined themselve • , so as by this time there were in the English Navy a hundred and forty Ships, nimble and serviceable for Fighting or Sayling, yet only Fifteen of them bore the stroke of the Battle. And now again the Spaniards sent Post after Post to the Prince of Parma to send them forty Flye-boates, without which they were not able to skirmish with the English, by reason of the greatness and unweldiness of their Ships, and importune him presently to put to Sea with his Army; But he was unprepa • ed, and his Flat-bottomed Boates were full of chinks and leaked, and besides, the Hollanders hovered before the Ports of Dunkerk and Newport, in such sort, that he durst not look forth.
The eight and twentieth day; the Lord Admiral made ready eight of his worst Ships, on the outside daubed with wild-fire, Rozin and Brimstone, within, full of combustible matter, and under the conduct of Young and Prowse, sent them down with the wind in the silent time of the night towards the Spanish Fleet; the which when the Spaniards saw approach them, and the Sea as it were all on a light fire; imagining withal, that those Fire-ships might carry in them some murthering Engines, they made • hideous noise, took up Anchours, cut Cables, spread Sayles, and betook themselves to their Oars, but more to flight: One of the Spanish Galleasses having lost her Rudder, and floating up and down, was held in fight by Annias Preston, Thomas Gerard, and Harvie, who • lew Captain Hugh Moncada, cast the Soldiers over board, and carried away a great deal of Gold, but the Vessel and Ordnance was wreck to the Governor of Calais.
Drake and Fencz in the mean while perceiving the Spanish Fleet to gather togethea again before Graveling, set upon them with great violence, to whom str • ightwayes, Fenton, Southwell, Beeston, Cross, and Riman join themselves, and soon after the Admiral himself, Sir Thomas Howard, and the Lord Sheffield, the Galleon called Saint Matthew, was sorely battered by Seymor and Winter, driven toward Ostend, and set upon again by the Zelanders, and at last was taken by the Flushingers.
And now the Spanish Navy having want of many nec • ssaries, and no hope of the Prince of Parma's coming, they resolved to return Northward for Spain; in which passage they lost both many Ships and men, the English Navy still following them close, till they were fain to give them over for want of Powder. Whilest these things passed at Sea, the Queen • n Person came to Tilbury to view the Army and Campe there, where she shown such undaunted Courage and Resolution, that it wonderfully animated the spirits of them all.
And thus this Navy, which was three whole Yeers in preparing, in the space of a month was often beaten, and at length put to flight, many of their men being slain, more then half of their Ships taken and sunk (of the English not above a hundred at the most missing, nor so much as a Ship, but Cocks little Vessel) and Sayling about all Britain by Scotland, the Orkeneys and Ireland, they returned into Spain with as much dishonor as they came out with boasting, for indeed Mendoza in France by a Book in Print, Triumphed before the Victory.
For the happy success of this Action, Queen Elizabeth appointed prayers and thanksgiving over all the Churches of England, and she (as it were in triumph) came in Person, attended with a great Troop of the Nobility into the City, and went into the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul (where the Banners taken from the Enemy was placed in view) and there in most humble manner gave thanks to Almighty God. And • hat which increased the public joy, was the news which Sir Robert Sidney brought out of Scotland, That the King had over-past all injuries, was lovingly affected towards the English, and desired to embrace sincere and perfect amity with the Queen. For as for the King of Spain, he wittily told the Ambassador, that he expected no other courtesy from him, but such as Polyphemus promised Ulisses, that he should be the last whom he would devour.
And now died the great Earl of Leicester the fourth day of September, at his Manor of Killingworth of a violent Feaver; I may well say the great Earl, considering the many great Honors he enjoyed, which are extant in the Story; yet one honor greater then any he had before, he effected even then when he was ready to go out of the world, and that was • To be Vice-gerent in the high Government of England and Ireland, for which the Patent was already drawn, and had been sealed; but that Burleigh and Hatton shown the Queen how dangerous a thing it might prove, for so great Authority to reside in one Subject. He was while he lived in so great favor with the Queen, that some thought (and himself not the least) that she meant to marry him; yet when he died, his goods were sold at an Outcry to make payment of the debts he owed her.
About this time Philip Earl of Arundell, who three years before had been cast in prison, was now cited in Westminster Hall, to the judgment of his Peers, and Henry Earl of Derby was made High Steward of England for the time. The matters laid to his charge were these: That he had contracted friendship with Cardinal Allen, Parsons the Jesuit, and other Traitors, exciting divers both abroad and at home to restore the Romish Religion, promising his assistance thereunto: and for that reason had a purpose to depart the Kingdom. That he was privy to the Bull, in which Pope Sixtus Quintus had deposed the Queen, and given England to the Spaniard; that being imprisoned in the Tower he caused Mass to be said for the prosperous success of the Spanish Fleet, and for that purpose had framed peculiar prayers for his own private use. Being demanded whether he were guilty of these things; turning himself to the Judges, he asked them these questions: First, whether it were lawful to heap up so many crimes together in one Bill of Indictment? They answered that it was: Then whether Arguments taken from presumptions were of force? They answered, that it was lawful for him to interpose exceptions if he saw cause. Then again, if he might be Arraigned for those things which were Capitall, by the Law made the thirteenth year of the Queen, after that the time expressed in the Act was expired? They promised, they would proceed against him by no Law; but the old Statute of Treason, made in the Rain of King Edward the Third. But now again asked if he were guilty or not • He pleaded not guilty, whereupon Puckening the Queens Sergeant at Law, Popham Attorney General, Shuttleworth Sergeant at Law, and Egerton the Queens Sollicitour, in their turns, urged and proved the crimes objected; some whereof he denied, some he extenuated; but in conclusion was by his Peers found guilty and condemned; yet the Queen spared his life, and was content with thus much done in terror to the Papists.
It was now the year 1589. And the two and thirtieth of Queen Eliza • eths Raign; when to be in some sort revenged of the Spaniards for their invasion, she gave leave to Sir John Norris and Sir Francis Drake to under • ache an Expedition at their own private charges, requiring nothing of her but a few Ships of War, who took along with them Anthony the bastard, laying claim to the Kingdom of Portingall, and of Souldidrs to the number of eleven thousand, of Sea-men about fifteen hundred: setting Sayle from Plimmouth the fifth day of April, they arrived at the Groyne in Ga • acia; whereof, with great valor they took first the Lower town, and afterward the Higher, and from thence sailing toward Portingall, they met Robert Earl of Essex, who without the Queens leave had put to Sea: After two days they arrive at Penycha a Town of Portingall, which they took; and left the Castle to Don-Antonio, and from thence they march by land towards Lisbon threescore miles off: The Foot Companies led by Norris, whom Drake promised to follow with the Fleet. Being come to the West Suburbs of Lisbon, they found nobody there but a few poor disarmed Portugalls who cried out, God save King Antonio. The day following the Spaniards made a sail out, in which Skirmish Bret, Caresley, and Carre, (stout Commanders) were slain; yet did the Earl of Essex drive the Spaniards to the very gates of the City. And now having tarried here two days, and seeing no sign of the Portingalls revolting; which Don-Anthonio had assured them would be, finding fresh supplies come into the Town, their own Army sickly, Victualls and Powder failing; and that which most of all Sir Francis Drake not bringing the great Ordnance as he promised, they departed from the Suburbs of Lisbon towards Cascais, a little Town at the mouth of the River Tagus, which Town Drake had taken this mean while, who excused his not coming to Lisbon, by reason of the Flat • he must have passed, and the Castle of Saint Julian, Fortified with fifty pieces of great Ordnance. Neer this place they found threescore Hulke • of the Hause towns of Germany, laden with corn and all manner of Munition, which they took as good prize towards their charges, in regard the Queen had forbidden them to carry Victualls or Munition to the Spaniard. From hence they set sail toward Virgo, a forlorn Town by the Sea-side, and pillaging all along that Quarter, returned for England, having lost in the Voyage of Soldiers and Mariners about six thousand; yet not so much by the Enemy, as by eating of strange fruits and distemper of the Climate.
It concerns the state of England, to look at this time into the state of France; for while those things were in doing between Spain and England, the Popish Princes of France, under pretext of defending the Catholic Religion, entered into a combination, which they called, The holy League: The purpose whereof was, to root out the Protestants, and to divert the Right of Succession to the Crown of France; For they bound themselves to each other by oath, to suffer no person but a Catholic to be King of France; which was directly to exclude the King of Navarre, and the Prince of Condé, if the present King, without issue male, should fail. The head of this League, was the Duke of Guise, who having given some overthrows to the German Forces, that came into France in aid of the Protestants, was immeasurably extolled by the Clergy and others; and grew to such a height of reputation, that entering into Paris, he made the King glad to leave the City, and in an Assembly at Bloys, to make him great Master of the French Cavalery, and to consent by Edict, to the cutting off the Protestants. So as the King standing now in fear of him, used means at last, even in the very Court, to have him murdered; and soon after, the Cardinal his brother to be strangled. Hereupon so great a confusion followed, that the people everywhere disobeyed the Magistrates, and spoiled the Kings very Palace at Paris. Some Cities affected a Democr • cie, others an Aristocracy, but few liked of a Monarchy. The Confederates in the mean while, made a new Seal, usurped the Royal Authority, seized into their hands the best fortified places, intercept the Kings Revenues, call in Spanish Soldiers, and in all places denounce war and violence against the King. And the King in this case being forced to fly to the Protestant • for succor, they then most wickedly, by one James Clement a Monk, made him away. The King being ready to die, Declareth the King of Navarre to be his lawful successor, but the Confederates would exclude him as an open Heretic; and yet whom to make choice of they cannot well agree, some would have the Duke of Lorraine, as being descended from the ancient Kings of France, some th • Duke of Savoy, as borne of the French Kings daughter, a Prince Po • e • t and Couragious; others would have the Duke of Guises brother that wa • murdered • others the King of Spain; but the greatest part gave thei • voices for the C • rdinall of Bourbon, who was one degree nearer all • yed to the slain King, then the King of Navarre his Nephew. He therefore was presently proclaimed King of France, with the Title of Charles the Tenth; but he being a Priest, the King of Navarre also was at the same time proclaimed King of France, who abode at Diepe a Sea Town of Normandy, and doubted not to drive the Cardinal easily out of France.
The King of Navarre being thus raised in Dignity, but weak in means, implored Aid of the Queen of England, offering to make a League Offensive and Defensive; the Queen out of a pious respect to a King of her own Religion, sent him presently two and twenty thousand pound sterling in Gold (such a sum of Gold, as he professed he had never seen at one time before) and withal supplied him with four thousand Soldiers, under the command of Peregrine Lord Willoughby ; for Colonels, she appointed Sir Thomas Wilford, who was made Marsh • ll of the Field, John Boro • ghs, Si • William Drury, and Sir Thomas Baskervyle, and gave them a months pay in hand. Hereupon the Confederates (whom the King had vanquished • little before at Arques beyond all expectation) began to quail, and the day before the Arrivall of the English they vanished away, with this addition of Forces the King marcheth to Paris, and being ready to enter the City, causeth a retreat to be • ounded, as loath to have spoil made of a City, which he hoped shortly should be his own. Afterwards by the assistance of the English he won many Towns, and then having marched at least five hundred miles on foot, he gave them leave after a long winters service, to return into England. In which Voyage of men of note, died Captain Hunnings, but of a natural death, also Stubbs (he whose right hand was cut off for writing the book against the Queens marriage) and Sir William Drury slain by Master Boro • ghs in a single Combat, where the quarrel was, that he being but a Knight, would take place of Boroughs that was the younger son of a Baron, contrary to the Laws of the English Gentry.
About this time, James King of Scots (with Queen Elizabeth's good liking) Espoused Anne the daughter of Frederick the second King of Denmark by his Deputy; but she afterward sailing for Scotland, was by tempest cast upon Norway, and there, through continual storms forced to stay, so as the King in the winter season set sail thither, that the marri • ge according to his vow might be accomplished within the year: some were of opinion that those storms were caused by witch-craft, and was confirmed indeed by some witches taken in Scotland; who confessed they had raised those storms to keep the Queen from landing in Scotland, and that the Earl of Bothwell had asked Counsel of them concerning the Kings end; who was thereupon cast into prison, but in a short time breaking loose, occasioned new stirs in Scotland.
This year, many Noble personages died; Frances Countess of Sussex, sister to Sir Henry Sidney, Sir Walter Mildway, Chancellor and Vice-Treasurer of the Exchequer, William Somerset Earl of Worcester, so numerous in his offspring, that he could reckon more children of both Sexes, then all the Earls of England. Also John Lord Sturton, Henry Lord Compton, and at Brussels the Lord Paget.
At this time, the Queen who was always frugal, strained one point of Frugality more then ever she had done before; for upon the information of one Caermarden, (though Burleigh, Leicester, and Walsingham were offended, that credit should be given to such a one, and themselv • s neglected) she raised Thomas Smith the customer from thirteen thous • nd pounds yearly, to two and forty thousand pounds, and at last to fifty thousand.
It was now the year 1590. and the three and thirtieth of Queen Elizabeth's Rain, in which, the Earl of Cumberland made a Voyage to the Indies, where he laid level to the ground the Fort of the Isle of • iala, and brought away eight and fifty Pieces of great Ordnance.
This year was fatal to many Noble personages; first died Ambrose Dudley Earl of Warwick, (son to John Duke of Northumberland) without issue. After him Sir Francis Walsingham, Secretary, a man more skillful in the Politicks, then in the Economics; more cunning in managing matters of the public State, then of his own private estate, which he left so mean, and died so much indebted, that he was fain to be buried by night, without a • y Funeral pomp, in the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul ; leaving behind him one only daughter, famous for her three husbands, all of them the goodliest men of their time; the first, Sir Philip Sidney ; the second, Robert Earl of Essex; the third, Richard Burgh Earl of Clanricard, by King Charles made Earl of Saint Albans. Within two Moneths after W • lsingham, died Sir Thomas Randol • , who had been fourteen times sent in Embassage to several Princes, yet was never rewarded with any greater dignities, then the Chamberlainship of the Exchequer, and the Postmastership of England. Soon after him died Sir John Crof • s, who had done good service in Scotland, in Edward the sixths time; in Queen Mary's time was condemned of high Treason; in Queen Elisabeths time set at liberty, and made Comptroller of her house. After him died George Talbot, the seventh E. of Shrewsbury of this house; he was made Earl Marshall of England, and left behind him a memorial of Wisdom and Integrity. Lastly died Thomas Lord Wentworth, the last of the English that had been Governor of Calais.
In Ireland at this time Hugh Gaveloc (so called, because he had been long kept in Fetters) the natural son of Shan O Neal, accused Hugh Earl of Tir-Oen, for holding private consultations with certain Spaniard, who in 88 were by Shipwrack cast upon the coast of Ireland: Tir-Oen to prevent the Accusation, took the said Hugh, and when others refused to do it, took a cord and with his own hands strangled him. Hereupon he was sent for into England, and came, and upon pardon obtained, solemnly undertook in presence of the Queen at Greenwich, to maintain the peace with Turlogh Leynigh ; Not to usurp the Title of O-Neal, nor any authority over the Gentry about him; to reduce the Territory of Tir-Oen to the form of a County, and civil behavior, and many such matters; giving hostages for his true performance; and indeed for a time he observed all things very duly. This trouble allayed, another arose; for soon after this, Hugh Roe Mac-Mahon, a Potentate in the Territory of Monaghan, compelled those under his jurisdiction to pay him tribute; whereupon the Deputy caused him to be taken, and tried by a Jury of common Soldiers, and then to be hanged up, dividing his lands amongst certain English; and some of the Mac-Mahons, reserving a certain yearly Rent to the Crown of England, by this means thinking to extinguish the Power and Title of Mac-Mahon. But hereupon, O-Rork, fearing he should be served in like manner, took up Arms against the Queen, whom Bingham President of Connacht soon distressed, and drave into Scotland, and at the Queens request, was by the King delivered up into his hands.
It was now the year 1591. and the Four and thirtieth of Queen Elisabeths Raign, when she, careful lest Britain should come into the Spaniards hands, sent Edmund York into France, to advertise the King to take care thereof; and promising to send him Forces to that end, if he would, some Towns, where they might be in safety. Hereupon he named Cherburg, Granvile, or Brest, as the fittest; and it was agreed, that Three thousand English should be sent into Brittainy and Picardy; but in the mean time, Henry Palmer was sent to Sea, with certain Ships, who seized upon Thirteen Spanish Ships, as they were returning from Nova Francia. And now Roger Williams, with a Company of Six hundred Soldiers, passeth over to Diepe in Normandy; and Sir John Norris with the rest of the Forces, hasted into Britain soon after. Roger Williams, with his own Six hundred, and the help of Charter Governor of Diepe, put to rout the Confederates, that had blocked up the passages; whose valor, the French King in his Letters to the Queen, highly extolled. Whereupon growing more courageous, and not minding his charge, which was to stay at Diepe, he accompanied the King to the very Suburbs of Paris, where in honor of his Nation, he sent a Challenge to the Spaniards, to encounter Two hundred Pikemen of the English, and a hundred Musquetiers, with as many Spaniards in open Field.
After this, the King of France acquainted the Queen, that he had a purpose to set upon Roan, or New-haven, before the Prince of Parma should come into France, and thereupon requested her, to send Four thousand English into Normandy, which upon certain conditions she willingly did, and sent them under the Command of Robert Earl of E • sex, accompanied with Sir Thomas Leighton, and Sir William Killegrew, as his Counselors. When the Earl came into France, he found that the King was at Noyon, and in Normandy no preparation for the War at all, which seemed strange, and much troubled him; but by and by Sir Roger Williams comes to him from the King, requesting him to come to Noyon, that they might confer concerning a course of War. Thither the Earl made a tedious journey, and being come thither; the King told him, he was now of necessity to go himself into Champaigne; but promiseth to send Marshall Biron, and the Duke of Montpensier forthwith to him, to lay siege to Roan. Hereupon the Earl returned to his Tents, expecting their coming, but neither of th • m •• me, which troubled the Earl more then before; so as being weary now 〈◊〉 doing nothing, he made himself one approach to Roan, where hi • Brother W • lt •• Devereux was unfortunately slain. Indeed the affairs of the • ing of Fr • nce were at this time upon so uncertain terms, that before he could •• t 〈◊〉 h • had resolved, something still intervened, that diverted him; for which, by his Letters he excused himself to the Queen of England, and by the mediation of the Ea • l, and Mornay Lord du Plessie, whom to that end he sent into England, obtained new supplies, and then besieged Roan.
At this time was memorable the prodigious carriage of one Hacket, born at Oundale in Northamptonshire, a mean fellow of no learning, whose first prank was this; That when, in show of Reconciliation to one with whom he had been at variance, he embraced him, he bit off his Nose, and the man desiring to have his Nose again, that it might be sowed on, while the wound was green, he most villainously eat it up, and swallowed it down before his face. After this, all on a • udden, he took upon him a show of wonderful holiness, did nothing but hear Sermons, and getting Scriptures by heart, •• d counterfeting Revelations from God, and an extraordinary calling, and • rew to be so magnified by certain zealous Ministers, and specially of one ••• ard Coppinger, (a Gentleman of a good house) and one Arthington, a great admirer of the Geneva Discipline; that they accounted him as sent • rom Heaven, and a greater Prophet then Moses or John the Baptist, and finally, that he was Christ himself, come with his fan in his hand, to judge the world. And this they proclaimed in Cheapside; giving out that Hacket participated of Christ's glorified body, by his especial Spirit, and was now come to propagate the Gospel over Europe, and to settle a true Discipline in the Church of England; and that they themselves were two Prophets, the one of Mercy, and the other of Judgment; with many other such incredible blasphemies; whereupon Hacket was apprehended and arraigned; and at last, hanged, drawn and quartered, continuing all the time, and at his death, his blasphemous Assertions. Coppinger a while after starved himself to death in prison, Arthington repented, and made his Recantation in a public writing.
Besides these, other also at this time opposed the established Government of the Church of England, crying down the calling of Bishops, with whom sided some Common-Lawyers also, affirming, that the Queen could not depute, nor these men exercise any such Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction; and that the Oath Ex Officio was unchristian. But the Queen conceiving, that through the sides of the Prelates, she herself was shot at, suppressed them what she could, and maintained the Government formerly established.
About this time, the Lord Thomas Howard, with six of the Queens ships, having waited at the Azores six whole Moneths, for the coming of the Spanish Fleet from America, was at last set upon by Alphonso Bassano, with three and fifty ships, sent out for the Convoy of the American Fleet, where Richard Granvile Vice-Admiral, being in the Revenge, and separated from his company, was so hemmed in by the Spanish ships, and so battered with great shot; that most of his men being slain, his Main-mast cut off, himself sore wounded in the head, he commanded to sink the ship, that it might not come into the Spaniards hands; but this being countermanded by most voices, it was agreed, to yield it to the Spaniards, upon condition that the men should be set at liberty. Granvile himself was carried into the Spanish Admiral, where within two days he died, not without praise of his very enemies: Thus the great ship called the Revenge, was yielded, but had so many leaks in the Ke • l, that soon after it was cast away in a storm; and the loss of this one ship the English soon made good upon the Spaniards, by taking many of theirs.
About this time also, Cavendish, who in the year 1578. had sailed round about the world, now with five ships bent his course toward the Magellan Straits, but by reason of foul weather, was not able to pass them, being driven to the coast of Brazil, was there cast away.
And now, enmity increasing daily between Spain and England, two Proclamations were set forth; one, prohibiting upon pain of high-Treason, to carry Victuals or Munition into any of the King of Spain's dominions: Another, forbidding all persons to entertain any in their houses, till inquiry made, what they were, lest they might entertain Popish Priests, who at this time came swarming into England, by reason the King of Spain had lately founded a Seminary at Valledolid for the English.
At this time died Sir Christopher Hatton, Lord Chancellor, whom of a mean Gentleman's house, the Queens favor had raised to this height of Dignity; a goodly personage of body, of Noble, but no aspiring spirits; the only of all the Queens special Favorites, that died a Bachelor; and therefore left William Newport his sisters son his heir, who erected for him, in Paul's Church, a sumptuous Monument. After his death, the keeping of the great Seal was for certain Moneths committed to the Lord Burleigh Treasurer, Hunsdon, Cobham and Buckhurst: Afterward, Puckering the Queens Sergeant at Law was elected, not Chancellor, but Keeper of the great Seal.
At this time also, Brian O-Rork, the Irish Potentate, was arraigned at Westminster; his Indictments were, For raising Rebellion against the Queen, for dragging her Picture at a horse tail, for giving the Spaniards entertainment; which things being told him by an Interpreter, (for he understood no English) he said, He would not be tried, unless the Queen herself in person sat to judge him. Yet being told, that it was the Law; he only said, If it must be so, let it be so; and so condemned, was executed at Tyburn as a Traitour, whereof he seemed to make as little reckoning, as if it had but been in jest. And now this year, the Queen made the College of Dublin in Ireland, an University, which was formerly the Monastery of All-Saints, endowing it with power to confer Scholastical Dignities.
At this time, Sir John P • rot, who had been Deputy of Ireland, and done good service there, was yet by the malice of Adversaries, of whom Hatton was one, called in question, before the Baron Hunsdon, the Lord Buckhurst, Sir Robert Cecil, (lately made a Counselor) Sir John Fortescue, Sir John Wolley, and some of the Judges: His Accusations were; first, that he had spoken opprobrious words against the Queen, saying, She was illegitimate and cowardly; secondly, that he had fostered notorious Traitours, and Popish Priests; thirdly, that he held correspondence with the Prince of Parma, and the Queens enemies. To the first of which he confessed, that in his passion he had spoken of the Queen unadvisedly, for which he was infinitely grieved; the rest he denied: And all men knew, he was never Popishly affected. His Accusers were, one Philip Williams, sometime his Secretary; Denys O-Roghan an Irish married Priest, whose life he had saved; and one Walton, a fellow of no worth or Reputation. Yet the crimes being urged against him, by Popham and other Lawyers, till eleven a clock at night; he was at last condemned of high Treason, but Sentence wa • not pronounced till twenty days after; and yet was not put to death, but died a natural death in the Tower; he was a man of a goodly personage, stout and chollerick, and one whom (many thought) the Queen had the more reason to respect, for her father King Henry the Eighths sake.
The Earl of Ess • x, after a tedious Winters siege in Normandy, challenged Monsieur Villerse Governor of Roan to a single combat, who refusing to meet him; he then returned into England, being called home by the Queen, whose favor, by his long absence, might else have suffered prejudice.
And now the King of France, hearing that the Prince of Parma was coming i • to France, once again was fain to fly to the Queen for succor, to whom, upon certain conditions, she granted an Army of four thousand men, and some great Ordnance, with which Sir John Norris was sent into France; whom yet the French King employed not, as was agreed, to the great displeasure of the Queen. But as for the Prince of Parma's coming into France, he was prevented by death, when he had governed the Netherlands under the Spaniard fourteen years; a Prince of many excellent parts, and whom Queen Elisabeth never mentioned but with honor.
And now Queen Elizabeth considering that the King of Spain's chief strength was in his Gold of America, sends forth Sir Walter Ralegh with a Fleet of fifteen Ships to meet with the Spanish Fleet; who passing by a Promontory of Spain, received certain intelligence, that the Spa • ish Fleet was not to come forth that year: Whereupon, dividing his Navy into two parts; whereof, the one he committed to Sir John Bur ••• ghs, the other to Sir Martin Forbysher ; he waited other opportunities, when soon after, a mighty Caraque came in view, called The Mother of God, which from the Beake to the Sterne, was a hundred threescore and five foot long, built with seven Decks, and carrying six hundred men, besides rich Merchandize. This great Vessel they took, and in it, to the •• lue of a hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling, over and above what the Commanders and Sea-men pilfered.
This year, the Queen going in Progress, passed through Oxford, where she was entertained by the Scholars with Orations, Stage-Pl • yes, and Disputations; and by the Lord Buckhurst Chancellor of the University, with a sumptuous Feast. At her departure, She made a Latin Oration, wherein she vowed a vow, and gave them counsel; Her vow was, That as she desired nothing so much, as the prosperity and flourishing estate of her Kingdom, so she as much wished to see the Universities and Schools of learning to flourish likewise. Her Counsel was, That they would serve God above all, not following the curiosity of some wits, but the Laws of God, and the Kingdom, That they would not prevent the Laws, but follow them, nor dispute whether better Laws might be made, but observe those which were already Enacted.
This year, died Anthony Brown Viscount Montacute, whom Queen Mary honored with this Title; because his Grandmother was Daughter, and one of the Heirs of John Nevill Marquess Montacute ; who, though he were a great Roman Catholic, yet the Queen finding him faithful always, loved him, and in his sickness went to visit him. There died at this time also, Henry Lord Scroope of Bolton, Knight of the Garter, and long time Governor of the Western Border toward Scotland.
At this time Henry Barrow, and his Sectaries, condemning the Church of England to be no Christian Church, and derogating from the Queens Authority in matters Ecclesiastical; he the said Barrow, as Ring-leader of the rest, was put to death, in terror to all such disturbers of the peace of the Church.
About this time, by reason of the Queens correspondence with the Turk, to the end, her Subjects might have free Trading in his Territories; It was maliciously given out by some, that she had excited the Turk to a War against the Christians; which caused the Queen to write to the Emperor, showing him the falseness of this report, wherein she gave him full sa •• sfaction.
And now a constant report came into England, That the King of France had already embraced, or was ready to embrace the Romish Religion, which so much troubled the Queen, that she presently sent Thomas Wilkes into France ; with reasons (if it were not too late) to divert him from it. But before Wilkes came, the King indeed had openly professed the Romish Religion, at the Church of Saint Denis in Paris ; of which his Conversion, he declared the causes to Wilkes at large, showing, the necessity of it, unless he would suffer himself to be utterly thrust out of the Kingdom. And the French AMBASSADOR signifying as much to the Queen, in great perplexity, She writ to him to this effect.
Alas, what grief? what anxiety of mind hath befallen me, since I heard this news? was it possible that worldly respects should make you lay aside God's fear? •• uld you think, That He, who had hitherto upheld and kept you, would now at the last, leave you? It is a dangerous thing to do evil, that g • od may come thereof. But I hope your mind may alter; In the mean while, I will pray for you, and beg of God, That the hands of Esau, may not hinder the blessing of Jacob.
To this the KING Answered, That though he had done this in his own Person out of necessity; yet, He would never be wanting to those of the Reformed Religion, but would take them into his special care and Protection.
And now was Richard Hasket, condemned and executed for Treaso • , being sent from the English Fugitives beyond Sea, to persuade Ferdinand Earl of Derby, Son to Henry newly deceased, to assume the Title of the Kingdom; by right of Descent from Mary, Daughter to Henry the Seventh; and threatening him, that unless he undertook this enterprize, and withal, concealed him the Abettor, he should shortly die in most wretched manner. But the Earl fearing a trap was laid for him, revealed the matter; yet the fellows threating proved not altogether vain, for the Earl within four Moneths, died a most horrible death. This year, Death had his tribute paid him from the Nobility; for there died Henry Ratcliffe Earl of Sussex, and three renowned Barons, Arthur Grey of Wilton, Henry Lord Cromwell, and Henry Lord Wentworth ; besides Sir Christopher Carlisle, whose Warlike Prowesse at Sea and land, deserves to be remembered.
In IRELAND, at this time, divers great men in Connaght Rebelled; and Tu • logh Leynigh being dead, Tir-Oen assumed to himself, the title of O-Neal, (which in IRELAND is more esteemed, than to be called EMPEROVR) But upon a sudden, dissembling his disconte • t, he submitted himself to the DEPVTY, and promised all obedience.
I • was now the year 1594, and the seven and thirtieth of Queen ELIZABETH • Rain; when the good correspondence between the King of Scots and Queen ELIZABETH, gave the Papists small hope that ever he would prove an Instrument to restore the Catholic Religion. Whereupon, they began to bethink themselves of some English Papist, that might succeed the Queen; but finding none of their own Sect, a fit person, they fixed their thoughts upon the Earl of Essex, who always seemed a very moderate man; and him they devised to have some right to the Crown, by Descent from Thomas of Woodstock, King EDWARD the Thirds Son. But the English Fugitives, were for the Infanta of Spain, and desiring to set the King of Scots and the Earl of Essex at ods; they set forth a Book, which they Dedicated to Essex, under the name of Doleman, but was written indeed by Parsons ( Dolemans bitter Adversary) Cardinal Allen, and Francis Englefield. The scope of which Book was, to exclude from Succession, all persons whatsoever, and how near soever Allied to the Crown, unless they were Roman Catholics; Contending further, for the right of Isabella, Infanta of Spain, as being descended from Constance, Daughter of WILLIAM the Conqueror; from Eleanor eldest Daughter to HENRY the Second, Married to Alphonso the ninth King of Castile ; from Beatrix, Daughter to King HENRY the Third, Titles obsolete, and which exceed the bounds of Heraldry to discuss. This year, the nineteenth of February, was Henry Prince of Scotland born, to whom the Queen was Godmother, and sent Robert Earl of Sussex for her Deputy.
But now greater matters were in hand, Plots were laid against the Queens life; some Spaniards thinking to make her away by Poison, and not daring to trust any Englishman in such a business; they treat to that purpose, with Rodericke Lopes a JEV • , and Pysician to the Queen, wi • h Stephen Ferreir • , Emmanuel Loyfie, and other Portugalls; for divers of that Nation came into England at this time, in relation to Don Anthonio • who being discovered by letters of theirs, that were intercepted, were Arraigned at Guildhall, and by their own confessions convinced, to have conspi • ed against the life of the Queen, they were all condemned, and Exe ••• ed at Tiburne; LOPES professing that he loved the Queen, as well as Jesus Christ, which was cause of laughter to them • that knew him to be a JEW. The next day after them, was condemned Patrick C • llen • an Irish Fencer, sent hither by the English Fugitives, to kill the Queen, who was straightway executed, though he were at that very time sick and ready to die.
About this time, Sir John Norris having been in a hot conflict at sea against the Spaniard, where Sir Martin Forbysher received his deaths wound, was now called home, with a purpose to send him into Ireland. In which mean while, Richard Hawkins, Son of Sir John Hawkins the famous sea Captain, had been set forth a year since, with three of the Queens ships, and two hundred men in them; whereof, one of them at the Isle o • St. Anne, was by chance fired, another of them separated by tempest, returned into England ; himself in the third, passed the Straights of Magellan, being the sixth man in the Spanish accompt, that had ever done it; and being now come into the wide Southern sea, he took five ships laden with Merchandize; one whereof he took away, the rest he suffered to redeem themselves for two thousand Duckats: But at last, being set upon by Bertrandus a Castro, who was sent out by the Vice-Roy of those parts, with eight ships against him; after three days battery, he yielded, and though upon composition, yet was nevertheless sent into Spain, and there for divers years kept prisoner.
But James Lancaster in another part of America, had better success; for being set forth by some London Merchants (whose goods the Spaniards had seized) with three Ships and a long Boat, He took nine and thirty Spanish Ships, and at Fernanbucke in Brazil, where the wealth of an East-Indian Caraque was lately unloden; he desperately venturing upon the Shoare, Loaded Fifteene Ships with the wealth of the Indian Caraque; Sugar, Reed, Redwood called Brasill, and other Merchandize, and then safely and victoriously returned home.
At ROME, about this time died Cardinal ALLEN, borne in Lancashire of an honest Family, brought up in Oxford, in Oriall College. In Queen Mary's days he was Proctor of the University, and after Canon of the Cathedral Church at YORKE. Upon the change of Religion in ENGLAND, he left the Kingdom, and was Divinity Professor at Douay in Flanders, and made Canon of the Church at Cambray. He procured a Seminary to be set up in Douay, for the English, another at Rheims, and a third at Rome ; and through zeal of the Romish Religion, forgot whose subject he was born.
At home, at this time, died John Peers Archbishop of York, in whose place, succeeded Matthew Hutton, translated from the See of Durham. There died also Ferdinand Stanley Earl of Derby, being in the flour of his age, miserably tormented, and vomiting • tuffe of a dark rusty color, being thought to have been poisoned or bewitched. There was found in his chamber a little image of wax, with hairs of the color of his hairs, thrust into the belly; which some thought was done of purpose, that men should not suspect him to be poisoned; his vomit so stained the silver Andirons, that it could never be gotten out, and his body though put in searcloathes and wrapped in lead, did so • tinck and putrefy, that for a long time none could endure to come near where he was buried. The Master of his Horse was much suspected, who the same day the Earl took his bed, took one of his best Horses, and fled away. About this time also died Gregory Fines Lord Dacres, a man somewhat crazed, the Son of Thomas Lord Dacres, hanged in the Raign of King Henry the Eight.
And now Sir William Fitz Williams Lord Deputy of Ireland was called home, and William Russell youngest Son of Francis Earl of Bedford, was sent in his room; to whom presently came the Earl of Tir-Oen, and in humble manner craved pardon of his fault, that he had not presented himself at the call of the late Lord Deputy. Bagnall Marshall of the Irish Forces, exhibited many Articles against him, but he so pleaded for himself with promise of loyalty hereafter, that he was dismissed. But see the subdolousnesse of this man, for he would never after be gotten to come again, though the Deputy sent for him with many kind messages.
It was now the year 1595, and the eight and thirtieth year of Queen Elizabeth's Raign; when Ed • ond York, and Richard Williams who were formerly apprehended, came to their trial, and were executed at Tiburn, for being bribed to kill the Queen.
At this time a constant rumor was blown abroad from all parts of Europe, that the Spaniards were coming again against England, with a far greater Fleet than that in Eighty Eight, and that it was already under sail; whereupon, Soldiers were levied, and placed on the Sea-coast. Two Navies were made ready, one to expect them at home in the Channell; the other, to go for America, under Hawkins and Drake ; but when all came to all, it was but certain Spaniards, who loosed from the sea-coast of France, with four Gallies, which betimes in the morning landing in Cornwall, fired a Church standing alone in the fields, and three Villages of Fishermen, Neulyne, Moushole, and Pensaus, and then presently retired, not taking or killing any one person; And these were the first and last Spaniards, that in hostile manner • ver set foot upon English ground.
And now mischiefs growing daily in France, a great number persuaded the King, to conclude a Peace with Spain, and the Queen herself began to mistrust him; especially, having lately received intelligence out of the Popes Conclave; that he was received into the bosom of the Church of Rome, with the Popes Benediction, and that upon conditions prejudicial to the Protestants.
And therefore at this time, were divers undertakings of the English against Spain ; Sir Walter Rawleigh Captain of the Guard, having deflowered a Mayd of Honor (whom afterward he married) had lost the Queens favor, and was held in Prison for certain months; but afterward being set at liberty, though banished the Court. He undertook a Voyage to Guyana, setting sail from Plimmouth in February, he arrived at Trinidada, where he took St. Joseph's Town, but found not a jot of money there: From hence, with Boats, and a hundred soldiers, he entered the vast River Orenoque, ranging up in Guyana four hundred miles, but getting little, but his labor for his travel. In like manner, Amyas Preston and Sommers, Pillaged sundry Towns of the King of Spain's in the Western parts; and three ships of the Earl of Cumberland, set upon a huge Caraque, which by casualty was fired when they were in fight, and these were the enterprises of private persons: but the Queen being informed, that great store of wealth for the King of Spain's use, was conveyed to Port Rico, in St. John's Island; sent thither Hawkins, Dr • k • , and Baskervile with land Forces, furnishing them with six ships out of her own Navy, and twenty other men of War. They set sail from Plimmo • th the last of August, and seven and twenty days after, came upon the Coast of the great Canarie, which being strongly Fortified, they forbore to assault. A month after, they came to the Isle of St. Dominic, where five Spanish ships being sent forth to watch the English, lighted upon one of the small English ships which was strayed from the Company, and ••• ting the Master and Mariners upon the Rack, understood by them, That the English Navy was bent to Port Rico ; whereupon they make all possible speed to give notice thereof, that being fore-warned, they might accordingly be armed. And thereupon, as soon as the English had cast Anchors 〈◊〉 the Road at Port Rico, the Spaniards thundered against them from the shore; si • Nicholas Clifford, and Brute Brown were wounded as they sat at • upper, and two days after died. Hawkins also, and Drake, partly of dis •• se, and partly of grief for their ill success, died soon after. At the end of eight months, the Fleet came home, having done the enemy little hurt, fired only some few Towns and ships, but received infinite damage thems • lves; lost two such Sea-men, as the Kingdom, I may say, all Europe had • ot their like left. For the Spaniards having of late years received great •• rms by the French and English, had now provided for themselves with Fortifications which were not easy to be won.
At this time the Queen made known to the States in the Low-Countries, the great charges she had been at in relieving them ten years together; for which she requiteth some considerable recompense: The States again allege the great charges they were at in Eighty Eight, in repelling the Spaniards in her cause; yet (not to fall out about the matter) they were content to allow some reasonable retribution; but yet for the present, nothing was concluded. Likewise at this time, the Hanse Towns in Germany make complaint to the Emperor, and the Princes of the Empire, That the Immunities from customs anciently granted them by the Kings of England, began to be Antiquated, and that a Monopoly of English Merchants was set up in Germany ; to which, the Queen by Sir Christopher Perkins, first showing the cause of the first Grant, and then the Reason of Queen Mary's prohibiting it afterward, makes them so satisfactory an answer, that those very Hanse-Towns which complained, brought into England at this time, such store of Corn, that it prevented a mutiny, which thorough dearth of Corn, was like to have happened in London.
This year was famous for the death of many great Personages, Philip Earl of Arundel, condemned in the year 1589. The Queen had all this while spared, but now death would spare him no longer, having since that time been wholly given to contemplation, and macerated himself in a strict course of Religion, leaving one only son, Thomas, by his wife Anne Dacres of Gillis • and. He had two brothers, Thomas Lord Howard, whom Queen Elizabeth made Baron of Walden, and King James afterward Earl of Suffolk ; and William Lord Howard of the North, who yet liveth; and one sister, the Lady Margaret, married to Robert Sackvile, afterward Earl of D • rset, and father of Edward Earl of Dorset now living; a Lady so mild, so virtuous, and so devout in her Religion, that if her brother macerated himself being in prison, she certainly did no less, being at liberty; whom I the rather mention, because I had the happiness to know her living, and the unhappiness to be a Mourner at her Funeral. There died this year also, William Lord Vaulx, a zealous Papist, and Sir Thomas Hineage, Vice-Chamberlain, and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, whose only daughter married to Sir Moyle Finch of Kent, was no small advancer of that House. There died also William Whitaker, Master of S. John's College in Cambridge, and Divinity Professor: As likewise Sir Roger Williams, and Sir Thomas Morgan ; so as this year was honored with the deaths of two great Lord's, one exquisite Courtier, one great Scholar, and two famous Soldiers.
In Ireland at this time, Russell the Deputy doubting a storm of War from Tir-Oen, sent into England, requiring to have some experienced soldier sent to him with Forces, who though he desired Baskervyle to be the man, yet Sir John Norris was sent, with thirteen hundred old soldiers, besides a further supply; whom Tir-Oen hearing to be coming, set presently upon the Fort of Blackwater, and in the absence of Edward Cornwall the Governor, took it. But now being doubtful of his case, in a subdolous manner (as he was a double dealing man) he both offereth his help to the Earl of Kildare, against the Deputies servants; and at the same time, maketh promise to the Earl of Ormond, and Sir Henry Wallope, of loyalty and obedience; but notwithstanding he was forthwith proclaimed Traitor, under the name of H • gh O Neal, bastard son to Con O Neal. There was at this time with the Rebells in Ulster, a thousand Horse, and 6280 Foot: and in Connaght, two thousand three hundred, all at Tir Oens command; and the Forces of the English under Norris, not much fewer, with whom the Deputy himself joined, and marched together to Armagh ; which so terrified the Rebels, that Tir Oen forsaking the Fort of Blackwater, began to hide himself. Whereupon the Deputy returned, leaving Norris to follow the War, with the Title of General of the Army. But this satisfied not Norris, and therefore out of emulation betwixt himself & the Deputy, he performed nothing worth the speaking of, and seemed to favor Tir Oen, as much as the Deputy hated him; insomuch, as he had private conference with him (a thing not lawful with proclaimed Traitors) and upon his submission, and Hostages given, a Truce was granted both to him and Odonell, till the first of Ian • ary. When the Truce was expired, Tir Oen exhibited certain Petitions, protesting, if they were granted, he would then perform all duties of a loyal subject. In consulting about which Petitions, another Truce was concluded, till the first of April: during which Truce, Tir Oen dealt secretly with the King of Spain for Ayd to be sent him, making nevertheless a fair show of willingness to obedience, so far, that by the procurement of Norris and Fenton, a pardon was granted him; the which he pretended to receive more joyfully, than the Instrument whicd conferred the Earldom upon him; yet all this was but dissimulation, to win the time for his own ends.
In the midst of these Irish Affairs, Albertus Arch-Duke of Austria, and Cardinal, whom the King of Spain had newly set over the Netherlands, mustered together the Spanish Forces, upon pretence of raising the Siege of La Fere in Picardie ; but upon a sudden turneth aside, and besiegeth Calais ; and taking Newnham Fort, the very first day became Master of the Haven. The Queen informed hereof, forthwith, upon the very Sunday, in time of Divine Service, commandeth to leuy soldiers, whom she committeth to the Earl of Essex ; but before they could be shipped, certain News came, That the Town and Fort were taken by the Spaniard: Whereupon, the Queens Army was dismissed, and only some money lent to the French King.
But a few days after, a far greater, and more select Army is raised in England, wherein many of Noble Houses served as Voluntaries: For the Queen, to divert the King of Spain from invading her Borders, thought it the best way to invade his: Whereupon a Navy of a hundred and fifty Ships was made ready; where were soldiers under pay, 6360; Voluntaries of the Nobility and Gentry, 1000; Mariners, 6772, besides the Dutch-men, who brought two and twenty ships. Robert Earl of Essex, and Charles Howard Lord Admiral of England, were made Generalls with equal Authority; but the Admiral to hold Prerogative at Sea, Essex at Land. To these, for a Council of War, were joined, the Lord Thomas Howard, Walter Raleigh, Francis Vere, George Carew, and Conyers Clifford. The whole Fleet was divided into four Squadrons; the Admiral commanded the first, Essex the second, the Lord Thomas Howard the third, and Raleigh the fourth. The Officers of the Army were Francis Vere, Serjeant Major General, or Marshall; John Winkfield, Quarter-Master General; George Carew, Master of the Ordnance; Conyers Clifford Serjeant Major. Colonels were, Robe • t Earl of Sussex, sir Christopher Blunt, sir Thomas Gerrard, sir Richard Winkefield; William Winkefild was Commander of the Vo • untaries, and Anthony Ashley, Secretary to the Council of War, was to Register their Acts and Consultations. The Commission being drawn, the Queen gave them private Instructions, and withal, a Prayer of her own making, to be d • ily used in every Ship.
This F • eet set forth from Plymouth at the beginning of June. Nigh un • o Cabo S. Vincent they lighted upon an Irish Barque, which told them, That at Cales they were secure, and that in the Haven there were at Anchor Gallies, ships of War • and a great many Merchants Vessells. The twentieth of June, they cast Anchor on the West side of the Island; within two days they were agreed to set upon the Spanish ships, whereat the Earl of Essex cast up his Cap for joy. This business was alot • ed to the lesser ships, because the Road was too shallow for the great. The Gallyes quickly fled, and creeping along the shore, shifted away, but the Spanish ships that lay at Anchor at Puntall, turned their broad sides; so as the English Fight with them, lasted from break of day till noon; at which time, the Spaniards having their Gallons miserably tor • , and many of their men slain, resolved to fire the the ships, or run them ashore. The Spanish Admiral, being fifteen hundred Tun of Burthen, was fired by a Moor, and two other ships which lay next her took the fire, and were lost likewise. When this Sea-Fight was ended, Essex landed eight hundred soldiers at Puntall, a league from the Town of Cales, when half a mile from the Town, the Spanish Horse and Foot shown themselves, and presently gave back again; but straightway cometh forth a greater number: Then Essex commanded his Forces to make a fair Retreat; and having enticed forth their enemies, they turned upon them with such violence, that they forced them back into the Town. Then the Earl got up to a Bulwark newly raised, near the Gate, where he spied a passage into the Town • but so high from ground, that they must leap a Spears length to get down. Yet Evans the Earl of Sussex his Lieutenant, Arthur Savage, and other, leaped down; and the mean while Sir Francis Vere broke the Gate, and rushed in, and the rest with him. In the Market place John Winkfield was shot in the head, and with stones from the tops of the houses divers were wounded; amongst whom, Samuel Bagnall received eight wounds, and Arthur Savage was bloody all over; which two were Knighted in the place. The next day the Castle was yielded, upon condition, That the Inhabitants might depart with the clothes on their backs, the rest to be left for spoil. For five hundred and fourscore thousand Ducats the Castle was to be redeemed; and for the payment, forty of the chief Citizens to be sent Hostages into England. Now Raleigh was commanded to fire the Merchants Ships lying at Port Real, when they promised two Millions of Ducats to redeem them: but this the Admiral would not hear of, saying, He was sent to destroy Ships, not to dismiss them upon Composition. A world of Munition was found in the City, and great store of money privately carried away, everyone shifting for himself. It was thought by the wiser sort, That the Spaniard could not be damnified less by this Expedition, than twenty Millions of Ducats. None of note was slain amongst the English, but only Winkfield, who also slew a Spanish Captain; and now at last, threescore Military men were honored with Knight-hood. After this, having spoiled the whole Island • and demolished the Forts • they returned into England, much against the will of Essex, who would fain have been attempting some other enterprise.
The Queen received them home with much affability, giving many thanks to those of principal note, but extolling the Earl of Essex and the Admiral, above the rest. And now bethinking herself of a fit man to be Governor of the Bryll, which was given by the States as a Caution Town for money due, she made choice of Sir Francis Vere, although Essex commended other to her for the place: but another thing he took with great indignation, That in his absence she had made Sir Robert Cecil Secretary, whereas he had formerly with great instance commended Sir Thomas Bodley to her •
And now the King of Spain, to recover his honor lost at Cales, setteth forth a Navy for England and Ireland, with a great number of Irish Fugitives • but being at Sea, most of his ships were either run upon Rocks, or cast away in storms; so as this Expedition came to nothing.
But the Queen at this time, for her better security, entered a League of Defense and Offence with the French King, against the Spaniard, upon certain Conditions; which League, she confirmed by Oath, in the Chapel at Greenwich, the nine and twentieth of August, laying her hand upon the hand of Henry de la Tour, Duke of Bulloign, and Marshall of France ; the Bishop of Chichester holding forth the Evangelists, and a great company of the Nobility standing round about. In September following, Gilbert Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, was sent on Ambassage into France, to take the French Kings Oath, and to present Sir Anthony Mildmay for the Queens Ambassador in Ordinary, in the room of Sir Henry Unton lately there deceased, and to invest the King with the Order of the Garter. Soon after, Baskervile wafted into Picardy with two thousand soldiers; for no more were by agreement to be sent this year.
It was now the year, 1596, and the nine and thirtieth of Queen Elizabeth's Raign, when Thomas Arundel of Warder returned into England, from the Wars in Hungary against the Turk; whom, for his good service done there • the Emperor by his Letters Patents, had created Earl of the sacred Empire, and all and singular his Heirs and their Posterity, Males or Females, lawfully descended from him, to be Earls and Countesses of the holy Empire forever. Those who are graced with this Title, have a Place and Voice in the Imperial Diets, May purchase Lands in the Emperors Dominions, May take up voluntary soldiers, And are not bound to answer any matter before any Judge, but only in the Chamber of the Empire. At his return, a great Question came in agitation, Whether Titles of Honor given to the Queens subjects without her privity, ought to be accepted by them, or admitted by her. For this new Earl stuck in the stomachs of the English Barons, who inwardly grudged to give him place. The matter was long disputed on both sides, but what issue it had, or whether he were permitted this Honor here at home, I find not: Certain it is, That Sir Nicholas Clifford, and Sir Anthony Shirley, whom the French King two years since received into the Order of S. Michael, were laid in prison at their coming home, and charged to resign their Robes of the Order.
This year many great persons died; John Puckering, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, whom Thomas Egerton succeeded; Richard Fletcher, Bishop of London ; who for marrying the Lady Baker (as goodly a Lady as he was a Prelate) incurred the Queens displeasure; and to cure his cares, fell immoderately to drinking of Tobacco, and so expired. Henry Cary, Baron of Hunsdon, Lord Chamberlain of her Majesty's House, and her Cousin German. Sir Francis Knolls, who married Hunsdons sister, in Queen Mary's days an Exile in Germany for the Gospel, by Queen Elizabeth made first Vice-Chamberlain, then Captain of the Guard, afterward Treasurer of the Household, and Knight of the Garter. Henry Hastings Earl of Hu • tington, and President of the Counsel in the North, who spent his estate upon Puritan Ministers: Francis Lord Hastings, Nephew to him by his brother George, who succeeded him in the Earldom, and Margaret Clifford Countess of Derbie, (who descended of the blood Royal, from Charles Brandon ) consulted with sorcerers and cunning men, and thereupon a little before her end, was in a manner excluded from the Queens favor.
The Queen at this time was told, that the King of Spain was preparing a new Fleet against Ireland; whereupon to encounter him, she also prepared a Navy of a hundred and twenty Ships, seventeen of the Queens, Three and forty lesser Ships of War, the rest for the carriage of provision: They were parted into three Squadrons: Essex Commanded the first, who was also chief Commander in the expedition; The Lord Thomas Howard the second, and Raliegh the third. In this Fleet were sundry of the Nobility and Gentry, Charles Blunt, Lord Mountjoy, Vere, Carew, Sir Christopher Blunt, the Earls of Rutland and Southampton; the Lord's, Grey, Crumwell, Rich, and many other. The ninth of July they weighed Anchour from Plimmouth and were to direct their course to Ferall and the Groyne, to sieze upon the Spanish Fleet in the Harbor, and towards the Isles called Azores, to intercept the Indi • n Fleet at their return into Spain; but this expedition was crossed and overthrown by Tempests, for they had not sailed forty Leagues from Plimmouth, when they were shaken with such a terrible Tempest for four days together, that the Mariners themselves were at their wits end, and the Fleet had much a do to recover Plimmo • th; the Navy being mended, then hoise up sail the second time, but the wind • ell presently again so cross, that for a whole Moneths time they could not get out of the Haven, returning to Plimmouth the seventeenth of August they got out of the Haven; and now the third time, with a side wind hoise up sail, but before they came in view of Spain, they were dispersed by another horrible Tempest • wherein of the two great Ships which were taken at Calis, one was dashed in pieces, the other wandered no man knew whither. At the Island Flores the Fleet met again, where Rawleigh being distressed for water, went on shore without leave; and ere he had watered, had charge to follow Essex to Fay • ll: but not finding him there, he observed the Port, and calling a Council, the Commanders wished him to set upon the place, and not let slip so fair a booty. Upon this, Rawleigh with some of the prime Voluntaries, got to shore, and won the Town, but found no booty in it. The next day Essex came thither, whom Merrick informeth what Rawleigh had done, affirming spitefully, that he had done it only to prevent his Lordship in the honor of the exploit: whereupon, some persuaded the Earl to call a Council of War and than d •• place him, others again? to take of his Head for going to Land, without the chief Commanders leave; saying, he was never like for to have such another opportunity to be rid of his Adversary; upon this, Sidney, Brett, Berry, and other of Rawleighs company were displaced, and laid by the heels; Rawleigh himself was sent for, and entertained with a grim look by Essex and all his Party; Essex rebuketh him angerly, for landing his Forces, which none upon pain of death might do, without the Generalls command; Rawleigh made answer, that the Captains indeed, Ship-masters & the rest were within the compass of that Law; but not the Three prime Commanders, of whom himself was One: That he had a long time waited his coming, and longer would have waited, but that the Islanders provoked him to fight. And now the L. Thomas Howard mediated, that no severity might be used against Rawleigh, & persuaded him to acknowledge his fault; which being done, all were friends, and the displaced Captains were restored to their places, for the Earl was of a placable disposition; easily apt to take offense, and as easily ready to remit it.
From hence they sails to Gratiosa, where the Inhabitants crave mercy and obtained it; & here Essex would have tarried, in expectation of the Indian fleet; but that Graves the Pilot dissuaded, because the harbor was not good: and now see the unluckinesse of ill counsel, for the English were not gone above an hour, or two, • rom this place; when loe, the American fleet; (wherein were forty Ships, and seven of them loaden with treasure) cometh thither; which, hearing that the English were there abouts, directed their course to Tezcera, where they gained the haven, all but three ships, indifferent wealthy; which English took: and then were minded to set upon the rest, in the Port; but finding the attempt not forcible, they passed from hence, to Saint Michaells; where Southampton, Rutland, Evers, Bredon and Dockwray, were Knighted • and then Essex landed within six miles of the Town; nigh unto Villa Franca, a fair Town, and well furnished with merchandise; wine, wood, and corn; where they tarried six days: and the common soldiers found good booty. And now a Caraque was espied, coming out of the east Indies; which, by a warning piece shot off in a Dutch ship, perceiveing that the English were there; run herself a shore, unloaded her merchandize, and then fired herself. Thus the English had ill luck everywhere in this expedition: And the ninth of October they hoysted sail for England; but within two days, a terrible tempest, from the northward dispersed them; and the Spanish Fleet also at the same time, so as they never came in view of one another: one Spanish ship was cast upon Dertmouth, the Mariners and soldiers half starved in her; who intimated, that the Spanish fleet intended to seize upon some haven in Cornwall, which being nigh the mouth of the channel; might be convenient to receive forces from Spain: but the divine providence frustrated the designs both of the Spaniard and the English.
But now at his return, the Earl of Essex found that done in England, in his absence, which infinitely discontented him: Sir Robert Cicill made Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster; & which was more, Charles Lord Howard, created Earl of Nottingham, with relation in his patent to the Victory in eighty eight; and his good service at Cales: This glory he envied him, and besides stomacked it; that he must now take place of him. It being enacted in the Rain of Henry the eighth, that the chief Officers of the Kingdom, should have Presidence of all men of their degree. Whereupon the Queen, to give him content, was fain to create him Earl Marshall of England; by which he recovered his place again.
About this time, an Ambassador came into England, from the KING of Poland; who, when the Queen expected he should give her thanks for having procured a Peace between the King his Master, and the Turk, he clean contrary expostulated unkindness, for breach of Privilege in trading with Spain, requiring a present remedy, or else the King would otherways right himself. The Queen not a little offended, suddenly replied, • ow was I deceived? I expected an Ambassador, and behold a Herald; such a speech I never heard in all my life time: And after some further checking of him for his boldness, she referred him to her Council; and then retired into her Closett. The Ambassador afterward, in private conference with some of the Council, excused himself, saying, that his speech was penned by others, and then given him in writing. To his Message, the Council gave the like answer; as they had given before the Hanse-Towns, upon the like occasion: though now again, the Hanse-Towns obtain of the Emperor, to prohibit the English from trading in Germany, which made the Queen to prohibit the Hause towns from trading in England, and put them out of the Stilyard till this difference was accorded.
This year the Chancellor of Denmark came into England to restore the Garter, which she had bestowed upon the Kings Father, and withal offering the Kings help, to make a peace for the Queen with the Spaniard. The Queen thanked him; but meant not to use his help for that which she did not desire, and especially not now, when he had newly molested the King of France her Allye, and had taken Amyens the strongest Town of Picardie: Though why should the Queen be so tender of the French King, when now to get an aid of four thousand Soldiers from her, he fell to Devises; intimating unto her, that he was now offered by the Popes Nuntio a very commodious peace, if he would but forsake her. But while these things were in Treaty, Amyens was recovered again by the valor of Baskervile (who died at the seige) and of Sir Arthur Savage, as the King in His Letters to the Queen thankfully acknowledged.
About this time a Parliament was holden at Westminster, where Subsidies were willingly granted; and to this Parliament was called the Lord La Ware and restored to his blood, which by Act of Parliament in the Rain of King Edward the sixth was tainted; Also to this Parliament was called Thomas Lord HOWARD, by the Title of Baron Howard of Walden.
In Ireland at this time, a great part of Ulster, and almost all Connacht was in Rebellion; Whereupon Russell the Deputy was called home, and Thomas Lord Burrough sent in his place, a man very stout and courageous, but no soldier: This infinitely discontented Norris, who thought himself sure of the place himself, and now to see his Rivall preferred before him, and himself to be under him, President of Munster, drave him into such a melancholy, that in a very short time, (and as he thought to himself with much disgrace) he ended his life.
And now the Farle of Tir-Oen craveth, and obtaineth a months Truce of the new Deputy, at the months end, the Deputy marcheth against the Rebels, and gaineth the Fort at Blackwater, when suddenly the Rebells sl • w themselves upon a hill hard by, against whom the Earl of Kildare marcheth and puts them to flight; but yet with some loss of his own side, as Francis Vaughan the Deputies brother in Law, Turner a Sergeant Major, and two Fosters, brothers of the Earl of Kildare, whole death he took so heavily, that within a few days he died himself.
As soon as the people had fortified the Castle at Blackwater and withdrawn his Army, the Rebels began to besiege it again; (for this was the main place of their strength) which caused the Deputy with all possible speed to make thither, but unhappily died by the way. Whereupon the Rebells set upon the Fort more fiercely then before; but being still reppelled; they comforted themselves with this, that there was not many days provision left in the Fort; yet the admirable fortitude of Thomas Williams the Captain, and the Garrison Soldiers saved the place, who, when their horse-flesh was all spent, fed upon weeds growing within the Trenches, and endured all kind of misery. And now the Lord Burrough the Deputy being dead, the Army by direction from England, was committed to the Earl of Ormond, and the Government to two Lord's Justices, Adam Lofthouse Archbishop of Dublin and Chancellor, and Robert Gardyner : To this new Lieutenant, Tir-Oen exhibiteth a Bill of his oppressions and grievances with request of pardon, and at the same time stirreth up Mac-Hugh to a new Rebellion in Leinster.
In France at this time, the French King being importuned by the Pope, and by his own Subjects, began to incline to a Peace with Spain, which the Queen understanding, she sent into France, Sir Robert Cecil, Herbert and W • lks, (who died at his landing in France:) The States likewise sent thither, Justin of Nassaw, and Barnevolt, and others likewise into England to dissuade the Peace: but notwithstanding all they could say, or do, the French King shortly after concluded a Peace, to the great discontentment of the Queen and the States, but to the great good, and establishment of the French Common-wealth.
And now the Queen providing for her own and her people's safety, sent Sir Francis Vere to the States, to know if they were willing to join in a Treaty of Peace with the Spaniard; if not, what they would afford toward a War; and to deal earnestly with them, about repayment of money due to her from them. At home in the mean time, a great Consultation was holden, whither a Peace with Spain were convenient for England, or no; and many Reasons were on both sides alleged. Burleigh Lord Treasurer was for Peace, Essex for War, and so vehement in it, that the Treasurer, after a long debating, in a strange manner of Presage, reached forth the Book of the Psalms to him, pointing him to that Verse, The bloody minded man shall not live out half his days. Which made Essex afterward to set forth an Apology, with Reasons for justification of his opinion.
But now another Consultation was held, about a fit man to be Deputy of Ireland; The Queen intended to send Sir William Knolles, Essex his Uncle; but Essex was violent for Sir George Carew, whom he had a mind to remove from the Court; and when he could not by any means persuade the Queen to it, he then, forgetting himself and his duty, uncivilly and contemptuously turned his back upon the Queen, mutteri • g certain words. Whereupon she growing impatient, gave him a box on the ear, and bid him be gone with a vengeance; Essex laid his hand upon his sword hilt, and swore a great oath, That he could not, nor would not put up such an Indignity; and that he would not have taken it at King Henry the Eighth his hands; and so in a rage flun • away from the Court. But afterward, admonished by the Lord Keeper, he became more mild, and in a short time, returned into the Queens favor.
About this time, William Cecil Lord Burleigh, and high Treasurer of Eng • and, finding himself to droop with age, (for he was now threescore and seventeen years old) sent Letters to the Queen, entreating her to release him of his public charge; whereupon she went to visit, and comfort him, but within a few days he ended his life, after he had been the principal stay of the English Commonwealth for many years together. One great good he did to his country, a little before his death, that he brought the States of the Low-Countries to a Composition, for the payment of Eight hundred thousand pounds, by Thirty thousand pounds yearly; likewise, a new League to be concluded with them.
The King of Denmarks Subjects having lately seized upon some goods of the English as Prize, to the value of a hundred thousand Dollers; the Queen sent the Lord Zouch, and Christopher Perkins Doctor of Law, in Embassage to the Dane, both to congratulate his late marriage with the Electors daughter of Brandenburg; and also to crave restitution of the English goods; who obtained, that in lieu thereof, Threescore thousand Dollers were repaid. And now George Clifford Earl of Cumberland, having with a Navy of eleven ships, waited for Portingall Cariques, and the American Fle • t, till the season of the year was past (they not daring to stir forth) he at last set upon Port-Rico and took it; but seven hundred of his men falling sick of Calentures, and dying within forty days, he was fain to return home with some honor, but little profit.
About this time, one Edward Squire was Arraigned of high Treason, he had been at first an ordinary Scrivener, afterward a Groome in the Queen; stable, and going as a Soldier in Drakes last expedition, was taken prisoner and carried into Spain, there he came acquainted with one Wallpoole an English Jesuit, who caused him to be put into the Inquisition for an Heretic, and the fellow tasting of misery, was easily drawn to become a Papist, and afterward to attempt anything for the Catholic cause. His ghostly father persuaded him it were meritorious to make away the Queen and the Earl of Essex, and sent him into England with a certain poison, wherewith to anoint the pommell of the Queens Saddle, and the chair in which the Earl should sit, which he accordingly performed, but neither of them took effect, whereupon Wallpoole suspecting Squires fidelity was bent to revenge it, and sent one into England, who in general terms should lay this aspersion upon him; whereupon Squire is called in question, and never thinking that his Confessor would detect him, directly denied all at first; but after seeing himself betrayed, confessed all the matter and was executed.
This whole year the Rebellion was hot in Ireland; For Tir-Oen notwithstanding his pardon lately obt • ined, all on a sudden besieged the Fort at Blackwater, to the raising of which siege, the Lieutenant General (for there was as yet no Deputy) sent 13 Companies under the command of the Marshall, Tir-Oens sworre adversary, him Tir-Oen slew, and put his whole Army to rout, and achieved such a Victory, with so great loss to the English, as they had never • elt the like since they first set footing in Ireland • for thirteen valiant Commanders; and fifteen Hundred Common Soldiers were slain at this Skirmish, and soon after the Fort of Blackwater was yielded up. And now Tir-Oens fame began to resound, as the Assertor of the Liberty of the Nation, and upon a sudden all Munster brake forth into rebellion. For the cherishing whereof Tir-Oen sent thither O • ny Mac-Rorye and Tyrell (who originally an Englishman, was grown a deadly enemy to the English Nation) with four hundred Kernes. Against these; Thomas Norris President of the Province, marcheth to Killmallock with a good force; but finding that the Irish Soldiers of his Company were ready to revolt, he was fain to disperse his Army and retire to Corke. Hereupon the Rebells grew insolent, spoiled the Country, and in cruel manner put all the English to the sword. Furthermore they declare Fitz Thomas to be Earl of Desmond • but upon condition he should hold of O-Neal • , that is, of Tir-Oen, who now dispatched Letters to the Spaniard, relating his victories to the full, and vowing to accept no terms of peace with the English, and yet at the same instant (after his wonted treacherous manner) proffered some kind of submission to the Lieutenant; but withal made unreasonable demands.
The State of Ireland being thus in combustion, a serious consultation is holden whom to send to quench it, the Queen and most of the Counsel thought Sir Charles Blunt Lord Mountjoy the fittest man • but Essex covertly intimated, that he had no military experience, and besides was too bookish to prove a good Commander, he seemed to aim at the place for himself, though he made a show modestly to refuse it, and yet still ready with his exceptions if any other were nominated • many thought it dangerous to have an Army put into his hands, for his followers talked of great matters, that he (forsooth) was descended of the blood Royal of Scotland and England, and had better Right to the Crown, then any other of the Competitors. In Conclusion, he is appointed Vice-Roy; with ample Authority, to make War or conclude Peace, and pardon all offenders, even Tir-Oen himself. An army is allotted him as great as he desired: Indeed greater then ever Ireland had seen before; Twenty Thousand Foot, and Thirteen Hundred Horse: with these, and a great Retinue besides of the Nobility, he passeth into Ireland; where as soon as he had taken the Sword, contrary to his Commission (which was to go immediately against the arch-Rebell) he marcheth towards Munster, against the petty Rebels, taketh the Castle of Cahir, and driveth the Rebels into the Woods and Groves adjoining. His Forces being now impaired, he tarrieth to make them up; but in the mean time sendeth directions to Sir Coniers Clifford, President of Connacht, to set upon the Rebels in one place, (thereby to sever their forces) while he assaulted them in another; Clifford marcheth toward Belike, with 1500. Soldiers, where the Rebels are upon them at unawares, under the conduct of O-Rorke, (his Son that was hanged here in England) The English repel them at first with ease, and march along, but the Rebels finding they wanted Powder, set upon them again, and put them to flight; in which Skirmish, Clifford and many of the old Soldiers were slain.
Essex having by this time received new supplies out of England, and a check for neglecting the Queens Command, setteth forth at length toward the Borders of Ulster, with Thirteen hundred Foot, and five hundred horse, being come thither, Tir-Oen by a Messenger requesteth Parley, Essex refuseth saying, he might speak with him the next morning, between the two Armies; the next day, word is brought to Essex, that Tir-Oen craved the Queens mercy, and that he might only be heard speak, appointing the shallow of Balla Clinch for a most convenient place; thither came Essex alone, with whom Tir-Oen (riding his horse up to the girts) had private conference a full hour; A while after, Con Tir-Oens base Son came to Essex, requesting in his Fathers name a second Parley, and that some of the chief on both sides might be present: Essex consented, so there came not more then six. At the day appointed, many words had not passed, but it was argued, that their Delegates should Treat the next day concerning a Peace: between them it was concluded, that a Truce should be held from six weeks to six weeks, till May • day.
By this time, the Qu. understanding that no more was done, after so much time and money spent, in a great anger taxeth the Earls proceedings, and I know not how, it fell from her to some others that stood by, that he had other thoughts in his mind, then the good of his Prince and Country: And thereupon dispatched very sharp Letters to him, blaming his delay, and letting slip every fair opportunity: with which Letters Essex was so nettled and chiefly troubled, that the Queen had now made Cecil Master of the Wards, which he expected himself: that he began to cast strange Projects within his mind, and held private consultations of returning into England with part of his Forces, to surprise his Adversaries; But from this course, the Earl of Southampton, and Sir Christopher Blunt dissuaded him, as being dangerous and wicked. Yet within a month, over he went, and came to the Court at Nonesuch; to inform the Queen of the State of Ireland. By the way, the Lord Gray of Welton crossed him, but saluted him not; whom one of his followers offered to kill for his contempt: but Essex would not suffer him: And made such hast, that early in the Morning he was upon his Knees, before the Queen in the Privy Chamber. She enteriained him courteously, but not with the countenance She was wont: and after a little talk, bid him keep in his Chamber; And soon after, Committed him to Custody, in the Lord Privy Seals House; where entering into Consideration of his case, he giveth himself wholly to Divine Contemplation, and writeth wonderful Letters to his friends, of the vanity of the things of this life.
It was now the year one thousand six hundred, and the two and fortieth of Queen Elizabeth's Kaign, when after the departure of the Earl of Essex, Tir-Oen began to carry himself as Monarch of Ireland, and sendeth Kernes to make spoil in the possessions of such as continued in their loyalty to the Queen, under Mac-Guir their Captain, who lighting casually upon Sir Warham Saint Leger, thrust him thorough with a speer, and was himself thrust thorough withal. Whereupon the Queen sent Sir Charles Blunt Lord Montjoy, to take upon him the Deputies place, who looseth no time, but first of all marcheth towards Ulster buildeth a fort, within eight miles of Armagh, which, in honor of Sir John Norris, under whom he had his first military schooling, he calleth by the name of Mount N • rris ; there he placed Edward Blanye who kept the Rebels in awe in those pa •• s, from thence back he goeth into Leynster, wherein the Glynnes he reduceth into order, Donell-Spaniah, Phelim Mac-Pheoph, and the Rebelling Nation of the O-Tooles, taking hostages of them, then back into Ulster again, being victor wheresoever he cometh, and at Tradagh, receiveth into protection Mac-Henry, Mac-Cowly, and other rebels who fell at his feet for mercy. All this and more he did in his first year, and no less successful was Carew President of Munster, who drave out of the County the Titular Earl of Desmond, and having found Munster a turbulent Province in April, he overcomed and made it so quiet by December following, that the Rebels maintained not one Fort in it against the Queen.
And now a new consultation was holden in England, touching a peace with the King of Spain, the which he sought both by the French King, and by Alb • rtus the Archduke, who was now returned into the Netherlands out of Spain, where he was married to the Infanta. The Queen consenting to a Treaty, left it to the French King to nominate both the time and place for the meeting of the Delegates, who set down the Month of May, and Bulloigne in France; But now foreseeing that a question would arise about Precedency, some were appointed to search Ancient Records concerning that point. These men found in the Book of the Ceremonies of the Court of Rome, which (according to the Canons) giveth Rule to the rest, as the Lady and Mistress; that amongst Kings, the first place is due to the King of France, the second to the King of England and the 3. to the King of Castile; That the English quietly held this privilege in the General Counsels of Basel Constance, and others, besides the Kingdom of Castile, which is the Spaniards first Title, is but an upstart in regard of England, which had Earls, but no Kings till the year one 1017. In like manner, that Pope Julius the third, gave sentence for Henry the seventh of England, against Ferdinand, who was then King of Castile.
At the day appointed, the Delegates met at Bulloign, Sir Henry Nevyll, Legier Ambassador, Sir John Herbert, Robert Beale, and Thomas Edmunds for the English, and other fought the King of Spain and the Archduke. The English had Instructions, first concerning Precedency, in no case to give way to the King of SPAINE; yet if they contended, to put the matter to the devision of Lots, rather then the Treaty should be dissolved; and for the rest, to propose and mention the renewing of the ancient Burgundian League, freedom of commerce, &c.
At the meeting, when the had severally shown their cōmissions; the English challenge the Precedency, the Spaniards do the like, and in soe peremptory a manner, that without it they would dissolve the Treaty: hereupon the English made a proposition, to let pass the question of Precedency; and to transact the business by writing, and Messengers between them: Or that the Treaty might be intermitted only for threescore days, not quite brooken off; but all was to no purpose; And at three months end, they parted.
The States the mean while, were so far from regarding a Peace, that at this time, they thought upon reducing the Sea Coast of Flanders into their command • and thereupon they landed an Army there, of Fourteen thousand Foot, and three thousand horse under the conduct of Maurice of Nasaw; and Fifteen hundred of the English under the command of Sir Francis Vere, and his Brother Horatio : At which true happened the famous Bataile of Newport, against the Arch-duke, wherein nine thousand of the Spaniards were slain; and the Victory by the valor of the English, fell to the Dutch, for so forward were the English in this Battle, that of their fifteen hundred, eight hundred were slain and sore wounded, eight Captains killed, and of the rest every man hurt.
All this year, and the year past, sundry quarells and complaints arose between the English and the French, touching reprisalls of goods taken from each other by Pirates of either Nation: Also touching Customs and Impositions, contrary to the Treaty of Bloys, and deceit in English Clothes, to the great infamy of our Nation. In Denmark likewise arose controversies touching Commerce, and the Fishing of the English upon the coast of Island and Norway. The Queen also either time, for the increase of Navigation and Commerce, Founded the Company of East-India Merchants, allowing them large Privileges: but whether, thi • hath proved beneficial to the Common-wealth, (there having been by this means such a mass of money and great store of other commodities c • rried out of the Kingdom, and so many Mariners lost every year) wise men make a question.
About this time also, Pope Clement the eight, perceiving the Queen to be in her declining age, sent two Breeves into England, the one to the Popish C • ergy. the other to the Layity, to suffer no person whatsoever, to take the Kingdom upon him after the Queens death, but one that should promise by Oath to promote with all his might, the Roman Catholic Religion, how near soever otherwise, he were allied to the Blood Royal of the Kings of England.
This year by reason of intemporate weather, happened a great scarcity of Corn in England, and thereby many grievous complaints was occasioned. The common people cast out reproachful slanders, against the Lord Treasurer Buckhurst, as the granter of Lycences for transportation of Corn; but he appealing to the Queen, she forthwith defended his Innocency, and made it known by open Proclamation, imputed the fault, upon the Broggers of Corn, and Forestallers of Markets, and gave order that the slanderers should be reprehended and punished.
The Earl of Essex, who had now been Prisoner six months in the House of the Lord Privy Seal • he then began to repent in good earnest, resolving to put away his perverse Counselors, Cylly Merick and Henry Cuffe, and then he shown so much patience and great submission, that the Queen then sent him to his own house, and to be there confined, always protesting that she would do nothing that should be for his ruin • but only that, which should be for his amendment. Nevertheless, when as the common people extolled his Innocency, she could not, for the removal of suspicion of injustice, free herself and her counsellors, but bring him to a trial, not in the Star-Chamber, lest the Censure should fall too heavy on him; but in the house of the Lord Privy Seal, where the cause should have a plain hearing before the Lord's of the Council, four Earls, two Barons, and four Judges of the Realm. The objections were, That contrary to his Commission, he had made the Earl of Southampton, General of the Horse, had drawn his Forces into Munster, neglecting the Arch-Rebell Tir-Oen, entertained a Parlee with him, against the Dignity of the Queens Majesty, and the person of a Vice-Roy, which he represented; and that the said Parlee was suspicious, in regard it was private. Some aggravations the Lawyers added from abrupt sentences, in his Letter to the Lord Privy Seal, written two years since, as these; No storm is more fierce than the indignation of an Impotent Prince. What? Cannot Princes err? May they not injure their Subjects, and such like.
He falling upon his knee at the end of the Boord, professed he would not contest with the Queen, nor excuse the faults of his young years, either in whole, or in part, Protesting that he always meant well, howsoever it fell out otherwise, and that now he would bid the World farewell, withal, shedding many tears, so as the standers by wept also. Yet could he not contain himself, but began to plead excuses, till the Lord Privy Seal interrupted him, advising him to proceed as he had begun, to fly to the Queens Mercy, who would not have him questioned for disloyalty, but only for a contempt; and that he did not well to pretend obedience in words, which in deeds he had not performed. At length, in the name of the rest, he pronounceth this Sentence against him; That he should be deposed from the office of a Privy Counselor, suspended from the functions of the Earl Marshall, and Master of the Ordnance, and be Imprisoned during the Queens pleasure. She had given express charge, not to suspend him from the office of Master of the Horse (minding to take him shortly into favor) and that his Censure in no case should be Recorded. Af • er this, he made show of wonderful humility and mortification, which so affected the Queen, that shortly she removed Barkeley his keeper, and gave him leave to go at large; only admonishing him, To make his own discretion his keeper, and not to come at the Court, or in her Presence.
After this Sentence, Cuffe, who always persuaded the Earl to stand stoutly in his own defense, began so plainly to tax him of cowardice and pusillanimity; that the Earl in anger, commanded his name to be put out of the Rowl of his servants, yet Merrick the Steward did it not, as being of Cuffes mind himself.
Essex, being now ready to go into the Country, remembered himself to the Queen, by the Lord Henry Howard, in these words; That he kissed the Rod, and the Queens hands, which had • nely corrected, not overthrown him; yet he should never enjoy solid comfort, till he might see those blessed eyes, which had been his load-stars, whereby he had happily steered his course, whiles he held on his way at lawful distance; But now he resolved to eat grass with Nebuchad-nezzar, till it please the Queen to restore his senses. She being greatly joyed with these his speeches; Would to God (said she) his deeds might be answerable to his words; he hath long tried my patience, I must now make trial of his humility.
And now the Earl grew so confident of thee Queens favor, That he became a suitor to her for the Farm of sweet Wines; but she to try his temper, and with what mind he would bear a repulse, made him Answer; That she must first know what it was worth, and not give away things hand over head; and had oftentimes in her mouth, the Aphorism of Physicians, That foul bodies, the more you nourish them, the more you corrupt them. And indeed, this was the right way to find, whether the ulcer of his mind were thoroughly cured or no; for being not thoroughly cured, it would endure no touching; and no more did his, but as though every denial of a courtesy, were an injury that required revenge; his melancholy was presently turned into choller, and now began to hearken to Cuffe again; telling him, That it was now plain, the Queen determined to make him as poor as Job, that he should live of the basket, and gather crumbs under the Ta •• e. Hereupon he returned to London, Southampton is sent for out of the Low-Countries, his doors are set open for all comers, Merricke his Steward receiveth to his own table decayed soldiers, discontented and audacious persons; Sermons are made there every day by Puritan Ministers, to which the Citizens flock, and all signs of popularity appeared; which matters coming to the Queens ears, Alienated her affection from him daily more and more; but especially she was exasperated, that her Person was despised by him; for (not to say the worst) he had muttered, That the Queen was now old and decrepit, and withered as well in mind as body.
And now again, he runneth upon desperate counsels, for the removal of his adversaries from the Court, seeketh to screw himself into the King of Scots favor, to whom he traduceth his adversaries, by name Raleigh, Cobham, Carew, Cecil, and the Admiral, as inclined to the Spanish Faction, and at one and the same time, seeketh to win to him both Puritans and Papists. Many were of his party, but few of his counsel; and these were the Earl of Southampton, Sir Charles Davers, Sir Ferdinando Gorge, Captain of the Garrison of Plimmouth, Sir Christopher Blunt, and some other. With these he met privately in Drury House to avoid suspicion, where he first giveth them a Catalogue of the Nobility and gentry that favored him, to the number of a hundred and twenty. Then they consult, whether it were better to set upon the Tower of London, or the Queens Palace; this latter they resolve upon, which should be done in this manner. Blunt should keep the great Gate, with a selected number of men, and Danvers seize upon the Presence Chamber: Then Essex with his company should come from the Mues, and present himself before the Queen. But now suspicions arising from divers circumstances, Secretary Herbert was sent to call him before the Council, at the Treasurers House; but he doubting the matter, excuseth himself, that he was not very well. And now the Plot of seizing upon the Court, which had been four months in contriving, was by this means quite dashed, for they had ready at the present, neither Soldiers, nor muition, so as some speedier course must now be thought on; at which time very opportunely cometh one to them (set on no doubt by Essex his Adversaries) as if he had been sent on purpose from the Citizens, to promise him their Ayd, which made Essex to applaud his own great good fortune.
And now were four of the Lord's, namely the Lord Keeper, the Earl of Worcester, Sir William Knolles, and the Lord Chief Justice of England, sent by the Queen to Essex house, who could hardly be suffered to come, in, all their Attendants were kept out, save he that carried the Seal before the Keeper. In the Court, they found a confused number of people, and the Earls of Essex, Rutland, and Southampton in the midst of them. The Keeper turning himself to Essex, telleth him, The Queen had sent him and the rest to understand the cause of this concourse, promising Justice, if any person had done them wrong. Essex with a loud voice crieth out, They lie in wait for my life, we are met to defend ourselves. The Keeper urging Essex again to unfold some part of his grievance; the unruly multitude crieth out, Away, let us be gone, they come to betray you, Kill them, cast away that Great Seal. Essex retireth into the house, the Lord's follow him, he chargeth them to make the doors fast, and turning him to the Lord's, Have patience for a while (saith he) I must go into the City, to dispatch a little business with the Major and Sheriffs, I will return presently.
There the Lord's are kept prisoners; Essex maketh haste into the City, with a Troop of 200 men at his heels; the E. of Bedford, the L. Cromwell, and •• her Lord's meeting him by the way, join themselves: coming into London, • e crieth out aloud, For the Queen, for the Queen, they lay wait for my life. The Citizens came running to gaze, but not so much as one person took Arms to take his Part. Passing along the City, he came all in a sweat to the Sheriff Smith 's house, who shifteth himself forth at a back door, and goeth to the Lord Major. By this time, certain of the Nobility entered the City with a Herald, declaring Essex and his adherents Traitors. Hereupon, hearing also that the Lord Admiral made towards him with an Army, he began to be dishear • ned; Gorge taketh care for himself, requesteth he might be sent to release the Counselors, and with them to crave the Queens mercy, whiles the issue was yet doubtful. The Earl content, that Popham only should be freed; but he refused, unless the Keeper also might be dismissed. Then Gorge freeth them all, and goeth along with them to the Court by water.
Now when Essex thought to return, he found a Chain fastened cross the street, at the West end of Paul's, and men in Arms on the other side: then he began to draw his sword; and having once given the word, Blunt letteth fly at them, slew one of them incontinent, himself being sorely wounded and taken. Essex himself had his Hat shot thorough; whereupon retiring, he took Boat at Queen Hythe, and went to Essex House; where finding the Counselors all dismissed, he grew extreme angry and dismayed, and cast certain papers into the fire, saying, They should tell no tales. By and by the Admiral besiegeth the house, commanding them to yield. Southampton offereth, if the Admiral would give Hostages to secure them, they would present themselves to the Queen. The Admiral answereth him by Sidney, That Rebells are not to profer Conditions. Within an hour, Essex finding the case desperate, resolved to rush forth; and the Lord Sands (the most aged in the company) greatly urged it, saying, It were better to die valiantly, than by the hands of a Hang-man. But Essex his mind, upon a little deliberation altering, they fell upon their knees, and deliver their weapons to the Admiral, when it was ten a clock at night. Owen Salisbury, and one or two more were slain with Musket Shot, and as many of the Besiegers. The next day, Thomas Lea, Commander of a Company of Soldiers in Ireland, who to one Cross a Sea-Captain (that detected him) intimated, how noble an exploit it were, for six stout fellows to go to the Queen, and compel her forcibly to release Essex and Southampton, was presently apprehended, examined, found guilty and executed. Essex and Southampton were carried first to Lambeth, to the Archbishops house, because it was a dark night; but anon were sent to the Tower, by the Queens direction; and with them, Rutland, Sands, Cromwell, Mounteagle, Danverse, and Bromley, the rest were put in common prisons.
On the nineteenth of February, Essex and Southampton were called to their Arraignment, before their Peers in Westminster -Hall, where Buckhurst Lord Treasurer, was appointed Lord High Steward of England for that time. The Peers being severally called by their names, Essex demanded, If it were not lawful for them to except against some of the Pee • s, as private persons might do against the Jurors. The Judges made answer, That the credit and fidelity of the Peers of England was presumed to be such, that in Trials they were not bound to take an Oath, nor are they liable to any exception. Then were they jointly indicted of High Treason; namely, That they plotted to deprive the Queen of her life and Kingdom, To surprise her in her very Palace; And that they brake forth into open Rebellion, by imprisoning the Counselors of the Kingdom, By exciting the Londoners to Re-bellion with vain Fictions; By assaulting the Queens loyal Subjects in the City, and by defending of Essex House against the Queens Forces. Hereunto they pleaded, Not guilty. Essex withal averring, That they had done nothing but of necessity, and the Law of Nature. Yelverton aggravateth the specialties; and Edward Cook Attorney, argueth, That the Earl could not excuse himself from the Law of Nature, seeing Majesty is not to be affronted for private revenge. The Earl of Essex with great confidence made answer, That to his Prince and Country, he always had and would bear a loyal affection. The Francis Bacon (one that was little expected to speak against Essex, by whom he had been raised) in defense of Cobham, Cecil, and Raleigh, aggravateth his crying out, That the Crown of England was sold to the Spaniard: whereto Essex replied, that he heard indeed, that Cecil the Secretary should say to one of the Lord's of the Council, That the Right of the Infanta of Spain to the Kingdom of England, was as good as any of the Competitors. Upon this Cecil (who stood by as an Auditor) steppeth in, and falling upon his knees, beseecheth the Steward that with his good leave, he might quit himself from this foul aspersion: which leave being granted him, he provoked Essex, if he durst, to name the Counselor; but he would not: therefore (saith Cecil ) It is a Faction: still Essex averreth it. Then Cecil turning himself to Southampton, besought him, by all manner of Obtestations, to name the man. He referreth it to the Honorable Assembly, and to Cecil himself, if in Honor and good Reason he ought to do it: they affirming, He might, Southampton nameth Sir William Knolles, Essex his Uncle. He being sent for, at Cecills entreaty, said, That Cecil two years since told him, that one Dolman, in a Book, had asserted the Right of the Infanta, and had spoken no otherwise than so.
Now after the Judges had delivered their opinion what was Law in the matters allege • , the Earls, by the Stewards direction, were taken aside: Then the Peers rose, and went apart, and having consulted about an hour, returned to their seats, and in their order, pronounced the Earls guilty of high Treason. Then the high Steward, advising Essex to implore the Queens mercy, giveth Sentence, and that done, brake his Staff and departed.
The next day, Sir Robert Vernon, Sir William Constable, Sir Edmund Baynham, Littleton, Cluff, Captain Whitlock, John and Christopher Wright and Orell an old Soldier, were called to their Trial: but the Queen (informed by Sir Fulk Grevill, That most of them were drawn unwittingly into the danger) commanded that only Littleton, Baynham, and Orell should have their Trial, the rest to be sent back to prison. These were all condemned, but their lives spared; which favor, Raleigh (for a good sum of money received of Baynham ) procured.
Essex in the mean while, requested he might speak with some of the Counselors, to whom he reconciled himself, and to Cecil especially; and then intimated, That the Queen could not be in safety while he lived; he requesteth he might be executed privately in the Tower: He grievously inveigheth against some of the Conspiracy, and wished to speak with some of them, but specially with Blunt and Cuffe ; whom as soon as he saw, he brake forth into these words; O Cuffe, ask pardon of God and the Queen, for thou hast chiefly provoked me to this disloyalty. Also he intimated Sir Henry Nevill, ordinary Ambassador in France, to have been acquainted with the Conspiracy; and that other in Scotland, France, the Netherlands, and the Lord Mountjoy, Deputy of Ireland, knew of his purpose, and other in England ; who being many in number, and the Lord Mountjoy ordering the Affairs of Ireland in good fashion, the Queen wisely would take no notice of it.
The five and twentieth day of February, which was to be the fatal day, there were sent to the Earl divers Ministers, to give him ghostly comfort. The Queen now wavering in herself, one while remembering the •• ci • nt kindness she had shown him, she commanded he should not be • xecu • ed; then again, thinking of his stubbornness, That he would not once ask her mercy, and had said openly, That he could not live, but she must perish; countermanding her former word, she gave order that he should • e executed.
Then was he brought forth into the Yard, where a Scaffold was erected, and sundry of the Nobility present, amongst whom Raleigh also; but being • old, It was an inhumane thing to stand by and behold the death of his adversary, he withdrew himself into the Armory, and from thence beheld the Tragedy. Essex being ascended the Scaffold, uncovered his head, cast up his eyes towards Heaven • and cried God mercy for the manifold sins of his youth, but this last specially, which he said was a bloody, crying, and contagious sin; craved pardon of the Queen and her Counselors, commended his Spirit into the hands of God, and had his head taken off at the third blow, though the first bereft him both of sense and motion.
The fifth of March, Sir Christopher Blunt, Sir Charles Davers, Sir John Davis, Sir Gyllie Merrick, and Cuffe, were brought to their Trial in Westminster -Hall, before the Queens Delegates. The Heads of their Indictments, were the same which were objected to Essex and Southampton. The others said little in their defense, only Cuffe stood upon these two Answers; Whereas (saith he) I am challenged of Treason, because I was in Essex house the day of the Rebellion; by the same Argument the Lion in the Celler might be indicted; all that day I lamented the Earls Fortune, and dealt with him to fly to the Queens mercy. And as for the Consultation in Drury House, it is no more to be called High Treason, than an Embryon may be accounted a perfect man. The Lawyers on the other side demonstrated, That no necessity lay upon him to tarry in the House; and that the Consultation in Drury House was itself a Treason, though it had never broke forth into act. Merrick said only this, The Earl of Essex raised me, and he hath overturned me.
The thirteenth of March, Merrick and Cuffe are drawn to Tyburn, where Cuffe entering into a long Speech, was by the Sheriff interrupted; and then, after prayers to God, and desiring God and the Queen to pardon him, he was cast from the Ladder: a man of great Wit and Learning, but of a boisterous and turbulent disposition. In the same manner died Merrick.
The fifteenth of March, Sir Charles Davers, and Sir Christopher Blunt were beheaded on the Tower-Hill; albeit Davers offered ten thousand pounds to redeem his life, though with perpetual Imprisonment. The Earl of Southampton, and the Sheriff Smith, were kept prisoners; though Smith, after some time, was upon sureties suffered to go at large. The eighth of July, Sir Henry Nevill was cited before the Lord's of the Counsel, where it was laid to his Charge, That he was present at the Consultation in Drury House, yet had not revealed their sinister purpo • es; and had imparted to Essex the secrets of his French Ambassage. He confessed, That at the Earls entreaty, he shown him the Commentaries of the French proceedings, was present at one of their Consultations only, but contemned their counsels, yet durst not be an Informer against so great Personages. Hereupon he had a grievous check given him, and was committed to prison.
One Act of the By, is not here to be omitted. Essex at his Arraignment had complained, That his hand-writing was counterfeited. It happened, the Countess of Essex being fearful in her husbands behalf, gave a Letter which she had received from him, to the custody of one Ri • ove, a Dutch-woman that waited on her: this Dutch-woman's husband, named Daniel • lighted by chance upon the Letter, and perceiving some passages in it which might bring the Earl of Essex into danger, got a cunning fellow to draw a counterfeit Copy of the said Letter; with this he cometh to the fearful Lady, who was newly brought to bed, threatening to give the same to her husbands adversaries; unless she would presently give him three thousand pounds. She to shun the danger, paid him eleven hundred and seventy pounds at the very instant; yet did he deliver her the counterfeit Copy only meaning to make use of the true one, to get another sum of the Earls adversaries. This imposture being found out, he was censured to perpetual Imprisonment, condemned in three thousand pounds (two of which were to go to the Countess) and his ears nailed to the Pillory, with this Writing over his head; A notorious Cheater.
Soon after, a Parliament was assembled, wherein grievous complaints being tendered to the lower House touching Monopolies; the Queen, by way of prevention, sendeth out Proclamations, declaring the said Licenses and Patents to be void in part, leaving some part to the discussion of the Laws: which thing was so acceptable to the Lower House, that they presently sent 80 selected persons; together with the Speaker, to give the Queen thanks; and she on the other side, gave them thanks, for being such faithful Monitors to her, to recall her from an error, whereinto through ignorance, not willfulness, she was fallen.
In Ireland, the Deputy, at the entry of the Spring, draweth his Forces together and driveth Tir-Oen from where he had fortified himself; Carew, President of Munster, taketh the titular Earl lurking in a Cave, and receiveth intelligence, That the Spaniards, invited by Tir Oen, had a purpose to land in Munster, yet could not persuade the Deputy they had any design for Ireland ; but in the midst of September, certain news was brought, The Spaniards were in sight, who wanting wind to carry their Fleet to Cork, put in to Kinsale, the three and twentieth of September, and land their Soldiers without resistance. Richard Percy, having but few Soldiers to defend the Town, is commanded to come away, and leave Kinsale to the Spaniards, into which they enter with Ensigns displayed, and by the Magistrates and Inhabitants, were bidden welcome.
D'Aquila, who commanded the Spaniards, publisheth a Declaration, wherein he showeth, That Queen Elizabeth was deposed from her Kingdom by sentence of the Pope, her subjects absolved from their Allegiance; And that the Spaniards were now come to deliver Ireland from the Jaws of the devil. Tir Oen joineth his Forces with them, so as they were now six thousand Foot, and five hundred Horse, and promised themselves assured Victory, the English being not near so many. The four and twentieth of December, a Battle is joined; where, after a long Fight, the Victory inclined to the English. Tir Oen, O donell, and the rest, cast away their Weapons, and save themselves by flight. Alphonso O Campo, chief Leader of the Spaniards, together with three other Captains, was taken prisoner, and six Ensign-bearers, twelve hundred were slain, nine Colours taken, whereof four belonged to the Spaniards: of the English not many were slain, but a great number wounded.
After six days, D'Aquila sendeth Letters to the Deputy by a Drummer, requesting that some person of account might be sent to him, with whom to confer; Sir William Godolphine is sent, to whom he complained of cowardice, and (he feared) treachery of the Irish; and therefore, although he wanted nothing to hold out the Siege, and did daily expect great Forces from Spain, yet was willing to make a Composition: whereupon, at last it was agreed, The Spaniards should yield up Kinsale to the Deputy, as also the Castles and Forts at Baltimore, Bere-Haven, and Castle-haven, and should depart with life and goods, and Colours displayed. The English, at a reasonable price, should furnish them with Ships and provision into Spain ; and that they should not carry Arms against the Queen of England, till they were arrived in Spain, &c.
And now the Spaniards being driven out of Ireland, the Queen, to prevent their coming again, sendeth out Sir Richard Levison, and Sir William M •• son, with eight Ships of her own, and some smaller Ships of War, to attempt something upon the Coast of Spain. On the nineteenth of March, Levis • n hoyseth Sayl, and Monson afterward, having in vain tarried behind, for some Dutch Ships to join with them. Levison in the mean time lighted upon the Spanish Navy of eight and thirty Ships, which brought the Treasure from America, and set upon them, but to no purpose. When Monson was come with the rest of the Fleet, they had certain notice, That a mighty Indian Caraque of sixteen hundred Tun, and richly laden, was upon the Coast of Portugal. There indeed they found it, but it lay close under a Fort, attended with eleven Gallies; and the Caraque itself appeared as big as a Castle; yet they resolved to fire it, if they could not take it. The next day, they thundered so violently against the Gallies, that within seven hours the Marquess of St. Cross, together with Portugal Gallies which he commanded, withdrew themselves; two of them were taken and fired; and in them was great store of Powder, which was going for the Low-Countries. And now Levison signified to the Captain of the Caraque, That the Gallies which they trusted to, were driven away, and therefore, if they now refused mercy, they must expect none hereafter. After much speech to and fro, it was at last agreed, That the Caraque, with the Ordnance and Merchandise, should be yielded up. Thus the English, having a fair wind, returned homeward with a Booty, to the value of a Million of Ducats, by the Portugal account, and not past five of their men lost in the Voyage.
At this time there arose a Contestation amongst the Popish Clergy here in England ; for the Jesuits and the Secular Priests, made bitter Invectives in their writings, one against the other. The original of the Priests quarrel was, That Blackwell, one wholly at the beck of the Jusuites, was set over them as Arch-Presbyter, who first of all despoiled them of their Faculties; and when they appealed to the Pope, caused them to be declared Schismatics and Heretics. They in sundry Books extolled the Queen very highly, as one that dealt mildly always with the Catholics, till such time as they set all in a combustion in England ; and by their Treasons, caused most severe Laws to be enacted against the Catholics. Parsons they traduced, as a Bastard, an Equivocator, and a Traitor. Whether they contended thus in good earnest, or in jest only, is hard to say; but the Bishop of London politically nourished the contention; and all he gained, was this, That the Queen and her Council, finding them dangerous to the Common-wealth, both the one and the other, upon Penalty of the Laws, were by Proclamation commanded to depart out of the Kingdom presently.
In France, the Marshall Biron, for entering into dangerous attempts against the public Peace, was arraigned, and lost his head. His confession brought some other into danger; and amongst them, the Duke of Bulloign, of the Protestant Religion, that when he was cited, he durst not appear, but fled into Germany. Hereupon the King of France sendeth to Queen Elizabeth, complaining that the Duke held his Marriage unlawful, and the Popes Dispensation nothing worth, pronouncing his son Illegitimate; had destined the Prince of Condé to the Succession of the Crown, and conspired the destruction of the prime of the Nobility. The Queen, by her Legier Ambassador, adviseth the King not too credulously to entertain those reports, as doubting these suggestions might proceed from some of the Spanish Faction. Hereupon the King grew very angry, saying, The Queen held a better opinion of the Duke then he deserved, and that he was one of the chief Architects of Essex his Treason; and being questioned by the King about it, was not able to deny it. About this time also, the Duke of Savoy, by cunning slights, and open force, practiced against the State of Geneva ; and the Queen relieved them with a great sum of money, gathered amongst the Clergy and Laity all over England.
And now the Earl of Tyrone, perceiving himself in a desperate estate, resolved to sue for mercy, and promised at last to submit his life and Fortunes to the Queens pleasure, absolutely without condition. Hereupon, being admitted to the presence of the Deputy, at the very entry of the room, he fell on his knees; and then passing on a few steps, prostrated himself again, saying, I confess and crave pardon for my great fault, against God, and a most bountiful Prince, my dread Sovereign: I fly to the Queens mercy, as a sacred Anchor, permitting her to dispose of my life and Fortunes at her pleasure. Upon this his submission, the Deputy commanded him to go aside, and the next day took him along to Dublin with him, meaning to bring him into England, that the Queen might deal with him according to her Royal pleasure: But before he could come into England, the Queen died.
Her TAXATIONS.
IN a Parliament holden the first year of her Raign, a Subsidy was granted, of two Shillings eight pence the pound of Goods, and four Shillings of Lands, to be paid at two several Payments, of every person Spiritual and Temporal. In her sixth year, in a Parliament holden at Westminster, one Subsidy was granted by the Clergy, and another by the Laity, together with two Fifteenths and Tenths. In her eighth year, in a Parliament then holden, there were offered to her four Subsidies, upon condition she would declare a Successor; but she refused their offer, and directly remitted the fourth Subsidy, which they had granted, saying, It was all one, whether the money were in her Subjects Coffers, or in her own. In her thirteenth year, in a Parliament then holden, towards her charges of repressing the Northern Rebellion, there was granted her by the Clergy, a Subsidy of six Shillings in the pound: and by the Temporalty, two fifteens, with a Subsidy of two shillings and eight pence in the pound. In her six and thirtieth year, a Parliament was holden, wherein was granted by the Clergy, two whole Subsidies, and by the Laity, three, besides six Fifteens and Tenths; but it was put into the Act, That this great Contribution, the like whereof had not been known in former Ages, should not be drawn into Example. In her fortieth year, in a Parliament at Westminster, were granted her by the Clergy, three entire Subsidies; and by the Laity, as many, with six fifteenths and Tenths. In her two and fortieth year, to furnish herself with money towards the Irish War, she delegated certain Commissioners, to confirm the Crown Lands to the possessors, that held any of controverted Titles, and to take money for the Confirmation, thereby to take away the troubles by concealers, who at this time were very busy.
Of her LAWS and ORDINANCES.
IN a Parliament holden in her first year, an Act was made, That every person should go to Divine Service upon Sundays and Holy-days, or else pay twelve pence to the poor. Also it was enacted, That Bishops should not let the Lands of the Church, longer then for one and twenty years, or three Lives, except to the Queen or her Successors. In her third year, Proclamation was made, That the Teston, coined for twelve pence, and in the Raign of King Edward embased to six pence, should not be currant but for four pence; the Groat, but for two pence; and the piece of two pence, but for a penny: And not long after, all the said base Moneyes were called in, and fine Sterling money was allowed for them, after the Rate. For Ireland also, she coined Sterling money; where nine pence in England, went for twelve pence there. The Queen was the first that brought certain Counties to deliver Provision at a certain rate, that so they might be freed from the Purveyors: Also the first that granted allowance to Judges for their Circuit. In her sixth year, in a Parliament then holden, it was made Treason to refuse taking the Oath of Supremacy; yet with this limitation, That by it the blood should not be dishonored, nor goods confiscate; nor the Oath to be required of any Baron of the Kingdom. Also this year, by a Common Council in London, It was enacted, That all such Citizens as from thenceforth should be constrained to sell their household-stuff, Leases of houses, or such like, should first cause the same to be cried thorough the City, by a man with a Bell, and then to be sold by the common Outcryer appointed for that purpose, and he to receive one farthing upon the shilling for his pains. In her three and twentieth year, she represseth by Proclamation excess in apparel, Gold Chayns, and Clokes which men wore down to their heels. The length of Swords was limited to three Foot, and Daggers to twelve Inches, besides the Hilts. Buildings likewise in the Suburbs were restrained, In-mates forbidden, and express charge set forth, That no dwelling house should be new built within three miles of any of the City Gates, under pain of imprisonment, and loss of the materials. In her time was set on foot by Sir Thomas Smith, the Law made for the serving of Colleges with provision, to the great benefit of those Scholastical Societies. In her two and fortieth year, she setteth forth Proclamations against the Transportation of Gold or Silver, wrought or unwrought, according to the former Acts of Parliament in that case provided. This year also she founded the Company of the East India Merchants, and allowed them ample Privileges. In her three and fortieth year, all Monopolies are called in by Proclamation. In her four and twentieth year, severe Laws are made against Papists, some inflicting death, some fine and imprisonment. In her eight and twentieth year, a Proclamation was set forth, prohibiting to sow Woe • d within eight miles of any of the Queens Houses, and four miles off any Cities or Towns Corporate.
AFFAIRS of the CHURCH in her time.
ON Sunday the first of January, next after the Queens coming to the Crown, by virtue of her Proclamation, the English Litany was read accordingly as was used in her Graces Chapel, in all Churches thorough the City of London, and likewise the Epistle and Gospel of the day, begun to be read at Mass-time in the English To • gue. Also in a Parliament holden in her first year, the first Fruits and Tenths were restored to the Crown, and the Supreme Government over the State Ecclesiastical, and the book of Common-Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments in the English Tongue was restored, and by degrees the Protestant Religion was established. The Bishops that refused the Oath of Supremacy, were all removed, and Protestant Bishops placed in their room. It was enacted also, That all persons should go to Divine Service upon Sundays and Holy-days, and a Fine of twelve pence imposed upon everyone that should be absent, and the same to be given to the poor. In her fourth year, the Queen was solicited by Pope Pius, to send her Orators to the Council of Trent, which she refused, as not acknowledging it a lawful Council. In a Parliament holden in her eighth year, it was enacted, and by a general consent declared, That the Election of the Arch-bishops and Bishops in England, together with their Consecration, Confirmation, and Investiture (which some persons slanderously called in question) was lawful and Canonical, and that they were rightly, and according to the Acts and Statutes of the Kingdom, chosen and consecrated. In her eleventh year, there arose in England two contrary factions in Religion: on the one side, Thomas Harding, Nicholas Sanders, and other Divines that had fled out of England, began to exercise the Episcopal Jurisdiction upon the Queens Subjects, which they had derived from the Sea of Rome: On the other side, Colman, Burton, Hallingham, Benson, and other, making profession of the pure Religion, would allow of nothing but what was directly taken out of the Scriptures, openly condemning the received Discipline of the Church of England, together with the Church Liturgy, and the very Calling of Bishops, as savouri • g too much of the Romish Religion, protesting in the Pulpi • s, That it was an impious thing to hold anything common with the Church of Rome ; and used all diligence to have the Church of England reformed in every point, according to the Rule of the Church of Geneva. These, although the Queen commanded to be committed to prison, yet it is incredible how upon a sudden their followers increased, known by the envious name of Puritans. This sect so mightily increased, that in her sixteenth year, the Queen and Kingdom was extremely troubled with some of the Clergy, who breathing out nothing but Evangelical parity, cried down the Ecclesiastical Form of Government (as a thing polluted with Roman dr • ggs) and setting forth Books likewise, Intituled, The Admonition to the Parliament, and the Defense of the Admonition: they refused to resort to the Divine Service publicly in use, and framed to themselves other Rites. Whereupon, the Queen, to suppress them, whom by no means she liked, commanded everywhere the severity of the Law touching the Uniformity of Common-Prayer, to be put in execution, and those books, upon pain of Imprisonment, to be delivered into the hands of the Bishops, or some of the Queens Council. And this year were taken at Mass in their several houses, the Lord Morley 's Lady and her children, the Lady Guildford, and the Lady Brown, who being thereof indicted and convicted, suffered the penalty of the Law in that case provided. Untill the twentieth year of Queen Elizabeth's Raign, the Papists in England were mercifully connived at, while they solemnized their own Rites within their private houses (though that also were against the Laws) but when as that Thunder-bolt of excommunicating the Queen came abroad, then was the Law enacted against those who brought into the Kindome any Agn • s Dei, or hallowed Beads, or reconciled any of the Queens subjects to the See of Rome ; yet for six whole years together after this Law was made, it was not executed upon any Papist, till Cuthbert Mayne, a Priest, and an obstinate maintainer of the Popes Authority against the Queen, was executed at Launston in Cornwall, and the Gentleman's goods that harboured him confiscate, and himself adjudged to perpetual Imprisonment. In her three and twentieth year, divers Priests and Jesuits came into England ; amongst whom, Robert P •• sons, and Edmund Campian, English-men and Jesuits, being now bound for England, to promote the Catholic Cause; at which time a Proclamation was set forth, That whosoever had any children beyond the Sea, should by a certain day call them home; and that no person should receive or harbor any Seminary Priest or Jesuit. At this time also, there arose up in Holland a certain Sect, naming themselves, The Family of L • ve, who persuaded their followers, That those only who were adopted into that Family, were elected, and no other could be saved, but were all reprobates, and damned, and that it was lawful for them to deny upon oath whatsoever they pleased, before any Magistrate or whomsoever, that were not of their Family. Many of their books were printed, under these titles, The Gospel of the Kingdom, The Lord's Sentences, The Prophesy of the spirit of love, The publication of Peace upon earth, by the Author H. N. but who this Author was, they would by no means reveal: at last) he was found to be Henry Nicholls of Leyden, who blasphemously preached, That he was partaker of the Divinity of God, and God of his human Nature: all which books were by Proclamation commanded to be burnt. In a Parliament holden the eight and twentieth year of her Raign, some, out of a desire of a Reformation, began to pick quarrels at the Clergy, desiring to pass Laws for the restraint of Bishops in their granting of Faculties, conferring of holy Orders, Eccles • asticall Censure, and the Oath Ex officio. They complained likewise of the non-residency of Ministers, and the like. But the Queen; who always hated Innovation (which for the most part changeth for the worse) would give no ear unto them; conceiving besides, That these proceedings in Par • iament in Ecclesiastical Affairs, derogated from her Prerogative. In her six and twentieth year, the Queen gave a special charge to Whitgift Arch-bishop of Canterbury, to settle an Uniformity in the Ecclesiastical Discipline, according to the Laws, which through the connivence of Bishops, and perverseness of the Puritans, lay now almost gasping, Wh • reupon, he provided three Articles, to which every Minister should subscribe:
- The first, That the Queen had Supreme Authority over all persons born within her Dominions, of what condition soever they were; and that no other Prince, or Prelate, or Potentate, hath, or ought to have any Jurisdiction, Civil or Ecclesiastical, within her Realms and Dominions.
- The second, That the Book of Common-Prayer, and of the Ordination of Bishops, Priests and Deacons, containeth nothing contrary to the Word of God, but may lawfully be used; and that they will use that, and none other.
- The third, That the Articles agreed on in the Synod holden at London, in the year 1562, and published by the Queens Authority, they did allow of, and believe them to be consonant to the Word of God.
It is incredible, what reproaches the Arch-bishop incurred by setting forth these Articles, both from factious Ministers, and from some also of the Nobility; yet by his patience and constancy, he brought at last Peace to the Church, making this his Motto, Vincit qui patitur. Neither did these at home only disturb the Peace of the Church, but others also from abroad, as Robert Brown, a young Student of Divinity in Cambridge ; from whom came the Sectaries called Brownists; and Richard Harrison, a petty School-Master. These presuming to judge matters of Religion by their own private spirit, by books set forth in Zealand, and dispersed at this time over England, condemned the Church of England for no Church, and ensnared many in the nets of their new Schism. Neither could they be restrained, though their books were prohibited by the Queens Authority, and soundly confuted by sundry learned men; and one or two of the Ring-leaders executed at S. Edmunds Berry. In her one and thirtieth year, these Puritans flames brake forth again, Books are written by the names of Martin Mar-Prelate, and A Demonstration of the Discipline, by Penry a • d •• dall, against the Government of Bishops; and nothing would please them, but the Discipline of Geneva: Many Abettors they had, Knightly and Wigstone, Knights, besides Cartwright (the father of them) Snape, King, Pradlow, Payn, and others; who though called in question, fined and imprisoned, could never be reclaimed. In her six and thirtieth year, the Queen caused the severity of the Laws to be executed upon Henry Barrow and his Sectaries, for disturbing the Church, and the public Peace, by scattering of their monstrous Opinions, condemning the Church of England as no Christian Church, and derogating from th • Queens Authority in Causes Ecclesiastical.
WORKS of Piety in her time.
THis Queen converted Westminster Abbey into a Collegiate Church, and there ordained a Dean, twelve Prebendaries, a Master, Usher, and forty Scholars, Vicars, Singing-men, and twelve Alms-men. In her third year, the Merchant-Tailors, founded a notable Grammar-School, in the Parish of S. Lawrence Pountney in London. Also this year, William Harper, Major of of London, founded a Free-School in the Town of Bedford, where he was born. In her seventh year, on the seventh of June, Sir Thomas Gresham laid the first stone of the Royal Exchange in Cornhill, which in November the year after, at his own charges was finished, being the year 1567. In her tenth year, the Citizens of London built a new Conduit at Walbrook corner, near to Dowgate, the water whereof is conveyed out of the Thames. Also this year, Sir Thomas Roe Major of London, caused to be enclosed within a wall of Brick, one Acre of ground, near unto B • dlam, without Bishops-Gat • , to be a place of Buryall for the dead of such Parishes in London as lacked convenient ground within their Parishes: He also built a convenient room in Paul's Church-Yard, on the South side of the Cross, to receive a certain number of Hearers at the Sermon time. Sir William Peter, having himself been born at Exceter in Devon -Shire, he gave to Exceter College in Oxford, a hundred pounds Lands a year: He also built at Ingerstone in Essex, Alms-houses for twenty poor people, and giving them some competent maintenance. Sir Thomas Gresham had his dwelling house in Bread-str • et London, which he dedicated to the profession of the Liberall Sciences, erecting there Lectures of Divinity, Civil Law, Physic, Geomitry, Astronomy, Music, and Rhetoric, alotting to the Professors very competent allowance. In her seventeenth year, died Matthew Park • r, Arch-bishop of Canterbury, who founded a Grammar School in Rochdale in the County of Lancaster: He also procured to Corpus Christi College in Cambridge, thirteen Schollarships, and built two Chambers for Scholars, and the inward Library of the same College, and procured to it the Patronage of S. Mary Abchurch in London, with many other works of like kind. Sir Nicholas Bacon, Lord Keeper gave for six Scholars to be found in Ben • t College in Cambridge, three pounds, six shillings and eight pence a piece forever. Edmund Grindall Arch-bishop of Canterbury, founded a Free-School in Cumberland, where he was born, and gave many Pensions to both Universities. Frances, Countess of Sussex, sister to Sir Henry Sidney, founded Sussex-Sidney College in Cambridge: As likewise Sir Walter Mildmay, Chancellor of the Exchequer, founded Emmanuell College in the same University. Sir Thomas Bodley erected and furnished the famous public Library at Oxford. Alexander Nowell Dean of Paul's, endowed Brasen nose College in Oxford, where he was brought up, with two hundred pound per annum, and died in the year 1602. Sir Roger Manhood, chief Baron of the Exchequer, built seven Alms-houses in Canterbury, giving to every Alms-man four pounds yearly: and our worthy Country-man William Lambard built an Alms-house at Gr • enwich, which he called, The College for the poor of Queen Elizabeth.
CASUALTIES in her time.
IN the first year of her Raign, died Sir Thomas Cheyney, Lord Warden of the Cinque-Ports, of whom it is reported for certain, That his Pulse did beat more then three quarters of an hour after he was dead, as strongly as if he had been still alive. In her third year, there was found near Keswrick in Cumberland, a most rich Veyn of pure and native Brasse, which had lain neglected a long time: Also the Stone called Lapis Calaminaris, which is of great use in Brasse Works, was first brought into England at this time, and that in most plentiful manner. Likewise this Queen was the first that caused Gun-Powder to be made in England, which before was had from foreign parts, and at dear rates. In her third year, the Spi • e of the Cathedral Church of Paul's, being five hundred and twenty foot from the ground, and two hundred and sixty from the square Steeple where it was placed, and was made of wooden materials, but covered with Lead, was with lightning burnt down, together with the Roofs of that large Church, and that within the space of five hours; the Roofs were after re-edified, but the Spire is yet wanting. The Queen gave towards it a thousand Marks in money, and a thousand load of Timber; and the City granted a Benevo ••• ce, and three Fifteens; and the Clergy also contributed towards it. Also this year there were many monstrous Births: A Mare brought forth a Foal with two heads, and a long tail growing out between the two Heads. A Sow farrowed a Pig with two Bodies, eight Feet, and but one Head. A man-child was born at Chichester in Sussex, having arms and legs like to an Anatomy, the Brest and Belly monstrous big, about the neck a great collar of flesh and skin, growing like the ruff of a Shir • . In her sixth year • upon the returning of the Army from Newhaven, the Pesti • ence war brought into England, but especially into London ; where in o • e year there died one and twenty thousand and five hundred. This year also, in the Month of December, was driven on the shore at Grimseby in Lincoln -shire a monstrous Fish, in length nineteen yards, his tail fifteen foot broad, and six yards between the eyes. Twelve men stood upright in his mouth to get the Oil. In her seventh year; on the one and twentieth of De • ember began a Frost, so extreme, that on New-years Even people passed over the Thames on foot; some played at Foot-ball, some shot at pricks, as if it had been firm ground. Yet this great Frost, the third of January at night began to thaw, and by the fifth day, there was no Ice at all to be seen; which sudden thaw caused great Inundations. In her eighth year, within the space of ten Months, there died in London seven Aldermen, namely, Edward Banks, Richard Chamberlain, Sir Martin Bows, Sir Richard Mallory, Sir William H • wet, Sir Thomas White, and Richard Lambert, one of the Sheriffs for that year. The same year also, in the Town of Ossestry in Wales, two hundred houses, in the space of two hours, were consumed with fire. In her tenth year, were taken in Suffolk, at Downham Bridge near to Ipswich, seventeen monstrous Fishes; some of them being seven and twenty foot in length: And in the same year, many Dutch flying into England, to avoid the persecution of the Duke D'Alva, were the first that brought into England the Art of making Bayes, Says, Serges, and such woven stuffs, both Woollen and Linnen. In her time a rich Veyn of Copper was found in the Earl of Nor • humberlands Grounds, which she by her Prerogative seized upon. In her thirteenth year, a prodigious Earthquake happened in the East parts of Hereford -shire, at a little Town called Kinnaston. On the seventeenth of February, at six of the clock in the evening, the earth began to open, and a hill with a Rock under it (making at first a great bellowing noise, which was heard a great way off) lifted itself up a great heighth, and began to travel, bearing along with it the Trees that grew upon it, the Sheep-folds, and Flocks of Sheep abiding there at the same time. In the place from whence it was first moved, it left a gaping distance forty foot broad, and fourscore Ells long; the whole Field was about twenty Acres. Passing along, it overthrew a Chapel standing in the way, removed an Ewe-Tree planted in the Church-yard, from the West into the East: with the like force it thrust before it Highwayes, Sheep-folds, Hedges and Trees, made tilled ground Pasture, and again turned Pasture into Tillage. Having walked in this sort from Saturday in the evening, till Monday noon, it then stood still. In her fifteenth year, in the Month of November, a new Star, or rather a Meteor (but that it was found to be above the Moon) was seen in Cathedra Cassiopeae, exceeding Jupiter in brightness, and in that place was carried with the Diurnall motion of the Heavens sixteen Months together, though after eight Months it was perceived to grow less and less. In her sixteenth year, was a great Dearth, so as Wheat was sold at five and six shillings the Bushel, and other things in proportion. In her seventeenth year, a vast mighty Whale was cast upon the Isle of Thanet in Kent, twenty Ells long, and thirteen foot broad from the belly to the back bone, and eleven • oot between the eyes. One of his eyes being taken out of his head, was more then a Cart with • ix horses could draw; the Oil being boiled out of the head, was Parmasittee. This year also, the River Thames ebbed and flowed twice within an hour: and in the Month of November, the Heaven seemed to be all on fire. Also on the four and twentieth of February, being a great Frost, after a Flood which was not great, there came down the River of Severn such a swarm of Flies and Beetles, that they were judged to be above a hundred Quarters; the Mills thereabout were dammed up with them for the space of four days, and then were cleansed by digging them out with Shovells. In her three • and twentieth year, in the beginning of April, about six a clock after noon, happened an Earthquake not far from York, which in some places, struck the very stones out of Buildings, and made the Bells in Churches to jangle. The night following, the earth trembled once or twice in K • nt, and again the first day of May. In her six and twentieth year, being the year 1583, the like Prodigie happened in Dorset -shire, as in the year 1571 had happened in Hereford -shire; A field of three Acrees in Blackmore, with the Trees and Fences, moved from its place, and passed over ano • her Field, travelling in the Highway that goeth to Herne, and there stayed. In her eight and twentieth year, Tobacco was first brought out of the West Indies into England, by Ralph Lane. In her five and thirtieth year, there was so great a Drouth, that not only the Fields, but the Springs themselves were dried up, and many Cattle everywhere died for want of water. The River of Thames likewise did so fail, that a horse-man might ride over at London Bridge. In her six and thirtieth year, was a great Plague in London, so as there died this year, in London and the Suburbs, seventeen thousand eight hundred and ninety, besides the Lord Major, and three Aldermen; and Michaelmas Term was holden at S. Albons.
Of her PERSONA • E and CONDITONS.
SHe was of stature indifferent tall, slender and straight, fair of Complexion, her hair inclining to pale yellow, her fore-head large and fair, her eyes lively and sweet, but short sighted; her nose somewhat rising in the midst; the whole compass of her countenance somewhat long, yet of admirable beauty, but the beauty of her mind was far more admirable: She had been a subject, which taught her to rule; she had been in misery, which taught her to be merciful; and indeed, never Prince ruled with more Justice, and with her Justice mingled more mercy. She had more Valour in her then was fit for a woman, but that she was a Ruler over men; and more Humility in her then was fit for a Prince, but that she meant to be a President to women. She delighted in nothing so much, as in the love of her Peopl • , which she procured by ordaining good Magistrates, and forbearing Impositions. Her way not to need them, was frugality; and her way to have them when she needed them, was liberality. She made Honor in her time the more honorable, by not making it common; and indeed, knowing it to be an influence from herself, she kept it, as herself, a Virgin, and would not prostitute it to unworthy persons. She declined being a mother of children, to the end she might be a mother of her Country; and indeed, no mother ever loved her children more, then she did her people; and therefore never children loved a mother more, then her people did her. She cove • ed not so much to be an owner of riches, as of rich Subjects; for she thought money did as well in their Coffers, as in her own: and indeed, • he never wanted it, when they had it; and they always had it, when she •• eded it. Never Prince had a wiser Coun • ell then she, yet never Prince • eeded it less; for she was herself a Counselor to her Counsel. In sum, whatsoever may in flattery be said of a wise, just, merciful, religious, and learned Prince, may truly be said of her; in all which, if ever she had an •• uall, yet she never certainly had a superior. In playing her game of • ortune, she loved not an after-game; for she liked Preventions, better then Remedies. She was admirable in expressing her mind, both by speech and writing: and if collection could be made of her Apophthegms, and extemporal Orations, it would certainly excel anything extant in that kind: And for her writing, Sir Henry Savile affirms, That he had seen some Translations of hers, which far exceeded the Originalls. Never Prince kept greater State with less stateliness: Her Pensioners and Guard were always the tallest and goodliest Gentlemen and Yeomen of the Kingdom: her maids of Honor, and other women about her, the fairest and most beautiful Ladies of the Realm; and yet herself a Diana amongst her Nymphes; insomuch that a great Lord of France being entertained at Court, and the Queen asking him how he liked her Ladies, made answer, It was hard to judge of Stars, in presence of the Sun.
Of her DEATH and BURYALL.
IT was now the year 1602, when she feeling some Infirmities of Old-age and Sickness, retired herself at the end of January, to Ri • hmond ; at which time, in a sad Omen, she commanded the Ring to be filed off her finger, wherewith she was solemnly at the first inaugurated into the Kingdom, and since that time had never taken it off, it being grown into the flesh in such manner, that it could not be drawn off without filing. At the beginning of her sickness, the Almonds of her Jaws began to swell, and her appetite by little and little failed her; withal she gave herself wholly to sadness and heaviness, which some imputed to her care for the loss of the Earl of Essex ; others, because she heard, That divers of the Nobility sought the favor of the King of Scots, adoring him as the Sun rising, and neglecting her: but howsoever, in March a kind of benumbedness seized upon her, with a deep melancholy, so as she would sit silently, refrain her meat, and not admit of any conference, but with the Archbishop of Canterbury, with whom she prayed • ervently, till such time as her speech failed her, which failed her a day before she died. She being in this case, it was thought fit the Admiral and Secretary should go to her, to know her mind concerning a Successor; to whom she gave this answer; My Throne hath been the Throne of Kings, I would not a mean person should succeed me. The Secretary requesting her to speak more plainly, I will (said she) have a King succeed me; and what King, but the King of Scots, my nearest Kinsman? After this, the Arch-bishop exhorting her to think of God, That do I (said she) nor do my thoughts ever wander from him. And when her tongue no longer served her, it was evident by the lifting up of her hands and eyes, that her thoughts were fixed upon him. And so on the four and twentieth day of March, being the last day of the year 160 • , she yielded up her soul to God, when she had lived threescore and nine years, six months, and seventeen days; Raigned four and forty years, four months, and seven days. Her Body was embalmed, wrapped in Lead, and brought to White-hall, from whence on the eight and twentieth of April following, in great solemnity, it was carried into the Collegiate Church of S. Peters at Westminster, and there interred in the Vault of her Grand-father, K. Henry the seventh, in his magnificent Chapel, where our renowned Sovereign K. James hath built her a Princely Monument, inscribed with Epitaphs to her eternal glory. At her Funeral were said to be Mourners in black, to the number of on • thousand and six hundred persons.
MEN of NOTE in her time.
THe Ocean is not more boundless, then the number of men of note in her time; but though all of them cannot be reckoned, yet some of them must not be omitted. And to begin with Sates-men: An exquisite States-man for his own ends, was Robert Earl of Leicester ; and for his Countries good, Sir William Cecil, Lord B • rleigh ; as also Sir Francis Walsingham, that great underminer of Conspirators. Famous Sea-men, were the Earl of Cumberland, the Lord Thomas Howard, afterward Earl of Suffolk: and of meaner Rank, Sir John Hawkins, Sir Martin Forbys • er, Sir Walter Raleigh, Cavendish, Preston, Ryman ; and, to name the worthiest last, Sir Francis Drake, who though he were but a short square bodied man, yet his great Acts have made the Spaniards believe that he was some goodly Personage. Great Commanders by Land, were Robert Earl of Essex, the Lord Willoughby, the Lord Grey of Wilton, Sir Francis Vere, Sir Roger Williams, Baskervile, Savage ; and the Honor of his Family, and our English Nation, Sir John Norris. Learned Gentlemen and Writers, were Sir Thomas Chaloner, employed by Queen Elizabeth as her Ligier in Spain, who wrote five books of the restoring of the English Common-wealth, in elegant Verses, while (as he said) he lived in a Stove in Winter, and in a Barn in Summer: Roger Askam, born in York -shire, notably skillful in the Greek and Latin Tongues, who had sometime been School-master to Queen Elizabeth, and her Secretary for the Latin Tongue; but taking too great delight in Gaming and Cock-fighting, he both lived and died in mean estate, yet left behind him sundry Monuments of Wit and Industry. Sir Thomas Smith, born at Saffron Walden in Essex, sometime Secretary to K. Edward the 6, who wrote an imperfect Work of the English Common-wealth, a singular Book of the Orthography of the English Tongue, and another of the Pronunciation of the Greek; the first man that set on foot the Law for serving the Colleges with Provision. Sir Henry Savill, Provost of Eaton, and Reader to Queen Elizabeth, who set forth all S. Chrysostom's works in Greek, and by translating of Cornelius Tacitus, , deserved as much of the English Tongue, as he of the Latin: But above all, the admirable sir Philip Sidney, who by writing in a light Argument, shown how excellently, and beyond all comparison he could have done in a grave. Learned Divines were John Jewel, born in Devon -shire, a Student in Corpus Christi College in Oxford, in Queen Mary's time an Exile, by Queen Elizabeth made Bishop of Salisbury, who wrote an Apology for the Protestant Doctrine, and died at scarce fifty years of age, in the fourteenth year of Queen Elizabeth. John Whitaker, Master of S. John's College in Cambridge, who learnedly answered all the books of Bellarmine. Bilson, Bishop of Winchester, sometimes Fellow of New College in Oxford, who, amongst his other learned Works, hath written notably of Christ's descent into hell. Richard Hooker, Preacher at the Temple, who with too much meekness smothered his great Learning, yet hath something discovered it in his five Books of Ecclesiastical Discipline, and died in the year 1599. Alexander Nowel, Dean of Paul's, who forbearing deeper Works, set forth a Catechism, according to the Doctrine of the English Church, and died in the year 1602. After such men, it might be thought ridiculous to speak so Stage Players; but seeing excellency in the meanest things deserves remembering, and Boscius the Comedian is recorded in History with such commendation, it may be allowed us to do the like with some of our Nation. Richard Bourbidge, and Edward Allen, two such Actors, as no age must ever look to see the like: and, to make their Comedies complete, Richard Tarleton, who for the Part called the Clowns Part, never had his match, never will have. For Writers of Plays, and such as had been Players themselves, William Shakespeare, and Benjamin Johnson, have specially left their Names recommended to posterity.
THE RAIGNE OF King James.
I AMES the fourth King of Scotland, married Margaret eldest daughter of Henry the 7 K. of England, by whom he had James the 5, who had one only child Mary Q. of Scots, who had one only son James the 6, who from James the fourth had undoubted right to the Kingdom of Scotland • and from Margaret, King Henry the 7 eldest daughter (the male line being clean extinct) unquestionable title to the Crown of England : whereupon Q. Eliz. being dead about 10 a clock in the morning, K. James the 6, K. of Scotland was the very same day (M. Secretary Cecil himself reading his Title, and Q. Eliz. Will) proclaimed K. of Eng. Scot. and Ireland, by sound of Trumpet, first at White-Hall, and then in Cheapside, in presence of all the Lord's and the Counsel, and other of the Nobility, with a general acclamation of all sorts of people, that we may truly say, sorrow was never more deceived than at this time; for where upon the death of Q. Eliz. It was expected there would be nothing for a long time but sorrowing and lamenting. Now that very sorrow was swallowed up of joy, her death bringing with it no other alteration but only of sex, in all other points in a manner the same, the like wisdom, the like learning, the like Justice, the like religiousness in them both: only bettered in this, that we changed a Q. of 70 years old, whom we could not look to keep long, for a K. of 36, whom we might well hope to enjoy many years.
Q. Eliz. was not sooner dead • but Sir Robert Cary a younger son of the Late L. Hunsdon, posted away unsent, to K. Ia • es in Scotland, informing him of the accident • for bringing which news, the K. afterwards rewarded him with making him a Ba • on of the Realm, and L. of Leppington. But though it were sufficient for the K. information that he heard the news by Sir Robert Carye ; yet it was not sufficient for the Lord's of the Counsel in discharge of their duty, if he heard it not from them, and therefore within a very few days, as soon as they could provide fit men, they sent first Sir Charles Percy and Mr. Thomas Somerset, and after them Sir Thomas Lake Clerk of the Signet, a man well acquainted with the State of the Kingdom, both to acquaint him with the general applause of all the Realm, to receive him for their Sovereign, and also inform him in what terms the State of the Kingdom stood, that so he might not come altogether a stranger when he came into it.
Q. Elizabeth indeed had left him not only a Kingdom, but a Kingdom without encumbrance; No wars abroad, no sedition at home, and not only so, but a kingdom furnished with all the fruits of Peace, plenty of all things necessary, and of all necessary things; the chiefest a wise Cousell, for the left Sir Thomas Egerton L. Chanselor, Thomas L. Buckhurst, L. Treasurer: Charles E. of Nottingham, L. Admiral & Sir Rob. Cecil principal Secretary. Four such men that the meanest of them were sufficient to sit at the Helme of any Kingdom. Yet to these and 〈◊〉 other besides (all wh •• the K. now by his letters authorizeth to exerc ••• •• eir several places, • s formerly they had done) he addeth certain new ones of his own choosing, as namely the E. of Northumberland, and Cumberland • the L. Th • . Howard, and then after the L. Henry Howard ; the one the brother, the other the son of the late D. of Nor • olk, who had suffered so much, that at last, he suffered for the Q. his mother. But although the calling of these two last to such place, was done (no doubt) out of • avour to that house; yet one of them being known, the other doubted to be a Papist, it was presently apprehended, as a fa • vour to that sid • ; and the Catholics were not a little confident of his good inclination to them all in general. And it was indeed but necessary they should at this time have such a conceit, for in the late Q. sickness, a little before her death, Pope Clement the 8, had written two Brieves to the Catholics in England, to admit of none to succeed in the Kingdom, when that miserable woman should happen to die (so he pl • ased to s • il • the most glorious Q. that ever lived) but such a one, of whose good inclination to the See of Rome, they should at least be well persuaded. And now K. James having settled the Government of his Kingdom of Scotland, and made convenient preparation for his journey: on the 5 of April 1603, he set forward, and rode that day from Edinburgh to Dunglasse, and from then •• the next day to •• rwick ; who having stayed two days • the 8 of April he r • de to With • rington • a house of Sir Robert Caries, from thence the 9 to Newcastle, wh • re he stayed Sunday and heard the Bish. of Durham preach, and so joyful w • re the Townsmen of his being there, that all the time of his stay they bore the charge • o • his household. The 13 of April he set forward to Durham, and from thence the 14 to Walt • orth, the 15 towards York, where his train increased to such a multitude, that he was fain to publish an inhibition of the people's resort, and flocking to him. At York it was a question to whom it belonged to bear the sword before the K • in that place, for both the E. of Cumberland claimed it, as her • ditary to his House, and the President of the North claimed it as belonging to his place, but it was adjudged to George E. of Cumberland, who accordingly did it • • rom York the 18 day the K. r • de to Grimston, to a house of Sir Edw. Stanhopes, the 19 to P •• f •• and so to Duncaster, where he lodged at the sign of the Bear and Sun • The 20 • of April • e rode towards Worsuppc. a house of the E. of Shrews •• ri • s ; from thence the 21 to Ne •• rk