his faction, as the kindlers of troubles, and disturbers of the peace and leagues: but as that party was in Athens too mighty, so as it discountenanced the true counsels of the orators, and so bred the ruin of that state, and accomplished the ends of that Philip: so it is to be hoped that in a monarchy, where there are commonly better intelligences and resolutions than in a popular state, those plots, as they are detected already, so they will be resisted and made frustrate.

But to follow the libeller in his own course; the sum of that which he delivereth concerning the imputation, as well of the interruption of the amity between the crowns of England and of Spain, as the disturbance of the general peace of Christendom, unto the English proceedings, and not to the ambitious appetites of Spain, may be reduced into three points.

aspiring to the monarchy of Europe, casting his eye principally upon the two potent kingdoms of France and England; and remembering how his father had once promised unto himself the con quest of the one; and how himself by marriage had lately had some possession of the other; and seeing that diversity of religion was entered into both these realms; and that France was fallen unto princes weak, and in minority; and England unto the government of a lady, in whom he did not expect that policy of government, magnanimity, and felicity, which since he hath proved, concluded, as the Spaniards are great waiters upon time, and ground their plots deep, upon two points; the one to profess an extraordinary patronage and defence of the Roman religion, making account thereby to have factions in both kingdoms: in England, a faction directly against the

2. Touching the proceeding of Spain and England between themselves.

3. Touching the articles and conditions which it pleaseth him, as it were in the behalf of England, to pen and propose for the treating and concluding of a universal peace.

In the first he discovereth how the King of Spain never offered molestation, neither unto the states of Italy, upon which he confineth by Naples and Milan; neither unto the states of Germany, unto whom he confineth by a part of Burgundy and the Low Countries; nor unto Portugal, till it was devolved to him in title, upon which he confineth by Spain; but contrariwise, as one that had in precious regard the peace of Christendom, he designed from the beginning to turn his whole forces upon the Turk. Only he confesseth, that, agreeable to his devotion, which apprehended as well the purging of Christendom from heresies, as the enlarging thereof upon the Infidels, he was ever ready to give succours unto the French kings against the Huguenots, especially being their own subjects: whereas, on the other side, "England," as he affirmeth, "hath not only sowed troubles and dissensions in France and Scotland, the one their neighbour upon the continent, the other divided only by the narrow seas, but also hath actually invaded both kingdoms. For, as for the matters of the Low Countries, they belong to the dealings which have passed by Spain."

In answer whereof, it is worthy the consideration how it pleased God in that king to cross one passion by another; and, namely, that passion which might have proved dangerous unto all Europe, which was his ambition, by another which was only hurtful to himself and his own, which was wrath and indignation towards his subjects of the Netherlands. For after that he was settled in his kingdom, and freed from some fear of the Turk, revolving his father's design in

in religion with the king, and therefore at first show should seem unproper to make a party for a foreigner. But he foresaw well enough that the King of France should be forced, to the end to retain peace and obedience, to yield in some things to those of the religion, which would undoubtedly alienate the fiery and more violent sort of Papists; which preparation in the people added to the ambition of the family of Guise, which he nourished for an instrument, would in the end make a party for him against the state, as since it proved, and might well have done long before, as may well appear by the mention of league and associations, which is above twenty-five years old in France.

The other point he concluded upon, was, that his Low Countries was the aptest place both for ports and shipping, in respect of England, and for situations in respect of France, having goodly frontier towns upon that realm, and joining also upon Germany, whereby they might receive in at pleasure any forces of Almaigns, to annoy and offend either kingdom. The impediment was the inclination of the people, which, receiving a wonderful commodity of trades out of both realms, especially of England; and having been in ancient league and confederacy with our nation, and having been also homagers unto France, he knew would be in no wise disposed to either war: whereupon he resolved to reduce them to a martial government, like unto that which he had established in Naples and Milan; upon which suppression of their liberties ensued the defection of those provinces. And about the same time the reformed religion found entrance in the same countries; so as the king, inflamed with the resistance he found in the first part of his plots, and also because he might not dispense with his other principle in yielding to any toleration of religion; and withal expecting a shorter work of it than he found, became passionately bent to reconquer those countries; wherein he hath consumed infinite treasure and forces. And this is the true cause, if a man will look into it, that hath made the King of Spain so good a neighbour; namely, that he was so entangled with the wars of the Low Countries as he could not intend any other enterprise. Besides, in enterprising upon Italy, he doubted first the displeasure of the see of Rome, with whom he meant to run a course of straight conjunction; also he doubted it might invite the Turk to return. And for Germany, he had a fresh example of his father, who, when he had annexed unto the dominions which he now possesseth, the empire of Almaign, nevertheless sunk in that enterprise; whereby he preceived that the nation was of too strong a composition for him to deal withal: though not long since, by practice, he could have been contented to snatch up in the East the country of Embden. For Portugal, first, the kings thereof were good sons to the see of Rome: next, he had no colour of quarrel or pretence; thirdly, they were officious unto him: yet, if you will believe the Genoese, who otherwise writeth much to the honour and advantage of the kings of Spain, it seemeth he had a good mind to make himself a way into that kingdom, seeing that, for that purpose, as he reporteth, he did artificially nourish the young King Sebastian in the voyage of Afric, expecting that overthrow which followed. As for his intention to war upon the infidels and Turks, it maketh me think what Francis Guicciardine, a wise writer of history, speaketh of his great-grandfather, making a judgment of him as historiographers use; that he did always mask and veil his appetites with a demonstration

whereby also the subject of France, namely, the violent Papist, was inured to depend upon Spain. And so much for the King of Spain's proceeding towards other states.

Now for ours: and first touching the point wherein he chargeth us to be the authors of troubles in Scotland and France; it will appear to any that have been well informed of the memoirs of these affairs, that the troubles of those kingdoms were indeed chiefly kindled by one and the same family of the Guise: a family, as was partly touched before, as particularly devoted now for many years together to Spain, as the order of the Jesuits is. This house of Guise, having of late years extraordinarily flourished in the eminent virtue of a few persons, whose ambition, nevertheless, was nothing inferior to their virtue; but being of a house, notwithstanding, which the princes of the blood of France reckoned but as strangers, aspired to a greatness more than civil and proportionable to their cause, wheresoever they had authority; and, accordingly, under consanguinity and religion, they brought into Scotland in the year 1559, and in the absence of the king and queen, French forces in great numbers; whereupon the ancient nobility of that realm, seeing the imminent danger of reducing that kingdom under the tyranny of strangers, did pray, according to the good intelligence between the two crowns, her majesty's neighbourly forces. And so it is true, that the action being very just and honourable, her majesty undertook it, expelled the strangers, and restored the nobility to their degrees, and the state to peace.

and bonfires, and other tokens of joy, and said, those were to be reserved for victories upon infidels; on whom he meant never to war. Many a cruzado hath the Bishop of Rome granted to him and his predecessors upon that colour, which all have been spent upon the effusion of Christian blood: and now this year the levies of Germans, which should have been made underhand for France, were coloured with the pretence of war upon the Turk: which the princes of Germany descrying, not only break the levies, but threatened the commissioners to hang the next that should offer the like abuse: so that this form of dissembling is familiar, and, as it were, hereditary to the King of Spain.

namely, to make a breach between Scotland-and England; her majesty's forces were again, in the year 1582, by the king's best and truest servants sought and required: and with the forces of her majesty prevailed so far, as to be possessed of the castle of Edinburgh, the principal part of that kingdom; which, nevertheless, her majesty incontinently with all honour and sincerity restored, after she had put the king into good and faithful hands; and so, ever since, in all the occasions of intestine troubles, whereunto that nation hath been ever subject, she hath performed unto the king all possible good offices, and such as he doth with all good affection acknowledge.

The same house of Guise, under colour of alliance, during the reign of Francis the Second, and

but accompany the pernicious counsels which still he gave to the French kings, of breaking their edicts, and admitting of no pacification, but pursuing their subjects with mortal war, with some offer of aids; which having promised, he could not but in some small degree perform: VOL. II.-33

who, desiring to retain the regency under her own hands during the minority of Charles the Ninth, used those of Guise as a counterpoise to the princes of the blood, obtained also great authority in the kingdom of France: whereupon, having raised and moved civil wars under pretence of

Y 2

religion, but, indeed, to enfeeble and depress the ancient nobility of that realm; the contrary part, being compounded of the blood royal, and the greatest officers of the crown, opposed themselves only against their insolency; and to their aids called in her majesty's forces, giving them for security the town of Newhaven: which, nevertheless, when as afterwards, having, by the reputation of her majesty's confederation, made their peace in effect as they would themselves, they would, without observing any conditions that had passed, have had it back again; then, indeed, it was held by force, and so had been long, but for the great mortality which it pleased God to send amongst our men. After which time, so far was her majesty from seeking to sow or kindle new troubles, as continually, by the solicitation of her ambassadors, she still persuaded the kings, both Charles IX. and Henry III., to keep and observe their edicts of pacification, and to preserve their authority by the union of their subjects; which counsel, if it had been as happily followed as it was prudently and sincerely given, France had been at this day a most flourishing kingdom, which is now a theatre of misery: and now, in the end, after that the ambitious practices of the same house of Guise had grown to that ripeness, that, gathering farther strength upon the weakness and misgovernment of the said King Henry III., he was fain to execute the Duke of Guise without ceremony, at Blois. And yet, nevertheless, so many men were embarked and engaged in that conspiracy, as the flame thereof was nothing assuaged; but, contrariwise, that King Henry grew distressed, so as he was enforced to implore the succours of England from her majesty, though no way interested in that quarrel, nor any way obliged for any good offices she had received of that king, yet she accorded to the same: before the arrival of which forces, the king being, by a sacrilegious Jacobine, murdered in his camp, near Paris, yet they went on, and came in good time for the assistance of the king which now reigneth; the justice of whose quarrel, together with the long continued amity and good intelligence which her majesty had with him, hath moved her majesty, from time to time, to supply with great aids; and yet she never, by any demand, urged upon him the putting into her hands of any town or place: so as, upon this that hath been said, let the reader judge, whether hath been the more just and honourable proceeding, and the more free from ambition and passion towards other states; that of Spain, or that of England. Now let us examine the proceedings reciprocal between themselves.

Her majesty, at her coming to the crown, found her realm entangled with the wars of France and Scotland, her nearest neighbours; which wars were grounded only upon the Spaniard's quarrel; but in the pursuit of them had lost England, the

town of Calais: which, from the twenty-first of King Edward III., had been possessed by the kings of England. There was a meeting near Bourdeaux, towards the end of Queen Mary's reign, between the commissioners of France, Spain, and England, and some overture of peace was made; but broke off upon the article of the restitution of Calais. After Queen Mary's death, the King of Spain, thinking himself discharged of that difficulty, though in honour he was no less bound to it than before, renewed the like treaty, wherein her majesty concurred: so as the commissioners for the said princes met at Chasteau Cambraissi, near Cambray. In the proceedings of which treaty, it is true, that at the first the commissioners of Spain, for form and in demonstration only, pretended to stand firm upon the demand of Calais: but it was discerned, indeed, that the king's meaning was, after some ceremonies and prefunctory insisting thereupon, to grow apart to a peace with the French, excluding her majesty, and so to leave her to make her own peace, after her people had made his wars. Which covert dealing being politicly looked into, her majesty had reason, being newly invested in her kingdom, and, of her own inclination, being affected to peace, to conclude the same with such conditions as she might: and yet the King of Spain in his dissimulation had so much advantage as she was fain to do it in a treaty apart with the French; whereby, to one that is not informed of the counsels and treaties of state, as they passed, it should seem to be a voluntary agreement of her majesty, whereto the King of Spain would not be party: whereas, indeed, he left her no other choice; and this was the first assay or earnest penny of that king's good affection to her majesty.

About the same time, when the king was solicited to renew such treaties and leagues as had passed between the two crowns of Spain and England, by the Lord Cobham, sent unto him, to acquaint him with the death of Queen Mary; and afterwards by Sir Thomas Chaloner, and Sir Thomas Chamberlain, successively ambassadors resident in his Low Countries; who had order divers times, during their charge, to make overtures thereof, both under the king, and certain principal persons about him; and, lastly, those former motions taking no effect, by Viscount Montacute and Sir Thomas Chamberlain, sent into Spain in the year 1560; no other answer could be had or obtained of the king, but that the treaties did stand in as good force to all intents as new ratifications could make them. An answer strange at that time, but very conformable to his proceedings since: which belike even then were closely smothered in his own breast. For had he not at that time had some hidden alienation of mind, and design of an enemy towards her majesty, so wise a king could not be ignorant, that the renewing and ratifying of treaties between

both of assurance to the parties themselves, and countenance and reputation to the world besides; and have, for that cause, been commonly and necessarily used and practised.

In the message of Viscount Montacute, it was also contained, that he should crave the king's counsel and assistance, according to amity and good intelligence, upon a discovery of certain pernicious plots of the house of Guise, to annoy this realm by the way of Scotland: whereunto the king's answer was so dark and so cold, that nothing could be made of it, till he had made an exposition of it himself by effects, in the express restraint of munition to be carried out of the Low Countries, unto the siege of Leith; because our nation was to have supply thereof from thence. So as in all the negotiations that passed with that king, still her majesty received no satisfaction, but more and more suspicious and bad tokens of evil affection.

Soon after, when upon that project, which was disclosed before the king had resolved to disanul the liberties and privileges unto his subjects of the Netherlands anciently belonging; and to establish amongst them a martial government, which the people, being very wealthy, and inhabiting towns very strong and defensible by fortifications both of nature and the hand, could not endure, there followed the defection and revolt of those countries. In which action, being the greatest of all those which have passed between Spain and England, the proceeding of her majesty hath been so just, and mingled with so many honourable regards, as nothing doth so much clear and acquit her majesty, not only from passion, but also from all dishonourable policy. For, first, at the beginning of the troubles, she did impart unto him faithful and sincere advice of the course that was to be taken for the quieting and appeasing them, and expressly forewarned both himself and such as were in principal charge in those countries, during the wars, of the danger like to ensue, if he held so heavy a hand over that people; lest they should cast themselves into the arins of a stranger. But finding the king's mind so exulcerated as he rejected all counsel that tended to mild and gracious proceeding, her majesty, nevertheless, gave not over her honourable resolution, which was, if it were possible, to reduce and reconcile those countries unto the obedience of their natural sovereign, the King of Spain; and if that might not be, yet to preserve them from alienating themselves to a foreign lord, as, namely, unto the French, with whom they much treated; and amongst whom the enterprise of Flanders was ever propounded as a mean to unite their own civil dissensions, but patiently temporizing, expected the good effect which time might breed. And whensoever the states grew into extremities of despair, and thereby ready to

majesty yield them some relief of money, or permit some supply of forces to go over unto them; to the end, to interrupt such violent resolution: and still continued to meditate unto the king some just and honourable capitulations of grace and accord, such as whereby always should have been preserved unto him such interest and authority as he, in justice, could claim, or a prince moderately minded would seek to have. And this course she held interchangeably, seeking to mitigate the wrath of the king, and the despair of the countries, till such time as after the death of the Duke of Anjou, into whose hands, according to her majesty's prediction, but against her good liking, they had put themselves, the enemy pressing them, the United Provinces were received into her majesty's protection: which was after such time, as the King of Spain had discovered himself, not only an implacable lord to them, but also a professed enemy unto her majesty; having actually invaded Ireland, and designed the invasion of England. For it is to be noted, that the like offers, which were then made unto her majesty, had been made to her long before: but as long as her majesty conceived any hope, either of making their peace, or entertaining her own with Spain, she would never hearken thereunto. And yet now, even at last, her majesty retained a singular and evident proof to the world, of her justice and moderation, in that she refused the inheritance and sovereignty of those goodly provinces; which, by the states, with much instance, was pressed upon her; and being accepted, would have wrought greater contentment and satisfaction, both to her people and theirs, being countries for the site, wealth, commodity of traffic, affection to our nation, obedience of the subjects, well used, most convenient to have been annexed to the crown of England, and with all one charge, danger, and offence of Spain; only took upon her the defence and protection of their liberties; which liberties and privileges are of that nature, as they may justly esteem themselves but conditional subjects to the King of Spain, more justly than Arragon: and may make her majesty as justly esteem the ancient Confederacies and treaties with Burgundy to be of force rather with the people and nation, than with the line of the duke; because it was never an absolute monarchy. So as, to sum up her majesty's proceedings in this great action, they have but this, that they have sought first, to restore them to Spain, then to keep them from strangers, and never to purchase them to herself.

But during all that time, the King of Spain kept one tenor in his proceedings towards her majesty, breaking forth more and more into injuries and contempts: her subjects trading into Spain have been many of them burned; some cast into the galleys; others have died in prison, with

out any other crimes committed, but upon quarrels picked upon them for their religion here at home. Her merchants, at the sack of Antwerp, were divers of them spoiled and put to their ransoms, though they could not be charged with any partaking; neither, upon the complaint of Doctor Wilson and Sir Edward Horsey, could any redress be had. A general arrest was made by the Duke of Alva of Englishmen's both goods and persons, upon pretence that certain ships, stayed in this realm, laden with goods and money of certain merchants of Genoa, belonged to that king: which money and goods was afterwards, to the uttermost value, restored and paid back; whereas our men were far from receiving the like justice on their side. Dr. Man, her majesty's ambassador, received, during his legation, sundry indignities; himself being removed out of Madrid, and lodged in a village, as they are accustomed to use the ambassadors of Moors: his son and steward forced to assist at a mass with tapers in their hands; besides sundry other contumelies and reproaches. But the spoiling or damnifying of a merchant, vexation of a common subject, dishonour of an ambassador, were rather but demonstrations

ticular conferences were set down concerning this enterprise between Cardinal Riario, the pope's legate, and the king's deputy in Spain, touching the general, the number of men, the contribution of money, and the manner of the prosecuting of the action, and by the confession of some of the chiefest of those that were taken prisoners at the fort: which act being an act of apparent hostility, added unto all the injuries aforesaid, and accompanied with a continual receipt, comfort, and countenance, by audiences, pensions, and employments, which he gave to traitors and fugitives, both English and Irish ; as Westmoreland, Paget, Englefield, Baltinglass, and numbers of others; did sufficiently justify and warrant that pursuit of revenge, which, either in the spoil of Carthagena and San Domingo in the Indies, by Mr. Drake, or in the undertaking the protection of the Low Countries, when the Earl of Leicester was sent over, afterwards followed. For before that time her majesty, though she stood upon her guard in respect of the just cause of jealousy, which the sundry injuries of that king gave her; yet had entered into no offensive action against him. For both the voluntary forces which Don Antonio

with actions of state, wherein he and his ministers have sought the overthrow of this government. As in the year 1569, when the rebellion in the north part of England brake forth; who but the Duke of Alva, then the king's lieutenant in the Low Countries, and Don Guerres of Espes, then his ambassador lieger here, were discovered to be chief instruments and practisers; having complotted with the Duke of Norfolk at the same time, as was proved at the same duke's condemnation, that an army of twenty thousand men should have landed at Harwich, in aid of that part, which the said duke had made within the realm, and the said duke having spent and employed one hundred and fifty thousand crowns in that preparation.

Not contented thus to have consorted and assisted her majesty's rebels in England, he procured a rebellion in Ireland; arming and sending thither in the year 1579 an arch-rebel of that country, James Fitz-Morrice, which before was fled. And, truly to speak, the whole course of molestation, which her majesty hath received in that realm by the rising and keeping on of the Irish, hath been nourished and fomented from Spain; but afterwards most apparently, in the year 1580, he invaded the same Ireland with Spanish forces, under an Italian colonel, by name San Josepho, being but the forerunners of a greater power: which by treaty between him and the pope should have followed, but that, by the speedy defeat of those former, they were discouraged to pursue the action: which invasion was proved to be done by the king's own orders, both by the letters of Secretary Escovedo and of Guerres to the king; and also by divers other letters, wherein the par

mandment restrained, and offer was made of restitution to the Spanish ambassador of such treasure as had been brought into this realm, upon proof that it had been taken by wrong; and the Duke of Anjou was, as much as could stand with the near treaty of a marriage which then was very forward between her majesty and the said duke, diverted from the enterprise of Flanders.

But to conclude this point: when that, some years after, the invasion and conquest of this land, intended long before, but through many crosses and impediments, which the King of Spain found in his plots, deferred, was in the year 1588 attempted; her majesty, not forgetting her own nature, was content at the same instant to treat of a peace; not ignorantly, as a prince that knew not in what forwardness his preparations were, for she had discovered them long before, nor fearfully, as may appear by the articles whereupon her majesty in that treaty stood, which were not the demands of a prince afraid; but only to spare the shedding of Christian blood, and to show her constant desire to make her reign renowned, rather by peace than victories: which peace was on her part treated sincerely, but on his part, as it should seem, was but an abuse; thinking thereby to have taken us more unprovided: so that the Duke of Parma, not liking to be used as an instrument in such a case, in regard of his particular honour, would sometimes in treating interlace, that the king his master meant to make his peace with his sword in his hand. Let it then be tried, upon an indifferent view of the proceedings of England and Spain, who it is that fisheth in troubled waters, and hath disturbed the peace of