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.

princes and states, do add great life and force, | embrace the offer of any foreigner, then would her both of assurance to the parties themselves, and majesty yield them some relief of money, or countenance and reputation to the world besides; permit some supply of forces to go over unto and have, for that cause, been commonly and them; to the end, to interrupt such violent resonecessarily used and practised. lution 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 ford 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.

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 arms 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

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 ticular conferences were set down concerning picked upon them for their religion here at home. this enterprise between Cardinal Riario, the pope's Her merchants, at the sack of Antwerp, were legate, and the king's deputy in Spain, touching divers of them spoiled and put to their ransoms, the general, the number of men, the contribution though they could not be charged with any par- of money, and the manner of the prosecuting of taking; neither, upon the complaint of Doctor the action, and by the confession of some of the Wilson and Sir Edward Horsey, could any redress chiefest of those that were taken prisoners at the be had. A general arrest was made by the Duke fort: which act being an act of apparent hostility, of Alva of Englishmen's both goods and persons, added unto all the injuries aforesaid, and accomupon pretence that certain ships, stayed in this panied with a continual receipt, comfort, and counrealm, laden with goods and money of certain tenance, by audiences, pensions, and employmerchants of Genoa, belonged to that king: which ments, which he gave to traitors and fugitives, money and goods was afterwards, to the uttermost both English and Irish; as Westmoreland, Paget, value, restored and paid back; whereas our men Englefield, Baltinglass, and numbers of others; were far from receiving the like justice on their did sufficiently justify and warrant that pursuit side. Dr. Man, her majesty's ambassador, re- of revenge, which, either in the spoil of Carthagena ceived, during his legation, sundry indignities; and San Domingo in the Indies, by Mr. Drake, or himself being removed out of Madrid, and lodged in the undertaking the protection of the Low in a village, as they are accustomed to use the Countries, when the Earl of Leicester was sent ambassadors of Moors: his son and steward over, afterwards followed. For before that time forced to assist at a mass with tapers in their her majesty, though she stood upon her guard in hands; besides sundry other contumelies and respect of the just cause of jealousy, which the reproaches. But the spoiling or damnifying of a sundry injuries of that king gave her; yet had merchant, vexation of a common subject, dishonour entered into no offensive action against him. For of an ambassador, were rather but demonstrations both the voluntary forces which Don Antonio of ill disposition, than effects, if they be compared had collected in this realm, were by express comwith actions of state, wherein he and his ministers mandment restrained, and offer was made of restihave sought the overthrow of this government. tution to the Spanish ambassador of such treasure As in the year 1569, when the rebellion in the as had been brought into this realm, upon proof north part of England brake forth; who but the that it had been taken by wrong; and the Duke Duke of Alva, then the king's lieutenant in the of Anjou was, as much as could stand with Low Countries, and Don Guerres of Espes, then the near treaty of a marriage which then was his ambassador lieger here, were discovered to be very forward between her majesty and the said chief instruments and practisers; having complot- duke, diverted from the enterprise of Flanders. ted 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

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

Christendom, and hath written and described all | had no other excellency; one that hath passed the his plots in blood.

Secondly, that he suffer his rebels of Holland and Zealand quietly to possess the places they hold, and to take unto them all the rest of the Low Countries also; conditionally, that the Eng-in treating with the Duke of Anjou, they spake lish may still keep the possession of such port towns as they have, and have some half a dozen more annexed unto them.

And these articles being accorded, he saith, might follow that peace which passeth all understanding, as he calleth it in a scurrile and pro- | lordship much honour: for the more despitefully fane mockery of the peace which Christians enjoy with God, by the atonement which is made by the blood of Christ, whereof the apostle saith that it passeth all understanding. But these his articles are sure mistaken, and indeed corrected are briefly these :

that this man should be so absurdly malicious, as he should charge his lordship, not only with all actions of state, but also with all the faults and vices of the times; as, if curiosity and emulation have bred some controversies in the church; though, thanks be to God, they extend but to outward things; as, if wealth, and the cunning of wits have brought forth multitudes of suits in law; as, if excess in pleasures, and in magnificence, joined with the unfaithfulness of servants, and the greediness of moneyed men, have decayed the patrimony of many noblemen, and others; that all these, and such like conditions of the time, should be put on his lordship's account; who hath been, as far as to his place appertaineth, a most religious and wise moderator in church matters to have unity kept; who with great justice hath despatched infinite causes in law that have orderly been brought before him: and for his own example, may say that which few men can say; but was sometimes said by Cephalus, the Athenian so much renowned in Plato's works; who having lived near to the age of a hundred years, and in continual affairs and business, was wont to say of himself; "That he never sued any, neither had been sued by any:" who by reason of his office hath preserved many great houses from overthrow, by relieving sundry extremities towards such as in their minority have been circumvented; and towards all such as his lordship might advise, did ever persuade sober and limited expense. Nay, to make proof farther of his contented manner of life, free from suits and covetousness; as he never sued any man, so did he never raise any rent, or put out any tenant of his own: nor ever gave consent to have the like done to any of the queen's tenants; matters singularly to be noted in this age.

any attainted of any treason, felony, or otherwise, that he never had, or sought any kind of benefit by any forfeiture to her majesty; that he was never a factious commender of men, as he that intended any ways to besiege her, by bringing in men at his devotion; but was ever a true reporter unto her majesty of every man's deserts and abilities; that he never took the course to unquiet or offend, no, nor exasperate her majesty, but to content her mind, and mitigate her displeasure; that he ever bare, himself reverently and without scandal in matters of religion, and without blemish in his private course of life. Let men, I say, without passionate malice, call to mind these things, and they will think it reason, that though he be not canonized for a saint in Rome, yet he is worthily celebrated as "pater patriæ" in England, and though he be libelled against by fugitives, yet he is prayed for by a multitude of good subjects; and, lastly, though he be envied whilst he liveth, yet he shall be deeply wanted when he is gone. And assuredly many princes have had many servants of trust, name, and sufficiency: but where there have been great parts, there hath often wanted temper of affection; where there have been both ability and moderation, there have wanted diligence and love of travail; where all three have been, there have sometimes wanted faith and sincerity; where some few have had all these four, yet they have wanted time and experience; but where there is a concurrence of all these, there is no marvel, though a prince of judgment be constant in the employment and trust of such a servant.

VII. Of divers particular untruths and abuses dispersed through the libel.

The order which this man keepeth in his libel, is such, as it may appear, that he meant but to empty some note-book of the matters of England, to bring in, whatsoever came of it, a number of idle jests, which he thought might fly abroad and intended nothing less than to clear the matters he handled by the light of order and distinct writing. Having, therefore, in the principal points, namely, the second, third, and fourth articles, ranged his scattering and wandering discourse into some order, such as may help the judgment of the reader, I am now content to gather up some of his by-matters and straggling untruths, and very briefly to censure them.

But, however, by this fellow, as in a false artificial glass, which is able to make the best face deformed, his lordship's doings being set forth; yet let his proceedings, which be indeed his own, be indifferently weighed and considered; and let men call to mind, that his lordship was never a violent and transported man in matters of state, but ever respective and moderate; that he was never man in his particular a breaker of necks; no heavy enemy, but ever placable and mild; that he was never a brewer of holy water in court; no dallier, no abuser, but ever real and certain; that he was never a bearing man, nor carrier of causes, but ever gave way to justice Page 9, he saith, That his lordship could and course of law; that he was never a glorious neither, by the greatness of his beads, creeping to wilful proud man, but ever civil and familiar, and the cross, nor exterior show of devotion before the good to deal withal; that in the course of his high altar, find his entrance into high dignity in service, he hath rather sustained the burden, than Queen Mary's time. All which is a mere fiction sought the fruition of honour or profit; scarcely at pleasure; for Queen Mary bare that respect sparing any time from his cares and travels to the unto him, in regard of his constant standing for sustentation of his health; that he never had, nor her title, as she desired to continue his service; sought to have for himself and his children, any the refusal thereof growing from his own part: pennyworth of lands or goods that appertained to he enjoyed nevertheless all other liberties and

favours of the time; save only that it was put into the queen's head that it was dangerous to permit him to go beyond the sea, because he had a great wit of action, and had served in so principal a place; which nevertheless after, with Cardinal, he showeth great ignorance, if it be not malice; Pool, he was suffered to do.