"to her. In whom, for her inspired science and spirit to CHAP. "judge of monuments and events of things; and for the 66 66 XIV. felicity of her government in seasons so perilous and con- Anno 1578. "spiring, all kings and kingdoms and nations round about "her, rose up to reverence, in her form of governing, that property of wisdom and virtue; which, it seems, God "had restrained to her majesty only, without participation "to any of them. And in that regard they held her, as he "added, the sacred and fixed star: which light God would "not have put out; though the devices of men on all sides "were busy to draw clouds and dark vails to obscure "it," &c. And again; "That God had raised and esta"blished her majesty a sovereign prince of several nations "and languages: and with the fruits of a firm and con"tinued peace, had plentifully enriched the people of her "dominions; restored religion and the church of Christ, "to dwell anew among us; made her strength awful to all "her neighbours; and lastly, had erected her seat upon a "high hill or sanctuary, and put into her hands the balance "of power and justice, to peaze and counterpeaze at her "will the actions and counsels of all the Christian king"doms of her time." This I thought worthy the extracting from the grave writer; who lived in, and was an observer of these very times: to shew what honour and reputation she had by this time of her reign attained to among her subjects, and through the Christian world, for her great wisdom, learning, favour, and protection of true religion, and abilities in government, and awful respect among the princes of the earth. forth abroad For what books of note of religious subjects were pub- Books of lished abroad, I transcribe a paragraph of the famous Hel-religion set vetian divine, Rodolphus Gualter, in an epistle to Cox, bi- in Germany. shop of Ely: Ego his nundinis [Francofurtensibus] nihil 559 in lucem dedi præter sermones Germanicos X. de pane vitæ, Jesu Christi, et ejus vera manducatione; ex Joannis sexto cap. Quos si aliquando Latinos fecero, ad te mittam. Julius se mittere dixit Benedicti Talmanni libellum, quo novum illud et portentosum de ubiquitate corporis Christi II. BOOK dogma, egregie confutatur. Sub prelo est liber doctissimus de orthodoxo consensu ecclesiæ veteris in negotio cœnæ Anno 1578. Domini. The sum of which words was, his mention of three books: one was, ten sermons of his concerning the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ, and the true eating of him; from St. John, chap. vi. Another, A confutation of the new and monstrous doctrine of the ubiquity of the body of Christ: by Benedict Talman. A third, Of the orthodox consent of the ancient church in the business of the Lord's Supper: being a very learned book. CHAP. XV. The queen's match with the French king's brother; concerted. Provoked by a seditious book against it. Issueth out a proclamation: the sum thereof. Stubbs the author punished: remains prisoner in the Tower. His petition. A nobleman (thought to be sir Philip Sydney) writes to the queen, upon the parliament's suits to her to marry. The earl of Leicester under dislike with the queen about this French match. His protestation, and offer of exile. Anno 1579. THIS year 1579, the French match with queen Elizabeth The French was earnestly concerted. Which some of her wise statescerted ear- men thought necessary, for the security of the kingdom: nestly. that there might be an heir of the queen's body to inherit the crown: though the difference of religion (monsieur being a papist) did create a great fear and disturbance in most men's minds. So that both bishops and preachers, as well as the generality of her subjects, dislike it utterly. match con The archbishop of the earl of The queen thought fit to cast forth some expressions to York's ad- Sandys, archbishop of York, about this affair. And he, in vice of it to his correspondence with the earl of Shrewsbury, thus wrote Shrews- from London, March 5, how matters then went: viz. bury. "That things were very uncertain: and that he had omit"ted writing to him, because these uncertain times could bring forth no certainties. That the French matter had 66 XV. "been long on sleep, and seemed as dead, but was now re- CHAP. "vived again. That monsieur of late had writ most kind "letters, claiming promise, and yielding to all conditions. Anno 1579. "That the king had sent a treating message by his legyard "ambassador here. That the earl of Leicester, Hatton, “and Walsingham, had very earnestly moved her majesty "to go forward with this marriage, as her most safety. "That hereupon letters were sent by post, as well to mon- 560 "sieur as to Semyer. [Who was here last year courting "the queen.] And the answer was given to the ambassa"dor here to his satisfaction. So that, as the archbishop "proceeded, it was looked for that both Semyer and other "French commissioners should be here before Easter, to "make up a conclusion. But what would be the end, added "the archbishop, or to what effect this will come, God "knew, and not man. Yet, as he subjoined, it was but a "few days past, her majesty cast out speeches to him tend❝ing that way. But that if these commissioners came, the parliament would hold; if they came not, it was like they "would be prorogued until Michaelmas." ambassador But before he concluded his letter, he writ the news: The French That at that very time he understood the French ambassa- arrived. dor and the rest of the French gentlemen were arrived, to solicit this great affair: who were courted by the chief men of the court. And the earl of Leicester treated them at his house at Wansted: he and his company dining with him there. And it being now resolved, that monsieur d'Anjou, the king's brother, should come over to wait upon the queen in way of courtship, the council was exceeding busy in preparing and ordering matters for his reception, der to carry on the treaty. This was the archbishop's news. "The lord Gilbert Talbot wrote to the said earl, his The coun"father, that the earl of Leicester, and the lord treasurer, nest in though scarcely free of a fit of the gout, (which, as the council "said lord Gilbert merrily wrote, the lord treasurer was coming. "not then at leisure to entertain,) for five days together, in "the beginning of April, had sat in privy-council, from eight of the clock in the morning, till dinner-time: and 66 66 in or sellors ear upon his BOOK cc presently after dinner, and an hour's conference with her "majesty, to council again: and so till supper-time. And Anno 1579. "all this, as far as he could learn, was about the matter of "monsieur's coming, his entertainment here, and what de"mands were to be made unto him in the treaty of marriage, and such like. And lastly, he assured the earl, "that it was verily thought, by a great sort of wise men, "that the marriage would come to pass. Yet that never"theless there were divers others, like St. Thomas of Inde, "who would not believe till he had seen and felt. That it "was said, that monsieur would certainly be here in May "next: and that he was with the king his brother in the beginning of the last week, and concluded with him of all "his determinations of this matter, with his good consent; "and great commendations to her majesty on his brother's "part. Further, that it was said he would be accompanied "with two or three dukes, and some earls, and an hun"dred other gentlemen besides, of great and honourable ac"count." The preach ers preach against this marriage. 66 But the preachers were not sparing to shew their dislike thereof: taking occasion in their sermons from their texts to vent what dangers were like to ensue, if this match should take effect. "The preachers," as that lord Talbot added in his letter, " are somewhat too busy to apply their "sermons to tend covertly against this marriage: many of "them inveighing greatly thereat. So that but the week "before this letter was writ, her majesty hearing thereof, "her express command was, that none should hereafter 561" preach upon any such text as the like might be inferred." This above was writ by the said lord Talbot, April the 4th. Yet it was but the month after, the matter grew cooler :" ter cools. and, as the said lord wrote in another letter, dated May the 15th, the secret opinion then was, that monsieur's coming, and especially his marriage, was grown very cold: and that Semyer was like shortly to go over again. He added, that he knew a man that would take a thousand pounds in London, to be bound to pay double so much, when he [that Frenchman] married the queen's majesty. This was This mar riage mat XV. then the court talk. And thus this weighty matter wa CHAP. vered. Yet soon after monsieur came privately over, and visited the queen at Greenwich. Anno 1579. the mar I have met with an original paper, containing the articles Monsieur's propounded on the part of monsieur, when he was here, in articles for order to his marriage; to be granted by the queen and the riage. lords of her council: with their answers to each article. It is digested into two columns: the articles in the one, and the answers on the other. Which, because I do not find them mentioned at all by any of our historians, I shall communicate and preserve in the Appendix; especially being (Number such a considerable part of queen Elizabeth's history: and XVIII.) of such remark, to shew the prudent wariness with which her statesmen proceeded in so weighty a matter; on which the queen's and whole kingdom's future welfare so much depended; and religion chiefly; with a deference of all to the parliament. These articles were presented, June 16, and the answers to each the very next day after. The articles bore this title: Articuli propositi pro parte et nomine illustriss. ducis Andegavensis, &c. That is, Articles propounded on the part and in the name of the most illustrious duke of Anjou, only brother of the king of France; to the most serene queen of England: concerning and upon a marriage between her majesty and the foresaid duke's high ness. The first article was concerning the rites and ceremonies to be used at the celebration of the marriage: that they might be such as from all antiquity were wont to be used in the marriage of kings and princes. The second, That all the duke's attendants and domestics might have the free use of the catholic Roman religion in the kingdom of England. The third, That after the consummation of the marriage, the said duke should be crowned king of England with all the usual ceremonies. The fourth, That all donations and grants of offices, rewards, &c. should go mutually in both their names. Further, That letters patents should go as well in his name as in the queen's: also, to have for the maintaining of his royal family yearly, 60,000l. sterling: and |