AN. REG. 3, That he would humble himself even to heresy itself, in regard

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that whatsoever was done to gain souls to Christ, did beseem that See. And to this resolution he adhered the rather, because he had been told and assured by Karn, the old English agent, that his Nuncio would be received by one half of the kingdom, with the Queen's consent. But as it proved, they reckoned both without their host-and hostess too, who desired not to give entertainment unto such guests. For having designed the Abbot Martiningo to this employment, and the Abbot being advanced as far as Flanders, as before was said, he there received the Queen's command not to cross the seas. Upon advertisement whereof, as well the King of Spain himself as Ferdinand of Toledo, Duke of Alva, (the most powerful minister of that King,) did earnestly intreat that he might be heard,-commending the cause of his legation, as visibly conducing to the union of all the Christian Church in a general council. But the Queen persevered in her first intent, affirming she could not treat with the Bishop of Rome, whose authority was excluded out of England by consent of Parliament. Nor had the Pope's Nuncio in France any better fortune in treating with Throgmorton, the English agent in that Court, to advance the business; who, though he did solicit by his letters both the Queen and the Council to give some satisfaction in that point to the French and the Spaniards, (though not unto the Pope himself), could get no other answer from them but the same denial1.

10. For so it was, that on the first noise of the Nuncio's coming, the business had been taken into consideration at the council-table, and strongly pleaded on both sides, as men's 142 judgments varied. By some it was alleged in favour of the 314 Nuncio's coming, that Pope Pius was nothing of so rugged a nature as his predecessor; that he had made a fair address unto the Queen by his last year's letters; that his designs did most apparently tend to the peace of Christendom; that the admitting of the Nuncio was a matter which signified nothing, it being still left in her Majesty's power whether she would embrace or reject his overtures; but that the refusing to admit him to a public audience was the most ready way to disoblige all Catholic Princes with whom she stood at that time in terms

1 Sarpi, 441. Camden, 68-9. Fuller, iv. 312-3.

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of amity. On the other side it was alleged, that King Henry, AN. REG. 3, a most prudent Prince, had formerly protested against the calling of this Council by Pope Paul the Third, who did as much pretend to the peace of Christendom as the Pope now being; that to admit a minister of the Pope, in the quality or capacity of a Nuncio, inferred a tacit acknowledgement of that supremacy whereof he had been deprived by Act of Parliament; that the Popes of Rome have always raised great advantages by the smallest concessions; and therefore that it was most expedient for the good of the kingdom to keep him always at a distance; that Queen Mary, in favour only unto Pole, refused to give admittance to Cardinal Peitow, though coming from the Pope in quality of a Legate a latere1; that a great part of the people were in discontentment with the change of religion, and wanted nothing but such an opportunity to break out into action as the Nuncio's presence might afford them; and therefore that it concerned the Queen to be as zealous for religion and the weal of her people as her sister the late Queen Mary was in maintenance of Cardinal Pole and his private authority. And to say truth, the greatest obstacle in the way of the Nuncio's coming was partly laid in it by the indiscretion of some papists in England, and partly by the precipitancy of the Pope's ministers in Ireland. For so it was, that the only noise of the coming of a Nuncio from the Pope had wrought in sundry evil-disposed persons such a courage and boldness, that they did not only break the laws made against the Pope and his authority, with great audacity, but spread abroad false and slanderous reports, that the Queen was at the point to change her religion, and alter the government of the realm. Some also had adventured further, even to a practising with the devil by conjurations, charms, and casting of figures, to be informed in the length and continuance of her Majesty's reign. And on the other side, the Pope's Legate, being at the same time in Ireland, not only joined himself to some desperate traitors, who busied themselves in stirring up rebellion there, but, for as much as in him was, had deprived her Majesty of all right and title to that kingdom. Upon which grounds it was carried clearly by the Board against the Nuncio. Nor would they vary from the vote upon the intercession of the Sup. p. 216.

1

2 See Eliz. v. 1..

AN. REG. 3, French, the Spaniard, or-(whose displeasure was more dan1561. gerous) of the Duke of Alva.

The Emperor exhorts her

Church.

11. Nothing discouraged with the repulse which had been to return to given to the French and Spaniard, the Emperor Ferdinand must make trial of his fortune also,-not, as they did, in favour of the Nuncio's coming, but in persuading her to return to the old religion. To this end he exhorts her by his letters in a friendly way, not to relinquish the communion of so many Catholic Kings and Princes, and her own ancestors into the bargain; not to prefer her single judgment and the judgment of a few private persons, and those not the most learned neither, before the judgment and determination of the Church of Christ; that, if she were resolved to persist in her own opinion, she should deal favourably with so many reverend and religious Prelates as she kept in prison, and which she kept in prison for no other reason but for adhering unto that religion which himself professed; and, finally, he intreats most earnestly that she would set apart some churches to the use of the Catholics, in which they might with freedom exercise their own religion, according to the rites and doctrines of the Church of Rome1. To which desires she made a full and sufficient answer, by satisfying him touching her merciful dealing with those Bishops 143 whom, for their obstinacy and many other weighty reasons, she 315 had deprived of their preferments in the Church. And to the rest she answered,-That she had settled her religion on so sure a bottom, that she could not easily be changed; that she doubted not but that she had many learned men in her dominions which were able to defend the doctrine by them taught, against all opponents; and that, for granting any churches to the use of the papists, it was a point so contrary to the policy and good laws of the land that she desired to be excused for not yielding to it. In which last she seemed to have an eye upon the edict of the Emperor Constantine, touching the meetings of the Marcionites, Novatians, Valentinians, and other heretics of

1

Rishton, in Sanders, 307. Strype gives in his Annals, i. App. D, E, a letter from the Emperor, with Elizabeth's answer. The chief subject of these are, the treatment of the Romish bishops, and the Emperor's wish that places of worship should be allowed for the Romanists. The exhortation to return to the communion of Rome may have been contained in an earlier letter, to which reference is made.

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that age; in which it was enjoined that none of them should AN. REG.3, from thenceforth hold any assemblies; and that, for the more certain conforming unto this decree, those churches or other houses, whatsoever they were, in which they used to hold their meetings, should be demolished to the ground, to the end that there might be no place in which such men as were devoted to their superstitious faction might have the opportunity of assembling together. For which the reader may consult Eusebius in the Life of Constantine, 1. iii. c. 651. But, that it might appear both to him and others that she was ready to shew all just favours, she laid a most severe command upon all her officers, for the full payment of all such pensions as had been granted unto all such abbots, monks and friars, in the time of her father, as were not since preferred in the Church to cures or dignities 2. And this to be performed to the utmost farthing on pain of her most high displeasure in neglect thereof3.

strengthens

12. It could not be but that the governing of her affairs with The Queen such an even and steady hand, though it occasioned admiration her navy. in some, must needs create both envy and displeasure in the hearts of other Christian Princes; from none of which she had a juster cause to fear some practice than the King of Spain, or rather from the fierce and intemperate spirit of the Duke of Alva, as appeared afterwards when he was made Lord Deputy or Vicegerent of the Belgic provinces. They had both shewed themselves offended, because their intercession in behalf of the Nuncio had found no better entertainment; and when great persons are displeased, it is no hard matter for them to revenge themselves, if they find their adversaries either weak or not well provided. But the Queen looked so well about her as not to be taken tardy in either kind. For which end she augments her store of arms and ammunition, and all things necessary for the defence of her kingdom; which course

1 Edd. "63." The order really was, not that the buildings should be demolished, but that they should be taken from the sectaries,-TÁVTWV TÔV αἱρετικῶν τοὺς εὐκτηρίους, εἴγε εὐκτηρίους ὀνομάζειν οἴκους προσήκει, ἀφαιρε θέντας, τῇ καθολικῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ παραδοθῆναι. (p. 622, ed. Reading. The editor remarks that Christopherson rendered apapelévтas by diruta; and on this mistranslation Heylyn's statement is doubtless founded.

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AN. REG.3, she had happily begun in the year foregoing. But holding it a safer maxim in the schools of polity, not to admit, than to endeavour by strong hand to expel, an enemy, she entertains some fortunate thoughts of walling her kingdom round about with a puissant navy1; for merchants had already increased their shipping, by managing some part of that wealthy trade which formerly had been monopolized by the Hanse or Easterlings. And she resolves not to be wanting to herself in building ships of such a burthen, and so fit for service, as might enable her in short time, not only to protect her merchants, but command the ocean. Of which the Spaniard found good proof to his great loss, and almost to his total ruin, in the last twenty years of her glorious government. And knowing right well that money was the sinew of war, she fell upon a prudent and present course to fill her coffers. Most of the monies in the kingdom were of foreign coinage, brought hither for the most part by the Easterling and Flemish merchants. These she called in by proclamation, dated the 15th of November, (being but two days before the end of this third year), commanding them to be brought to Her Majesty's Mint, there to be coined and take the stamp of her royal authority, or otherwise not to pass for current within this realm; which counsel took such good effect, that monies came flowing into the Mint, insomuch that there was weekly brought into the Tower of London, for the space of half a year together, 8000%., 10,000, 12,000%., 16,0007., 20,000%., 22,0007., of silver plate, and as much more in pistols, and other gold of Spanish coins: which were great sums according to the standard of those early days, and 144 therefore no small profit to be growing to her by the coinage of 316 them?.

Practices of

the Genevian

13. The Genevians slept not all this while, but were as party. busily employed in practising upon the Church as were the Romanists in plotting against the Queen. Nothing would satisfy them but the nakedness and simplicity of the Zuinglian Churches, the new fashions taken up at Franckfort, and the Presbyteries of Geneva. According to the "pattern which they saw in those mounts," the Church of England is to be modelled; nor would the temple of Jerusalem have served their turn, if a new altar, fashioned by that which they found at Stow, 647. Camd. 70-1. Stow, 647.

2