The History of the Reformation of the Church of England

Count of Egmond, the Glory of those Countries.

in the Service of the King of Spayne can be forgotten in the true Histories, nor yet for the Cruelties used for his Destruction, to bee but for ever lamented in the Heartes of the natural People of that Countrie. And furthermore, to bring these whole Countries in Servitude to Spayne; these Foreine Governours have by long intestine Warre, with multitude of Spaniards, and with some fewe Italians and Almains, made the greater Part of the said Countries, (which with their Riches, by common Estimation, answered the Emperour Charles equally to his Indias) in a manner Desolate; and have also lamentably The Riche destroyed by Sword, Famine, and Townes and other cruel Maners of Death. a Strengthes great Part of the natural People, with the and now the rich Townes and Wealth strong Places being Desolate of thereof pos- their natural Inhabitants, are held sessed by the and kept chiefly with Force by the Spaniardes. Spaniardes.

long Time with more Cause and
Grief generally then of our Sub-
jects of this Realme of England,
being their most Ancient Allies,
and Familiar Neighbours, and
that in such Maner, as this our
Realme of England, and those
Countries have been by common
Language of long Time resembled,
and termed as Man and Wife. TheQueen of
And for these urgent Causes and Englande's
many others, we have by many continual
Friendly Messages and Ambassa- Friendly
dors, by many Letters and Writ Advices to
ings to the said King of Spayne the King of
our Brother and Allie, declared Spaine for
our Compassion of this so Evil restraining
and Cruel Usage of his Natural of the Tu
and Loyal People, by sundrie his rannie of his
Martial Governoures, and other Governours.
his Men of Warre, all Strangers
to these his Countries. And fur-
thermore, as a good loving Sister
to him, and a natural good Neigh-
bour to his Lowe Countries and
People, we have often, and often
a aine most Friendly warned him,
that if he did not otherwise by his
Wisdome and Princely Clemen-
cie restraine the Tyrranny of his
Governours, and Crueltie of his
Men of Warre, we feared that the
People of his Countries should be
forced for Safetie of their Lives,
and for Continuance of their Na-
tive Countrey in their former State
of their Liberties, to seek the Pro-
tection of some other Foreyne
Lorde; or rather to yeeld them-
selves wholy to the Soveraigntie
of some Mighty Prince, as by the
Ancient Lawes of their Countries,
and by speciall Priviledges graun-
ted by some of the Lordes and
Dukes of the Countries to the Peo-
ple, they do pretende and affirm,
that in such Cases of General In-
justice, and upon such Violent
Breaking of their Privileges, they
are free from their former Ho-
mages, and at Libertie to make
Choice of any other Prince to bee
their Prince and Head. The Proof
whereof, by Examples past, is to
be seene and read in the Ancient
Histories of divers Alterations, of
the Lordes and Ladies of the Coun-
tries of Brabant, Flanders, Hol-

All which pitiful Miseries and
horrible Calamities of these most
Rich Countries and People, are
of all their Neighbours at this
Day, even of such as in Ancient
Time have bene at frequent Dis-
cord with them, thorowe natural
Compassion verie greatlie pitied,
which appeared specially this
present Yere, when the Frenche
Kinge pretended to have received
them to his Protection, had not
(as the States of the Countrey and
their Deputies were answered)
that certaine untimely and un-
looked for Complottes of the House
of Guise, stirred and maintained
by Money out of Spayne, disturb-
ed the Good and General Peace
of Fraunce, and thereby urged the
King to forbeare from the Reso-
lution he had made, not only to
aide the Oppressed People of the
Lowe Countries against the Spa-
niardes, but also to have accepted
them as his owne Subjectes. But
in verie truth, howsoever they
were pitied, and in a sort for a
Time comforted and kept in Hope
The French in Fraunce by the French King,
King's Of who also hath oftentimes earnest
fers to have ly sollicited us as Queen of England, and Zeland, and other
aided and re- land, both by Message and Writ-
ceived to his inge to be careful of their De-
Subjection fence: Yet in respect that they
the oppress were otherwise more straightly
ed People of knitte in Auncient Friendship to
the Lowe this Realme then to any other
Countries. Countrie, we are sure that they
could bee pitied of none for this

Countries to them united by the
States and People of the Coun-
tries; and that by some such Al-
terations, as the Stories do testi-
fie, Philip the use of Burgundy
came to bis Tytle, from which the
King of Spayne's Interest is de-
rive. But the further Discussion

hereof, we leave to the Viewe of the Monuments and Recordes of The Queene the Countries. And now for the of England's Purposes to stay them from yeeldMeans used ing themselves in any like Sort to state the to the Soveraigntie of any other States of the strange Prince, certaine Yeeres Lowe Coun- past, upon the earnest Request of tries from sundrie of the greatest Persons of yeelding Degree in those Countries, and their Suljec- most Obedient Subjects to the tion to any King, such as were the Duke of other Fur- Ascot, and the Marques of Havery reine Prince, yet Living, and of such others as had Principal Offices in those Countries in the Time of the Emperour Charles, we yielded at their importunate Requests, to graunt them prests of Money, only to continue them as his Subjects, and to maintaine themselves in their just Defence against the Violence and Cruelties of the Spaniardes their Oppressours, thereby staying them from yielding their Subjection to any other Prince from the said King of Spayne: And during the Time of that our Aide given to them, and their stay in their Obedience to the King of Spayne, we did freely acquainte the same King with our Actions, and did still continue our Friendly Advices to him, to move him to commaund his Governours and Men of Warre, not to use such Insolent Cruelties against his People, as might make them to despayre of his Favours, and seeke some other Lorde.

And in these kind of Perswasions and Actions wee continued many Yeeres, not onely for compassion of the miserable state of the Countries, but of a natural disposition to have the ancient Conditions of straight Amitie and Commerce for our Kingdomes and People to continue with the States and the People of the said Duke dome of Burgundie and the Appendants, and namely with our next Neyghbours the Countries of Flanders, Holland, and Zeland. For wee did manifestly see, if the Nation of Spayne should make a conquest of those Countries, as was and yet is apparently intended, and plant themselves there as they have done in Naples and other Countries, adding thereto the late Examples of the violent The Enter- hostile Enterprise of a power of prise of the Spanyardes, being sent within Spaniardes these fewe Yeeres by the King of in Ireland, Spaine and the Pope into our sent by the Realme of Ireland, with an intent

manifestly confessed by the Cap- King of taines, that those Nombers were Spayne and sent aforehand to sease upon some the Pope. strength there, to the intent with other greater Forces to pursue a Conquest thereof: wee did we say againe, manifestly see in what danger our selfe, our Countries and People might shortly bee, if in convenient time wee did not speedily otherwise regard to prevent or stay the same. And yet notwithstanding our saide often Requests and Advises given to the King of Spayne, manifestly for his own Weale and Honour, we found him by his Counsell of Spayne so unwilling in any sort to encline to our friendly Counsell, that his Governours and Chiefetains in his Lowe Countries increased their Cruelties towards his own afflicted People, and his Officers in Spayne offered dayly greater Injuries to ours, resorting thither for The Refusal Trafique: yea, they of his Coun- of the sell in Spayne, would not permit Queen's our express Messenger with our Messenger, Letters to come to the King their and her LetMasters Presence: A Matter very ters to the strange, and against the Law of King of Nations. Spayne.

And the Cause of this our writ- The just ing and sending to the King, pro- Causes of ceeded of Matter that was worthy Dismissing to be knowen to the King, and not of B. Menunmete nowe also to be declared to doza out of the World, to shewe both our good England. Disposition towardes the King in imparting to him our Grieves, and to let it appear howe evill we have beene used by his Ministers, as in some part may appear by this that followeth. Although we coulde not have these many Yeres past any of our Servaunts, whome we sent at sundrie times as our Ambassadours to the King our good Brother, as was mete, suffered to continue there without many injuries and Indignities offered to their Families, and divers times to their owne Persons, by the greatest of his Counsellours, so as they were constrained to leave their Places, and some expelled, and in a sort banished the Countrey, without Cause given by them, or notified to us : Yet we, minding to continue very good Friendship with the King, as his good Sister, did of long Time, and many Yeres give favourable Allowance to all that came as his Ambassadours to us; saving onely upon manifest daungerous Practices, attempted by Two of them to trouble our Estate, whereof the one was Girald Despes, a very turbulent-spirited Person, and altogether unskilfull and unapt to deale in Princes Affaires being in Amitie; as at his Retourn into Spaine, he was so there also reputed: The other, and last was, Bernardin de Mendoza; one whom we did accept, and

use with great Favour a long time, as was manifestly seene in our Court, and we thinke cannot be denied by himself: But yet of late Yeeres, (we know not by what Direction) we found him to be a secret great Favourer to sundrie our evill-disposed and seditious Subjectes, not onely to such as lurked in our Realme, but also to such as fled the same, being notoriously condemned as open Rebelles and I'raytours; with whom by his Letters, Messages, and Secret Counsels, he did in the ende devise, who with a Power of Men, partely to come out of Spayne, partely out of the Lowe Countries, whereof hee gave them great Comforte in the Kinges Name, an Invasion might be made into our Realme; setting downe in Writing the manner howe the same should be done, with what Numbers of Men and Shippes, and upon what Coastes, Portes and Places of our Realme, by special Name: And who the Persons should be in our Realme of no small Account, that should favour this Invasion, and take part with the Invadours; with many other Circumstances, declaring his full set Purpose and Labours taken, to trouble us and our Realme very dangerously; as hath beene moste clearly proved and confessed, by such as were in that Confederacy with him: whereof some are fled, and now do frequent his Companie in France; and some were taken, who confessed at great length by writing, the whole Course herein helde by the saide Ambassador, as was manifestly of late time published to the Worlde uppon Francis Throgmorton's, a principall Traitours Examination. And when we found manifestly this Ambassadour so dangerous an Instrument, or rather a Head to a Rebellion and Invasion: And that for a Yeere or more together, he never brought to us any Letter from the Kinge his Master, notwithstanding our often Requeste made to him, that he woulde by some Letter from the King to us, let it appeare that it was the Kings Will, that he should deale with us in his Masters Name, in sundrie Thinges that he propounded to us as his Ambassadour; which we did judge to be contrary to the Kinge his Masters Will. We did finally cause him to be charged with these dangerous Practices; and made it patent to him, how, and by whom, (with many other Circumstances) we knew it; and therfore caused him, in very gentle sort, to be content (within some reasonable time) to departe out of our Realme, the rather for his own Safety, as one in very deed mortally hated of our People. For the which we graunted him favorable Conduct, both to the Sea, and over the Sea. And thereupon we did speedily send a Servant of ours into Spaine, with our Letters to the King, only to certify him of this Accident, and to make the whole Matter apparent unto him. And this was the Messenger afore-mentioned, that might not be suffred to deliver our Message, or our Letters, to the King. And beside these Indignities, it is most manifest, how his Ministers also have both heretofore many times, and now lately practised

here in England, by meanes of certaine Rebelles, to have procured sundry Invasions of our Realme, by their Forces out of Spaine and the Lowe Countries: Very hard Recompences (we may say) for so many our good Offices. Hereupon we hope, no reasonable Person can blame us, if we have disposed our selves to change this our former Course, and more carefully to look to the Safety of our Selfe, and our People. And finding our owne Dangers in deed very great and imminent, we we have bene the more urgently provoked to attempt and accelerate some good Remedy: For that, besides many other Advices, given us both at Home and from Abrode, in due Time to withstand these Dangers: we have found the general Disposition of al our own faithfull People, very ready in this Case, and earnest, in offring to us both in Parliaments and otherwise, their Services with their Bodies and blood, and their Aides with their Lands and Goods, to withstand and prevent this present common Danger to our Realme and themselves, evidently seene and feared, by the subverting and rooting up of the Ancient Nation of these Lowe Countries, and by Planting the Spanish Nation and Men of Warre, Enemies to our Countries, there so nere unto us. And besides these Occasions and Considerations, we did also call to our Re- The Queen of membrance our former fortu- England's Pronate Proceeding, by God's ceeding, for the speciall Favor, in the Begin- Deliverie of Scotning of our Reigne, in reme land from the dying of a like Mischief that Servitude wherewas intended against us in in the House of Scotland by certaine French- Guise meant to men, who then were directed have brought it. onely by the House of Guise, by Colour of the Mariage of their Neece, the Queene of Scots, with the Dolphin of France: In like manner, as the Offsprings of the saide House have even now lately sought to attain to the like unordinate Power in France: a Matter of some Consequence for ourselves to consider; although we hope, the King (our good Brother) professing sincere Frendship towards us, as we profess the like to him, will moderate this aspiring Greatness of that House, that neither himself, nor the Princes of his Bloud be overruled, nor we (minding to continue perfect Frendship with the King, and his Bloud) be by the said House of Guise, and their Faction, disquieted or disturbed in our Countries. But now to return to this like Example of Scotlande aforesaid, when the French had in like manner (as the Spanyardes have nowe of long time attempted in the Lowe Countries) sought by Force to have subdued the People there, and brought them into a Servitude to the Crowne of France; and also by the Ambitious Desires of the said House of Guise, to have proceeded to a Warre by way of Scotland, for the Conquest of our Crowne for their Neece the Queene of Scottes (a Matter most mani

The Realm of Scotland

fest to the common Knowledge of the Worlde): their Defence against the Span-
It pleased Almightie God, as it reamaineth iards, and other Strangers; and
in good memorie to our Honour and Comfort, therewith finding manifestly, by
to further our Intention, and Honourable and our often and importunate Re-
just Actions, at that time, in such sort, as by quests and Advices given to the
our Aiding then of the Nation of Scotland, King of Spaine, no Hope of Re-
(being sore oppressed with the French, and liefe of these their Miseries, but
universally requiring our Aide) we procured rather an Increase therof, by
to that Realme (though to our great Cost) a dayly Conquests of their Townes,
full Deliverance of the Force of Strangers, and and Slaughter of theire People
Danger of Servitude, and restored Peace to (tho' in very Trueth, we cannot
the whole Countrie; which hath continued impute the Increase of any late
there ever since many Yeres; saving that at Cruelties, to the Person of him
some Time of Parcialities of certaine of the that now hath the Title of Gene-
Noblemen, (as hath beene usuall in that Coun- rall Governor, shewing his Natu.
trie, in the Mynoritie of the yong King) there rall Disposition more inclynable
hath risen some inward Troubles, to Mercie and Clemencie, then it
which (for the most part) we have, seemeth he can direct the Heartes
in Favour of the King and his of the Spaniardes under him, that
Governours, used Meanes to pa- have been so long trayned inShed-
cifie: So as at this Day, such is ding of Blood, under the former
the Quietnes in Scotlande, as the Spanish Governours :) And joyn-
King our Dear Brother and Cou- ing therunto our owne Danger at
restored to sin, by Name James the VIth, a Hand, by the Overthrow and De-
the ancient Prince of great Hope for many struction of our Neighbours, and
Freedom, goode Princely Respectes, raign- Access and Planting of the great
and so pos- eth there in Honour and Love of Forces of the Spaniards so nere to
sessed by the his People, and in very good and our Countries, with precedent
present King perfect Amitie with us and our Arguments of many troublesome
by the Means Country. And so our Actions, at Attemptes against our Realme:
only of the that time, came to so good Suc- We did therefore, by good Advice,
Queen of
cesse, by the Goodnes of God, as and after long Deliberation, de-
England.
bothe our owne Realme, and that termine, to sende certaine Com-
of Scotland, hath ever since re- panies of Souldieres, to ayde the
mained in better Amitie and Naturall People of those Coun-
Peace, then can be remembred tries; onely to defende them and
these manie Hundred Yeeres be- their Townes, from Sacking and
fore: And yet nothing heereby Desolation, and thereby to pro-
done by us, nor any Cause justly cure them Safetie, to the Honour
given, but that also the Frenche of God; whome they desire to
Kinges that have since succeeded, serve sincerly, as Christian Peo-
(which have been Three in Num- ple, according to his Holie Word,
ber, and all Brethren) have made and to enjoye their Ancient Liber-
and concluded divers Treaties for ties for them and their Posteritie,
good Peace with us; which pre- and so consequently, to preserve
sentlie continue in Force on both and contynue the Lawful and
Parties, notwithstanding our fore- Ancient Commerce betwixt our
saide Actions, attempted for Re- People, and those Countries and
moving out of Scotland of the ours.
saide French Forces, so trans-
The Conclu- ported by the onely Direction of
sion of the the House of Guyse.
Causes of
And therefore, to conclude for
sending of the Declaration of our present In-
certain Com- tention at this time, we hope it
panies of shall of all Persons abroade be
English Sol- well interpreted, as wee knowe
diers to the it will be of such as are not ledde
Defence of by Parciallitie, that upon the oft-
the oppressed en and continuall lamentable Re-
People of the questes made to us by the Uni-
Lowe Coun- versall States of the Countries of
tries, and to Holland, Zeland, Guelders, and
withstand other Provinces with them united,
the Attempts (beeing desperate of the King of
against this Spaines Favours) for our Succours
Realm to be yeelded to them, onely for

sonably de

land.

with Resti

And so, we hope, our Intention Three special herein, and our subsequent Actions will be, by God's Favour, Things reaboth bonourably and charitably sired by the interpreted of all Persons, (sav- Q. of Eng ing of the Oppressors themselves, and their Partizans) in that we 1. The End meane not heereby, either for Amof Wars, bition or Malice, (the Two Rootes of all Injustice) to make any particular Profit hereof, to our Selfe, or to our People: Onely desiringe at this time to obtaine (by God's Favour) for the Countries, a Deliverance of them from Warre, by the Spaniards and Forrainers; a Restitution of their Ancient Liberties and Government, by some

tution of the

Low Countries to their Ancient Liberties.

2. Surety from Invasion of her

own Realm. Christian Peace; and thereby, Comfort to al them that Love
3. And Re- a Suretie for our selves and our Peace truely, and wil seeke it
newing of Realme, to be free from invading sincerely.
the Mutual Neighbours; and our People to
Traffick be enjoy in those Countries, their

tween the Countries.

The Cruses of taking Some To ons into her Majesties Custody.

lawful Commerce, and Enter- An Addition to the Declaration, touching the
Staunders published of her Majestie.
course of Frendship and Mar-
chandise, according to the ancient AFTER We had finished our Declaration,
Usage and Treaties of Enter- there came to our Hands a Pamphlet written
course, made betwixt our Progeni in Italian, printed at Milan, Entituled Nous
tors and the Lordes and Earls of adviso, directed to the Archbishop of Milan,
those Countries, and betwixt our conteyning a Report of the Expugnation of
People and the People of those Antwerpe by the Prince of Parma: By the
Countries.
which we found our self most maliciously charg-
ed with two notable Crimes, no lesse hateful to
the World then most repugnant and contrary
to our own Natural Inclination. The one,
with Ingratitude towards the King of Spaine,
(who as the Author saith) saved our Life
being justly by Sentence adjudged to Death
in our Sister's Time: The other, that there
was some Persons procured to be corrupted
with great Promises, and that with our Intel-
ligence, as the Reporter addeth in a Paren-
thesis in these Words (as it was said), that
the Life of the Prince of Parma should be
taken away: And for the better proving and
countenancing of this horrible Lye, it is fur-
ther added in the said Pamphlet, that it pleas-
ed the Lord God to discover this, and bring
Two of the wicked Persons to Justice. Now
knowing how Men are maliciously bent in this
declining Age of the World, both to judge,
speak, and write maliciously, falsely and un-
reverently of Princes: And holding nothing
so Dear unto us, as the Conservation of our
Reputation and Honour to be blamelesse: We
found it very expedient, not to suffer Two
such horrible Imputations to pass under si-
lence, least for lacke of Answere, it may argue
a kind of Guiltines, and did therefore think,
that what might be alledged by us for our
Justification in that Behalfe, might be most
aptly joined unto this former Declaration now
to be published, to lay open before the World
the Maner and Ground of our Proceeding in
the Causes of the Lowe Countries.

And though our further Intention also is, or may be, to take in to our Garde some fewe Townes upon the Sea-side next opposite to our Realme, which otherwise might be in Danger to be taken by the Strangers, Enemies of the Country: Yet therein considering we have no Meaning at this Tyme, to take and retaine the same to our owne proper Use; we hope, that all Persons will thinke it agreeable with good Reason and Princely Policie, that we should have the Gard and Use of some such Places, for sure Accesse and Recesse of our People and Soldiers in Safety, and for Furniture of them with Victuals, and other Things requisite and necessarie, whilest it shall be needful for them to continue in those Countries, for the Aiding therof in these their great Calamities, Miseries, and imminent Daunger, and untill the Countries may be delivered of such strange Forces as do now oppresse them, and recover their Ancient Lawful Liberties and Maner of Gouvernment, to live in Peace as they have heeretofore done, and doe nowe most earnestly in lamentable manner desire to doe; which are the very onely true Endes of all our Actions nowe intended, howsoever malicious Tongues may utter their cankred Conceits to the contrary, as at this Day the Worlde aboundeth with such Blasphemous Reportes in Writings and Infamous Libels, as in no Age the Devil hath more abounded with notable Spirites replenished with all Wickednesse, to utter his Rage against Professours of Christian Religion. But thereof we leave the Revenge to God, the Searcher of Hearts, hoping that he beholding the Sinceritie of our Heart, will graunte good Successe to our Intentions, whereby a Christian Peace may ensue to his Divine Honour, and

And for Answere of the First Point wherewith we are charged, touching our Ingratitude towards the King of Spaine, as we do most willingly acknowledge that we were beholding unto him in the Time of our late Sister, which we then did acknowledge very thankfully, and have sought many Ways since in like Sort to requite, as in our former Declaration by our Actions may appeare: So do we utterly denie as a most manifect Untruth, that ever he was the Cause of the saving of our Life, as a Person by a Course of Justice sentenced unto Death, who ever carried our self towards our said Sister in Dutiful Sort, as our Loyaltie was never called in Question, much lesse any Sentence of Death pronounced against us: A Matter such, as in respect of the ordinarie Course of Proceeding, as by Processe in Lawe, by Place of Tryal, by the Judge that should Pronounce such Sentence,

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The History of the Reformation of the Church of England, Band 4