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ADECLARATIONOF THE CAVSES, WHICH MOOVED THEchiefe Commanders of the Nauie of hermost excellent Maiestie the Queene of England, in their voyage and expedition for Portingal, to take and arrest in the mouth of the Riuer ofLisbone, certaine Shippes of corne andother prouisions of warre boundfor the said Citie:

Prepared for the seruices of the King of_Spaine, in the Ports and Prouinces within_and about the Sownde, the 30. Day of Iune, in_the yeere of our Lord 1589. And of her__Maiesties raigne the one__and thirtie_. 

[Illustration]

Imprinted at London by the Deputiesof Christopher Barker, printer_to the Queenes most excellent__Maiestie_. 

1589. 

[Illustration]

A DECLARATION OFTHE CAVSES, WHICH MOVEDthe chiefe Commaunders of the Nauie of_her most excellent Maiestie the Queene ofEngland, in their voyage and expeditionfor Portingall, to take and arrest in themouth of the riuer of Lisbone, certaineshippes of Corne, and other prouisions ofwarre bounde for the said Citie, preparedfor the seruices of the King of Spaine, inthe ports and Prouinces within and aboutthe Sownde, the 30. Day of Iune, in theyeere of our Lord 1589. And of herMaiesties raigne the 31. _

Whereas it is a thing out of controuersie, that certaine Marchauntsresiant and inhabiting within and neere vnto the _Sownde_ in thekingdome of _Denmarke_, commonly called the Marchants of the _Hanse_townes, wil grieuously exclaime among forreine Nations, against thechiefe Commanders of the Fleete of the most excellent Queene of England, as infringers of the law of Nations, and of the ancient contracts madebetwixt the Kings of England, and the _Hanse_ marchants, and ascontemners of the Newtralitie which the said _Hanse_ marchants doechalenge to themselues, whereby they thinke and hold it lawfull for themto exercise the trafique of all marchandises whatsoeuer, with all peoplewhosoeuer, euen in the times of greatest hostilitie betweene whatsoeuerkings and Princes, by reason of the intercepting & arresting of certaineof their ships, passing to the ayde and furnishing of the king of Spainewith corne, and prouisions of warre: it seemed good vnto her foresaidexcellent Maiestie, in respect of her good will, together with singularaffection and loue to the sacred Empire, the Emperours Maiestiehimselfe, the noble Princes of Germanie, and to all & singular theEstates of the Empire, in this publike sort to make it manifest for whatcauses the aforesaid _Hanse_ ships were stayed by the officers of herFleete, and as lawfull prises taken and confiscated. Which is done to noother end or purpose, but to make it euident that the same action dothstand & agree with equitie and iustice, and to be a thing most probable, that other Princes whosoeuer, their seruants and Officers in the likecase, and vpon the like occasion, woulde not haue failed to take thelike course. 

For it is a thing notorious & sufficiently knowen, not onely to the fewe_Hanse_ townes, but also to all Christendome, that the king of Spaine istransported with a mortall hatred against the Queenes Maiestie ofEngland: a witnes whereof is the intended but not performed inuasion ofthe kingdome, and Dominions of England by the saide king the yeere lastpast, furthered by him with all his force, but by the mercie of Godvtterly disappointed. 

Which exulcerate malice of the Kings minde, not lately sprong vp, but oflong time lurking in the closet of his heart, yet foreseene and stillpreuented by the Queenes Maiestie, she often by her messengers sent tohim for that purpose, as with most gentle medicines indeuoured toasswage, to reduce him to a newe minde meeter for a Prince, and so greata king as himselfe: to the ende that remouing out of both their mindesnot onely the staine, but also the suspition of the staine ofdiscontentments, they might dispose themselues to enter and conclude afirme peace and durable friendship, according to the ancient leaguesbetweene their progenitours and fathers, and their kingdomes, for thespace of many yeeres happily continued. 

The king as a man bewitched by the bishop of Rome, the very firebrandand bellowes of all the ciuill warres in Christendome, neglecteth theremedies and conditions of peace that haue bene offred, and perseuerethaccording to his beginning, in his hostile intendement against herMaiestie, not otherwise contentable or satisfiable then with herdestruction, the slaughter and bloodshed of her people most obedientvnto her, and to bee short, with the conquest of the whole kingdome. 

And for the better effecting hereof, hee hath oftentimes sent hismessengers (you woulde rather say his fireflingers) into England, & oflatest yeeres two speciall persons, of all the rest most eger andfurious, _Gyrald Despes_, and _Bernardine Mendoza_, who ceased not tosound and perswade the mindes of all those whome they coulde growe inacquaintance with, and were men giuen ouer to al mischiefes anddiabolical practises: promising them, and bestowing vpon themextraordinarie rewards, of purpose to stirre them vp to moue domesticalconspiracies against her Maiestie. 

And how much they preuailed in their attempts, it is not materiall inthis place particularly to discusse, for so this worke would growelarge. The 3. Principall conspiracies, the one of the Earles ofNorthumberland and Westmerland, and of their partizans, the second ofthe Duke of Norfolke, the third of the two Pagets brethren, as also ofthe two Throckmortons and of their confederats, whereof some werecondemned and executed, for their intended ouerthrow of the QueenesMaiestie, and of the state of the Commonwealth, and the rest that arefled, and wander vp and downe in vncertaine places, and are to this daymainteined at the charge and by the purse of the Spanish King, are inthis matter very sufficient witnesses. 

But the Patrons and complotters of these rebellious, being subtile andcautelous in their actions, howsoeuer apparant the factes of theirseditious ministers seeme to bee, yet peraduenture the Spaniard himselfwil denie them to be his precepts, and directions. Did he then chastisethose his ministers being returned into Spaine, as transgressers of hispleasures? Did hee detaine from them all rewards and preferments, ashauing ill deserued them? hath he blamed the auctours of such facts, andexcused himself to the Queene? I would to God it were so. 

[Sidenote: The conspiracie of the King of Spaine against the kingdoms ofEngland and Ireland 1570. ]

But goe to, let these witnesses passe. May hee be taken for a man of agood spirit, & of no poysoned minde against her Maiestie? Let then_Guilielmus Cataneus_, the Popes Secretarie that now is be produced: lethis worke of the life of _Pius Quintus_ sometime bishop of Rome be read. The saide _Cataneus_ in that booke of his reporteth, that Philip theking of Spaine complained bitterly and with great griefe to theCardinall of _Alexandria_, sent vnto him into Spaine in the yeere 1572. Because the conspired practise, as wel against England as Ireland, notlong before entred vpon by his authoritie and aduise, had not thatsuccesse that he looked for. 

[Sidenote: Ships and forces twise sent into Ireland by the King ofSpaine. ]

Adde hereunto the ships and forces sent twise out of Spaine into Irelandvnder the pretext of the Popes name. As for the late treatie of peacewith the Duke of _Parma_ in Flanders, entred into vpon the mediation, and request of the good prince the King of _Denmarke_, how smoothe & howslie a tuche was that? for her Maiestie, being wholy bent to thattreatie, with a sincere minde and vnfayned desire, beholde as then ather doores, that huge & mightie Fleete of Spaine, beholde a sort ofArmies brought out of Italie, and Germanie into Flanders, labouring andprouiding for nothing els but the desolation of the kingdome of England, and the destruction of the Queene: for the Conspiratours had as it werewith their fingers, appointed euery one of vs to the slaughter: they haddistributed our houses and lands, and a newe Prince, a forrener wasalready ordeyned & created to enioy the kingdome. 

If the Spaniards seeme to obiect against these so grieuous, so deadly, and so strange deuises, the succours which her Maiestie hath yeelded tothe lowe Countreys, let them consider well, and they shall finde, thatmost of these practises haue in time preceded the transporting of anyayde to them: let them denie (if they can) that they sollicited manyEnglish Subiects to rebell, before her Maiestie, so much as thought, ofthe relieuing of her auncient confederats, by her honest and iustmeanes. 

She appealeth to the King himselfe, and to his _Vice Royes_ inFlanders, how often, and what messengers she sent before that intoSpaine and Flanders, for breeding a concord and agreement betwixt theKing, and the Nether-landers, not with hard, but with honourable andequall conditions: against which _aduisoes_ and requests, when the Kingbegan to be obdurate, and the ancient contracts of amitie betwixt theNether-landers, and the Kings of England could not suffer them to bedepriued of their lawes and libertie, and be exposed as a pray toStrangers, she at the last receiued them, being too much oppressed intoher protection, onely of a desire to releeue the poore afflicted people, and not to offer the smallest iniurie to the King. 

For if she had bene disposed to regard her owne commoditie, she mighthaue taken another course, but she did not so: seeking rather as yet, earnestly, and diligently with any conditions, if not too vnreasonable, and such as may stand with her honor, and the profite of the state ofChristianitie, howe a commodious and secure pacification may be madebetwixt the King, and the States of the lowe Countreys. 

In vaine, and contrary to reason, hath she maintayned with great charge, that honorable Ambassage to the Duke of Parma the last yeere: in vainewas she aduertised of the monstrous Nauie of Spaine, and the miraculousswarmes of forces with Parma in Flanders, destinated & prepared for herruine, and the spoile of her kingdome: she remained stil without allintention or disposition to send any further forces into Flanders, andwas after a sort negligent, both of defending herselfe, and ofextending the limits of her gouernement beyonde the Seas, with purposeto liue in quietnesse without feare, and in peace without ambitiousdesire of rule. 

[Sidenote: Her Maiesties Ambassadors sent into Flanders to intreate of apeace. ]

And howsoeuer she may be thought greedie of other mens Dominions, shesent to Parma very noble and excellent Ambassadours, who being delayedfrom day to day, from moneth to moneth, without any thing accomplished, she notwithstanding tooke it patiently, and suffered so farre thesedangerous delayes, that the Spanish Souldiers panting with haste andgreedinesse for the blood and butcherie of her Maiestie, and people mostdeare vnto her, were come vpon her coastes, and before her doores. Inthis sort was her hope deluded, and her opinion frustrated by him, contrary to the royall dignitie of both the Kingdomes of England and ofDenmarke. 

And if the victorious hand of God had not herein derided the cunningdeuises and purposes of the Spaniards, if it had not scattered so greata terrour to all Christendome, and drenched their carkases in the Sea, what should the state of the said Hanse marchants haue bene, so busilyand so contrary to al equitie and iustice, hastening to furnish him withcorne & prouision for the warres? whither should the long and sacredquiet of the Romane Empire haue gone to hide it selfe? where should allother Nations that professe the trueth of Christianitie, thinke thatthey might haue shrowded them selues to be free from his tyrannie, andsafe from his murderers and cruel executioners? If they saw not thattheir owne destruction was ioyned with the ruine of the Queene ofEngland, either it must be saide that they woulde denie Christ, or thatthey were blinded to their owne miserie by the vengeance of God, fortheir secret sinnes. For where the cause of hostilitie is all one, thelike effect and issue is to be looked for at the hands of a cruell andraging enemie of the trueth: for in a maner, all the inhabitants of theHanse Townes are very good fauourers of the reformed Religion, andmortall enemies to the Romish errors. And would any man then beleeue, that men so well instructed, coulde more respect their priuate gaine, Iwill not say their filthie lucre, then their owne securitie, thepreseruation of their Countrey, and the propagation of true Religion?

[Sidenote: The Citie of Hamboroughs letters to the Queenes Maiestie. ]

But what? will the inhabitants of the Hanse Townes pretend that theyknewe not the Queene of Englands pleasure? The Citie of Hamborough bytheir letters written vnto the Queenes Maiestie, the 21. Of September, in the yeere 1585 hauing besought her, that their ships might passequietly vnto Spaine and Portugal, without stop or hindrance either intheir passage or repassage, by her Maiesties Captaines at Sea, receiuednot they answere to this effect?

[Sidenote: The Queenes Maiesties letters to the Hamburgers. ]

 _We doubt not, but you haue heard what occasions of discorde are lately fallen out betweene vs and the king of Spaine, whereof wee cannot throughly coniecture what troubles are like to ensue. If peace arise, we meane to deny you nothing, being our ancient confederates: but if it grow to a warre, we wish you aduisedly to consider, that it standeth not with the safetie of our kingdome, to suffer our enemies to bee ayded with corne, and prouisions for warre, thereby to be armed against vs. Which things, according to your accustomed wisedomes you calling to minde, wee hope you will demaunde nothing at our handes, which may be hurtfull to our state: as for the transporting of other sortes of marchandise into those partes, whereby our enemies may neither bee ayded with victuals, nor necessaries of warre, we will not hinder you, but will permit your shippes to ride on our coastes, and to passe long with all fauour for the performance of their intended nauigation: with which our answere, we hope you will be fully satisfied and contented, the present state of things considered. _

[Sidenote: The Hamburgers petitorie message to the Queenes Maiestie. ]

Secondly, whereas two yeeres after that, to wit, the last yeere thesaide Burgomasters of Hamburrough sent _Sebastian Berghen_ theirSecretarie and _Agent_ with letters vnto the Queene of England, desiringthat vnder the colour and title of Newtralitie, they might freely passeinto Spaine and Portingal, and repasse againe with al kind ofmarchandise whatsoeuer, was not the said _Sebastian_ answered in thiswise by the Lordes of her Maiesties Counsaile?

[Sidenote: The answere to the petition of ye Hamburge messenger. ]

 _Whereas the King of Spaine, hauing sent out his Nauie to inuade this Realme, to roote out the Christian Religion, & to worke the ruine & destruction of the Queenes Maiestie, hath declared more clearely then the light it self, what he would haue the Queene of England to thinke of him, she deemeth it not reasonable vpon any colour to graunt either to the Hambourgers, or any other the Haunse Townes whosoeuer, to carry corne, gunnepowder, and other appurtenances for the warre to so obstinate and manifest enemie of the true Christian Religion. That such as presumptuously durst attempt the contrary, should suffer the punishment of their vnbrideled licensiousness, if they fell into the handes of the Captaines, or other Subiects of the Queene of Englande, their goods and marchandises whatsoeuer thus transported against her Maiesties will to be made good prises to any man that can take them, no excuse of Newtralitie preuailing to the contrary. _

[Sidenote: The Alderman of the Stilliard in London, commanded to aduisethe Hanse Townes. ]

Moreouer it is not to be omitted, that the Lords of her MaiestiesCounsell aforesaid, hauing called for _Maurice Tymberman_ resident inLondon, and Alderman (as they call him) of the Stilliard, commanded himto giue warning to all the _Haunse_ Townes that her Maiestie willed, andaccording to her Soueraigne auctoritie in her Dominions, commanded thatthey shoulde forbeare from thenceforth, from the beginning of the monethof Ianuarie last past from carying of corne, and generally of allprouision of warre, cables, mastes, and like marchandise into Spaine andPortingall, whereby the enemie of her Kingdome might be the betterfurnished, vnder the paine of losse both of ships and goods, to beinflicted vpon such, as should violate this her princely commandement. 

[Sidenote: The letters of the Lubeckers, Hamburgers, and Dantiskers. ]

That the _Haunse_ Townes were not ignorant of this inhibition, appearethby the letters of the Cities of Lubecke, and Hamborough, writtenafterwarde to the Queenes Maiestie, the 26. Of March, and from Dantiske, the 13. Of the saide moneth, before those ships set out from home, whichare now taken. The same in like maner is apparant, by many bils of thehiring, and freyghting of their ships, wherein among others, this onething is worth the noting, which was there found, that they couenantedin plaine words, with the shipmasters, that they should not passe intoSpaine & Portingall through the English Chanel & vsuall way, but on thebacke side of the Kingdomes of Scotland, and Ireland, a newe andstrange, and without doubt, a dangerous course: by which their intentionand deede, they declared howe litle they cared for good meaning, and howcarefull they were to arme and furnish the common and knowen enemie ofthe Queene of England. But as alwayes for the most part it falleth out, deceite doeth neuer thriue with any man, and when men thinke most todeceiue, they are deceiued, and suffer the penaltie of their guile: forfalling into the handes of her Maiesties armie vpon the coast ofPortugall, and euen in the entrance of the hauen of Lisbone, they werebrought backe into England, and by the lawe of Nations, are becomeprises to him which tooke them. 

Here now they cry out, that the Commaunders of our Fleete haue deltiniuriously with them, they exclaime that the leagues are broken, thattheir old priuiledges in England are violated, which they chalenge tobelong to their Cities, and ought to be kept and mainteined. As thoughthat any man were so madde, so farre from the trueth of things, socarelesse of his owne safetie, so great an enemie to publike securitie, that with all his might and indeuour, would not preuent the mischiefeand destruction hanging ouer the Commonwealth. He that withstandeth notwrong when hee is able, is in as great fault, as if he destroyed theCommonwealth. The preseruation of the people hath bene euer accomptedamong all nations, for the very supreame Law. Are not the _Hanse_ townesashamed to maintaine and pretend a priuiledge, that is to say, a priuatelawe against a publike and soueraigne lawe? Did euer any king or Princewitting and waring, suffer such a kinde of trafike which should make hisenemie ouer mightie, and though hee did not disfurnish himselfe, yetshoulde leaue himselfe more open vnto his furie, which otherwise werelike to be vnarmed and vnable to wage warre against him?

[Sidenote: The English and French enemies: Charles the fift aconfederate. ]

In the yeere 1545. At which time the warres grew hotte betwixt thekingdomes of England and Fraunce, when the subiects of _Charles_ theEmperour the fift of that name of noble memorie, would needes haue hadfree libertie of passage with all commodities into Fraunce, vnderpretext of their Newtralitie, What was the Emperours answere being aPrince of great equitie? Did he not openly pronounce that course oftheirs altogether vnlawfull? let the Contract it selfe concluded the 6. Day of April be lookt into. 

[Sidenote: The Danes and Swethens enemies: the Hanse men confederats. ]

When the Kings of Denmarke, and of Swethlande were at difference onewith another, was it permitted to these Hansemen to conuay freely anything into one of their kingdomes, which was not in deede ceased vpon &confiscated, if it fel into the laps of the other, not hauing firstobtained speciall libertie for the same? Was this stately, & so muchpriuiledged name of Newtralitie at that time, of such force, thatwithout vsing of any mediatour, it could recouer againe their goods outof the hands of the Danes & Swethens, & countenance the same insafetie, & securitie? Let them acknowledge that, whereof they are notignorant, that although the Emperour _Ferdinande_ and other Princes ofthe Empire dealt in their behalfe by way of intreatie and mediation, and that from the solemne assemblie of the said Empire, yet they in thiscase preuailed nothing at all with _Ericke_, the king of Swethland. 

[Sidenote: The Emperour and the King of Poland enemies to the Moscouite:the English and Hanse men friends. ]

And further in the time of hostilitie betwene the Empire, wherewith asthen the king of _Poland_ ioyned against the great Duke of Muscouie, went these matters otherwise then? Could either the English marchants, or anie other frequent the _Narue_ in _Liuonia_, or any other partes ofthe Dukes dominions freely, and without daunger? Did the Hanse men whichthen were for their king and Emperor, deliuer and restore againe theshippes which they had intercepted and taken, from those which made suchattempts? Many mens goods surprised by the Hanse men and others, as thenintertained against the _Moscouite_, and by them still detained, withoutanie precedent prohibition of passing to the said _Moscouite_, arehereof very good witnesses. 

It is also a thing well knowen, that the noble Prince of _Orange_, andthe States, exercised the like iustice, as well against the Hanse men, as others in times past. 

And verely the foresaid Princes in these arrestes did that which wasaccording to the tenour, and prescription of the lawes of the equitie ofnations. For that same priuiledge of Newtralitie, is in such sort to beevsed and inioyed, that in helping one of our confederates, we hurt notanother: so that hee which helpeth one, & thereby damnifieth another, falleth from his priuiledge and contract: not because he helpeth one ofhis confederates, but because he doeth preiudice another, and by thatfact of his, makes himselfe an enemie, as offering the first iniurie, and therefore in so doing, he is to bee taken and reputed for anAdherent, and Assistant to the enemie, and a very enemy himselfe. 

This then beeing the state of these thinges, what lawe, what reason, orexample may be obiected to the contrary, but that it is lawfull for theQueene of England, whose scepter, diademe, kingdome, liuing, and life, are greedily thirsted after by the Spaniard, so potent and so maliciousan enemie, to doe that against his fautors and fauourers so oftenpremonished, which was lawful for the Emperour, for the Empire, for theking of Swethen, for the king of Denmarke, for the Prince of Orange, forthe States of Netherland, yea for the _Hanse_ men themselues to doe inthe like cause, but not in the like danger, and extremitie as this is. 

[Sidenote: Anno Do. 1302. ]

Nay, if wee thought it requisite to alleadge any thing out of thepriuiledges themselues, whereof they haue so often, and so muchcomplained, as being many yeeres withheld from them by iniustice, weemight offer the charter of _Edward_ the first king of England, to beperused, granted in the third yere of his raigne: in which charter weereade these expresse wordes. 

[Sidenote: An exception in the priuiledge. ]

 _That all the aforesaide Marchants may at any time carrie, or cause to bee carried into or out of the kingdome of England, their marchandizes, which they shall bring with them, or buy here or otherwise come by, excepting to the countreyes of the manifest and notorious enemies of this kingdome. _

So that either they must denie, that the king of Spaine hauing practisedsuch cruell and horrible things (I would to God we might not say stilpractising the same) is an enemie to the Queene of England, or els bythe wordes of the aforesaide charter, they must confesse that they areincluded within those boundes and limites, which they may not passe, ifthey desire to bee called and accompted friendes. 

We may adde to all this, that it is a thing able to be shewed and prouedin the Courts of Records of the kings of England, that heretofore thewarres arising, and continuing betwixt the kinges of England and ofFraunce, the goods of these Hanse men were so subiect here in England toarrestes, as now they are, vntill they grew more warie, and had put insufficient Sureties, that they woulde not from that time transport anypart of their goods into the prouinces and dominions of the French king. 

By these reasons we take it plainely, and fully demonstrated, that herMaiesties Captaines by Sea, in the present arrest of the Hanse mensgoods, haue committed no iniustice against their pretendedpriuiledges, but rather that they haue vtterly lost them for this prankeof theirs, in causing victualles and martiall furnitures to bee conuayedto the countries of her manifest and notorious enemies, directlycontrary to the wordes specified in the priuiledges. Although herMaiestie is not purposed, notwithstanding all present extremities, andthis most vile and most barbarous part of the Hanse marchants, toproceede in dealing with them, according to that seueritie of law whichiustly she might execute, but is nowe thus farre onely resolued, toconfiscate all the corne and prouisions of warre: and as for the shippesthemselues, and other sortes of marchandise in them, shee is content todismisse them for the present. 

[Sidenote: The fauour and liberalitie of the Queene of Englande, nolesse to the Haunse men, then to the English themselues. ]

But nowe touching the matter of their priuiledges, for which they keepesuch a stirre, in complayning to the Emperour, the states of the Empire, and al other princes els, which neuerthelesse are cleerely found to hauebeene broken, and forfeited in the time of _Edward_ the sixt, that mostnoble and famous prince. The Queene of Englande can sufficiently proue, that these Hanse men haue deserued no benefite or fauour at her hands, euen by the lawes of the Empire it selfe, if her Maiestie thought theargument necessary to stande vpon. It is a very apparant thing, that herMaiestie neglecting and not regarding the vniust pretenses and forgedsuggestions, wherewith these Hanse men haue charged her among strangers, hath yeelded to them no lesse a benefit of free negotiation, then to herowne subiects, without any other restraint but this, that in liewe andmemorie of so singular a fauour, they also on their parts should grauntthe like freedome in their portes, and cities to her subiects, andmarchantes: and yet like vnkinde people, and without respect to thisfauour, they returne to their olde byas, & cease not to attempt thingesdangerous to her Maiestie, and by the opinions of all princes in no caseto bee suffered. 

These _Hanse_ men were at the like controuersie sometimes with the kingsof _Denmarke_ & _Swethen_, by reason of certaine like priuileges in thekingdomes of _Norway_ and _Swethland_, and the matter grew so hot thatit brake out to an open warre: but with what fruite or gaine to thestate of the _Haunse_ men? This was the issue: they were forced toaccept such conditions of priuiledges, not as they challenged but as theforesaid kings thought iust, & equal. By which president they mightlearne if they were wise, not to accept only, but most gladly &thankefully to accept the conditions offered by her Maiestie, asproceeding from such a kind of liberalitie, that may make them in thiscase superiours to all other Strangers, equall and alike with her owneSubiects. But if they continue in this their stubbernesse andingratitude, let them take heede least they plucke vpon themselues thatmost iust reward of their most peruerse behauiours, whereof they hauefelt the smart before this, both in _Swethlande_, _Norway_ and _Liuonia_also. 

Seeing then these _Hanse_ men haue receiued from her Maiestie many greatbenefits, but no ill deserts at any time, shee desireth the EmperoursMaiestie, and the rest of the Princes and States of the Empire, to giueno credite to the rumours spread abroad by them, or by the friendes ofthe Romish Church, or by such as are corrupted with _Spanish_ pensions, men suborned of purpose to scatter these false surmises, to the endethat we being drawen to a mutual dislike and hatred, they in the meanetime may the sooner and the more easily bring vs, and the Religion whichwe professe (if it were possible) vnderfoote. 

[Sidenote: The desire of the Queenes Maiestie for a peace throughChristendome. ]

And further her Maiestie intreateth, that this heauie warre entred intowith the _Spaniard_, for the mainteinance whereof no small but hugesummes are of necessitie required, and wherein the quarrell is not inher owne behalfe onely, but for the safetie of all the Kings, Kingdoms, and Dominions of Europe that professe the sinceritie of true Religion, and for that cause are as much hated of this Spanish enemie and hisRomish Confederats, as her Maiestie is, may at the least in this onething seeme more tollerable, and lesse difficult and labourious to beecontinued, in not suffering the foresaid _Hanse_ men, to transport tothe forenamed common enemie, out of their Kingdomes, Dukedomes, Portsand Straights, any victuals or instruments of warre, by ordeyning seuerecorrections vpon the rebellious and disobedient, and such as shall dareto attempt the contrary, and to thinke of her Maiestie and her actions, as of a Prince most careful, both of the vniuersall peace of Religion, and of the safetie of all and singular Princes her Confederats, & thatthey would by ioyning their Counsels & forces in one, vse all theirpower and abilitie to extinguish the practises of the Romishpriesthod, that so a sincere, holy, and largely extending peace, freefrom treacheries, may be entred, concluded and established throughoutall Christianitie, to the honour of Almightie God, and the tranquilitieof all Kings, Princes and Estates, with all increase of happines. Inwhich cogitation, her Maiestie most sincerely and constantly abideth, and will not cease (God blessing her) to remooue all impediments forher part, to procure this good effect according to her honourable desire. 

[Sidenote: The Bishop of Romes inuasion of England by his Iesuites. ]

But nowe hauing hitherto spoken of the open violence of the SpanishKing, and the Bishop of Rome, giue vs leaue to vse a fewe wordes also ofanother matter not lesse odious then the former, consisting in thesubtiltie of the litle foxe: which is a thing so much the morediligently to be lookt vnto, by how much the more close and secret itis, and a thing that creepes farre without many mens knowledge. It isthat same priuie legation and sending as it were in corners of certainefalsly termed Iesuites and Seminaries into this kingdome, to withdrawethe mindes of the simple and ignorant people, from their duetifullobedience to the Queenes Maiestie and the Realme. But as these kind ofmen doe spring of certaine runnagates, and fugitiues naturally borneSubiects, who at home, either for pouertie growe desperate, or by reasonof their vicious liues, could not long lie hid: so being nowe sent homeagaine by the Pope, cease not vnder the habite of their superstitiousprofession to runne from house to house, from Towne to Towne, stirringvp the people by their whisperings to rebellion, and scattering certainepopish Buls, made and sent for that purpose, teaching the people out ofthem, vnder the paine of excommunication, and of a curse, that thereis no hope of saluation remaining them, except they change theiraffections, and cast off their due obedience to her Maiestie. 

[Sidenote: The manifest treason of the Iesuites, against the QueenesMaiestie, & the kingdome of England. ]

Those of her Maiesties Subiects, which being taken with these Buls, andcalled in question for the same, haue reuealed their practises: andbeing moued with a conscience of their offence, doe returne to a betterminde, and doe forsake that filthie sinke or dunghill of the companieand opinions of Iesuites and Seminaries: are pardoned of their formertransgressions, and passe without punishment: but as for those that arerooted in their wickednesse, and remaine stifnecked in their offence, they being demaunded, whether if an inuasion of the kingdome should bemade by the Bishop of Rome or the Spanish King, they would (as goodSubiects ought to do) stand for the Queene or no, they answere stoutlyand proudly, that they are bound whensoeuer it should seeme good to thesaid Bishop of Rome, to make any such inuasion of the Kingdome, andDominions of her Maiestie, to assist and further the said inuasion, byal the wayes and meanes they can. 

I aske nowe of you, what Prince soeuer you be, hauing the authoritie ofa Prince, what you would doe with such monsters as these are, giuen ouerafter this sort to such diuelishnes? would you suffer the cloke ofpopish religion and obedience, to exempt such traytors from theseueritie of Iustice? woulde you suffer them to liue, that woulde youshould not liue? surely no Prince or Monarche ought or may tolleratesuch monstrous creatures, except he purposeth voluntarily to neglectgood lawes, his people, kingdome, and life; and sinne grieuously againstGod himselfe. And these are the monsters that are in England committedto execution; howsoeuer the companions of their treasons, by theirinfamous libels spread amongst the people crie out, and say, they sufferfor the cause of Religion onely, and for their consciences. 

Many of her subiects, and they no obscure men, but some of theNobilitie, and some others of the degree of knights are witnesses, thathowsoeuer they stand catholikely affected, yet as long as they conteinethemselues within the compasse of their duetie, & obedience to herMaiestie and the State, are neither committed to prison, nor in any illsort vsed, only for breaking the lawes of frequenting the Churches, areperaduenture rated at some pecuniarie fine. 

The ende and purpose why wee speake and publish these things, is to letall good Princes and Magistrates, and others desirous to know the truethof things, vnderstande howe and by what meanes, as openly, priuily, byforce of armes, and practises of treacherie, the state of her Maiestieand of her kingdome is assaulted by the bishop of Rome, and the SpanishKing: and therefore howe conueniently and necessarily her Maiestie isdrawen to resist this force and to auoyde these frauds, and with whatiniurious allegations the execution of lawes and iustice, is as it weretorne and rent in pieces, not only by malitious imprinted Libels, butalso by painted tables and pictures, signifying I knowe not whatmonstrous things, resemblances of some barbarous crueltie, as theyfalsely calumniate and exclaime, to be vsed against the foresaidIesuites, and Seminarie Priests, that is to say, against men guiltie ofhigh and horrible treason. 

But as for her Maiestie, she desireth to stand as a person voide of alltrueth and credite with good Princes, if she euer punished any of thesemen with any strange or newe kinde of torment, then is appointed by theprescript of the ancient lawes of this Realme prouided against suchpersons, as shall be found and conuicted for Rebels and Traytors. 

FINIS. 

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Transcriber's notes:

 The original spelling, which is frequently inconsistent, has been retained. The following words appear thus in the original: priesthod, resiant. 

 Some contractions, printed as vowels with a line over them, were used in the original to indicate a vowel followed by an 'm' or 'n'. They have been expanded as follows (the contraction is marked by [] round the vowel):

 out of c[o]trouersie expanded to out of controuersie c[o]monly called the commonly called the hostile int[e]dement hostile intendement her owne c[o]moditie her owne commoditie howe a c[o]modious howe a commodious their intended nauigati[o]: their intended nauigation: & co[u]tenance the same & countenance the same anie precedent prohibiti[o] anie precedent prohibition Engl[a]d, whose scepter, England, whose scepter, against their pret[e]ded against their pretended fr[o] Towne to Towne from Towne to Towne paine of exc[o]munication paine of excommunication they being dema[u]ded they being demaunded