Gods Three Arrows, Section 94
§. 94. Of Gods Providence to England in King Iames his time.
1. THe day of Queene Elizabeths departure out of this life, was the day long expected by Papists, as a day 24. Mar, 1602.for rooting out our Religion, and altering our government. For, Pope Clement 8. had ſent the yeare before two Bulls, to interdict all claime or title to the Crown of England, though never ſo directly and nearly intereſſed by diſcent, to all ſuch as would not by their beſt endeavours promote the Catholique cauſe, and by ſolemne and ſacred oath religiouſly ſubſcribe thereto. But God who approveth our Religion, and deteſteth their ſuperſtition, or rather idolatry, made all their hopes utterly fruſtrate. For, in the ſetting of one Sun immediately aroſe another, and that in full brightneſſe, to the unſpeakable Occubult ſol: nox nulla ſecuta eſt.comfort of all true hearted Engliſhmen, and to the utter aſtoniſhment of all popiſh enemies of this flouriſhing State. In the ſame morning wherein Queene Elizabeth died, Queene Elizabeth died about two in the morning. About eight King Iumes was proclaimed at Court: & about eleven in Cheape-ſide An Dom. 1603 Reg. 1.was King Iames firſt at the Court gate, and then at the Croſſe in Cheape ſide, with wonderfull great acclamations, and all manner of manifeſtations of joy, proclaimed King. An eſpeciall evidence of the divine providence.
2. In the firſt yeare of his Majesties raigne, before he was ſolemnly annointed and crowned, Watſon and Cleark two Romiſh Prieſts, conſpired with others, ſome noble men, ſome Knights, and ſome Gentlemen, to ſurprize King Iames, and Prince Henry, preſuming on forraigne forces for aid and aſſiſtance, thereby to alter religion, and to ſet up ſuch Officers of State, as they thought beſt. But their plot before it came to execution was diſcovered, they condemned, ſome of them executed, others ſpared thorow the Kings clemency.
3. Garnet and Treſmond Ieſuites, with Catesby and Treſham before mentioned, notwithſtanding the death of Queene Elizabeth, when they ſaw that King Iames defended the ſame faith, continued to ſolicite the King of Spaine to ſend an army into England, to joyne with the forces of Papiſts here, for extirpation of Religion. But the King of Spaine being then in treaty with the King of England about peace, refuſed to hearken to any ſuch motion. Thereupon they (together with other unnaturall and traiterous ſubjects) plotted the matchleſſe, mercileſſe, deviliſh, and damnable gun-powder-treaſon, whereof before, §. 67. If ever the The day appointed to blow up the Parliament with gun powder, was 5. Nov. 1605. Reg. Iacobi 3.eye of the divine providence did ſhew it ſelfe watchfull for the ſafety of England, it was in the diſcovery of this plot before it came to execution. Wherefore among other deliverances, this is to be had in perpetuall remembrance.
4. If we conſider the great hazard wherin bleſſed Charles, (then Prince, now our royall Soveraigne) was in going to Spaine, and returning from Spaine, on land and ſea; and withall if we well weigh the admirable and unutterable benefits which we enjoy by his happy raigne over us, we ſhall find juſt cauſe to put the day of his ſafe arrivall to England, 6. Octob. 1623 Reg. Iacobi 20.into the catalogue of daies of memorials of Gods mercifull Providence over this Kingdome. From that day the creſts of Papiſts fell downe: eſpecially after the downfall of many An Dom. 1623 26. Oct. ſtilo vet. 5. Nov. ſtilo novo.of them at a Romiſh Prieſts ſermon in Blacke-Friers, London.
Of the forementioned deliverances much more is recorded in Camdens Annales, Biſhop Carltons Collections, Speeds Hiſtory, and other Chronicles of England.
For my purpoſe it is enough to have pointed at the heads of them.
Yet becauſe contraries laid together do more lively ſet out foreign. Dixit Ariſt. Rhet. 3. 2each other in their owne proper colours. Hereunto ſhalbe annexed another briefe catalogue of ſuch troubles as in former Princes times from the Conquest, (for to go higher is not much requiſite) have fallen out to the great prejudice of Kings and Kingdome: that thus Gods bleſſing on us under the raignes of Queene Elizabeth, King Iames, and King Charles (by whom our light and life, the Goſpell is ſtill continued among us) may be the better diſcerned.