Christs Victory over Satans Tyranny, Book 12 · Part 64 – Part 72
The story of the Spanish Fleet, Ann. 1588.
THe said Fléet was a preparing thrée or foure years, and being in full perfection came into our seas, with such mighty strength, as no nauy of England or Christendom could abide their …orce. And to make the intended conquest of this realme sure, to the same should also hauehave ioyned the mighty armie which the Duke of Parma had made ready in the Low-countries, which Army should land in this realme, and so both by sea & land this realme should be inuaded, and a speedy conquest made thereof, whereupon it was gathered that neither by sea nor by land there could be much resistance made, & that there would be a strong party in this realme of papists to ioine with the forrein forces; but within eight or nine daies of the appearance of the popish so great a nauie vponupon the coast of England, it was forced to flée from the coast of Flanders neer Callice, towards the vnknown parts of the cold North, and all their hope of an imagined conquest was quite ouerthrowne. It could procéed of no reason of man, nor of any earthl… power, but onelyonly of God, that such a worke, so long time a framing, to be so suddenly ouerthrown.
Before this Army of Spaine was ready to come forth vntounto the seas, there were sundry things printed, and sent into this realme, to not…fie vntounto the people that the realme should be conquered, the Quéene destroyed, and all the Noble men & wealthy that did obey her, & would withstand the inuasion, should be with all their families …ooted out, and their liuings bestowed vponupon the Conque…ors, and a new Bull was published at Rome by the Pope, whereby the Quéen was accursed, and pronounced to be depriued of her Crowne, and the inuasion and conquest of the Realme committed by the Pope, to the King Catholick, which was the King of Spaine, to execute the sam with his armies, both by Sea and Land, and to take the crowne vntounto himselfe, and there was a large explanation of this b…ll, written by Cardinall Allen, calling himselfe therein the Cardinall of England, and a number of them were sent ouer ready printed into England, most bitterly written against the Queene, and her Father King Henry the eight, and her Nobi…itie and Councell.
In the Fleet were aboundance of Princes, Marquesses, Condez, and Do…s, which came to hauehave possessed the roomes of all the Noble men in England, and Scotland.
Don Brnardin Mendoza, in an open assembly did say in a brauerie, that the young King of Scots, whom hee called a boy, had deceived the King of Spaine: but if the Kings Nauy might prosper against England: The King of Scots should loose his Crowne, when the brute was brought of the Spanish Fléet, and of the Armie of the Sea coast of Flanders, with their shippings.
Charles Lord Howard, Lord High Admirall of England, who is of the most Noble house of the Duke of Norffolke, had the charge of the greatest company of the Quéenes Ships: an other company were appointed to remaine with the Lord Henry Seymer, second Sonne to the Duke of Somerset, and brother to the Earle of Hertford: these continued in the narrow Seas betwixt England and Flanders, to attend the Duke of Parmas actions.
A third company were armed in the West part of England towards Spain, vnderunder the conduct of Sir Francis Drake, but after it was vnderstood, that the great Nauy of Spaine was ready to come out of Li…b…ne, my Lord Admirall was commaunded to saile with the greatest ships to the west parts of England to ioyn with Drake, whom he made Uice-admirall, and the Lord Thomas Howard, second Son vntounto the Duke of Norffolke, and the Lord Sheffield, with a great number of Knights, went with the Lord Admirall.
When the Popish Army came vntounto the Coasts of England, it séemed so great, that the Englishmen were astonied at the sight of them; yet the Lord Admiral and Drake hauing but fifty of the English ships out of the hauen of Plimouth, they …uriously pursued the whole Nauy of Spaine, being about 160. ships: so that with the continuall shot of the English one whole day, the whole Nauy fled without returning: and after the English Nauy being increased to an hundred ships, renued the fight with terrible great shot all the whole day, gaining alwaies the winde of the Spanish Nauy, and for nine daies together forced them to flye, and destroyed, su…ke, and tooke in thrée daies fight, diuers of the greatest shippes, out of which great numbers were brought to London, besides many that were killed and drowned, and many were brought vntounto other parts of the realme▪ to the great dissh…nour of Spaine: in which fight the Spaniards did neuer take nor sinke any English ship or boate, or breake any mast, or tooke any one man prisoner, so that some of the Spaniards let not to say, That in all these …ghts Christ shewed himselfe a Lutheran. The King of Scots gaue straight commaundement vponupon all his Sea coasts that no Spaniards should be sufferd to land in any part, b…t that the English might be relieued of any wants.
The Popish Fleet was by tempest driuen beyond the Is…es of Ork…ay, in an vnaccustomed place, for the young Gentlemen of Spain, which had neuer felt storms and colde weather: about those northerne Islands their Marriners and Souldiers died daily by multitudes, as by their bodies cast vponupon the land, did appeare. And after twentie daies and more, hauing spent their time in miserie, then as they returned homeward the Lord ordained the windes to be so violently contrarious, that the Nauy was disse…ered vponupon the high Seas, west vponupon Ireland, and a great number of them driuen vponupon sands, dangerous bayes, and rockes, all along vponupon the north and west parts of Ireland, in places distant aboue an hundred miles asunder: whereby we may see how God fauoured the iust cause of Q. Elizabeth, in shewing his anger against those proud boasting enemies of Christs peace, and she and her Realme professing the Gospell of Christ, are kept and de…ended: according to the Psalme, vnderunder the shadow of his wings from the face of the wicked that sought to afflict her, and compasse her round about to take away her soule.
Iohn Weldon, William Hartley, and Robert Sutton.
IOhn Weldon Priest, was borne at Tollerton in Yorkshire: he was indicted of …reason in Middlesex; first he took exception to the indictment that it was false, then to the Iurie, that they were vnfit men to try him, because they were Lay men, and vntounto the whole Bench as vnworthy to bee his Iudges, because hee did know them to be resolued before hand to condemne all Catholikes brought before them: He acknowledged himselfe to bee a Priest, and therefore not triable by the Common Lawes. Whereupon persisting in that hee would make no answere, and his Treasons manifest, he was condemned to be hanged, drawne and quartered.
William Hartly Priest was condemned for the same treasons that Welden was: it was proued that he sent a Letter to Paris to Seminary Priests, importing the full resolution of the said Hartly and some other of his confederats (immediatly vppon the landing of the Spaniards) to hauehave surprised the Tower of London, and to hauehave fired the Citie: he affirmed, that if the Pope doe depriue the Quéene and discharge her subiects of their obedience, and send an armie to restore the Roman Religion in England, he would pray that the Roman armie might preuaile in that case, and in that faith he would spend ten thousand millions of liues, if hee had them, whereupon hee was likewise condemned to bee hanged, drawne and quartered.
Robert Sutton Priest was indited for the same treasons: he said the Quéen was supreme gouernour within her Highnesse Dominions, ouer all persons, but not ouer all causes: he was found guiltie▪ and had his iudgement as the rest. It was proued that Welden was sent ouer into the Low-countries to kill the Earle of Leicester, who apprehended him, and sent him ouer into England; to which he answered he had done nothing but as a Catholike Priest ought to doe by the direction of our most holy Father the Pope, being the head of the Church, who onelyonly hath authority ouer all persons, and in all causes Ecclesiasticall, and in this Roman Religion. I will die. Then he prayed all Catholikes to pray for him, and so mumbling certaine Latin prayers, he died. The other likewise died as obstinate traytors as himselfe.
Doctor Lopez, Stephano de Ferrera de Gama, Manuell Lewis Tyuaco Portugalls.
DOctor Lopez was fauourably receiued into the Quéens house a long time, as one of her physitians, the other two were Portugalls lately receiued to the seruice of the King of Spain, yet colourably resorting into this Realme.
Lopez confessed that hee was of late yeares allured secretly to doe seruice vntounto the King of Spaine, and from one of his Priuie Councell he receiued a Iewell of gold of good value, garnished with a large Diamond and a large Rubie, and afterward he assented to take away the Qu…ns life by poysoning, vponupon reward promised him of fifty thousand crownes, for which purpose hee sent a messenger ouer to Callice to confer with the Count …uents for this practise, and that after he sent an other messenger vntounto Ibarra, the King of Spaines Secretary, and to the said Count Fuentes, promising to poison the Queene, if …hee might hauehave the fifty thousand crownes that were offered deliuered vntounto him: and he confessed the other two were his messengers: in the aforesaid messages, and conspired with him to execute the same: and they all confessed, that the stay that it was not done, proceeded much against their mindes, for want of the deliuerie of the said fifty thousand crownes, which was promised by a day: But the King of Spaine finding fault that the messenger, which should carry the money, was too base a fellow to be trusted w…h so much deferred the sending thereof: but after billes of Exchange were deliuered by the Count Fuentes, for the money, by the direction of the King of Spaine, at the very instant when it should hauehave been done, it pleased God of his goodnesse towards her Maiestie, to suffer this conspiracie to be very happily di…couered by the diligence of one of the Lords of her Maiesties Priuy Councell: so all the thrée offenders were taken with their Letters and writings, expressing their owne actions and Councels, and the directions of the King of Spaines Councellors, and the other two confessed the like in effect, as Lopez had done: wherevpon they were all three condemned for treason, and executed accordingly.
Manuel Lewis, repented at his death, and prayed God that all those things that are atchieued by the King of Spa…ne, against the Quéenes Maiestie, might take none effect, and that all the treasons which are wrought may bee discouered, & that God would prolong the life of the Quéenes Maiestie, as shee deserueth, and her faithfull subiects desire.
Edmund Yorke, and Richard Williams.
NOt long after Lopez his treason, another like conspiracie was concluded at Bruxells to murder the Queene, whereof Stephano Ibarra, the King of Spaines Secretary▪ procuring the s…me to bee done by the said Yorke and Williams, and others: and Hugh Owen an English Rebell: a Spanish Pentioner, deliuered vntounto the said Yorke an assignation in writing, subscribed by the said Secretarie Ibarra his hand, for assurance of payment of forty thousand crownes to bee giuen vntounto him from the King of Spaine, if hee would kill the Queene: or if hee would assist Richard Williams, or any other that should hauehave performed the same; and the assignation was deliuered vntounto Holt a Iesuit, an old English Rebell, who produced the Sacrament and kissed i…, and sware in the presence of Yorke and other Rebels, that he would surely pay the same Money vntounto him as soone as the fact should be committed: and vponupon this matter were three seuerall consultations of Englishmen, being Rebels and Fugitiues, and Pentioners of the King of Spaine. The names of the principall parties of the consultations, are, William Stanley, the said Holt a Iesuit, Thomas Throgmorton, the said Hugh Owen, Doctor Gifford, Doctor Worthington, Charls Paget, one Tipping, Edward Garret, and Michaell Moody, but b… Gods good prouidence, the said Yorke and Williams were taken comming into England, and confessed the whole matter as aforesaid. Holt said to Yorke, many Englishmen hauehave failed to perform this enterprise, but if it should not be performed by you, he would after imploy strangers in it.
Patricke Cullen an Irishman
HE was likewise a Pentioner of the King of Spaine, and a Fencer: he was perswaded by William Stanley, and one Iaques who was his Lieutenant, and one Shirwood and the said Holt to come secretly into England, and to kill her Maiestie, and he assented thereunto, and had thirty pound of Stanley & Iaques towards his iourney, with offer of great reward; and comming into England, he was taken, and by good proofes charged there with, he confessed the same in the manner as is before here expressed.
Richard Hesketh.
HEe was a Gentleman of Lancashire, well acquainted with the Lord Strange? he was sent into England by Cardinall Allen, William Stanley, and Thomas Worthington to intice Ferdinand, the Lord Strange, sonne and heire to the Earle of Darby, to take vponupon himselfe the title to be heire vntounto the crowne of England, and to shew him the opinion of the Cardinall and many others, that he should take vppon him the title of King, with assurance of treasure and forreine forces, to maintaine the same, which the said Hesketh did very diligently performe, with many reasons, as he was instructed, but the Lord Strange being at Heskeths comming newly Earle of Darbie, by the death of his▪ father, was so wise and dutifull, that he stayed Hesketh, who vponupon the Earles report was apprehended, and confessed the whole matter, wheupon he was condemned, and shewed great repentance, and cursed his instructors, and was executed.
SQVIRE.
THis Uiper Squire was likewise sent by the inticement of the aforesaid Serpentine generation, beyond Sea, to kill her Maiestie: his plot was to so poyson the pummell of her Saddle, that if she did lay her hand vponupon it, her whole bodie should be therewith poysoned, but by the sure prouidence of God, which euer did preserue her, and …oreshew vntounto her▪ all her dangers, to the preuention of them, this practise came to light before it was executed, and the said Squire had the same most iust reward of his foresaid treason, as his predecessors in like plots had.
The Earle of Essex Conspiracie.
LAstly, I will conclude with the conspiracie of the late Earle of Essex: for although it is not to be doubted but that his heart, with many of his followers, was vpright vntounto the Quéene, yet notwithstanding hee had many Papists in the plot with him, whose hearts he knew not, and by whom, if his practise had tooke effect, the Queene should hauehave beene in as great trouble and danger as euer she was in her life; but the Lord of his accustomable wonderfull merciemercy, deliuered her Maiestie from this danger likewise, who both by his holy spirit of comfort preserued her mind, still ioyfull without feare of her enemies, and also her royall person and her realme, by the safe custodie of his holy Angels, from all wicked practises and treasons whatsoeuer, vntill her olde age, and vntill he at his time appointed called her Maiestie vntounto himselfe, out of her bedde in peace, from a blessed Kingdome, wherin she had long raigned in great glory in this world, to raigne with his Sonne Iesus Christ in the Kingdome of vnspeakeable and eternall ioy and glorie in the world to come.
By this storie of Queen Elizabeth, the Papists that hauehave any eie-sight of true vnderstanding, may see by what wicked meanes the Pope and their Catholik Church hath alwaies gotten and maintained their most vnlawfull supremacie ouer kings. And although they hauehave wonderfully preuailed against all superstitious Emperours and Kings, by such like excommunications▪ warres, murthers, and treasons as he vsed against Queene Elizabeth, yet as God preserued her heart purely to s…icke to his sincere word, and to despise all the Popes errors, superstitions, and trash, so God mercifully preserued her and her Kingdome from all the Popes treacherous practises foure and fortie yeares, fiue moneths, and odde dayes, with such glorie and peace as neuer Christian King had more: her manifest protections of God were as apparant and as manifest as Dauids; and as he and Salomon builded a most glorious materiall Temple in despite of their enemies, most gloriously did she build vp the spirituall Temple and Spouse of Christ, in despite of the Papists and the Pope, and all kings that tooke their part: her outward glorie and honour was …quall w…th Salomons, and she o…matched him in that: neither her glorie in this world, nor any other means could withdraw her from her true zeale in setting for…h the pure word of God; wherefore all honour and glorie be giuen vntounto God by this Realme of England and all his Church world without end. Amen.
OVR MOST GRATIOVS King IAME….
WHen the Papists triumphing that their long …xpected houre was come by Gods taking away th… most blessed Quéen… Elizabeth, yet the Lord of his great merciemercy brought their ioy to nought, by p…anting our deare Soueraigne, Iames, by his especiall grace, to succeede Queene Elizabeth in these Realmes, one that is as zealous of the word of God as she, and one whom the Lord hath beene as prouident ouer in all his wayes, as ouer her, and indued with the like ioy in the Holy-Ghost, in the assurance of Gods prouidence in time of danger, wherefore no doubt but as the Lord hath, so he will couer him and his Realmes with the sh…dow of his wings from all papisticall treacheries, euen as he did Queene Elizabeth. This is worthie to be recorded vntounto the perpetuall honour of his Maiestie, that hee being h…ire apparant vntounto Qu…ene Elizabeth, could neuer be inticed by any Prince or Papist, to oppose himselfe against her. When the rising was in the North, and the rebels were …led into Scotland, he tooke the Quéens part, though it were to the great ruine of much of his Kingdome: he made a Proclamation in Anno 1588. that none of the …pan…sh Fléet should land vponupon his coasts, but that the English should be relieued of any thing they néeded, and in the yeare 1592. hee executed as traytors in Scotland, diuers for conspiring with the King of Spaine against England▪ and before the comming out of the Spanish Fléet Don Barnardin Mendoza in an open Assembly did say in a … that the young King of Scots, whom hee called a boy, had deceiued the King of Spaine, but if the Kings Nauie might prosper against England, the King of Scots should lose his crowne, whereby it manifestly appeareth how true and faithfull his Maiestie was …u…r vntounto the late Quéene of famous memorie.
Touching GODS wonderfull preseruations ouer his royall person; who hath safely preserued him a King almost this eight and fortie yeares, in despite of all his enemies, forreigne and domesticall, and no doubt but he… had many, ye… it doth most manifestly appeare in some great and vnheard of dangers, out of which the Lord hath most miraculously deliuered him, as from Gowries Treason and the Gun-powder Treason, and others.