England to be Swallowed by Another French Marriage — John Stubbes

England to be Swallowed by Another French Marriage · John Stubbes

There is another daungerous daunger in thys forreine french match that aryseth yet far higher, in that he is the brother of Monsieur heir asparāt of Fraunce & the dangers therby.childles Fraunce. So as, if Henry the thyrd novv king, should dye the morrovv after our mariage, and Monsieur repare home, as we may be svre he would, into hys natiue country a larger and better kingdom: then, by all likelihode, eyther must our Elizabeth goe vvith him out of her ovvne natiue country and svvete soyle of England, vvhere she is Queene as possessor and inheritor of thys imperial crovvne vvithall regall rights, dignities, perogatiues, pre heminences, priuileges, autorities, and iuredictions of thys kingly office and hauing the kingrike in her owne person, into a forrain kingdome vvhere her vvritt doth not runn & shalbe but in a borovved Maiestie as the moone to the sonn, shining by night as other kings vvyues, and so she that hath ruled all this vvhile heere shalbe there ouer ruled in a straung land by some belledame not vvithout avve perhapps of a sister in lavv, and vve hyr poore subiects that hauehave bene gouerned hetherto by a naturall mother, shalbe ouerlooked at home by some cruel and proud gouernour, or els must she tary here vvithout comfort of her husband, seing her selfe despised or not vvifelike esteemed and as an eclipsed son diminished in souereinty, hauing such perhappes appoynted to serue hyr and be at her commaundement after the french phrase, vvhichwhich in playn English vvill gouerne her and her state.

In thys great matter vvhat an illuding ansvver is it agayn by the particular example of the king of Spayne to put avvay thys Spanish K.reason grounded vponupon these tvvo generall rules. The first is, that a straunger mighty king brought into a realme to ayde them as strange ayd.vvas the Turke and his sarasins, or vponupon any lighter occasion, vvill hardly be gotten out againe. The second, a straunger king dravven in by our sins and sent by Gods iustice for our punishment, is not ridd vvithout Gods extraordinary help. Novv syr, because vve vvere once happily dispatched of Spayne, therefore vve shall once againe commit thys gross follye and contemne that generall rule of policie. And because the Lord in mercy dyd once deliuer vsus from Spayn, therfore vve vvill tempt him agayn by deliuering our selues into the hands of Fraunce. Alas for these men, if king Phillip had neuer maryed Queene Mary and if thys matter had ben to dispute xxvij. yeeres agoe, then had they had no one reason for theyr side, nor no ansvver to escape any of our arguments. and thys absurd manner of reasoning is very Macciauelian logick, by particular examples thus to gouern kingdoms and to set dovvn general rules for his prince vvhereas particulars should be vvarranted by generals. But there mayster vvrested hys vngratious vvit euer to the mayntenance of a present state, and these foolish schoolers put forth theyr gross conceipts to the ouerthrovv of thys present, in hope of, I vvot not vvhat, futur common vvealth of their ovvn head. Some subtilty ther is also in this French mariage more dangerous thē spanish.aunsvver, that vvhen vve are to deliberate of Fraunce vvhych is the more nere and more auncient, therfore more daungerous enemy, to anoy vsus vvith his forces and to hold vsus if he once hauehave vsus: they bryng vsus in example Spayn, a more remote potentate & an auncient friend, one that vvas at that tyme of one religion vvith thys kingdom, and therfore not so pricked to hasten some chaung in our state, as thys man, vvho being ledd by Antichrist must not endure vvith any patience that state vvher Christ is. Moreouer our dispofitiō more ready to vvarr with Fraunce then vvith Spayn, is holpē by more continual occasions giuē of both sides, by more cōueniencie of means to perform sodenly, vvhichwhich vvill make them let no opportunity slyp, that may bring so com bersome a neighbour vnderunder thē as vve are. And better may they do it novv, then might the king of Spayn then. for thē was Spain at vvars with Fraunce, neyther vvas it lyke that Fraunce would hauehave bene holden by any frendship while he should hauehave suffered a more pnissant neighbour set hys foote heere, vvhom he might so easely let by helping vsus. But now is there no enemity betvvene Fraunce and Spayne to let thys practise: they are of kin by the flesh, and by theyr religion. and the holy leage ties them togither in that respect as it vvere faggotstiks. And in truth Spayn being so far and Fraunce so nere, Fraunce hath great aduantage in thys cōparison and cannot be so letted of Spayne, as Spayn may be by him.

These daungers vvherein this daungerous pactise of mariage vvrappeth Queen Elisabeth in hyrlyfe time and hyr England together alike, vvill, I doubt not, moue those in authority to auoyd them and others that are priuate to pray against them most seruently. But these calamities, alas, end not vvith thys age. For wher as these persvvaders lay for a chiefe ground theyr certain expecting issue of hyr Maiesties body vponupon thys match and the commodities therof ensuing, therby perswading thys strange conceipt: I vvill at once dispatch that reason that might be obiected agaynst me, & make it a chiefe argument (for I esteeme it my second politique reason) to diswade the French mariage especially. If it may please her Maiestie to cal her faythfullest vvyse phisitians and to adiure them by their conscience tovvards God, theyr loyalty to hyr, and fayth to the whole land, to say theyr knovvledg simply without respect of pleasing or displeasing any, and that they consider it also as the cause of a realm and of a Prince, how excedingly dangerous they find it, by theyr learning for her maiestie at these yeeres to hauehave hyr first chyld, yea hovv fearfull the expectation of death is to mother and chyld: I feare to say vvhat wyll be theyr aunswer, and I humbly besech hyr Maiesty to enforme hyrselfe throughly euen in hyr louelove to the Issue dangerous to the Queene.vvhole land, whych holds deere hyr life and peace, and vvhichwhich as it hath hetherto deutifully sought hyr mariage whyle hope of issue vvas, desiring it as the chiefest common wealth good, and vvithall that feare God English or straunger vvould hauehave reioyced to see that the reigne of Queen Elizabeth might hauehave ben dravven foorth, as I may say, in hyr faythfull ligne: yet dare we not novv otherwyse craue it, but so as it might be by such afather as had a sound body and holy soule, and yet not thē neither, onles she may first find it to stand with her lyfe and safety:

And vvhen I think more earnestly of thys matter, me thinkes it must needes come first of a verye French louelove to our Queene and land, to seeke thys mariage, euen now so eagerly at the vttermost tyme of hope to hauehave issue, and at the very poynt of most Note.daunger to her Maiestie for childbearing: whereby they think, if her Maiestie hauehave issue, to see eyther the mother die in childbedd (vvhichwhich the Lord forbid) and the land left again as theyrs hath bene, to an infant: or els to see both mother and childe put in a graue, and so the land left a spoyle to forrein inuasion, and as a stack of vvood to ciuill vvars. All is one to them sauing that they desire the vvorst to befall vsus. And if there be any perswader of this straunge mariage, in whom remaynes yet a simple mind but missed or miscaried, I desyre hym or her, and I charge thē as they vvill answer to God of theyr truth to their Mistres of England & English brethren, that they close theyr hand and put theyr fingar to theyr mouth, and vvaigh better hereof as vvell by the lavve of God, as of humane policie vvhichwhich must, no doubt, agree vvyth Gods law. I cousell them to consider these daungers common to them selues vvith all other. and if they looke vvell about them, they shall find thys mariage a right vnhappy one, and on no side happy, vvheresoeuer they turne them.

For let it be that he hauehave issue by her and that none but feamal only: vve hauehave hazarded our kingdom for putting it in the hands of the father, vvho vnderunder colour of some tutorship to hys daughter, Issue female onelyonly.vvill hauehave her into Fraunce and so eyther adioyne this land to Fraunce, or mary her to some French or other stranger at hys lyking: and all this vvhyle vve neuer the neere possession of our old right in Fraunce whych vve so much desired. for the Salique lavve barres hyr quite. And though she should come and dwel in England, yet her bringing vp being in Fraunce, her father will nousell her in hys own religion, and so she comming home shall striue to staplish popery, as the late Queene of Scotts did when shee came out of Fraunce: vvherupon ensued those bloodshedds and redde vvarres: besides the ilfauoured examples of the French Court and kings, vvhichwhich vve vvould be loath our English princes shall learne and bring home hether.

If thys issue by Monsieur should be a son and but one sonne: then vvill he translate his Court into Fraunce, and leaue thys Issue male one & onelyonly Viceroy.poore prouence to the mannaging of a viceroy, the greuances whereof are ynough set foorth by referring you to the proconsulates of Rome vnderunder that Empire: to the vndergouernours in the former monarchies. to the viceroyes and Luogotenenti of Spayn in Naples-Cicil and here nerer in the lovv countryes. VVho like boares in a fat nevv broken vp ground, by sovving first some seedes of dissentions to breed partialities in the countrye, doe roote out the auncient homegrovving nobilitie, and turne vnderunder perpetuall slauery, as cloddes, the country people, yea and perhaps in the end, caught with the liquerishnes of gouernment, seize thēselfe of the absolute kingdome, and deceiue their mayster, so did the auncient Monarchies melt: so did this pre sent Empire lose her prouinces and is novve become lesse then a kingdom: and so may this auncient kingdom be transferred to a rebellious seede. Such rough plovvers doe our sins deserue, to plovv deepe furrovves on our backs, if the Lord in mercy looke not on vsus. I am not ignorant that some passe easily this incommoditie Mark vvell these Englishmen.of viceroy affirming it to bring honor not perill. for (say they) thys son being born here, shall be king of both kingdomes with great honor, as hath bene heretofore. But they be svveete Englishmen if you marke theyr English. vve reason of the dishonor and seruitude vvhichwhich comes to the nation, and they ansvvere of the honor that comes to the prince. more lyke Basciaes to the great Turke, then Christian commonvvealthmen. as though our Christian and naturall Queen could thinke any thing profitable to her, vvhichwhich might any way though a farr off, tend to the perpetuall bondage of hyr people: here though they subtilly let slippe the assured hurt vvhichwhich hereby falles to the common weale: I wyl not forget to shew hovv incertain, yea and hovv certainly perillous to the prince, thys honor is wherewith they flatter hyr.

Holy king Henry, as they call hym, vvhom I suppose they wyll bring in for example, vvas crovvned in Paris: and yet lost all on that side before he was a man, as I remember, or soone after, and before hys vnhappy death, he lost thys land also. vvhichwhich losse of both came by striuing for both. So that he may with more reason Henry the sixth no good example to persvvade by.be recorded emong those fallen princes at the lowest of Boccaces vvhele, or in our English booke of fallen Maiestrates, then to be reconed vp by any faythfull English man for a patern of imitation to our present Queen Elizabeth. VVho so vvyl auoyd those feareful effects, must auoyd the cause from vvhence they procede and not bring such examples to be followed. This example of Henry the sixt, vvould proue like to our present case if it vvere pursued. For, the complection and constitution of Monsieur, is not to liue long, but to leaue his child in the cradle, for the reasons hereafter remébred. And if the byrth of thys child should any vvay endanger our Queen: the poore infant if he ouerliued shold hauehave tvvo ouer great scepters to play withall: euen as Henry the sixth had. and so much the worse as there are euen novve one or tvvo houses in Fraunce vvhichwhich vvould easely be saluted as kings, and of whom both Monsieur and the king that novve is, may vvell stand in feare. perhappes these men wold prouide that this chyld should be borne in Monmouth and not at vvinsor and then they would think all sure. Me thinks they should runn headlong on this remedy that are blinded in thys euill. Thus it comes oftentimes to passe, that flattery vvoundeth princes euen vvyth the very self thinges it so fairely beareth in hand.

And if he should hauehave a son and a daughter, so as both of them Issue male and female.ouer liuing theyr parents, the son should be actually king as vvell of hys fathers as of his mothers kingdome and then dye wythout issue: hys sister yet liuing: is it not more then probable in this case that the next prince of the blood in Fraunce vnderunder pretence that England vvas once vested in the blood of the French king and vnderunder theyr gouernment vvyl drawe it also by thys vnity of possession vvith the crown of Fraunce, vnderunder the law Salique and so quite vnqueen the desolate sister? for the least color in the worlde ioyned vvith the sword in a stronge highminded kings hande, makes a good tytle to a kingdome, euen agaynst father, mother, wyfe, brother, and sister: as storyes witnes, and according to that vvhichwhich is sayd, No fayth in matter of a kingdome. Much more agaynst that poore daughter vvhichwhich then should be a straunger in the house of Fraunce. The actuall possession of her brother, vvyll make no tytle: neyther wyll it be any plea, to say that by our lavves, lands descended from the mother are guyded to the heyrs of the part of the mother. but our issue must be battel, vvhichwhich is a tryall most incertain, most perilous to the daughter vvho being out of possession, shal hauehave much adoe to find equiualiant champions.

And if thys Monsieur should hauehave by our Queen, two sons or moe: it must needes breed forrain vvars and ciuill partaking thorough Two sons or moe.disagreement of the brethren, vvhyle the younger looking back to the tymes of william the first, vvould chalenge to hauehave kingdomes and such regall dominions deuided emong chyldren, as the Conquerer did vvith England and Normandye: and the elder knovving himselfe according to the present lavves heire to both vvould clayme both: vtterly denying this carpet conqueste of Monsienr to be any conquest lyke that of VVilliam. And so that miserable ciuill dissention in England renued after hir, which in the peacemaking mariage of her noble grandfather, and in the person of hyr royall father, and in continaunce of that ligne in hir hitherto is happyly quenched. He that confesseth all these incō ueniences and weenes to prouide for them with his penn in hys studye, or by acts of parliament, or by any other conditioning of oathes and sworn promises contested at theyr hygh altar of their masse, forgets the many experiences of sayths most solemnly geuen, falsified. on the other side he that scornes thys our particularizing of thys matter and putting of the case, vvhat if he hauehave issue male onelyonly, or female onelyonly, must be put in mind agayn, how vnlyke it is for her to hauehave any: hovv daungerous for her to hauehave but one: and hovv her yeeres doe necessarily denye her many. he must also remember on the side of Monsieur hovv fruteles a race that is. his eldest brother had none: his seconde brother but one & that a daughter: hys thyrd hath none: all of them being a forced generation by phisick after many yeeres, vvhen theyr mother feared to be put avvay as barraine. No vvhere therefore are vve to match vvith lesse hope of issue. And if it seeme curiositie that we proceede further in thys case, as to say what if Monsieur should hauehave both male and femall, or diuers males: I require of hym but so much foresight and casting of doubt for the happy staying of thys crovvne in the English ligne of our auneient kings, as noble men and other great landed ones at thys day hauehave. vvho in their vsuall conueighances do marshall the fal of theyr inheritances by limitation vponupon limitation euen to the tenth son of theyr body begotten and to the tenth nephevv of theyr foresayd tenth son of hys body begotten. May it be lavvfull, so to prouied for the continuance of pelting maners in one familie of a subiect: and wil he not carefully cast a fevv doubts for holding of the crovvne vvith many principalities and dukedoms, for the preseruation of the capitall corporation of England: in respect vvhere of al other the greatest castelles, honors, and manors, are but mesnalties or rather very messuages and tenancyes paraual. Issue therefore, or no issue by thys Frenchmans body: the issue of this Frenchmans marrage is most dangerous to thys Realme, and the very consideration of it fearefull in behalfe of our lief soueraigne.

But these gloosing Frenchmē hauehave vvhet on some of our persvvaders, These faire vvords make no wise man fayne. Dominiō.vvho likevvise vvhet on others, vvith remembrance of the dominions and rule vvhichwhich theyr anncesters sometime bare in Fraunce, and vvhichwhich this land novv vvants with some disgrace. Other of our mens teeth are made to vvater with fayre promises of reposseding those seigneuries and countryes vvhichwhich theyr noble forefathers enioyed: as though, by meanes of thys mariage, they vvould set foote there (I knovv not hovv) before the french Reuenue.vvere a vvare, and sending ouer some colonies from hence of such superfluous gentilmen as themselues, they vvould holde it maugre the king there. vvith such braue vvords the false flattering frenchmen, bring fond credulous Englishmen into a supposed paradise. These brauing English gentlemen are as farre from the wisedom of theyr noble auncestets of whom they speake, as from theyr courage. It vvere verely a conquest fit for gentlemen, to assay the recouering of our former losses, and to begin euen vvyth our last losse first. but if these mens eyther wisedome vvere such as vvere lyke to gette it, or theyr courage such as vvere lyke to keepe it, they vvould remember that in tymes passed, the noble▪ Englishmen delighted rather to be seene in Fraunce in bright armour then in gay clothes and masking attyre. they did chuse rather to vvinn and hold by manly force, then by such esseminate meanes. Yea vvhen they did obteyn any thyng by mariage, it was not that England vvas maryed to France, but by marying france As the wise is subiect to hir husband: so is hir coū try to hys land.to England. vvherein is great difference if a man hauehave the witt to marke it. For if eyther vve vvere Frenchmen or our nation more large and pleasaunt then Fraunce: vve might perhaps hauehave reason simply to desyre it. Then should our land▪ be the royall seate, our king should be resident emong vsus, and our empire encreased by so many vassalles. vvhichwhich though, by the mariages of our former kinges the flowers of kinghthood, vvould hauehave fallen out othervvise in processe of tyme, to the same bondage of thys lande, if they had styll kept Fraunce, because theyr succeeding children kinges of England vvoulde hauehave remoued thither as into a more rich and pleasaunt kingdome out of Englande deuided from the world: yet had euen our forefathers in the dayes of those victorious kings, that reason to desire it which vve vvant. that is, they vvent thither vvith theyr kings to be maisters of countrey and people, and to hold it by aims as strongest: & vvheresoeuer theyr king vvent he was styll an Englishman, and trusted most & most aduaunced Englishmen. yea those kings had euer Animam reuer tendi, as I may say, into England▪ in so much as king Henrye the fift vvho had set surest foote in Fraunce, yet he had a mind to be brought after hys death out of fickle Fraunce into vvell stayed England. and here vve hauehave hys boanes. But in this mariage our Queen is to be maryed, and both she and we poore soules, are to be mastered and, vvhichwhich is vvorse, mistrised to. And as for the issue he shall be meere French, no more acknovvledging vsus, then that other Pharaoh which neuer knew Ioseph.

Thys therefore vvere a desyre more lyke the noble blood of those tymes, rather to fight for that vve hauehave not, then to daunce for that vve hauehave: yea, I vvill say to these dauncers for a garlonde and not for a kingly crovvne, as that duke of Glocester sayde. It vvere more commendable for these ioyly mates to demaund by word and sword those dominions whych vve hauehave lost, rather thē by mariage to shut the gates of recouering any thyng lost, and to open agate of loosing all that is left. And if these men vvere eyther regenerate with theyr lyuing brethren by the Gospel, or yf they were not degenerate from theyr deceased noble fathers, & remained but in theyr pure naturalles, they would neuer so speak for a faultor prince of Rome, and one that may be warranted to vsus and our heyres for an enemy auncestrell, as I may say, and of an hatefull blood from many graundfathers. And if they had but that naturall sense vvhichwhich all lyuing creatures hauehave, to eschevv in theyr kindes all contrary and hurtfull thinges, they vvould not so labour thys matter. For vvhat if some of these perswaders can English French little vvorth.talke a litle French, and peraduenture hauehave none other Englishe cōmendation vvherein they excel theyr poore countrymen, nor wherby to clymbe one step to that height they loke at: yea what if they cold speak french naturally: think they for a little french in theyre tongues ende, to be so much set by? alas poore men, how vainely they gape at french promises, with losse of theyr Englishe possessions: If they should hauehave theyr desire, it vvold not be long before theyr tongues would make theyr harts ake. It might be honiemoone awhile with them but aftervvard french would be no deinty dish, and these seely interpreters vvere happye if they might quietly stand without the dore. vvhatsoeuer therfore their estate is now, it can not be so ill, as that must needes be vnderunder them. they shall know hovv sweete the onelyonly freedome in a mans naturall common wealth is, by experience of that irksome contrary, to serue so waivvard a master as is he that by slight or force conquers. vvho though he wyll louelove well the dominion so gottē: yet wil he neuer trust but esteeme vvith a vile estimation, al those that helped him to it, and scarce deeme them vvorthye to lyue in that land which they hauehave deliuered hym.

But the graund reason and mother argument of these perswaders is the gaynefull honorable and strong alliance which muste Alliance with fraunce what it isof necessity come by matching vvith the house of France: wheron hangs an other dwainling daughter reason, that great partye, forsooth, that Monsieur can make vsus in that kingdome. Touching eyther of whych reasons though I suppose they can say nothing for maintenance of theyr conceipt, but that is alreadye in theyr seuerall places eyther expresly remoued, or more then by the way ansvvered: yet for theyr pleasures who think themselues neuer answered onles theyr reason hauehave an expresse reproofe, I vvill be bould with the reader and a little passe order to obiect it against me selfe agayne and handle it a part. First I demaunde of these aduenturous commonwealminglers vvhether they vveene thys strength and honor to be had in the lyfe of this king? and if so, then vvhither by hys ayde and friendly alliance? if they say yea, yt is contrary to that they say in an other odd reason of brideling the king, who surely will neuer strengthen that vvhichwhich must curbe him, and it is proued also that if he and his brother ioyne in any thyng, they vvyll doe it smally for englands good.

If they thynke thys great match of honorable strength in the present kings lyfe, to be by reason of the great party onelyonly that Monsieur can make in Fraunce without the king: they are vvyde The sely great party of Monsieurand litle think of tvvo other houses, which according to the two chiefe factions in Fraunce, hauehave most deuoute fauourers and addicted follovvers, as men bene respectiuely mynded towardes them and theyr professions. vvherof, the one house can hauehave more exequutioners of any hys cruell determination to offer violence, and the other more faythfull ayders and companions of lyfe and death in defence of theyr consciences liues and goods, then euer Monsieur could bring into the field vvhen he ioyned hymselfe with the Malcontents eyther in Fraunce or the lovve conntryes: or then euer he coulde hauehave either to rescue hym out of hys feyned restraint, or to fall to hym for hys gard, when he semed to ruun in some feare from the Court. Yea, of these two partialities in Fraunce, as vve hauehave no neede of hys helpe for vvinning vsus the one part, who be already, in the feare of God & christian louelove, so vnited to vsus, and in all leeful thinges so affectionate to the Queenes maiesty, as, there homeloyalty saued, they vvysh her al prosperytie and long life to the glory of God and aduancement of the truth: So is not Monsieur in such credit vvith the other factiō as he can gain vsus ther harts. For albeit, that be his best side indeed, yet is he of so smal reckoning among the papists, that Monsieurs companiōsvnles the king will, he shall not hauehave one great on so much as hys companion or counsaylor. For looke into the gouernment of hys pryuate affayres: and though he be a great prince the kinges Counsailors Seruants.brother, yet hath he not one man of mark or of great credit that followes hym: but a crew of vnruly youthes. Yea when he takes any publike enterpryse in hand, as that of Flaunders, whych stode hym so much vponupon in honor, and whych vvas vvyth secrete intel Enterprisesligence betvveen the king and hym, and by collusion: yet because the king could not, for bewraying that counsail, declare his vvyll ouertly and lyking to that voyage, not one Lorde of name accō panyed him. And let vsus beleue our eyes in this his woeng of England. VVoeng messenger.No doubt very good manners which he can not but knovv required as vvell in regard of hyr Maiestie as of hys own highnes, some proportion to hauehave ben kept in the quality of his messenger sent to her Maiestie. It is therfore vvant of hauing at his deuotion such as had ben meet for such an Ambassage. Els had vve had an other manner of man, and not thys, I wot not vvhat, who hath no credit in Fraunce but as a minion of Monsieurs & whatsoeuer place he presently hath, it is much increased euen since he came hether to vsus and by the credit hereof. In so much as I think scorne in hyr Maiesties behalfe, and the whole land takes it as an old french frump, that no worthyer or nobler person is emploied in so worthy and noble a message to our Queen.

But letting goe the poore party of Monsieur to be hoped for in Fraunce, we wyll in sinuate the small valew therof, by shewing in a word or two, hovv little worth the accepting in alliance, the house of Fraunce is: eyther in thys present king as our brother, or in Monsieur, though he were reigning french king and (which the Lord forbid) out husband. It is alteady proued that Fraunce is our auncient foe and that theyr very frendships hauehave proued enemityes to vsus. Here then we seeke to make a nevv frend of an Fraunce, an old foe. A new friēd.old enemy. such an one as vve may not trust, as well for the non tryall of hys louelove, as for the often tryal of hys hatred. I remember that Hector and Achilles are supposed to hauehave found the verye gifts of enemies to be deadly dangerous, yea such gyfts as vvhen they had them, made for theyr defence: vvhereupon the Grecians had in prouerbe that, enemies gyfts were no gyfts. And if there be such a malicious influence of an enemy into his gyftes, that they seeme as it were, poysoned, and can not be saufely taken out of hys hand, especially by a prince: Hovv can we without desperate daunger receiue into our bosom the old enemy hymselfe? certainly, we may take vp thys prouerb, & the truth therof is as authentike as that other of the Grecians, by a much more stronge reason: that is, that an old enemy friend, is no friend. vvhichwhich prouerb, though in christian reformed men it may nowe and then be falsified. yet do I not see, but in men vnregenerate by the gospell, it remaynes true: and to beleue it false, is perilous to prince or priuate person in choyse of friend or allie.

But if these perswaders vvyll needes hauehave thys paynted man to be a man, and thys no frend to be a friend: yet is he of necessity a A dāgerous friend.most daungerous friend, by reason of hys largely spred dominion vvhichwhich makes hym esteeme himselfe as the iron pot, and vsus as the earthen crock, vvith whom vvhen he floteth on the sea, he weens he can dash vsus into shards at hys pleasure, according to that embleme of Alciat. And though by the might of the hygh potter of mankind, & framer of kingdoms, he hath found our sides as hard as yron, and vve hauehave found hym as brickel in our hands as clay: yet the pryde he conceiueth in his owne might, vvil make thys dreadles enemy, an intollerable and an insolent friend to vsus, onlesse he may find vsus as seruiceable as he found his old friend Scot land. vvherein his old rancour styll lurkes and vvyll prouoke him to take any occasion. Thus vnderunder trust on our side, shal be shrovv ded treason on theyr part: vvhichwhich could neuer hauehave hys effect, yf vve vvere styll enemies standing on our own gard and in nothing trusting them.

Again, a most vnsure and slippery frend he is. for they that seke vtilem amicitiam, as he now doth, vvil also sodenly break friendship, inhonestae vtilitatis causa. vvherein he hath the start of vsus be An vnsure friend.fore vve ioyne, vvhile vve standing on our honor and Christian conscience, as it vvere, at the listes, shall giuegive none offence but vvith much adoe take any giuen, pretermitting the best occasion of resisting in time the beginnings: he, that hath made ship vvrack of honor and conscience, shal make hys profit of our conscience, and lye in vvait to fall out for aduantage, and to break thorough euen vvhatsoeuer surest band of alliance.

Furthermore, a needlesse friendship is it vvhichwhich vve seeke. For hetherto vvithout theyr helpe and in despight of their beard vve continually hauehave holden our ovvn, and many times preuailed vp A needlesse friend.on theyrr hauing thereforh tryed theyr mallice of 500. yeeres to be contemptible, let vsus not vvithout any need in the vvorlde accept theyr friendship novv vvhen it is most doubtfull: least the title of louelove compasse that which hatred could neuer come neere. Lastly, as in common alliances, it is no credit to entertain a reiec A dishonorable alliāce.ted friendship: so is thys french alliance dishonorable to vsus, in respect it is the refuse of Scotland, vvho being vveary of their pride and vntruth, hauehave cast them off novv a good whyle since and all ther old neere felovvship, vvith resolute purpose so to continue because they find much more profit and safetie in these more estranged termes of neighbourhode vvherein they stand presently then in theyr false & insolent former friendship. And to speak truth, the honest late dealings of French are such, and they so renoumed for an hatefull seede of an hatefull house, as, I suppose, they are not like to find friendship els vvhere vvith any Christian prince of Maiestie, especially to ioyne vvith them in this friendship of mariage. vvhichwhich made theyr present king Henry the thyrd as haughty as he is, to stoupe to a mean mans daughter a vassal of his own And what if it vvere possible to make some thing of this no friend? to hold thys vvett Eele by the tayle, as they say, and to hauehave his friendship fast, and that the same vvould be in any thing needfull, profitable vvithout perill and not dishonorable, which A dammage able friendship. Burgundy.in no vvise I admit: yet vvill our losse be otherwise far greater thē hys friendship can yeld. For first this new found french friend of fraunce, vvilpresently cost vsus our old friend of Burgondy: vvhichwhich faythfull societie, yf our vallant politîque auncesters preferred before that vntrusty alliance vvith Fraunce, enen then vvhen it was not yet maryed to Austrich, nor crovvned vvith Spayn: vvhen it vvas not yet enlarged vvith hir Italian dominions and midsea Iles, nor enriched vvith her golden Indians: & if also then it were more profitable to vsus then Frannce: hovv shall Fraunce be novv to be preferred before it, or proue more profitable to vsus novv then that? And it is not onelyonly for peace and vvarr, that Burgondy hath ben entertayned before Fraunce but euen to this day, the merchaunts vvyll tell you that the onelyonly lovv countryes here at hand of that dominiō, are more worth to vsus for venting the surplusage and aboundance of our country commodities, and for the transporting hither of the most necessary merchandise of forreign parts, then is all Fraunce. Secondly, vve shall for thys ouerthvvart friend of Fraunce, a professed enemy of religion, vvhichwhich onelyonly knitts the trueloue knott: cast of Scotlande a brother in Christ. vvhose profession as it hath made them nevv men in louelove Scotland.and loyallty to vsus: so do our deserts tovvard them hither vntounto, & theyr need of our help henceforth, make them vvholly ours & vndoubtedly. And if vve vvere in a brotherly perpetuall league vvith that state, such as both our professions requires of vsus both, and such as our peculiar neighbourhode begs of vsus, who hauehave one bounds of the sea, and but a small brooke that partes vsus: doubtles our mutual friendship vvould proue more mutually stronge and profitable, then vvith any potentate seuered from vsus by seas, vvhose fayth if vve could assure our selues of: yet can vve not hauehave it at all needes but must tary for the vvind and tyde. All the religious states of Germany, and other vvhosoeuer that hauehave Allemain.gon from Rome, vvill at once throvv avvay theyr Christen estimation of vsus. Those protestant princes vvho hauing tryed the faithlesnes of thys generation, doe set their bodyes, possessions, and honors in the gappe for defence of Gods people in seuerall countryes, from sclauery of conscience, bodies, goods vvyues and children, vvyll in theyr lour lament our vnhappines that wil not not be vvarned by theyr harmes: vvherein I merueil not a little at some vvho regarding neither modestie nor conscience for the aduauncing of thys mariage do sclaunder those religious princes as recommenders to vsus of thys mariage agaynst vvhichwhich their deedes doe speake and theyr vvords cry out.

And for all these losses I knovv not vvhat nevve friend comes in by thys house of Valoys in Fraunce, oneles it be the house of Ottoman the great Turke. vvith vvhom though Fraunce hauehave Ottoman the great Turke.holden, not a truce for a time, but a continual amitie, vvhichwhich mought vvell ynongh be the cause vvhy the Pope decked hym vvith hys tytle of most christian king: yet hauehave vve of England euer defyed hym vvith the rest of those kingdomes that beare the name of Christ. and it vvyll be for our Christian honor, that no match vvorke the contrary, but that in thys poynt vve may styll hold vvyth them, as vvell in respect of our common detestation to hys blasphemous Mahomet, as for that of all other christians vve least need to feare hys might, being so farr separate as Europe is large.

If any man think that vve may hold al these old & latter friendships: and that thembracing vvith Fraunce is not streightwayes an vnfolding vvith all the rest: he neyther considers the differēce in religion betvvene Scotland and Fraunce, nor the diffidence betvven Fraunce and Spayn, for the lovv countryes, the vvhichwhich as Spayn hath in possession so doth Fraunce many tymes mut-ter a title thereto. This vniuersall perswader, I say, of all friendships and especially with Fraunce, forgets hovv in times passed, our king Henry the eyght could not be at once friend vvith the Emperor and the french king: but the league vvith one vvas present diffiance to the other: and that Scotland so long as they held Fraunce, vvas euer at deadly foode vvith England, and since they clapped hand with England, they hauehave not missed al most enemy lyke attempts of Fraunce,

And to put hym out of doubt, hovv odious all Germanny will hold vsus for our felovvship sake vvith Monsieur: let hym remē ber hovv farr from the dignity of a prince, they enterteyned Henry, then not single Monsieur and onelyonly a brothrr of Fraunce, as is our Monsieur Fraunces, but elect king of Poland a piece of Germany: vvhen, to take reall possession thereof, he passed thorough theyr territories. some of them, vvith much ado and after many reproches for his cruell falshods, sending him onelyonly a bare pasport which the deuil might hauehave had to be quickly packing, as did the duke of Saxony, to his vvorthy and princely prayse. Some Duke of Saxe. Palsgreue.of them, graunting hym a more free saufconduit, yet vvould not vouchsafe to see thys great French prince, as the prince Palatine, that good man. vvhose blame vvas more in that action for hys ouermuch mildnes, then vvas hys prayse for curtesie. Other of those states, as Spire, bending & turning the mouthes of al theyr great ordinauce vppon him on vvhichwhich side of the city or streets Spires.soeuer he vvent, as it had ben at a common enemy of mankind. Other, as in Franckford, saluting hym by the vnkingly name of the king of butchers in fraunce. vvhichwhich though it vvere by the Frankford.mouth of one principall man among them: yet vvas it ratified by the vvhole state, vvhen he complayning to the Burgmaisters of thys reproch as of a high vvrong, they thought it not cryminall nor to be pursued Exofficio against the accused, but onelyonly at the cōplaynants pryuate action. vvherin he fearing euidēce enough so proue the saying true durst not put in cautiō but departed with shame enough and bare the reproch avvay on his backe. In all those states and cities hys welcome vvas such, as vvhen he came againe stealing out of Poland, he would not come back that vvay to thank them or to hauehave the like, but chused rather to goe about by sea and land the farther and more daungerous vvay. The smal reckoning vvhichwhich that man like nation makes of Fraunce, appeares by the many happy aydes from thence vvhichwhich hauehave bidden base to Valols at his owne gole in hys own field and at the gates of hys strongest vvalles, hunting the French vvolfe in defence and reliefe of the french oppressed lambs.

A vvise man vvithout descending into these sensible particulars vvould in his vnderstanding see the very generall nature of suspitious frendship betvvene neighbour kings: hovv lyke it is to the louelove betwene a iealous man and his wyfe in this one poynt: they be both of them feareful and iealous of theyr ovvn states, & can not patiently endure that theyr ally should be any thyng great vvith an other confine gouernment, but streightvvay eueryevery countenance breedes a suspition, and eueryevery suspition a restraint of entercourse and trafique or open vvar.

I might fetch examples farther of and ovvt of tholder storyes of Grecians and others. vvhere euer the societye withone neigh No plurality or totquot in stately friendshipbor was enemity with another state, according to that one great social lavv emong others, vvhichwhich is, that frends and enemies must be common. But it is more then manifest hereby hovv vngodly and dangerous, how incertain & needles, hovv dishonorable & vnprofitable, thys neer French coniunction is in it selfe. again, it is detected as euidently, hovv many friends in Christ, hovv many confederacies in old frend ship, how many alliances in blood, and hovv many sworn brotherhoods in vvars, this one forsworn brotherhode of Fraunce vvil loose vsus.

It followeth then necessarily vponupon that vvhichwhich hath ben sayd, that we who already beare the floure delice quartarly, receiue no honor by ioyning with it Par pale. And sith our Queen rightfully beares it, as king of Fraunce, and he occupieth it as actuall french king: I beleeue it will pose the king of Heraltes of eyther realm to make alouing agreement and in one Eschocheon vvell to marshal, according to theyr rules, the selfe same cote of the vsurper vvith the selfe same kingly cote of the right heire, hauing Lavves of armes.no difference. For, though it may be in other noble gentlemens cotes: it vvyll hardly be don in kings cotes. For Heraltes vvhych are vpright iudges in these causes must imagin but one king in a land, as but one son in the heauens. perhappes, to salue this sore they vvill take vp the old french coate of crawling Toades. But the noble Lyon vvill chuse him no such feere. hys nature is to abide Tode.no venemous thing in hys denn: hovv should he then embrace a Toade for his make? This difficultye of Heraltes is the Lyon.least of a thousand & might soone be dispatched, vvere not those other great ones, vvhichwhich euen by this small difficulty also in that kind, are bevvrayed. that is, that thys mariage seemes to striue vvithall lavves: that of armes and al.

Those therefore that persvvade this band of strange alliance, must needs be such Englishmen as find themselues not aduanced in thys state according to that desert vvhichwhich they conceiue in thē selues and therefore disdeyn at others good estate: or els such, as are past hope heare and hauing nothing, knovve they can loose nothing what change or tombling soeuer come. but these be degenerate dangerous Englishmen, vvho for the satisfieng of theyr disdainful or hongry humor care not to let the common vveale blood euen in her Basilica vaine, vvho hauing now liued, by Gods grace, and through the great louelove of hir subiects tovvards hir, many yeeres in a miraculous peace: and ben a beholder and iudge of other lands troubles: should now by thys mariage throw, as it vvere, into the sea, not her ring vvith Policrates, but hir precious selfe: and putting hir prosperitye to the plunge: send it to flote or sinck, by dravving into England a great spark of that family which hath ben a fyre brand in Europe. VVe can not hold this fire in our bosome, and not be burned therevvith. Novv that vvhichwhich is hurtfull to the vvhole cōmon weale must be noysome to eueryevery part.

To begin wtih the chiefe thereof, hir Maiestie, in vvhom as two persons or bodies (as they say) do presently fal in consideration, the one her naturall body, such as other priuate ons hauehave, the other, her body politique or common vveale body vvhichwhich is her body of Maiestie, incorporate in vnderstanding of the lavves: euē so seuerall discommodities and hurts are here to fal in consideration also, in respect of these hir tvvo bodyes. which all beit they be of that nature as nothing can be harmefull to one, but the same is ful of harme to both: yet hauehave I in speaking of the common wealth handled also her maiesties ciuill body: as that vvhichwhich can no more be remoued from the common vveale then the heade from the body: and as that which hath mutuall suffering vvith the common vveale in weale and vvoe, as hath the head vvith the body.

And for her very selfe or selfe self, as I may say, which is hir naturall body, though it godly pleaseth hir, according to the lavves The Queen in hir natural and priuate consideratiōof all vvell ordered realmes, and maner of all good princes, to abide thaduise and consent of all her estates, not to conclude hyr mariage before she parle in parliament vvith hyr subiects, before she consult vvith the lawes and call the commō vveale as it were to common counsail, so as she on the one side may chaleng of it an assured maintenance of her doing vvith body and goods, as a thing vvhichwhich had their generall consent, and the vvhole land, on the other side, may say, I hauehave chosen such a Lord as I dare put in trust with my Queene, for so much as it also is to be maried with her, and in sort to be gouerned by him that shal be her gouernor: yet is she for her part to hauehave her particular lyking and harts contentation in this match, in respect of that life she must lead vvith a husband, so as shee may say vvithin her selfe, I am gladly satisfyed in this choyse. els should she be in vvorse poynt thē the worst of hyr wardes, of vvhom she doth not so absolutely claym the mariage by any tenur, but that yet her tēder may be their choise. Let vsus then see vvhither this prince be a conuenable mariage in regard of her priuate person, vvho is already proued most vnworthy and extremely daungerous for hyr princely personage.

Here comes first to our remembraunce, her constant dislike & indisposed minde tovvarde mariage frō the flovver of her youth Dislike to mariage in generall.vvhichwhich in al that louelove her, bredes feare of a discontēted lyfe, if at these yeeres she take not her best heede and faythfullest aduice in hyr mariage. Thys first difficulty on the part of hyr Maiestie, offers a second as great a difficulty on the part of his excellency, Monsieur no Paragon.that is that he shold hardly be the man that choise man of choyse in all respects to content both eye and mynd.

And if anye that persvvades this mariage think to hauehave quite himselfe substantially out of these tvvo difficulties onelyonly by a bare obiecting of them vvith referring ouer to bee aunsvvered by her maiestie, as in vvhose hart rests the best knovvledge of hyr disposition to mariage, and contentation to this man: such one must be told, that he doth not his bounden endeuour, especially if hys place giuegive any leaue to debate at large vvith her. In thys poynt, belike, he is to learn of eueryevery parent or other vvhatsoeuer that hath a louing care of theyr daughter or deere friend. vvho vponupon a mariage moued vvill not set them dovvn and rest in saying, you knovv vvhither it be fit for you to mary, and you knovve vvhither his mā be fit for you & to your lyking: but cannot con tent themselues, onlesse they presse to helpe hir vvith theyr best aduise laying about to search and enquire, vvhether he be such as they vvish. and if they find him othervvise, they lay the matter forth in tyme and franckly tell it her, least thorough their silence or negligence, she fall in daunger of an ill husband, the greatest crosse that may be layd on a poore vvomans shoulders. The same should be much more diligently don in mariage of a Queen and her realme and it is a faythles careles part, to leaue hir helples in hir choise of the person and personall conditions of hir husband to hir ovvn onelyonly consideration. vvhichwhich hovv so euer sufficient it be, so much the more hath she need of help, as the matter is more vveightie in hir then in common matches. I merueile therfore they could not see, that as that meate brookes not vvell vvhichwhich is crammed in against the stomak: and as nothing is sayd to be don egregie vvhichwhich is vndertaken inuita Minerua: so surely in thys mariage the successe of ioy and contentation can not be promised, if ther be eyther a generall vntowardnes to desire that state of lyfe, or none harty affection tovvardes that person which seeketh.

And for the presence or shewe of this mans person, although I vvot vvell, that as for most part the svveet and amiable or croked His person.conditions of mind ben (as I may say) vvritten in the lines of a louely or ill shape of body or face: so contrarivvise that sometime a vertuous mind is meanely lodged and dwels in a homely cottage: yet doe I not gladly medle with thys particular, but vvil also referr it to hir Maiesties enteruieue, if it must needes come to that poynt, OnelyOnly this I humbly besech hir, that she wyll vievv it and suruieu it, and in vieuing she vvil fetch hir hart. vp to hir eyes and cary hir eyes down to hir hart. And I besech God graunt hir at that time to hauehave hir eyes in hir heade euen in that sence in vvhichwhich Salomon placeth a wise mans eyes in his head: and then I doubt not but vponupon conference of hir wyse hart and hir eyes togither, he shal hauehave his dispaching aunswer. But of many circū stances of hys body I cannot hold my peace because I hope being vvell conceiued and digested vvith other thinges that are and may be sayd herein they vvyll let this enteruieu.

I may not nor meane not to deny his great place that righte vvhichwhich is due to all men: that is to recken reports and bruits as re His ill spent youth hither to.ports and bruites. And though they speake in all laguages, of a merueilous licentious & dissolute youth, passed by this brotherhoode: and of as strange incredible partes of intemperancie play ed by them, as those worst of Heliogabalus: yet will I not rest vponupon coniecturalls. OnelyOnly this I touch lightly and cannot passe vtterly in so high a matter as is the mariage of my Queen, that it is vvorth thinquiry after. For if but the fourth part of that misrule bruted should be true, it must needes dravv such punishment frō God, vvho for most part punisheth these vile sins of the body, euen in the very body and bones of the offenders, besides other plagues to thyrd and fourth generation: as I vvould my poore lyfe might redeeme the ioyning of Queene ELIZABETH to such one in that neer knot vvhichwhich must needes make hir halfe in the punishments of those his sinnes. Hir Maiesties father had a law passed by parliament in his tyme, that whoso had vnlawfully knovven that vvoman with vvhom the king was to mary, and did not before mariage come in and bevvray it, shold vponupon the matter aftervvard detected, be holden litle better then a traytor. Hys care to hauehave a good woman vvas Christian and royall: he vvyst vvell, as the preambles of those statutes purport, beside the pryuate contentation to him selfe that as vvel the sinnes of father & mother as the plague of theyr sins descends to the children: and considering hys chyldren were to be left gouernours of the land, which mightso also hauehave part in these punishments, his care vvas so much more to be approued because it vvas also for the common vveale. The same reason is to moue in vsus all a harty desire thas hir Maiesty should mary vvith such a house and such a person, as had not prouoked the great vengeance of the Lord. And surely considering the haynousnes of the sin in eueryevery person, with the concurrant circūstances in this case of a prince, the law was a iust law. vve can hauehave no such law against strangers: therfore, in hir Maiesties name I require at the hands of al English Ambassadors & other trauayling Englishmē abrod, & of all vvise men at home, that they vvilbe hir diligent espialls herein: geuing faithful aduertisement, not of such seldome or small fautes as men corruptly call tryckes and pranks of a young gentilman, but vvhither hys lyfe hath ben so monstrously wicked as is reported. for it is no small matter for a Queene the head of the lande to ioyne in any maner with that person ouer vvhom the ineuitable plages of the most true Lord do hang. This is to approch to the plague when it commeth, and not, as Salomons wise man doth, to withdrawe hymselfe when he seeth it.

His youth of yeeres is an apparant inequalitie of this match, & a secret discouery of his mynd not singlie affected vvith true and His youth presently.simple louelove to that he should chiefely seeke. for emong vsus of the meaner sort, not one in a thousand of those younger men that seke ther elder matches, but doth it in side respects. and hovv can vve thinke other wise in a young prince, heire apparant of france. It is quite contrary to his young appeties which vvyll otherwise hauehave theyr desire. It is therefore eyther for want of liuing and mayntenance to hys mynd, and then is he not fit for this realme: or els is it certenly for some other notable practise vvhichwhich muste needes be dangerous, because so great a man must be the instrument and because it is not disclosed.

He is differing from hir Maiestie in religion: thagreement wher His religion.in as it worketh by Gods blessing, a most neer knot of good vvill and perfect liking in all things euen emong straungers: so, by the vvords of Christ, a disagrement in this kind brings the svvord betvvene father and children, brethern and sisters, betvvene a man and hys vvife. Yea vve hauehave seene in our dayes, parentes and husbands being papistes, thorough the vnnaturall cruelty of that Italian heresie, vponupon the least occasion and vvithall gredinesse to hauehave deliuered vp to death their children & vvife. And if al bands be little enough to hold louelove and to worke a comfortable lyfe here in earth against the many miseryes of this noysome pilgrimage: let vsus not dispise that vvhichwhich is the chiefest and strongest.

And which I may not forget who so marieth with any popevvorshipper can not tell vvhen to be sure of him. for they hauehave Pope playes fast & loose. in mariages.one knife to vnloose all alliances vvith kingdoms and fayth giuē to princes, that is the popes dispensation, vvhichwhich is so iust in it self as vvhither it bynd or loose it may not be examined. if therefore after our mariage (vvhichwhich God first let) the changeable decree of a pope vvill pronounce the mariage no mariage, eyther vponupon some nevv aduantage to the church of Rome, either els because Monsieur could hauehave no children by our Queen, & for that there must of necessity sit vponupon that throne some of the blessed seed of Medices, vvhichwhich vvas sent into Fraunce from a pope: no doubt this son of the pope in Fraunce is as much bound by popish obedience to leaue against Gods lavv his vvife, as his son of Spayne vvas to take against Gods forbodd his own sisters dau…ter. And as much conscience vvill the holy father make to breake a lavvfull mariage for his aduauntage, as to licence a lavvles. vvhat a feare of dishonor vvorse then the dishonor, vvere this, to depend vponupon the incertain pope vvhither vve shall at any time hereafter be decreed to hauehave liued in vnlavvfull mariage yea or no. If any man anusvver hereto that this doubte is too farre fetched and hath no reason to be conceiued: let him at once take this replye for maintenance of thys and diuers other like reasons that are & may be made. That vvhosoeuer is carefull of the life and honour of a prince, casts more doubts then for a common person. In theyr palaces they must hauehave more gards for night and day, more porters more hus shirs and more doers to come to them euen in time of peace, then common persons hauehave. But vvhen the enemy of a prince comes to be considered of, then princes will vse theyr longest hands of strength, theyr tendred nosed coūsailors & most percing sight of theyr vvise and faythfull seruants. and who wold not suspecte any trechery from that Roman ennemy of enemyes vvhichwhich like a iugling Aegiptian playes fast and loose with all the vvorld and is singularly a deuowed enemy to our Queene as he vvas lately to hir Maiesties father, because he refused and reiected one of his like godlesse dispensations for a lyke lawles mariage.

An other reason might be made a gainst thys mariage, that, if His absence by being chosen K. dls where.thorough his ambitious mind, not so blamevvorthy in such a prince as hurtfull to such as should chuse him, during the life of his brother he should be chosen king elsvvhere: it might cause his absence litle to hir maiesties comfort. But this reason I bring not for the force of it or for vvant of other. for I suppose the late honorable leauing of Poleland vvilbe a lesson to any kingdome or state of free election how they shall chuse this brother. If therefore as Qu. Maries counsailors had that respect to hir high honor that they did not mary hir to K. Phillip till he▪ was a king in the lyfe of his father: so likewise these men vvould not talke of Monsieur, til he were hir maiesties peere by being chosen king by the franke election of any▪ state: I vvould not feare thys matter. The onelyonly cause therefore vvhy I thought this reason worth any mē tion is by that occasion to shew the strange aunswer that is made thereunto by these persvvaders, who in theyr common discourse and talke for this mariage, obiecting a gainst themselues this danger of his absence, doe yet agayn bring in K. Phillip, as theyr example, that Monsieur need not be long absent from his wife, no more then vvas K. Phillip. First, all that they can say herein, is, that he neede not belong absent. Then can vve say that thys K. Phillip was so long away that his absence pinched Qu. Maries hart, and killed hir with vnkindnes. But in deed I feare not this inconuenient for his being chosen king any vvhere.

One head reason yet remaines which perhaps you think long for and me thinks I hauehave sayd nothing in this last part till I hauehave vsed it. That is the danger to her maiesties person many wayes, namely and aboue the rest, lest this should be but a frandulent se A capitall perill iustly suspected.king of hir by him, the more easely to possesse an other afterward Of which meaning, there is such apparant presumption, and the great peril ensuing hath such euidence of being ineuitable: as we may not rest in the credulous security of these smoth dangerous words: that, in good sooth, it is not so to be thought of by a christiā prince, but to be reiected as a senceles conceipt, once to suspect, that he wold seeke to any other so far inferior to our Queen in Godlines, vertue, vvisedom, beauty, and vvhose peere in many respects is not to he found. This is but Reinards flattering of our kingly byrd and vvell natured Chanticlere in his goodly svveete voyce and fayre fethers.

VVhen noble men and princes in Fraunce, stoode on theyr honor for all theyr actions, and vvould say nothing but true: they vvere vvorthely beleeued in the honorable vvord of a noble mā. Now that they hauehave degenerate from the honor of auncient noble mē & their othes ben traps to deceiue: it vvere foolishnes ioined with peril, to clad such Idolnoblemen vvith that purple garment of credit in their honorable vvord, which is due onelyonly to true Nobility. Yea we are derely taught, not to heleeue them in theyr oth. And this rule that they presse vsus vvith, of not suspecting lightly, holds more streightly emong priuate men in their priuate matters, then for maiestrates and counsailors vvho in their charges for church and common weale, cannot lightly be to chary or suspitious. And that vve may not here seeme to forge our selues a doubt, but that wee suspect such a thing as is very lyke to be meant by them: and the very lyke vvhereof hath ben committed by them heretofore: let vsus speake of this forrein prince sauing his grace that vvhichwhich othervvise vve could forbeare euen of reuerence to a prince vvere it not that it makes necessarily to the helth and vveale of our naturall princ.

VVhat then is this Christian prince thus set before vsus whose credit must be so sacred as no charity must suspect it? he is the brother of the most Christian king, so called. many foule men hauehave The credit that the french king lends his brother.fayre names All the popes canonized dead saints are not saintes: no more are all hys lyuing treschrestiens, of the best sort of christians. This most christiē family of kings, is that vvhichwhich euer made more deinty to fall out vvith the great Turke, then vvith other euen popish Christians: and hath held peace with the Turke when others hauehave ben in vvars: vvith out regard of that secrete society, vvhichwhich is, without speaking, contracted betwene men of one religion against a common enemy: and vvhichwhich, as a former fayth, is implicatiuely excepted in any truce vvith an infidel. Yea which former fayth ought to be kept, though vvith breach of expresse words of any subsequent league: and therfore more then treschres tienne heede to be taken in such leagues. This is that most Christien Prince, vvhose brother not long since, accepted a kingdom vvith promise and oth to maintaine therein thopen exercise of Turcisme, arrianisme, iewisme, papisme, anabaptisme, and such monstruous professions besides the truth of Christes gospel. this is that most Christien prince, vvhose most christien brother, hath sworn to the tolleration of our religion in his owne kingdome: vvhichwhich yet he seekes to destroye by slieghte or force vvith out choyse. This is that most christien court, vvhere Macciauel is theyr nevv Testament, and Atheisme is theyr religion. yea whose vvhole pollicie and gouernment, seemes te set the Turkish tiranny as a patarne, and they dravve as neer to it as theyre auncient lavves vvill any vvayes suffer in so small time. To conclude, thys is that treschrestien thron, vvhichwhich to the shame of all kinges (so much as in them lay) by the disceite of an oth, in person of a king vvith some hypocrisie in religyon, by the bayt of a mariage, by hope of assurance in forreine leagues, by the base abusing of hys ovvn mouth to speake fayre, and personall visiting him in hys sicknes vvhose lyfe he sought, stained themselues vvith the blood of a number of theyr subiects vvhichwhich resting vponupon theyr kynges fayth, came vponupon confidence vnderunder the lee, as it vvere, of rheyr protection. Insomuch as they are novv bankrupt of all credite vvith theyr ovvn subiects, and vvith theyr own brother in lavve, husband to theyr sisters. so as vponupon no royal oth they vvil come in▪ but stand on theyr gard, and keepe tovvnes for theyr defence, Neither vvould the king of Nauarr trust theyr sister so far, as to His sister not trusted by hir husb.receiue hir for his vvyfe: til her mother rydyng rounde aboute Fraunce caryed her to him, and together with her daughter put him in quiet possession of more tovvnes for hys fvrther defence. And yet vve may not suspect this Christian prince a brother of the same brother and sister. and if vve do suspect him in behalfe of our Queenes sauftie, we are streightvvayes sencelesse and suspitious, without ground of our conceites: and vvho so forsoth, deuiseth these doubtes, vvill deuise anye thinge that may hinder this mariage. This dare I boldly say that he who casts not these doubtes, is not vvisely suspitious. and he that passeth them ouer being once put in doubt, may passe ouer any thing that makes for hir maiestes good estate. And a most strange dreame it is of theirs vvho will hauehave thys match a bridle to the french king, a snaffle to Spayn, and a stopgamble to all practises of competition for popery, or any other trayterous attempt at home or abroad. vvheras, all the contrary, it layes the raynes at randon on the necke of thys horse of hidden treason, and sets a rider of choyse vponupon him for the nonce: yea and opens all the portes to forraine ennemies.

For to come neere the person of thys our french prince: could all his countenances of being restrayned vppon his brothers first Monsieur & his owne credit.returne from Poleland: and fallinges out with him aftervvard, his ronning from his mother: his secrete vvithdravving from the Court: and the Queen mothers trotting betwene hir sonnes as a broker of reconcilation, win him so much credit emong the protestants in Fraunce: as they vvould trust him for a leader, and not hold him stil for a suspect? could hys goodly aydes offered to the states in the low countryes, vvith personall taking vponupon him their defence, preuaile so farr: that he could come any farther vvithin them, then that they could by their own forces vvel auoyde hym? No no, the hurtfull helpe of thys shiuering reede hath appeared by the euent in both countryes, and that it is no staffe of trust. This mach no stopp to practises of competition or popery.Most vnhappy therefore are they that may take heede by others, whose hands it hath hurt and vvill not. But let vsus against our con science admit Monsieur to be in this matter simply seely or simply bonest: yet is he set a work and ruled by his brother and mother, and this sute follovved for him vvith the manifest goodwyll of hys mother the motherpractiser of France. VVith the winking of the pope, vvho though against the mariage of the king of Nauarre Qu. mother the mouer. Pope vvinketh vvils. French king denieth not.to their sister, and against Monsieurs voyage in to Flanders, he sent his legat. yet here he sits quiet, vvhichwhich is a token that hee lookes through his fingers. This sute is pursued vvith the good alovvāce of the french king. For Monsieurs messenger hath continuall conuersation at home and abroade and one table vvyth the kings Ambassador, a thing playnely arguing the kings good liking and continuall intelligence vvith Monsieur for the proceedings herein. The strange papistes and our rebelles are in deepe silence, not one opens his mouth against this mariage.Papistes forrain & rebel silent.

Thys prince can not but, eythe… for louelove or feare, be great with the Guysian duke. and in deede of very late more theu euer, euen vvhen ît vvas sayd he should come ouer hither, he vvas neerely in vvard and in deepe conferences vvith that duke, vvho is to vsus Guyse.an enemy by kind, and for neer consanguinity a fast friend to the late scottish Queen. vvho is the most hidden and pestilent aduersary creature that liues, to our Prince & state. The fayrest daugh Scottish Mary.ter of the pope, and shotanchor of all papistes. for as the holye league hath tyed all these great ons togither by oth and their duty to the pope vvhom they wyll not displease to hate to the death all religious princes: so hauehave they voued it in the fourth degree agaynst our prince, as chiefe support of religion, and in vvhose life or death (as they thinke) dependes the exercise or not exercise of the Gospell in England and elsvvhere. Againe besides theyr afectiō in many other respects to this late Scottish Queen, they hauehave set her down as the onelyonly loadestone, that should drawe traytors together and rent our kingdome: that should set vp I dolatrous altars from S. Michils mount to Barvvick, and make al the Israel of England and Scotland to sinne. Hyr iniurious challenges in Fraunce, hir great and disloyall attempts in england, hir confederacies vvith the Spanish Generalls or regents in Flaunders: vvyl easely tell a wise man, vvhat deuotion she hath to the Queene & vvhat impatient greedines to snatch the crowne from hir heade by oportunity or importunity, vvhichwhich so euer come first. There open and violent attemptes of this purpose hauehave bene by Gods grace frustrate. as enemyes they can doe no thing agaynst hyr Maiestie. Now must some great meane be vsed, and that vndercloke of louelove, vvhichwhich is euer the last popish practise.

From no place more fitly then out of Fraunce can they fetche thys instrument of our vvoe. Fraunce is a neighbour, therefore conuenient by the place. It is a land ful of a vvell trayned soldiar, & hath all ready great numbers mustered that abyde but theyr vvatch vvord. it is now at peace vvithall, and therefore at leasure: onles they vvyll make vvarrs to themselues. for cruelty they are approued, to execute any thing. For treason they are so embrewed in blood, as they are like to assent vntounto what soeuer plat neuer so barbarous. And thys is also a deuice fit ynough for such a soliciter, as is that false Scot prelate Rosse, mortall enemy hether, vvho is presently in Fraunce, and, like ynoug, hyr agēt to procure this deuise. Yea, onlesse vve our selues close our owne eyes, vvee may see that it is a very french popish vvoeng, to sende hyther smooth tongued Simiers to glose and glauer & hold talk of mariage: and yet in the meane while, Iaques Fitzmaurice who hath bene in France and conuersant vvith Rosse, and euen novv came immediatly thence into Ireland to inuade our Queenes dominion there and assemble the trayterous papistes in nomine domini domini papae. Is it possible for the breath of mariage vvell meant to England, and vvarr performed in Ireland, to come out of one mouth? She hath already cost vsus ynough of our Englishe blood, and she cares not though she make hauock of nobilitye & people: she seekes hyr own turne by hooke or crooke. Aboue all the dangers to hir Maiestie I wold she had one that might eueryday cry vvith a loud voyce. TAKE HEEDE OH ELIZABETH OF ENGLAND, AND BEVVARE OF SCOTTISH MARY. The Lord hyr God defend hyr from all hyr popish enemies.

Let other mens squaymish iudgements keepe them in vvhat temper of suspecting, it lykes them: I can not be so blockish but to thinke that it is more then lykely, he comes for thys Mary: to the end that vvhereas, yf there be any rebellious papists at home which can do nought for want of a leader, & those fugitiue rebels abrode, can doe nothing onlesse there be first some hurliburly in the land: this man may be he, vvhere they shall firste make head, and so grovv into a body of rebelliō. which aftervvard they meane to ayde vvith theyr forrein forces, to the destruction of those foolish rebelles as vvell as of vsus. And though, in truth, with out flattery, she be inferior to our Queene, in all the best gyftes yet may I vvell ynough thinke, that Monsieur vvyll stoope to hir as vvell as king Phillip theyr old example, vvhome yet againe they vse euen here, did stoop in Flaunders and other vvhere, most lowly in that respecte and beyonde all curtesie euen in Queene Maryes lyfe. yea I doe not see, vvhy I should not make these gyfts and excellencies of our Queene, so many arguments to proue great likelihood of impossibilitye to knit fast to hyr, the mind of Monsieur so contrarily qualified. For louelove is a knitting of lyke myndes togyther first, & then of bodyes by accident. And though foule bodyes be oft in louelove vvith the outvvard beauty of others: yet vvas there neuer foule vicious and Irreligious mind in louelove vvith a vertuous and religious soule. If any man yet againe thinks it an vnvvorthy suspition of so hygh a prince, let hym heare once agayne that one of that brotherhood dyd compasse as vnvvorthy a purpose: and all by laying to gage that vvorthines vvhych hys maiesty myght chalenge, and by hys personall action, vvhych he iudged no man vvould once suspect, in a mariage of hys sister as neere to him as this brother is to the novv king.New french falshod nevv English wisedome.

These tymes hauehave nevv falshodes, vvhichwhich vve must encounter by nevv foreseeing vvysedomes. nevv diseases hauehave taught phisitians to find nevv medicines: and sith false frenchmen vvyll doe that which theyr forefathers vvould neuer do, let honest English men suspect that which theyr auncesters could neeuer misdeeme Especially in those matters, wher popery comes betwene as the motif, and the french ben the instruments. For to do that Roman sinagogue seruice, the french, doe accompt as fayre vertues, all foule lyes, treasons, poysonings, massacres, and turning of realms vpside down. And for recompence of theyr braue nighte xploit at Paris, they were brought immediately, as it vvere, in a carte of tryumphe in at Rome gates: where the world is vvitnes of the panegyricall prayses and solemne orations pronounced in theyr perpetuall fame, with many ioyfull fyres in honor of that barbarous, vnmanlike, and treasonable victory vponupon the noble Admiral that slept in the oth of hys king. But though the hope of lyke commendation may make these men attempt the lyke fact: yet are these wicked praysings of the pope but a shadow of praysings and make as much to the true honor of the french, as theyr paper excommunication and burning by image at Rome, doe hurt the good Christian in body or soule.

Now the Spanish genet wil soone champ thys cakebread snaffle a sunder. for thys great feate that should be don in bringing K. This match no snaffle to Spayne.Phillip to some reasonable conditions of peace vvith his subiects and hyr maiestie to hauehave some maritime part to hir own behofe hovv shall it be wrought? by french forces onelyonly? They vvyll not doe it: they can not doe it▪ and if they would or could: why is it not don already? if by french and English forces ioyned: vvhy then doth he not ioyne and conferr with vsus all thys whyle, rather then vnderunder hand seeke to trump both them of the religion there and the malcontent? If it should be don by English forces onelye, as it must be indeede, (for he hath none to command) oneles they saye that hys brother vvyll both man him and money hym, and then they forgette that vvhyche they sayde of being a brydle to Fraunce. If, I saye, Englyshe money and Englyshmen must do thys enterpryse it may be much better achiued, now while we hauehave the lavv in our own hands, and may command: then when vve shall be couert baron, and hauehave put our sword into an other hand. vve hauehave not so much neede of hym for a captayne, as he hath of our strength to serue hym. Neyther doe I thinke more truth in any of these theyr reasons, then that vve should serue to vvorke theyr vvill in those lovv countryes. and if any thing vvere gotten, that should vvholy goe to Fraunce: but our butin in England, should be euen as good in these vvars to be taken for france agaynst Spayn, as it vvas vnderunder Queene Mary, in the vvarres for Spayn agaynst Fraunce. at vvhat tyme the vvhole losse, euen a greeuous losse to any Englishman that shall looke from Douer castle ouer to the other side, fell on our part.

But in deede if it please hyr maiestye to ayde those lovv countryes: as it vvyll be most for our honor in the enterpryse, and for our gayne in atchieuing, to doe it of our selues, vvhyle uve are at The lovv countryes.lybertye, and not vnderunder straunge restraint: so is it novve high time for the neede they hauehave, vvho by these delayes shal be soone past helpe. and so the king of Spayne hauehave hys vvyll. And, in truth, the best vvelcome force and of most profit to those countryes, must be the English vvithout french. for the popish party of Arthois and Henault, neuer loued the french, and novv dare not trust thē: Artoyes and Henault. Gant.and those of Gaunt hate them tvvyse: Fyrst for religion, and then for the cause common to them vvyth the VVallon, vvhichwhich is theyr ouermuch intelligence vvith the cōmon enemy the Spaynard. vvhatsoeuer perill therefore out of those countries, & from king Phillip by reason of hys pease there, is spoken of by these perswaders, thereby alluring vsus vntounto thys match vvyth Fraunce: is easely mett vvythall by our ovvn forces in tyme. vvhych vvyll be much more vvyllyngly receiued of them then the French, for all the late foolish and levvd pamflettes there spred by the french in theyr ovvne fauoer and our disgrace.

And it is more absurd that Fraunce vvoulde consent to send hither a brydle for himself. those that are of this mind, presuppose a This match no bridle to Fraunce.ielousie betweene the French king and Monsieur: vvhych vve must first graunt them. or els they fayle to proue thys in the begynning. Now, albeit I thinke, that the best fayth can not be meant, but betvvene the best men: yet may we be assured that hovve soeuer they stande betvvene themselues for Fraunce, they vvyll styll agree to anoy England and hold togither lyke brethren the change of that ayre for thys and hys comming ouer sea vvyll not change that mind: and styll shall he be hys brother and son of his mother: vvho seeing that both of them doe follow this mariage, no doubt they wyll prouide agaynst theyr ovvne brydeling. And it is lyke ynough, though Monsieur knowes a peice of theyr purpose: yet knowes he not the depth of thys mischieuous practise. For they doe not vse to impart more to him then falles to hys part to play. The king remembers, that he hymselfe when he vvas Monsieur, being made priuie to the thē purposed horrible massacre, had like to hauehave marred al, by lauishing out a word here of to one of hys deerelyngs: had not Lignerolls mouth ben stopped with papp and the hatchet as they say. Besides, that Monsieur vvas neuer admitted so farr in connsail as the present king nor esteemed so stanche.

And if a man may guesse sometime, what a thing is, by reckoning This vvoing comes not of louelove to our Queen.vp vvhat it is not: we shall not find in the king, nor his bro ther, nor mother, any louing cause to bring this nevve louelove in theyr mind. They neuer bare fauour to hir maiesties person, they neuer shewed themselues louers to the quiet of thys state: they account not themseldes any vvay beholden to prince or state. EueryEvery vvord or deed of ours, shewing neuer so litle compassiō tovvards their murthered, or mislike of the murderers is depely layd Mother.vp of them for so many vvrongs. Much lesse vvyll any man think she sends hir son hyther to schoole for our religion. It is farr from King.probabilitie, to thinke that the king sends him hither, because he vvould be rid of hym. as though he stoode in fearefull doubte of hys greatnes vvhyle he vvere in fraunce. It is sufficiently proued othervvhere, that he is not followed nor esteemed generally in Fraunce, by papist or protestant. And if there vvere any such ielousie in the kings head, thys vvere no vvisedome by aduauncing his brother to so puissant a kingdom to make him more dread.

And in Monsieur vvhat doe we find that may so earnestly send hym hither. he is here apparant to Fraunce: dangerous therefore Monsieur.in respect of reasons otherwhere alledged, for hym to be absent: espetially the present king being so far gon and spent in the disease, as some of these perswaders vvill say, vvhen they wyll further thys match. And if he should come in with that honorable shew becomming hys greatnes, and as any other such man wyll come that woeth with good meaning, and feareth not any detectiō of hydden trecheryes▪ hys voyage hyther would be mightely chargable. a thing ill becomming hym, vvho is already drawen drye to the botom and extremely indetted vvith hys other coloured voyage into Flanders. And onelesse some notable practise pricked hym hyther, the very passage ouer the sea vvould appall this fresh water soldiar, hauing read that betvvene thys and Normandye there perished in one bottom, three kingly children. but vtterlye vvould he be discouraged by thaduenture of honour whych he makes in sayling hyther, vponupon so slender likelihoode of speeding or rather vponupon great reason of repulse: if his care of honor vvere not lesse then his greedines to accomplish hys other mischiefe. And if he should speede (which God forspeake) yet must he com to a people that loues hym not nor hys trayne: and vvhere neuerthe England can not louelove Monsieur.lesse he must hauehave hys gardes and trayne prescribed and limitted in regard of the state. And thys people if heretofore it hath bene so manly as to mayster thys generation of Capet in hys own or rather our home of Fraunce: me thinks thys Monsieur can come with small hope to finde good seruice at our handes, vvhose fingers wyll itch at hym in our home of England. But aboue all, vvho can thinke, that he being the last of hys fathers ligne, and the onelyonly forlorne hope of raysing vp seede to hys brothers, would match heare vvith so farr gon hope of hauing issue: endaungering by that means a vvylling translation of the crown of France from hym and hys fathers posterity, to another prince of the blood. No, no, no, the king, hys brother, and hys mother hauehave some other meanyng agaynst the church, state, and person of our prince, euen to hauehave an eye in the heade of our Courte if they can bring it to passe, and an hand in the heart of this realm, to vvorke our ruin and theyr great hatreds: and that as the mother hath long time ruled and turned the wrong side outvvard of Fraunce, so she might hauehave thys land another while for hyr stage. she is dressing hir Prologue to sende him in; trust him not. The players be tragicall though he vveare peacible laurell on his head Yea the wordes that escape from some of them that are come on thys message, doe bewray hovv lovvdly they vvyl speake here after. I pray God they to vvhom it belongs may keepe avvay such gamsters. And sith the Lord for hys own name sake & of his louelove to the gospel vvhichwhich we hauehave emōg vsus hath weakned the hands of It is the lord by whome Queen Elizabeth reignes vvhile other princes dye and are deposed.our forreine enemyes & broken the deuises of theyr heads hither to since he hath engrauē such a searing louelove in hyr subiects harts as children beare to there mother, and such a reuercut note of souereignete in hir person as he is wont to sett on them vvhom he calls by hys owne name and are his ordinances: in so much as it may be sayd of hir most truely, it is the Lord by vvhō kings reign since I say the blessed vvord of Christ hath made hir sword as the svvord of G…deon, keeping hir safe from many practises agaynste hyr person while other kings and Queenes hauehave (thorowe Gods Keepe couenant with thy God O Queen and defie thys alliance. Forrein aydsiudgement for theyr manifest sins) bene subiect to tombling and suffered change in person and estats: Let vsus styll rest in those maenes and approue that vvhichwhich vve hauehave proued for good. It is a foly to seeke forreine ayde, but vpō extreme necessitye. It is lyke desperate phisick; vvhen one is giuen vp by al phisitions, it sends hym speedely eyther one vvay or other.

They suffer themselues to be abused vvhichwhich beleeue the french men vvhen they say, that England is vnfurnished of friends, neyther Englande needes no friends especially out of Fraunce.in perfect league nor good opiniō nor, neere allyed with any prince in Christendome. Our alliances are better then his and more assured, as in another place it is shewed. vve hauehave the Lords right hand on ourside and all the hatts and handes of those of our religion. Yea vve were able by Gods mercy, to throvv out popery euen then vvhen it had more friends vvithin the land, and vvhen diuerse princes and multitudes vvere enemies to vsus for our religion, that are since become religious euen to the death. vve doubt not therefore but much more easely vve shall be able to hold our prince vvorthy of hyr, & I can not chuse but say, that this prince of Fraunce, of all other vnmaried princes, is moste vnworthye of hyr, for euen that Christianity vvhichwhich hir Maiestie is called vntounto, and hyr princely priesthoode in Christ Iesus, is as farr aboue all hys pryde in fleshe, as heauen is aboue earth: & hir earthly septer being added to the former excellency, settes him at hir foote or rather driues him from hir presence in iudgement of God and men being but a subiecte in the kingdom of Fraunce & as yet no enrolled citesin in thouvvard kingdom of heauen.

The assured and great euils that grovv here out to our head the Queene: make no lesse agaynst the vvell doing of the lesser limes of the land. For, to let passe the doings of auncient and present kings, vvho, vvhen by such meanes, they vvinne a countye into Nobilitye & Gentry of England.theyr pavves, first dispatch the auncient Nobilitye, destroye the greatest kindreds, and scatter the meane sort into seruile, vnlearned, and vnarmed trades: for thentreaty that our Nobility and Gentry are to looke for, I vvyll note but thys one vvord, euen of thys very family of Hugh Capet the first of thys third and present kingly race in Fraunce vvhen, by such meanes as theyr ovvn chro Hugh Capetnicles doe mention, he had vvrested the sceprer from the handes of theyr Mayster and soueraign seede of great Charles, Peppines son, the first deede they did vvas to prouide that the chiefe of that Carrola manusligne might dye the death: perhaps some of them did chuse some pinig death at Orleance, but die they must. This is a slip of Hugh Capet, and the practise of theyr mother and them in their ovvn country at this present, is, to raze all auncient french houses and to reare vp new, bringing al, as neere as they can, A la Turkesque that all being there creatures may fall dovvn and vvorship them. And if the present vvoeng messenger, a man of so bace place and petie cōpanion in the french court is yet so sausie as to be checkmate vvith our Queen, and to enter malapart comparison vvyth our Noble men: doubt you not but the friends of of the brydegroome vvyll be eueryevery man a petie king ouer our English Nobilitye. Maiestrates Iudges,Our honorable Counsailors, …udges, and other Maiestrates, mai not hold their honors & authorities. For if the mother being a forraigner to Fraunce vvhere al maner gouernmēt is denyed hir by their lavves, can depose natural Maiestrates, and help hir coū trimē to the richest offices, promote an Italian to be high Chanler there, & make hir halfe Italians to be marshals of fraunce: you may be sure, a french husband will easely aduaunce his Italianate french mē to our English preferments. Our lavvyers shall be fain Lawyers.to learn some other occupation. For nevv maisters new men, and new Lords new laws. No doubt the lavvs of fraunce vvil preuaile against the lavves of Normandy: yea the forrein lavv, called ciuil, Lavves.w…l eate vp our free customs & natural lavves. Our soldiars of necessi…y soldiar.must be sent out vnderunder some Ioab, for some more desperate seruice then S. Quintin, one vvay or other to be dispatched and cut in pieces. For of all English people they vvill be worse loued of these french. Our Lord bishops may think it ther greatest L. bishops.honor to take such part as other poore men doe. sure they are all to loose theyr dignities and riches, and so many of them, as euer vvere votarie priests, must part frō wiues and children. Our Merchants Merchants & richmen.and poore richmen, they may quickly without any counters cast vp theyr bookes of reckonings, by that time such factors and malefactors as these men, hauehave ransaked their coffers. Touching the meanest sort of men euen in france it selfe, this ve People.ry day, al be contemptible pesants and Lackeys. And if ther own natural poore labouring men, find no better condition of life vnderunder these vncourteyus kings. it vvere madnes for vsus to looke for so good. vve must, doubtles, be one degree, at least, beneath vile pesants▪ & Lackeis. And if these nevv surueiers come into this land, we may bid farevvel to thold English liberall measure of syxtene foote and a halfe to the pole: our Ortyards must be measured by the foote: our houses by the stories, vvindowes, & chimnies, and strange tallages.accordingly nevv rents raysed vponupon them: our children shall not come freely into the world, without some vnnaturall excise for eueryevery birth as the earnest penny of a trybu tary lyfe: our maydens vvho in some cōmon vveals are vvont to be bestowed wyth the publike purse, must vnderunder thys vyle stranger, yeld a share of their own mariage portions. vvhichwhich Impositions I neyther dravv from old Tyrans: nor Imagin here of myne own head: but they are such as the french king very lately demanded and such as hys subiectes euen novv denye. vvherevpon the former trobles are lyke to reuiue, notvvithstanding his mothers late ryding about france vvith fayre promises for the release of such brutishe exactions Much might be sayd in these particulars, & by thys lyttle, the noble, gentle, and others vvhat soeuer may learn to hate strange cō maunders, and to esteeme our naturall regiment. to detest the Turkish tyrany of Valoys, & to thank God for the kind gouernment of Queen Elizabeth: which the Lord grant hir happely to hold on, and finally to end, as she began. But I had rather we shold feele our griefe in the ache of our head the Queen, thē to esteme our gteuances apart.

Farre from vsus then is this great assurance imagined to hyr Maiesties selfe, by thus matching, euen as farr as certein peril is from safety. vvhere is the preseruation of Religion? vvher is the strēgth and gayn to the land? vvhere is thys honor to our kingdom? euen as farr from thys mariage, as preseruatife is from poyson, gayn frō spoyle and beggery, and honor from danger of perperual slauery. I should hauehave bene afrayd to hauehave spoken thus much, had not the streight of this necessitie driuen me and my words ben the words not of a busie body, speaking at all aduentures: but of a true Englishman, a sworne liegeman to hir Maiestie, gathering these necessary consequences by theyr reasonable causes. And sith the faith of a man is broken sometime asvvel in not doing or not saying as in doing or saying: I humbly besech, that vvhatsoeuer offence any thing here sayd, may breed, it be vvith fauor construed by the affection of my hart, vvhichwhich must louelove my country and Queene though it shold cost me my lyfe. yea rather let them of this land vvho excel seuerally in all good professions, hauing wisedom, disposition, & vvords at vvil, that hearing so publickly, famously & notoriously, a mariage to be practised by the pope vvhichwhich is against al lavves of God and man, vnvvritten and vvritten, of nature and nations, of the land and of policie, of armes & peace, tending to the losse of our religion, to the subuersion of our state and freedome to the captiuity of our Queene and hir people, vnderunder our hateful foe the french: can not yet be stirred vp to any pietye tovvards theyr God, theyr country, or theyr prince, to handle this matter in theyr seuerall skils as it requires. You Noble men and high counsailors ioyne to your vvisedoms courage, and adding to them both the feare of God, remember you be born & chosen for fathers of aduise to the prince, and in a secondary degree assisting Tutors to the common vveele. render to the Queene that faythfull counsaile vvhichwhich she may vvel chalenge for aduauncing you to thys honor, and pay to vsus again that duety of carefull louelove vvhîch our reuerence of honor most vvyllingly acknowledged to you, doth deserue. You bishops and others, who sometime speak in the eares of our prince, let not your study be to leern french for the entertayning of thys stranger, as though then you should be ioly gentilmen vvith the rest: but learn to speak the word of God, and speak it boldly, for keeping out this stranger. You, vvhosoeuer in Court, honored by hir Maiestie vvith any speciall fauoure and grace, alas, that none of you vvill doe hyr that right, as to tell hyr hovv farr more precious hir royall person is, and vvith hovv farr greater daunger thereto it is: then that this odd fellow, by birth a french man, by profession a papist, an Atheist by conuersation, an instrument in Fraunce of vncleannes, a fly worker in England for Rome and Fraunce in this present affayre, a sorcerer by common voyce & fame, shold hauehave such free and gracious accesse to hyr chayre of estate & great presence, vvho is not fir to looke in at hir great chamber doore. All England in a tenderiealous louelove to hyr person besecheth God to preserue hir, & prayeth hir to take heed of popish french men. You of the meaner sort throughout the land & all priuate ones knovv your place to be in all subiection & peaceable patience, vvith your prayers to sollicite the Lorde for his church, for this common vveale, and for the Queen: that of his great mercy he vvill turne away this plague of a stranger in Christian Israel, and forreigne frenchmen in England. The onelyonly noise of whose making hither toward, gaue al these causes of fear, and wrong thus much hitherto said to be written, as it were vvith the teares of an english hart. And his soden arryuall here with all the maner and circumstances thereof would yeelde nevve argumêts of an other much lōger discourse. For first his cōming hither as it vver in a maske, bewraies a strange melancholik nature in himself: who delights to make all his iourneis in such sullē solitary sort, & therfore belike an ill companion to liue withall in any felovvship. Then yt shewes his extreeme want of abilitie to defray the expence of woeng in a bountiful shew sitting such a prince as cōmeth to obtein out Queen. This his secrete comming & departing, discouers a mistrustfulnes in him towards our people, and therefore no louelove, which must needs come frō his own ill conscience of fearing french measure in England. for on our part (the Lord be thanked) we hauehave not committed such villenies. all men deeme him vnworthy to speed who comes in a net as though he were loath to auow his errand. Some men may think he is ashamed to shevv his face, but I think verely that he meanes not sincerely who loues not light & wil not com abroade. The last noble princely gentlemā that went out of Englād to vvin a Queen in france gaue trial & shew of vvisdome, manhod, behauiour, and personage, by open cōuersatiō & performing al maner of knightly excercises: which makes vsus in England to find very strange, this vnmanlike, vnprincelike, secrete, fearful, suspitious, disdainful, needy french kind of woeng in Monsieur, & we can not chuse but by the same stil, as by all the other former demonstratife remonstrā ces, conclude that thys french mariage, is the streightest line that can be dravvne frō Rome to the vtter ruine of our church: & the very rightest perpendicular downfal that can be imagined frō the point france to our English state: fetching in vvithin one circle of lamentable fall the royal estate of our noble Queen, of hir person, nobility, and commons. vvhose Christian honorable, healthful, ioyful, peaceful, and long, souereigne raigne without all superior ouerruling commander, especially french, namely Monsieur, the king of kings hold on, to his glory and hyr assurance of true glory in that other kingdom of heauen.

Amen Amen. Amen.

End of the text · John Stubbes, England to be Swallowed by Another French Marriage (1579)

England to be Swallowed by Another French Marriage, Text (2 of 2)