GLOSSA.

REading the A [...]nales or Recordes making mention of Antechriste, who being the worst amongst men extolleth himselfe aboue God, cal­ling himselfe his Uicar, and yet making his Patron by transub­stantiation: Peters successor as hée faineth, and yet his enemy in [...]aith: wée shall finde that since sinceritie in Religion, and humilitie were put to exile, and mens traditions and pri [...]e erected as pillers of the church, that from Féeders of the flocke, they haue refused to enter by the doore, and haue prooued rauening Wolues, and sub­ [...]erters of Christ and his doctrine. Their great pompe vnfitting for the humble puritie of Christes Disciples: their extreame couetousnesse selling the giftes of the holy Ghost for money: their open Simony: their secrete [...]g­ling in dispensation for sinnes: their Whordomes, and their Sodomie, their palpable and grosse heris [...]es main­ [...]ained, not with Peters doctrine, but with Paules sworde: with rigours, not with reason, prooues that since Peters [Page] time, Peters seat hath pleaded, Sede vacante, and that these shauelings are not his successors, but approoued by their liues and doctrine, to be professed Antechristes. Peter was humble and spent his time in praier and preaching, these are proude and meddle with states, Empires, kingdomes and Monarchies, pulling down one and creating another hauing Emperours knéeling at his féete, and casting off their crowns with his toe, treading on their backes, and blasphemously applying the text to him selfe, Calcabo su­per Aspidem, & Leonem. These presumptuous thoughtes were not founde in Peter, who imitating his Maister Christ, walked abroade to féede his Flocke: this (the Pope I meane) following the aspyring attempt of Lu­cifer, is carried on mens shoulders, and yet in his here­ticall Bulles to blinde the People, hee calleth himselfe Seruus Seruorum: guarded not as Peter was with the faythfull of Israel, but either with his stout Cardinalles, Copesmates of Caiphas Crue, or with some detestable Courtizans, the best imblazers of his profession. Long did this Monster maske in a Shéepes skin, partlye coue­red by his owne pollicies▪ and partlye by the fauour of Princes: but at last breaking out into his own [...] proper shape, his name and nature was discouered, so that Par­dons, his Bulles, his Excommunications, his Curses, nor such Paltries could preuaile, but he was manifestlye laide open for Antechrist to the world. So that his verye Countrymen Italians, nursed vp vnder his nose, séeing his detestable life, his great profession, and little per­formance, his hereticall pompe vsurped in his Papacie, could not but in conscience in their bookes pen downe his sundry abuses and great absurdities, as Pasqum, Man­tuan,, Iohn Boccac [...], Petrarch, and lately Ludouico Ariosto, who in one of his Cansons describes him for a monster thus.

Here the Poet describeth this Monster, this Antechrist the Pope, to be in forme like a beast, his eares like those of an Asse, the h [...]ad of a Wolfe, leane and il fauoured as insatiate of his pray, the clawes of a Lion, and what re­steth resembled a Foxe. This monster saith he, had ouer­come al France, Italy, Spaine, England, Europe, Asia, nay the whole world, triumphing in the pompe of his iniquitye, till his date being expired, & the terme of his raign ended, diuerse princes hating to brooke the imperious rauening of such a reasonlesse monster, sought to hunt him out off the Forrest, and therefore sent diuers good and expert Blood-houndes to rowse him from his Denne, as was Iohn Husse, Ierome of Prage, OEcolampadius, and Zwinglius After, Luther and the Duke of Saxony, who for the de­fence of the trueth mainteined wars, against the Church of Rome. The Hunts-men that pursued this Monster in chase, was first Francis the first of that name, king of France, who was so wh [...]t, that he thrust his sword to the hiltes in the ribbes of this beaste: Next him Maximilian of Austria: Third, Charles the fift Emperour, who with his speare passing eager, peirced y ^• throat of this monster but he that with his bore-speare stabd him in the breast, & gaue the déep & mortal wound, was Henrie the eight, king of England, who séeing the abhominatiō of that proud Antechrist, by his lawle [...] dispensations for coin, & the abuse his shauelings vsed in England, their massing & masking, [Page] their gluttony and lecherie, the falsnesse of Religion: last­ly, the extream abuse of their profession, flying to the text, whatsoeuer my father hath not planted, shall be rooted vp by the rootes, hee suppressed their Abbeyes, pulled down their sumptuous buildings, & scarce left one stone vpon an other, subuerted their estate, chāged their religiō, for blind Papistry gaue vs the light of the Gospell. This his own Countriman Ariosto re [...]eateth in the same Can­son in an other Stanzo thus.

This Monster wounded thus by so worthy a woodman who knew how to strike his game with aduātage, féeling the wound incurable, yet somewhat salued and but nowe rubbed a fresh, by our mightie and famous princesse Eli­zabeth daughter to that renowned Henry, who with her father rightly taking vpō her the Ecclesiastical supremacy, hath vtterly raced & abolished al his trash and traditi­ons as absurdities & heresies, out of her Churches of England and Ireland, hating the Pope as Antechrist, and the Church of Rome as that whore of Babilon, figured out in the Reuelation: This cause maketh this Monster to stir so that to reuenge, he bent al his pollicies, suborning diuerse false Traitors to attempt her death, perswaded thereunto by false Iesuits and Seminaries sent by him into these our partes, which the Lord discouering, hath geuen them their hyre, and mightely preserued his an­nointed: seeing these pettie practises could not preuaile, [Page] nor his Bull would not carrie any credite, he [...]lieth to in­cense princes to bende their forces against this our little Iland, which defended by God, and gouerned by so ver­tuous a Princesse as GOD hath chosen after his own [...] heart, standeth and withstandeth their forces, without aide of speare or horse, hauing the wind and sea Captains sent from aboue to quell the pride of such hereticall ene­mies of the Gospell, so that the Pope séeing his purposed intent could not spéede: as in a doubtful anguish of mind [...]ell into this bitter passion.

GLOSSA.

PHILLIP of Spaine no [...]ed from his infancie in the darke and obscure dungeon of Papistry, led as one blinded with the vale of ignorance, by this proud Ante­christ, drunke with the dregges of that poyson which the whore powreth out to the [...]inges of the earth, pleasaunt in ta [...]t, but more bitter then worme-wood in the mawe: offered by the flattering Strumpet, ryding on the Beast with the seauen heades, drunke (I say) with her impoiso­ned cup, he sléepeth securely in y ^• Popes lap, till the Uiols of Gods wrath poured downe, his conscience new [...]ear [...]d with a whot iron, then féeles the [...]ing of [...], as a plague following all such as haue receiued the marke of that in­ces [...]ious Strumpet. Phillip therfore taking the Pope for Peters successor, suffereth himselfe to bee led and ruled [Page] by this man of Sin, holding his pr [...]ceptes for Oracles, & that who sitteth in that seat, how bad so euer of life, yet he cannot erre, that what Cannons or Decretals he set­teth downe, are as true, and as firmlye to bee beléeued, and obserued as the Gospell penned by the holy Euan­gelistes who were inspired and directed by the Holy [...] Ghost: whereas notwithstanding wée sée by manifest and dailye instances, tht euerye Pope abolisheth ano­thers Cannons and Decretals, as false and erronious: yet PHILLIP is so blinded, as he hath not an insight into this their iugling, for that hée is taught by theyr Doctrine that the Churche of Rome is the supreame Church, and that there is no Churche which is not a perfect member of the same: these, making the Church materiall, and tying is to a locall and particular Seat: Soothing himselfe vppe in these Heresies, hée so feareth the frowne of the Pope and his Cardinalles, doubting to bée excommunicated with some paltrye Bull, that what they demaunde hée graunteth, aswell in mat [...]ers of temporall estate, as in Ecclesiasticall rightes and Ceremonies: that if the Cleargie concludeth Peace, PHILLIP confirmeth it: if the Cleargie doe proclame Warres, hée sendes foorth straight a presse for Souldi­ours: so that beeing a mightye Prince of Inheritance and Reuenues, yet hée ruleth by the Cleargie and No­bilitie, especially them of the Spirituall secte: that ry­ding quietlie with a fewe Moores to heare Masse, hee shaketh off all cares, leauing the glory of his Kingdome in the power of his Cleargie, who béeing enemies to the trueth, seeke by all means possible to subuert the truth: wel, perswaded by the Pope, and them of the Ecclesia­sticall sorte, hee prouideth a great Armado, his Shippes huge and monstrous, his men the chosen Caualiers of Spaine, Portugall, Italie and other Prouinces: For mu­nition [...], it is much and marue [...]lous, that the premi­ses considered, they seeme to threaten ruine to the grea­test [Page] Monarchie of the whole worlde, and yet theyr [...] Forces bended again [...] a little Ilande, a handfull in respecte of other Kingdomes: But sée as the Lacede­monians [...]ewe in number subuerted Xerxes and his N [...] ­uie, which for multitude of Uesselles couered the Oce­an: Ioshua▪ with a handfull s [...]rooke the Cananites: [...] GOD hearing their great braues against him and his people, did put a hooke into their nostrilles, and a Bri­dle into their Iawes, and brought them backe the same way they came, not suffering them to enter into th [...] lande, nor to come against it with a shielde, nor to cast a bank about it, but scattered them as du [...]t before the wind: and no doubt if we enter into the déepe consideration of the Spanish attempt, wee shall finde it sent into these partes by the Lorde for speciall causes. First to shew vs howe for our sinnes hee can bring the very enemies of his trueth, as Ministers of his wrath, to punish offen­ders, as oft hée did against the Israelites when they transgressed his Statutes a [...]d Lawes, neglected the preaching of the Prophets, and contemned the worde, then he brought in the Edomits▪ the Assirian [...], the Egip­tians, and other nation [...], which caried them away Cap­tiue. Second, séeing how secure we slept, carelesse, repo­sing our selues in that our owne strength, for that we [...] were hedged in with the sea, and had a long and peacea­ble time of quiet: made sloothfull by these his fauoures, his Maiestie brought in these Spaniardes to waken vs out off our dreams, to teach the braue men of this realm, that after peace comes warres, that in the greatest qui­et wée shoulde applye our selues to martiall indeuours, and know how to handle the Sword a [...]d speare, not one­ly in a sloothfull securitie, to say the Lord is [...]ur defence, but to vse the ordinary meanes he hath appointed, & then to inuocate vpon him, and bending [...]ur sw [...]rdes, say in fayth, the Lorde is on ou [...] side, who can be against vs: [Page] for the Israelites ne [...]er subdued the Cananites, but the Lord did put weapons in their handes to execute the end of his victories. The third, he sent them as sommons and Ambassadors to incourage vs to attempt the like: for when the Sarasens in the time of Charles the greate, had inuaded Germanie, and the frontes of France, the newes hereof brought to the Emperour, he presently saide, how doth the Lorde fauourablye accuse vs of sloth and care­lesnesse of increasing his religion by those Pagans, when they for their Mohomet and the aduancement of his blasphemies, hazarde their liues to suppresse the contrary. And I seeme to sit at home: and dare not for the Lord of Hostes cause, enter armes against the Infidels, so that a­wakened with this, Charles not onely withstood them in his owne land, but hauing geuen them the repulse, spent many yeares in setting foorth the glory of GOD by the sword, among the miscreants: So no doubt these Spa­niardes, the Souldiors of Antechrist, are sent to tell our Nobles, Captaines and martiall men of this land, that they sléepe secure, that the Bées hiue in their Helmets, that their pampered horses serue for foot-clothes, not for the fielde: that wee suffer the enemies▪ of the trueth too much to offer vs the braue: These causes no doubt moo­ued the Lord to send them, and yet to subuert them: to shew them he fouoreth his people, and vseth reuenge a­gainst the despisers of his Gospell: therefor are such men greatly to be commended, that for the benefite of theyre Countrey, feare not to hazard their liues, especially if it were with the aduancement of the glory of God. If then the mightie men which Salomon sent to fetch golde from his friendes to Ierusalem, were highly extolled: If the Portugals cronicled them which first sought by nauiga­tion to finde out strange landes, returning with no pro­fi [...]e but the discouery of Countries, how then hath this I­land cause to [...]ternise with their pennes the worthye deedes of Sir Francis Drake, who passing malgrado of the [Page] Spaniard, hard by his doore, nay setting foote into his land, and hauing praies went with a few small Barkes and Pynasses into his Indies, and fetcht from them gold and treasure for the inriching of his prince and country, and returning backe in triumph feared not [...] what the Spaniard with all his great Uessels dard attempt, in so much that the report of his valour, both by sea as he past and by land wh [...]n hee arriued in India, beeing bruted in Spaine: his verye name is as great a terrour to the Spa­nish, as Scipio to the Numidians. Then Sir Martine Fro­busher a man of greate trauell and experience in nauiga­tion: and last M. Candish who so lately ventured with the farthest, shewing great courage and fortune▪ in brin­ging home from farre so rich treasure: Thus wee may see that the Lord is on our side, that bringeth vs home safe, with a few little Pinasses from the verye iawes of our enemies, when the Spaniards could not returne, hauing so strong an Armado fu [...]nished for battell. These considerations no doubt maketh Phillip to let his Cleargie sweat in these friuolus attemptes, while he himselfe quietly may for excuse say, ‘Iubet Ecclesia, dissentire non audeo.’

THis broode of Antechrist whome Francis Petrarch and Iohn Bocca [...]e calleth I [...]sipidum Sal terrae, the Cardi­nals I meane, no sooner haue any thing to contrary their mindes, but with the Pharisies they annoint them­selues, and causing trumpets to be blowne before them, [Page] flye to their Dyrges & Tren [...]als: as, Causa sine qua non, their misfortunes may not be redressed. But seeing they oppose themselues to Christ and his religion, their lyp la­bour is turned vnto sin, and cry they Domine, Domine, neuer so loud, yet their fayned exclamations in vain, are only breathed into the ayre: But leauing their religion as palpably heretical to al true Christians, let vs in a word or two looke into their liues, wherein as in a Christall Mirrour, wée shall see figured and pourtraid the A­natomie of the seauen deadly Sinnes. For Pride both in their heartes, puffed vppe with aspiring thoughtes, and in their Apparell, set out with inestimable braue­rie, the meanest Scholler of the least Traueyler, ey­ther by reading or experience may manifest: For who méeteth a Cardinall mounted, first marking the trap­pings and furniture of his horse richly studded, his foot-clooth of veluet fringed with golde, his braue attyre couered with his Scarlet Robe, and his sumptuous traine following him, shall thincke that hée méeteth not one of Peters Disciples, but some greate Potentate, or Monarch of the worlde, rather resembling ALEXAN­DER in his effeminate Persian robes, when hée surna­med himselfe the sonne of AMMON, then a Christian, a Piller of the Church, that shoulde in the humblenesse of his life, giue light vnto the People. Their Sodo­mie, as they kepe not very secrete, for they in their Pal­laces, imitating the heathen God IVPITER, gett [...] them Ganimedes, which Stantes a poculis, serue for Pages: yet they as much as they can obscure, but their Lechery they feare not to make manifest, as béeing Fa­thers of manye Bastardes, and Paramours of sundrye Courtizans, to whome in their Carnouale, they goe in Maskes, and so openly co [...]rt with sundry deuelish deui­ses. Their slooth is séene in the securitie of their liues: for apply they themselues neuer so strictly to studye, while they are of meane degrée, yet after they attain the calling [Page] of a Cardinal, they answer with their maister the Pope, that with Peter they haue cast the Net and laboured all night, and now catcht the fish, not the soules of men, but some great dignitie and preferment: which gotten, they say to their soules, liue at ease.

Their glutony is seene in their sumptuous banquets, which excéede in such riotous aboundāce, to pāper them­selues, not to féed the poore, that the Monsters of Rome, their predicessors in belly chéere, Heliogabolus, Commo­dus, Iulianus & Lucellus Emperors and Senators, neuer surpassed in this vice [...]hese péeuish shauelings: Enuie is seene, in their [...]rowning at the fortunate successe of their verye friendys: for when any amongst them is prefer­red to the Papacie, then the rest incensed with enuie, [...]all to treasons, conspiracies, priuy murders, and poisonings: that some Popes haue scarcely liued 2 daies, nay some one day: before they haue bene made away by the Car­dinals, who through enuye séeke to establish the Papall seat with blood, as did pope Alexander and diuers others: so that oftimes it may be said of their Pope, as Tully said of the Consull that liued but one day: ‘Vigilantissimum habuimus Papam, qui t [...]to su [...] Papa­tu somnum vix vidit.’

Their wrath & furie, let the Chronicles of the state of Italie, as of Venecia, Florence, Vrb [...]e, Naples, Geneua & the rest, discouer: in which places, hauing bene appointed [...] Legats, they haue displaied the Trophees of their wrath, as vpō the house of the Medices in Florence after y ^• death of old [...] Cos [...]o against Peter Ludouike and Lorenzo, their intent to murther these braue Gentlemen, so to satisfie their extreame wrath and fury.

Their Couetousnesse Italie cries out on, as burthe­ned with their taskes, extortions, and impositions, for Bul [...], Pardons and dispensations: nay England it selfe may be produced as a witnesse, who [...] long while payd to Rome many extraordinary dueties. Poole [...] Woolsey are [Page] late instances, what in [...]atiate co [...]tousnes is barbour [...]d vnder the pr [...]t [...]nsed shewe of their religion: these [...] linges sléeping thus in their wickednesse, att [...]nding vp­on that rich whore of Babilon, who professeth, himselfe Patronesse of their practizes, mourne least our aboli­shing of their abhomidations in England, should incense the rest of Europe by our examples, to shake off their hea­uy yoke of ignorance, and to imbrace the light of the Gospell, and therefore rightly to them is said, ‘Lugete, quia cecidit Meretrix.’

GLOSSA.

PHILLIP being olde, holding in the one hand a sword, in the other a crootch, as ready to step frō his Scepter to the Graue, hath his minde troubled with contrarye passions, so that he may say with Don Pedro, Spiritus est ab inquie­tudine co [...]c [...]us. Deuout he is, al­though it consisteth in ignorance, ambitious, desiring still to inlarge his possessions and kingdomes: and couetous as neuer satisfied with al his ter [...]tor [...]s and treasures: yet age somwhat cooleth th [...]se desires, [...] casteth water in the [...]lame, but his Cleargie make supply by their perswasions, in what his peares doe faile in defect: for they sorie that litle England should suppresse their graund Patronesse, that proud Who [...]e of [Page] Babilon, or oppose it, selfe against Antechrist the Pope, thinking that if either these [...]lde, or the [...]ight of the gos­pel did flourish, that Princes & Nations hauing a déep in­sight into their iu [...]ling [...], their religion should faile: they inc [...]nse poore Phillip to set himselfe Ex diametro against the trueth, and to indeuour in what he may, t [...] subuert the estate of true Christianitie, ayming especially at our most gratious Soueraign Ladie Elizabeth, as the chiefe Defendresse and Patronesse in all Europe, of the puritye of the Gospell: giuing counsell with Achitophell against Dauid, agaynst the Lordes annointed, but hée turning their worldye wisdome into foolishnes, ouerthroweth their pollicie and practizes, veryfieng vpon their heades the prouerb. ‘Malum consilium Consultori pessimum.’

These shaulinges, this presumptuous broode of An­techrist, puffed vp not onely with this blind zeale, but with the spirit of pride, which filleth them with aspiring ambition, in so much that they imitating their father the Pope, séeke not to content themselues with ecclesiasticall power, but to entermeddle with kingdomes and states, so that they feare not to bridle the affections of Phillip, as farre as they list to limit, burning his Sonne at their pleasure, and letting him blood to abate his courage, al­most to the perill of his life. Iudge gentle reader, if this becommeth a Subiect, an inferiour, [...]ay a Cleargy man who shoulde be humble, and giue these duties to Caesar, that belong to Caesar, and those honors to God, that bée­long to God: But the Deuill w [...]rking their confusion, by their own imaginations, hardneth thei [...] heartes with Pharao, and maketh them sham [...]lesse with Achitophell, to giue wicked counsel against the trueth: [...] as Pharao was drowned in the ranckour of his thoughts, and Achi­tophell seeing the Lorde had ouerthrown his counsailes, went home and hanged himselfe. So shall confusion [Page] come to all that with Saule kick against the pricke, that rightly it may be said to [...] confused C [...]argie men. ‘Achithophelis consilium, Achithophelis l [...]queum.’

GLOSSA.

NOw Gentle Reader giue leaue, that this crue of popish Madcaps may presume amongst the rest in­to our Masquerado: these are they which saying A [...] Rex Iud [...]orum, yet smote Christ on the face with a réede: these are the Buls of Basan, that fatted vp in the Popes stall, féede them selues against the day of slaughter: thes [...] are the iolly fellowes that once in England liued like Princes in their Abbeies and Frieries, whose bonnettes were valed and their top sailes so low stroken, that no winde would serue them, from sinking into the bottom­lesse gulfe: These be they, who when Christ commaun­deth, that who so l [...]ueth him shall take vp his crosse and follow him, clapping on their backes a basket stuffed with good cheare: [...]ay Quanta patimur pro amore Christi. Whereupon are merily recited these verses.

[Page] Of this generation Iohn Boccace in his Decamero [...] telleth many pretie tales: of their Lecherie, as when [...]air Albe [...] vnder the shape of the Angell Gab [...]iell, lay with Dame Lezet [...]a; of their false Legend, as a Monke prea­ching to the people, hauing founde a verye rich feather of some some [...]range Foule, intended to make his Pa­rishoners beléeue, it was a plume of the Angel Gabri­ell: Certaine good Companions his Familiars noting his knauerie, secretelye [...]ole out off his Casket the fea­ther, and put in coales. Well, Mas Monke come once into his Pulpit, after a long Exordium, t [...]lde to the People what a Relique he had, one of the feathers of the Angell Gabriell, but putting his hand into his cas­ket, and finding nothing but coales, straight founde the knot in the rush, and saide hée had taken the wrong Cas­ket, but yet brought them a Relique, no lesse pretious, which was the coales that Saint Laurence was roasted on: so that making crosses with them vpon their Gar­mentes hée departed with Monkish credite. Manye of these and worse pranks, abhominable to rehearse, haue their owne Countrymen and Papistes penned down a­gainst them, amongst choice one mer [...]ly (I call not his name to remembrance) setteth downe, that a Monke [...]it­ting in his cel, had on the [...]ne side his Leman a fair Nun no man on he other side, his portasse béeing thus sea­ted as in a Dileman, laying one hande on the Nonnes knee, and the other on his Masse booke, hée fetcht a great [...]gh and saide, Quo m [...] vertam, nescio: the Deuill behind, made him answere, Haud refert: vtraque enim ducit ad in­fernum. Whereupon to auoyde the doubte, hée made proofe of both. Another setteth down these verses as a Censure.

[Page] Their religion and their nature thus agréeing, deba­ting amidst their cups and their courtisans of the Spa­nish repulse, full of wine and and delicate cheare they cry out. ‘Quanta patimur pro amor [...] Christi.’

GLOSSA.

WHen Hannibal had geuen the Romanes a repulse before Capua, the Senate hearing the il nowes, resolued in the Senate house to sacrifice vnto Mars, fea­ring hee was displeased with their Armie: which sentence Scipio hearing, starting vp amongst them said: I will no other God but our fortunes, no other vowes but our right, no other Sacrifice but the Sword. I infer this heathenish comparison, both accounting their Saint of Compostel­la with the Pagan Idols, and thinking them far inferior to the courage of Scipio, although none glories more in his Chiualr [...]e then the Spaniard: But I suppose his re­ligion and his stomack to be equally poysed: the one false, the other faint, that what they attempt, is not to bee o­uercome with prowesse, but to suppresse with multi­tudes: for their seruice in warres is either by pollicie, to circumuent by pe [...]iurie, to intise by treason, to vnder­mine, or by some litte martiall practise to weaken the e­nemie, whom if they finde valiantly to [...], their braue once cooled, they seldome or neuer dare giue a fresh In­counter wherupō these the Nobles of Spain danted, choose [Page] rather fearfully to séek out S. Iames of Compostella, then valiantly with Scipio to sweare reuenge with the sword. This custome brookes not an English heart, for our No­bles hauing taken repulse, flie not to S. George, but ma­naging their swordes, crye, God and their right, séeking either with Epaminondas to win their honors with their bloode, or to be caried out with him resolutely on their shieldes: They faint not with Iulian at the frist frown [...] of Seuerus, but valiantly expect with the Argentinin of A­lexander the great, the comming of their [...]oes: not asking how many there be, but where they bée: not attending with Xerxes and his faint-hearted Souldiours, to haue the braue, but valiantly like the Caualiers of Troy, thru­sting amidst the attending Grecians. Diuers instances, as when in the time of Robert the third king of Scottes, Earle Douglas with a mightie and puissant armie entred the Frontiers of England, making ha [...]ocke as farre as Newcastle, sundrye times [...]ickered with our men, and gaue them the foyle: which Henry Percie Earle of Nor­thumberland surnamed Henrie Hot-spurre noting, fu­ming at such bad Fortune, and as it were strooke to the heart with the dishonour of the English, sought not to S. George, or other Pilgrimages (whereof then there were many in England) but offering his praiers vnto GOD, and vowing a couragious resolution on the hiltes of his Sworde, hauing a very small companie in respecte of the Scottes, hée pricketh towardes them, and although he was sharply repulsed at the first and second encoun­ter, yet thinking how swéete it were to die rather then to li [...]e with dishonour, hée gaue a fresh charge, and ouer­threw the Scottes with such a slaughter, that hée tooke Prisoners, the Earles Douglas, Fife, Murrey, and Angus, Thus do our Nobles of England make their pilgrimage, and end their reuenge: which if it be not true, I report [...] me to the Nobles of Spaine themselues, who lately had experience o [...] theyr Courage, that they were faine, for [Page] the vowing of their Pilgrimage to S. Iames to deserue this mocke. ‘Si Petrus dormit Papae, [...] Iacobus vigi­labit vobis?’

GLOSSA.

WHen Iulius Caesar was sent by the Senate Di­ctator against the Gaules, his friende Lepidus asking him whether he now iournyed: In Galliam (quoth hée) quae sit urus ant sepulchrum, aut honorem. This valiant resolution of Caesar was not sound in the Duke of Medi­na Sidonia, for though he was sent by his Prince and So­ueraigne, as Generall of all his Forces, yet hee choose rather to returne with dishonour, then with valiant Cae­sar to séeke a Sepulcher in England: For comming with a mightie Fléete, well prouided with martiall furniture such as might haue amazed the greatest Monarch in the whole world to encounter: comming with as greate a braue towardes England, as Xerxes against Lacedemo­nia: setting vp his S [...]amers as Commaunders that Eolus should hée fauourable to his Nauie. And with him the Admirall Don Ma [...]t [...]nes de Ricaldo, Pedro de Valdes, Martin Bretendona, Gomes de Medina and others, whose Hierogliphicall Simb [...]ls, Emblems, impr [...]sses and de­uises did prognosticate (as they supposed) their trium­phant victorie, and our dishonorable and miserable o­uerthrow, [Page] playing at dice for our Noblemen and knight [...] and deuiding our Land into portions: Medina and Rical­do sytting thus as Princes of the Sea, brauing Neptune in our Straightes: no sooner came alongst our Coaste, and were encountred with our Fléete, filled with Noblemen of invincible courage, but Medina the great Cham­pion of Spaine, tooke the lower end of the ship, Ricaldo his bed, whereas our Lord Admirall, the Lord Charles Haward, stood vpon the vpp [...]r decke, resolutely and vali­antly incouraging his m [...]n to fight for the honour of their Countrie. The Lord Henry Seymer, a noble man or worthy prowesse, standing in the face of the Enemie to p [...]t oile in the flame, & valour in an english heart, taught the Spaniards with Bullet, that the noble men of Eng­land, [...]er [...]d with sparkes of honour, counted life no more but a debt, euery houre due vnto nature. With him the Lord Thomas Haward whose forward resolucion the Spaniards may reporte in Spaine, to their great dishonour. Next these, that woorthy Gentleman, that famous Ca­ualier, the terrour of Spaine, that fortunate Knight, Sir FRANCIS DRAKE, be [...]irred himselfe, as his won­ted maner, not fearfully as Medina, but valiantly stan­ding in the fore roome, deliuered with Cannon his Am­bassage to the Enemie. With him Sir Martin Frobusher, Sir Roger Townesend, and others which I omit, not as men of lesse valour, but for breuities sake. Then let vs note and reioice, how our nobles of England, and worthy Knightes behaued themselues, how God inserting cou­rage in their mindes, fought for vs, and the trueth, and how striking a terrour and cowardize into the Lordes of Spaine, as vnto Senacherib and his hoste, bending their Forces againste Samaria, the Lorde of Medina hasted out off our Seas, and our Fléete helde them long in chase spoyling and praying on their Shippes daily.

Thus the great Generall of Spaine was content to pockett [...] vppe this Dishonour to saue his life, and [Page] therefore must abide [...]he reprochfull taunt that our Eng­lish Pilles hath cast him into a laske, and such a [...]yxe, as hath defiled all his honour: then (for me) let him haue the deserued scoffe. ‘Pillulae Britanic [...] in dissenteriam te coniecerunt.’

GLOSSA.

ALthough Don Martines, for his expert skill in Nauigation, and pollicie in na­uall [...]ght, was elected chiefe Admirall of the Spanish Fléete, yet such his fate, his Fortune▪ or his little courage, that comming to England, as proudly as the Turke came into the gulfe: yet he went away worse dis­honoured then Calig [...]la, that in stead of Battaile, gathe­red Cockles on the westerne shoare.

Six yeare at the least he was greate Commaunder for furniture necessarie for this intended Fléete, which no doubt he stuffed and stored to the full, gathering toge­ther such prouision, as if shoulde with the Giantes, inte [...]d [...] against Mars and Iupiter: Hee had in his Flee [...], of Gallions▪ Hulkes, Pataches, Zabres, Galeas­ [...]s, and Gallies [...]. The receit beeing 57868. Tunnes [...], 19295. Mari [...]ers, 8450. And of great brazen [Page] Péeces, 2630. Prouided thus, as might be supposed, for the conquest either of Asia or Africa, hée bendeth his course aga [...]st England, a little Iland, where as S. Augustine saith, their be people with Angels faces, so the Inhabi­tantes haue the courage and heartes of Lions: which poore D [...]n Martines tried true: For GOD vsing ELI­ZABETH his seruant and her subiectes, as his instru­mentes, to punish the enemies of his trueth, no sooner cam [...] [...] proud Holofernes into our seas, but the Mice crept out off little Betulia, Iudith sitting peaceably in her royall seat, & incountring fiercely with their Foes, taught them that God fought on their side, then not to be daun­ted with multitudes: and Martines fearfull▪ shrunke a­way. But God who holdeth reuenge in his hand, let loose the windes, and threw a storme into the sea, that many of their shippes which escaped our handes, perished on the Rockes: vsing the Sea for reuenge, as he did against Pharao, when he persecuted the children of Israell: So that Don Ricaldo with dishonour passed into Spaine, and our Admirall returned with glorious triumph into Eng­land, bringing home Shippes, Prisoners, and Furni­ture, that our English shoares sounded with Ecchoes of triumph, and euery mouth was filled with the praises of of the Lord Charles Haward, while Ricaldo dismaied at at his misfortune, and his tottered shippes, saith. ‘O Neptune, quantas epulas vna coena deuorasti?’

GLOSSA.

AMongst the Generals of these intended Squadrons, Don Pedro de Valdes was not of the meanest account, nor thought of the least valour, but suposed for his cou­rage and resolution to be a second Hector, in so much as Medina, Ricaldo, and the rest relied much both vpon his pollicie, and prowesse, and he himselfe at his departure from the King, and his loosing from Lisbon, by his braue wordes, his great promises, and martiall threates, was of surpassing great hope amongst the Spaniardes, so that the King of Spaine sent him as Senacherib sent Rabsaketh to de [...]e Ezekiah. And Pedro himselfe resolued by a pre­ [...]xt time, to enter the Land with conquest: in so much that the Romanes neuer conceiued better hope in Hora­tius Cocles, in Torquatus, in Scipio African, nay in Caesar, when he was Dictator, then the Spaniards did in Don Pedro, thinking that no sooner hée woulde haue arriued in the English co [...]st, but he would haue written back, as the Romain Monarch did, Veni, vidi, vici: but if hée or his fellowes had read the Conquestes of England, how diffi­cult they were, either of the Saxons, Danes, or of the Romanes, or lastly by the [...]ormanes, either hée woulde haue prouided a greater Fleete, or a better courage: For béeing imbarqued in a Ship of 1330 tunnes, carryin [...] [...]tie Cannons, after a while he had [...]ragled on our coast, meeting our Fléete, which presently gaue the charge, he was one of the first that was taken, not making anye resistance at all, or shewing any point of honourable re­resolution, [Page] not so much as drawing his sworde in de­fence. Is this the minde of a Nobleman of dubbed Chy­ [...]alry? of a Captaine, to submit in the first extremitie? Doe the Spaniards prize life so high, that they make no estimation of honour? Fortitude is high, and will not be stained in meane daungers: Courage is like the Eagle, that catcheth not at Flies. First D [...]n Pedro was com­maunded by his King to attempt his purpose with death his vowe was to purchase England though with death: His promise at his departure, was to conquere, or to seale the attempt with death, and yet comming in the Skirmish, a few b [...]llets had but bruised his Ship, and spoyled his tacklinges, but sub [...]isse hée yéelded without one stroke, hauing thrée hundred and fourtie men of war, and a hundred and eightéene mar [...]ers: or without one deniall with [...], hauing fiftie Cannons in his ship: He that like a Lion came storming from Spaine, humbly like a lambe crouched to our Admirall in the English sea [...], yéelding himselfe and his, prisoners: Now note the Spanish brauing promises, what cowardly conclusions they infer. Cato V [...]icensis choose rather to murther him­selfe, then to fall into the handes of Caesar his Enemie, nay, Cleopatra a woman, suffered rather death by sting­ing of Aspick [...]s, then shée woulde submitte to her Foe: Honour amongst Souldiours is highlie prized, and to beare the yoake of an Enemie is more bitter to a noble minde then death: Yet liked not Don Pedro of this phi­losophie: hée thinkes, to die is the last déed, and therefore to liue is swéete: but this was not aunswerable to hys Emblemes and Impresses which hee gau [...] in his En­ [...]i [...]nes, Banners and Streamers, [...]or in the one was [...] ­gur [...]d a Sunne and a Moone, the Motto in Spanish, but to this effect [...]eri plemlu [...]um, hodie defectus: Ye [...]erday the Full, but to day the Wane: meaning (as I suppose) tha [...] the fulnesse of Englands pr [...]speritie was at an end, and nowe by his meanes should it fall into the Wane: [Page] on the other side was depainted an Altar with sacrifice [...]uming the Poe [...]e: Sic cupio, sic cogito: Spiritus ab inquie­tudine [...]oactus: I cannot well discourse his meaning in this: but no doubt whatsoeuer he wrote, what he inuen­ted, yea all his deuises, practises, and thoughtes were of the subuersion of England: Wel, those Banners and En­signes which he hoped to haue displaied in England to our great reprooch, were to his déepe dishonour hanged to the ioy of all true English heartes, about the Battlementes and crosse of Paules, and on London bridge: he himself [...] Prisoner, & feeling the burthen of his misfortune, coulde not (though neuer so well vsed in England) but sigh and say. ‘Heu quanta de spe decidi.’

GLOSSA.

IN this Spanish Fleete were many vo­luntary aduenturers, Princes▪ Dukes, Counties, Barons, Knights, Esquires, and gentlemen, yonger brothers▪ [...]o the number of an 124. besides their Ser­uantes, who without request or com­maund, vpon their owne frée will, offered themselues as Consortes in this voyage, mooued firste with a blind [...] zeale of religion, then with desire of honour, especially a­gainst the English, who they hearde were full of Cou­courage: [Page] Thirdly for hope of preferment in this our I­land, after the conquest hoped for of the Spanish. Mooued with these considerations, they came triumphing in this Fléete: finding a cooling card to alay their hot stomackes, they returned hom [...] discouraged, dishonoured, and dis­graced, in so much, tha [...] looking with a déepe insight, into our victorie, and their ouerthrowe: séeing our ships like little P [...]sses, and their huge barkes built like Castles, ouer péering ours: they in their owne consciences confest that God was on our side: saying, that their ouersight in béeing so forwarde was requited as the detestable at­tempt of Briare [...]s the Giant with the hundred handes, and Tiphes who, the Poets faine, did war against the Goddes, and hea [...]ed hill on hill, as Pelion on Oss [...], to climbe vp to the Heauens, whereupon Iupiter with a Thūnderbolte, pashed them all to powder: so they, blin­ded with the vale of ignorance, attempted against the Gospell, the trueth, and the Defendresse of them both, Queene Blizabeth the Lords chosen, and his annointed: and therefore against God: which consideration made them murmure to themselues. ‘Temeritatis nostrae cum Briareo poenas l [...]imus.’

GLOSSA.

THE Indies béeing first sought out by the Portugall, and lately con­quered and possessed by the King of Spaine, yeldeth him al his trea­sure wherewith hee féedeth his Cleargie in their pomp, his No­bilitie in their brauery, and his Souldiours in their pay. In this Conquest of the Indies, did th [...] Spaniard shewe his courage, his faith, his clemencie: his courage, in performing so haughtie & dangerous a Con­quest: for being armed at al p [...]ints with his Curets, his Cor [...]et, Burganet, his, horse, his Pike, his speare, with store of men at armes, and demilance, he inuaded a com­pany of naked Moores without armour or knowledge of vse of weapon, but a few fish bones: his faith, in that these naked men flying into the woods and Mountaines, whe­ther the Spaniard neither could nor durst march, was perswaded vpon his oath by the christian God, to come and yéeld with promise of life and libertie: who no sooner were in his reach, and circuit with his Souldiours, but breaking his o [...]th, as one y ^• sware by none of his friends, he caused his Souldiers to apprehend their Nobility as prisoners: His clemencie in vsing the victory, not as Cae­sar, that gloried in his courtesies vsed to his foes, but like brute beasts, caused the Indians to be hunted with dogs, some to be torne with horses, some to haue their handes cut off, and so many sundry Massaquers as greeueth any [Page] good minde to report. The Spaniard seated thus in the Country, straight sought out the Mines of golde, & cau­sing the remnant of the Moores as slaues to digge in th [...] Mines, sent yearly with a great Fléete, much treasure from thence into Spaine: which being blazed abroade through all the world, the report coming into England, there rose vp a man of [...]igh and hardie resolucion, Sir Francis Drake: who sent by her Maiestie to discouer that Co [...]ntrie, not onlie found it out, but brought home great riches, and the same time as a warriour went, and mal­grado of the Spaniard landed, entred vp into the country néer Carthagene, & Sancto Domingo, putting the Spani­ard to the foyle, & the sword, brought home store of welth and treasure, and getting by his valour such endles fame and glorie, as far surmounteth such momentaine trash: vsing the Moores, conquered with such courtesie, as they thought the English Gods, and the Spaniardes both by rule and conscience halfe Deuils. Sir Francis Drakes happie successe in India, and the late losse of their Soue­raignes Fléete, ioined together, sore danted the mindes of the India generals, that they [...] as men discontented in their heartes: to whome is obiected (as in deri [...]on) the verses that Virgill wrote against Batillus.

Meaning, that as the Bées make heauye themselues, y [...]t not for themselues, but men reape it to their vse, so the Spaniard digged out swéete honye from the golden Mines, and Sir Francis Drake fetched it home to be ta­sted in England reaping his profite out off their labours: so that the India Generals are faine to beare this scoffe. ‘Sic vos non vobis:’

GLOSSA.

CAESAR béeing Dictator for the Romanes, & hauing conquered France, hearing that there was a little Ilande beyonde, full of hardy and couragious people, thirsting after honour, and co­ueting to increase the Romane Monar­chie, hée rigged his Fleete, and cut ouer into England, where he founde such harde landing, that hée was glad to passe away with the repulse: but hée, whose minde was impatient of dishonour: after he had renewed his fléete, made a long oration to incourage them, but they found so hard a breakefast, that hardly they could be induced to giue the second attempt. The Spaniardes béeing but in respect our Neighbours, hearing how not onely we haue defended our owne Realme, but made diuers inuasions with greate victories: as Edward the thirde in France, and Henrie the fift, who forced the King by armes to pro­claime him heire apparant, in so much that Henrie the sixt sate crowned in Paris. The poore Souldiours hauing heard of these and other our resolutions, were discou­raged before they came, and feared to buckle with men so hardy and fortunate although they were both charged by their King, and incouraged by the Pope with a gene­rall pardon a poena & culpa, yet al the perswasions would not serue, for diuers hid themselues, and other by fained excuses sought absence, but at last compelled forwarde, and forced to take shipping, they found here that they [Page] feared: men that durst abide their braue, and returne them blowe for blowe, not the naked Moores, nor the fainting Portugall, but English men that prize honour as déere as their liues: who if they heare but this word Elizabetha, they flie like Lions in the face of the Enemy, nay in the mouth of the Cannon, rather opposing them­selues to ten thousand deathes, then the fortune of her e­nemies should touch her royall Maiestie with any con­trary passion. Féeling thus what they feared, some taken Prisoners, others slaine, a multitude drowned in the sea by Shipwrack, the remnant of poore mercenary men cry cut in bytternesse of minde. ‘Quicquid delirant Reges, plectuntur Achi [...]i.’