A WATCHWORD TO ALL religious, and true hearted Englishmen.  
By Sir Francis Hastings, Knight.  Deuter. 31. vers. 6. 
Pluck up your hearts therefore, and be strong: Dread not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God himself doth go with thee; he will not fail nor forsake thee.  
AT LONDON, Printed by Felix Kingston for Ralph jackson. 1598.   

To the Christian Reader.  
THE raging hearts of Rome and Spain being set on fire, with all force and fury to set upon England; I hold it the part and duty of every true Englishman, to be prepared inwardly with loyalty and courage, and outwardly with all necessary provision and furniture, as his bounden duty is in the one, and his ability & purse will reach in the other. And to this end I have been carried in the true loyalty of my heart to set my thoughts on work, not only how to prepare my particular self in all readiness, to do all services enjoined and commanded to me, and to add anything of myself, that the strength of one poor man can afford: but also how I might incite and provoke others to carry the same mind. To myself I have set down this law, that shall never be repealed, that for the liberty of my conscience, the safety of my dear Sovereign, and the peaceable prosperity of my country, if my wealth were millions, if I could bring thousands of fight hands to the field, and if my life were ten thousand lives; wealth, strength, life and all shall go, to be spent, hazarded, and ended for my God, my Queen, and my Country, against that Antichrist of Rome, the ambitious tyrant of Spain, and all foreign forces, and home-born traitors whatsoever; else should I think myself unworthy to live. To stir up others, I have presumed to give an attempt in these few leaves following: wherein if I have erred in any part of the matter, let my want of experience excuse me: if I have erred in the form, let my ignorance excuse me: and if I have erred both in matter and form, yet let my faults in all be excused; because my zeal to religion, my loyalty to my dear Sovereign, and my love to my native Country, hath enforced me to make this adventure, rather choosing to bewray my simplicity & wants, than that I would defraud my countrymen from being put in mind of matter so needful for them (in my conceit) not only to think of, but to be thoroughly resolved in; that with confidence, boldness, & assurance of the goodness of our cause, we might with heart and hand be priest and ready to take our places, and to march on to the field, when our Sovereign's authority commandeth, and there to set forward with a swift foot against these enemies of God, our Queen Elizabeth, and our Country, whensoever they shall dare to show their faces against us.  
F. H.   

A Watchword to all religious, and true hearted Englishmen.  
IF I should take upon me to enter into the enumeration of all the benefits and blessings, that from the almighty have been powered upon this little Island of England, by, and under the government of our most gracious sovereign Lady, Queen Elizabeth; I might both forgetfully lessen the number too far, and ignorantly pass over many things notable, and worthy to be observed, and remembered. And if I should adventure to aim at the particular injuries her Highness hath received from foreign malice, and home disloyalty; and the particular dangers that have followed her thereby, to the hazard of her safety in person, and the good estate of her whole kingdom; I might guess at very many, and come short of the number; & I might point at very great wrongs and dangers, and yet miss those that be far greater. And therefore for the benefits we have received by her most happy entrance to sit in this regal seat, as the anointed of God, to be the sovereign commander under him, over us his people of England, I will only tie myself to one, as the fountain and wellspring whence all the rest (being an infinite number) do issue and flow. And for the injuries and dangers depending thereupon, to her person and kingdom, I will tie myself to no number, but aim at them as I can; and they shall be such all, as from which also do spring whatsoever hath been offered, or intended against her sacred person, and this peaceable, and flourishing Commonwealth.  
It is not unknown to many yet living, neither can it be altogether hidden from the younger sort that live with them, what a dark misty cloud of ignorance (which brought in Popish idolatry, and all manner of superstition) did overshadow the whole land; whereunto was added, and wherewith was mixed all bloody and savage cruelty against those that desired knowledge, and were any way enlightened (by God's grace) with a glimmering, or small insight into true religion. For though it were but only a desire to read upon the holy book of God, either the old, or new Testament; then Heretic was his title, heresy was his fault; and for this was he called before the Romish Clergy, to receive their censure: and such never departed from their clutches, till they had branded them to the slaughter. But because the Romish synagogue persecuting Christ in his members, may mask under the jewish vail persecuting Christ himself, who thirsting after Christ's blood, yet would seem to spill no blood, crying, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: therefore the civil Magistrate must be their butcher to execute their bloody decree, and to the stake they must go to be consumed with fire. Of this their blood-thirsty humour how many hundreds have tasted, stories do record, and many yet living can in part remember.  
In these dark and cloudy days, lest the Sunshine of knowledge should disperse the mists of ignorance, and give light to the dim of sight, whereby they might be able to discover the juggling and falsehood, which in that time of darkness they used; this position was set down for their Maxim, or rule infallible, that Ignorance is the mother of devotion: And that sacred word of God, which was given from God to be a lantern to all our feet, and a light unto all our steps, was forbidden to the lay sort (for so they called them) as matter unfit for them to look into. By which means they kept them blindfold, admitting them none other guides but themselves, being as stark blind as beetles in all Christian and true religion: and when the blind do lead the blind, both are in hazard to fall into the ditch.  
When they thus had settled this blind course to keep the people from knowledge, and had devised to fill their eyes with dumb shows to gaze upon, and their cares with bare sounds of words, far from their capacity to reach unto, or profitably understand: (much like to Caligula, who bidding many guests, caused to be set before them golden dishes, and golden cups, and bade them eat.)  
Then they offer another position, that it was not for lay men to meddle with matters of religion, that belonged wholly and only (as a privilege) to the Priests; thereby making them secure and careless of God, and all godliness. Only if he came diligently and devoutly to hear Mass, and once a year to confess his sins to his ghostly father (how slenderly so ever his said Confessor were furnished with gifts of the holy Ghost in himself to instruct him) all was safe: and he that so did, was reckoned as religious a man (secundum usum Sacrun) as could be wished. And though he were tainted, and to be taxed with the grossest sins, Rome, by the authority from their Vicar general, had a trick to hale them into the rabble of their saints, and so to canonize him; as we have example of Thomas Becket in Henry the thirds time, whose treasons to his Prince were apparent and manifest: and yet after his death was he canonised a saint by the Pope, and an holy day was commanded for him.  
These two irreligious and profane grounds being laid, they proceed to a third, and set it down for a popish ground, that it was a dangerous and deadly sin for any man to disobey the Pope, and his Clergy, in any of their orders enjoined and commanded. In such reverence and regard must he and all his Clergy be had, that the meanest masspriest (coming with authority from him) must be obeyed, under pain of damnation; though he command that which is blasphemous before God in Christians, or disloyal to men in subjects.  
And having thus made an open passage (without stop) to the mark and matter he aimed at, and so hemmed them in, as they could not see which way to escape danger, but by them that had laid the snare for them; they propound unto them a means of delivery from all dangers, (even when they sinned immediately against God) which is, A pardon from his holiness, and absolution from his holy priests. But if the decrees and ordinances of their Romish synagogues were transgressed, hardly any mercy was to be had.  
Thus have you the blind course they sought to breed us in, by debarring us the clear light of the holy written word of God, and the carelessness they sought to settle in us of all religion, by making it a thing impertinent to us, as though we had no souls to care for; or the narrow way that leadeth to salvation were so easily found out, as we need no light to guide us, or no furniture to arm us with defence against the dangers of our passing. And yet, Search the scriptures, is a watchword to all that desire to be the servants of God: and, Put on the whole armour of God, is a direction to all the true children of God here upon earth: the several parts of which furniture, and to what use all of it must serve us, you shall easily find, if you will take pains to look into and read the place. And further you fee the terror and fear they cast upon us, if we offend the Pope and his Massing priests: and then the end is, our absolution and pardon must come from themselves, which money must purchase: and so the best purse (by their rule) did speed best in their religion. Yet our Saviour Christ telleth us, that It is as easy for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle, as for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. But the fattest purses are fit for the Popish synagogue than the poor in spirit. And yet, Blessed are the poor in spirit (saith the holy Ghost by the Evangelist) for they shall see God. And, Godliness is great riches (saith the Apostle) if a man be content with that he hath. But as it is beyond my reach to decipher and disclose all the gross corruptions of the Romish religion: so it is no part of my meaning to search curiously into them; they are already (through God's favour and goodness) by many learned, more sufficiently handled, discovered and confuted, than I can, and to their learned works I refer you; I only touch those few, that by these you may see the black darkness and gross ignorance we were brought into, by such as sought more their own pomp & enriching, than to set us in the right way to saving health and salvation, of which they sought to bereave us.  
And having given you this taste of those miserable times, and dangerous estate we were brought into by them, I hasten to put you in mind of our most blessed, and happy deliverance out of this spiritual pit, and thraldom of Popery and superstition, whereinto we were deeply plunged: for which we own all dutiful and hearty thanks to our God, as the author; and all reverence, love, and loyalty to our most gracious Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth, as the instrument: whose peril and danger, before she came to that ability to perform this holy work amongst us, I may not pass over. For by God's goodness only and wholly she was preserved, her life being maliciously, and with great cunning shot at by the Romish Clergy, then in place of credit. For Gardiner, that most proud and bloody monster, left no corner of his wit unsought (being wise enough to work mischief) but set all his skill and cunning on work to shorten her days, and to prevent her (by bloody slaughter of her sacred person) from ever being our Queen. And no reach of man can yield me a reason of her deliverance, but the mighty God in power, and most rich God in mercy, did (beyond all expectation of popish malice) deliver her from many dangers, and preserve her, to free us from all the most bitter thraldom of this Romish Pharaoh, & to bring us into the sweet and sincere liberty of Christ's true religion and Gospel: even as he did miraculously preserve Moses (being destined to destruction) to deliver his people of Israel from the miserable taxes and torments they sustained under the egyptiacal Pharaoh.  
Thus you see that these their bloody practices would take no place: but that the God of Israel (who never faileth his) hath brought this his religious handmaiden, our dear Sovereign, to the royal throne of this flourishing kingdom: and, by her happy entrance into this seat of government, hath banished the Popish ordinances and decrees, which held us in slavery of conscience: and in stead of this, hath brought home unto us the clear Sunne-shining light of his glorious Gospel, and restored us into the liberty of conscience long wished for, and often prayed for by all his Saints and children. He hath also established a course of teaching by learned ministers and pastors, by whom the glad tidings of salvation is pronounced and published to his people, her subjects, whereby they may be trained up in all true knowledge and understanding. And surely the most simple now may learn to point out the vanity of that superstitious religion, which was sent, and brought to us from Rome; and may see and feel how sweet the Lord jesus is in the voice of his Gospel: which is a blessing that many have longed for, and have not yet attained unto. For this and all the rest we own our continual thanks unto God, and are bound (every mother's son of us) to pray to him for our Sovereign's life and reign long to continue; and with all hearty willingness to show the loyal love of our hearts to her Majesty, by yielding our lands, goods, and lives, to be sold, spent, and hazarded for her defence. For of how much more precious account the soul is than the body, of so much greater price and estimation ought we to reckon this spiritual deliverance out of this spiritual bondage, brought upon us by popery and superstition, which we have obtained by her majesties most happy entrance, and enjoying this seat of government; in which I pray God she may long sit, to his glory, the quiet & profit of her people, both in spiritual and earthly things, and the everlasting comfort to her own soul and conscience.  
But when this our dear Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth was fully possessed of this her princely place, and had received the royal Diadem and Crown, with the applause and liking of all true hearted Englishmen, both Nobles, Clergy and Commons; (as a due by right belonging unto her) then began Satan to rage, and his ministers to fret and chafe; in so much as even in the first Parliament holden after her most happy coronation, Doctor Story, that bloodsucker, who had bathed his hands in the blood of sundry God's saints, doubted not, without blushing, openly in that most honourable Senate and Council, to bewail that his counsel was not followed; and that they had omitted the right course of stopping us from seeing, and beholding these Halcyon and blessed days; which he said to be, the not striking at the root when time served; meaning, the not bereaving of our dear Sovereign of her life. A bloody speech of a bloody traitor, who would not contain to utter out the poisonful conceived malice of his heart to her Majesty, though it were when his malice could not reach (praised be God) to do her the least harm.  
In this arch-traitor there is offered a most notable observation of God's justice and judgement. For even this Story passing over the seas after this, without touch, and there exercising his lewd wit to invent all slanders against her Majesty, and the whole state; and (boiling in the bloody malice of his heart) did burst out into all practices that he could, whereby to disturb our peace, and to endanger her person; it pleased our God to assign the time when he should enter into an English ship, devoid of all fear to be entrapped, and without all hope in the owner of the ship that he should carry home such a guest. Yet finding (by certain intelligence) whom he possessed, and the wind (by God's providence) being prosperous to take way for England, he hoist up his sails, and tarrieth for no better fraught, arriveth with good speed in England, and presenteth this his merchandise to the honourable Lords, by whom he was committed to the place most fit for him, and shortly after being indicted, arraigned, found guilty, and condemned, he received his judgement at the seat of justice, and was executed accordingly, as he had well deserved, at Tyburn: and so may they all speed that wish to Queen Elizabeth, as he did.  
After this then cometh out the thundering Bull of excommunication against her Majesty, and her whole land, from that impious Pope Pius Quintus, wherein her Majesty is not allowed the title of lawful and rightful Queen, but is termed The pretended Queen of England; and all her subjects are absolved from the oath of obedience which they had taken, and by right is due from them unto her.  
And from this Bull bellowing out these monstrous sounds, as out of another Trojan horse, by which all Troy was betrayed) all the troubles, rebellions, and treasons plotted against her Majesty have proceeded. Hence the Northern Rebels did take their warrants and grounds, though it were before the setting of it up by Felton, at the Bishop of London's gate by Paul's Church, as shall appear plainly. For by this Bull these Rebels thought themselves to have a strong immunity and freedom from all danger, when such a plackard was published from Rome: and therefore doubted not to become traitors to their Prince, betrayers of their Country, and to offer it for a spoil to foreigners and strangers. As though it were in the power of any one mortal child of man to dispose of kingdoms, to depose Princes, or to dispense with subjects for not only disobeying, but rebelling against their lawful Sovereigns. In deed that worthy Doctor Saunders, the Pope's Legate, to comfort the Rebels of Ireland, doubteth not to defend this Bull of excommunication to be just and lawful, in his book entitled, Of the visible Monarchy. And to prove that this Bull was the encourager of our two infortunate Earls, Northumberland and Westmoreland, to take arms against their lawful Sovereign and liege Lady. This Saunders affirmeth that Doctor Morton was sent to solicit such English Noble men as he could, that Elizabeth, who then was in possession of the Crown, was an Heretic, and for that cause to have fallen from all dominion & power, and that she may be had, or reputed of them as an Ethnic, and they are not to be compelled to obey her laws and commandments.  
A noble embasey and message to be sent from a Pope, very fitting for his fatherhood; and this old doting masspriest was a very fit ambassador for his turn, who doted so much upon his Mass and Matins, upon his Dirges & Trentals, and such other trash (whereunto his corrupt heart was inclined) as he did forget how far it was against the law of God, Nature, and Nations, to stir subjects to rebel against their rightful Sovereign: and he was so besotted with his holy Dad, sitting as Peter's successor in his pontisicalibus at Rome, as neither law of God, Nature, nor Nations, could withhold him from satisfying the Pope's holiness, in this his unholy and most devilish direction and errand; far contrary to our Saviour Christ's direction to Peter, whom he commanded to put up his sword into his sheath.  
And if it were reckoned a fault in Peter to strike off the high Priests servants care; how shall it not be a fault in Peter's successor to strike at the head, not of a servant, but of an anointed Prince, only because she will not forsake Christ and obey Antichrist.  
If Doctor Morton had never read so far in God's book; or had lived so long as to forget that he had read; the Lord from heaven commanding this to all men on earth, that every soul should be subject to the higher powers: for there is no power but of God; and every power is ordained of God: yet he could not but remember himself to be an English man borne, and that Queen Elizabeth was the rightful owner, and possessor of the Crown of England, by right of birth, by right of inheritance, and by right of succession: and therefore by the law of Nature, and Nations, there was obedience and loyalty due unto her from him. But he was so bewitched with the Pope's primacy, and supreme authority over kings and kingdoms, as he thought the Pope might depose when he would, and dispose Crowns and kingdoms upon whom he would; as if he had quite forgotten himself to be an English man.  
Whence this privilege over kings and kingdoms should come unto this proud Priest of Rome, I cannot find, unless he fetcheth it from that spirit, that brought our Saviour Christ unto the top of an high mountain, showing him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, and said, All these will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me: having as much authority to dispose of them, as Popes have to depose Princes.  
But you see what was committed and commanded to this doting Doctor Morton by the Pope; and how faithfully Morton performed his faithless errand, to the prejudice of his Prince, and danger of his Country. I wish with all my heart the two Earls had been more wise, than to be misled by so wicked a messenger; and more loyal, than to be miscarried into rebellion by so treasonable a message. Notwithstanding they so embraced the messenger, and so far followed the direction of the message, that they fell into flat rebellion, and marched under the ensign of traitorous subjects: for which the one received his condign punishment, and the other escaped by flying, remaining a fugitive from his Queen and country, and not daring to show his face in his own native soil, for that he had disloyally rebelled against the one, and unnaturally sought the destruction of the other.  
I find some blushing in some of this popish crew. For a Romish discourser, in a book published, and printed against the execution of Justice in England for maintenance of public peace; seemeth to wish that Saunders and Bristol (which both do defend, and maintain the Pope's Bull against Queen Elizabeth to be lawful and just) had spared to speak so much in defence thereof. And yet he doubteth not to affirm that these two learned men, of great zeal and excellency, had their special reasons to do so; which he will neither defend nor reprove.  
He further laboureth to smooth over this fault of theirs, by a kind of retractation in both: the one leaving this out of his book in his second edition; and the other by suppressing to his lives end, A very learned book made in defence of Pius Quintus his sentence against her Majesty. Mark the Epitheton he giveth to it. For he calleth it a very learned book: so as neither his reproof, nor their retracting doth condemn the matter (which is the main point) but some other reasons did move a moderation in them, and all the rest of our nation (to use his own words) which was neither their condemning the seditious Bull, nor their approving of her majesties right to the royal seat she sat in, which the Bull sought to impeach both amongst foreigners and home subjects.  
The ground and cause of the moderation spoken of by this Popish politic discourser, appeareth by the suit made by Campion and Parsons, unto Gregory the 13. then Pope; wherein they desired that this Bull of excommunication might not reach to touch the Catholics for performing obedience to her Majesty, which was granted to them; and the very words of the dispensation are these. Where in the Bull of Pius Quintus all her subjects are commanded not to obey her; and she being excommunicated, and deposed, all that do obey her, are likewise innodate and accursed: (which point is perilous to the Catholics: For if they obey her, they are then in the Pope's curse; and if they disobey, they are in the Queen's danger:) therefore the present Pope, to relieve them, hath altered that part of the Bull, and dispensed with them to obey, and serve her, without peril of excommunication: which dispensation is to endure, but till that it please the Pope otherwise to determine. And these good fathers (so called by this popish discourser) are justified & commended, and thought worthy of great thanks, both of the Queen, and country: and yet you see that even in this dispensation, as well as in the Bull, our Sovereign is continued by this Pope excommunicated, and cursed, as far as the hand of such a cursed creature can reach; and so are all her true hearted subjects. But by this they do discover their gross cunning.  
This discourser would feign persuade that this was done for the Queen's good, both for the safety of her person, and quiet of her country. Notwithstanding reverend father Saunders could, after this, be the Pope's Legate, to incite, and comfort Irish subjects to rebel against her Majesty: where, if the mighty God had not given a courageous heart, and a strong hand to that most virtuous and valiant gentleman, the noble Lord Arthur Grace, than her highness Deputy in that place, Saunders persuasion had made a strong party; and Spaniards had settled too strong a footing for us to recover in haste.  
Further to discover the treacherous hearts of all these confederates, the conspiracy of Babington, Barnewell, Titchborne, and the rest jumping together in one mind, and combining together to perform one bloody action, which was, to lay violent hands upon Gods anointed: whence came it, but from Rome, and Rheims, following the impious rules of Pius Quintus in his cursed Bull? Besides this, who set Parry on work to come hither with an impudent and shameless face, and here to court it; to be one of the high Court of parliament; and to intrude himself into the houses, and to the tables of her majesties chiefest Counsellors; yea very often to her majesties own presence, and too often, & too near, with allowance and liking; having with her highness large discourses, and long conferences, but that fisher of Rome? who fisheth not for men's souls, as Peter did, to win them to God; but after kingdoms, and signories, that they may be tributary to him, and that he may have authority to dispose of them at his pleasure. For from this, Parry came reconciled, and, forsaking his obedience to his rightful Sovereign, became subject to him; and from those parts he came over with this bloody purpose to kill our dread Queen, To assure this, he gave his word to sundry to undertake it; he received the Sacrament to do it; and he confirmed his bloody promise with his hand, in a letter sent to Rome, desiring therein his holiness allowance for the doing of this unholy act, and craving full remission for all his sins: which was performed to him by this holy Vicar's commandment, in a letter sent to him from a Cardinal in Rome, wherein his purpose was said to be honourable, the fact meritorious before God; and kind requitals are promised to him for undertaking the matter, and for his care had in the business.  
Therefore notwithstanding the fine smoothing of this discourser, who would bear the world in hand, that after this Bul published, the peaceable government of our gracious Queen was not by any disturbed; you shall find it most false and untrue. For if I should stand to reckon up all the stirs, that troublesome, and traitorous spirits (as the viper's brood) would have raised in the bowels of their native country, I should overloade you with too many odious and loathsome examples.  
For what moved Francis Throckmorton to enter into a new practice? What was the cause of Charles Pagets' going out of England? of the two unhappy Earls commitment? the one being arraigned, and tried by his Peers, and (being condemned) spared to live by the wonderful mercy of her most mild Majesty: the other preventing his trial, by laying violent & bloody hands upon his own person: was not all this, and much more than this, to depose, or (some way or other) to dispatch our most gracious and lawful Queen? And yet, after the publishing of this Bull of Pius Quintus (saith our discourser) our Catholics (committing nothing against her Majesty, or her laws) remained quiet, and did all acts of homage and honour unto her. But, to prove this his own cleared of them not to be so clear, he saith presently after, that the most part of all sorts of Catholics, both in England and Ireland, have done this; only a very few Nobles of both countries taking arms for their defence: so as to an excuse of all he addeth an accusation of some; and, if the matter of this excuse were liked of by himself, and allowed; he must needs condemn these some, that were so rash headed to take arms against their Queen, and country; and if he allowed these same in thus doing; then his great pains taken to excuse all Catholics to be free from stirring disloyally, was but a Popish flourish of dissimulation.  
He proceedeth to excuse all the priests, and students beyond the seas, and all such as came over, and faith, that all of them since that censure of his holiness (to use his own words) did use all reverence, and respect to her Majesty, uttering in no preaching, speech, or book, no not at the hour of their death, and martyrdom (as he calleth it, though he shall never prove a traitor to be a martyr) nor ever before in any their confessions to the Magistrate, any disloyal word against her Majesty. But for many proofs against this, take one for all, to disprove him; and this one proof being from such a one; as the whole pack of them did highly reverence, and regard, being a Cardinal; and Cardinal Allen it was.  
This English traitor, though he were a Cardinal at Rome, hath sent us from thence many slanderous, and seditious pamphlets. Amongst the rest he undertaketh the defending of that false faithless Gentleman, Sir William Stanley, in his treasonable part played against her Majesty, in delivering up the town of Deventer, contrary to the trust reposed in him; and in that book he blusheth not to set down these words, that, since her excommunication, and deposition by the Pope, she hath no just title, or interest to her crown, and kingdom; and that no act done by her authority since the publishing of that excommunication, and deposition, hath been, or can be lawful by the law of God, or man. And therefore that no man may lawfully serve her in any action, be it otherwise never so just. From which he rusheth into an earnest persuasion to revolt, to withdraw her subjects from her service; and to exhort them to the service of the Romish catholic party, and her enemies.  
Now let Master Discourser tell me, whether this be to utter in no preaching, speech, or book, any disloyal word against her Majesty? And if he will be silent, because he dare not speak the truth, to contrary, and control his former lie; yet let all true hearted Englishmen tell me whether this juggling companion (the discourser I mean) be not an impudent, and shameless dissembling liar, in persuading us by a printed pamphlet, that all Catholics were sorry that Saunders, and Bristol did write in allowance, and defence of the Bull, and wished that such an offensive matter had never been touched, (they are his own words) and that all Catholics, both Priests, students, and others, did contain themselves from all disloyal speeches, or actions; when as Cardinal Allen, their Arch-prelate, (on whose judgement all the English Papists living did rely as resolutely, as the Heathen could possibly upon the Oracles sent from their Gods) durst, like an arch-traitor, thus villainously stuff his book with blasphemous slanders, devilish persuasions, and impudent lies against her Majesty.  
There is no end of this humour in them; their practices are pestilent, their persuasions perilous, and their platforms traitorous; and to serve their turn, they want not cunning to execute all: so violent they are in their villainies, and treasons; and so shameless they are in their falsehood, & dissimulation.  
I have dwelled long in this unsavoury, and unpleasant argument of treacheries and treasons, and in the enumeration of our godless, and unnatural traitors: wherein I have touched many matters, and pointed out many persons: yet could I very easily add many more: but I hold it needless, because the purpose of my labour is only to give a taste to my dear countrymen in this stirring world, wherein Rome, and Spain, and Hell itself; are set on fire against our rightful Queen, and her kingdom; that by this taste they might see the brutish villainies of our bastard countrymen, and might understand what just cause there is for them to detest both the traitors, and treasons. And surely the traitors themselves (if God justly had not blinded them) by many stories, and examples might know, that proditio placet, non proditor, though it light upon foreigners against a nation.  
We read of Mahomet, who intending to besiege Constantinople, a rich, but seditious Citizen, goeth to him, and promiseth to procure the gates to be set open for him, if he would promise to give him his daughter in marriage with a rich dowry. Mahomet agreeing, the other performed his devised treason. And coming after to demand his wages; It is but thy due, saith Mahomet; and so commanded a great mass of treasure to be laid before him: But because thou requirest my daughter (saith he) thou being a Christian, thou must put off thy old skin, that thou mayst be fit to company with a wife of a new, and strange religion to thee; and withal commanded him to be flayed, and hot embers, and salt to be cast upon the raw flesh, and so to be laid in a bed, till a new skin might grow; where he ended his miserable life, with a just and righteous punishment for his treason.  
At home, and amongst ourselves, Earl Edrick, to settle this kingdom in the hands of the Danes, setteth on his son by some traitorous plot, or other, to dispatch king Edmund, surnamed Iron side, out of the way. Which he indeed shortly performed, murdering the king, as he for necessity's sake was sitting in a secret place. The father, with good hope, but ill speed, hasteth to inform Canutus the Dane, of this exploit performed for him. But as was his work; such was his wages. Traitorous was his act; and a shameful death was his end; even by Canutus appointment, abhorring the traitor, though he got the kingdom by his treason. Much more ought we to be incensed with a detestation of our traitors; the treason being against England; & the traitors being borne English. For in such a case what true hearted Englishman can brook either? I will now hasten to those, to whom the treason was, & is pleasant; and that is, the ambitious Spaniard; whose mind is never quiet from aspiring, nor never will be satisfied with less than the possessing of an whole world of kingdoms; whose ambition hath touched upon many dominions, & territories; & where they prevail, and can once set a conquering foot, they govern not in the mildness of a rightful king, but rule with the cruelty of a bloody tyrant. Examples hereof there are many; & sundry printed books amongst us do publish, and discover particulars of it.  
This proud Spaniard was backed with all the aid that possibly Rome and all the Romanists could afford him, and encouraged to go on with great hope of success; and offereth an invasion upon this little Island of England; and strengtheneth himself to this purpose with as great choice of shipping and men, as possibly he could; the ships being huge, great, and strong; the men, both soldiers and mariners, well chosen; the guides, both for land and sea, of great skill; the furniture strong, and good; the munition for powder and shot plentiful; the victual sufficient, and seasonable, and all the provision fit and necessary for such an exploit undertaken. And in this Navy such trust was reposed by Rome, by Spain, and by our home-born traitors, that it was called The invincible navy. Yet they found that it had been good counsel, that Ahab gave to Benhadad, Let not him that girdeth himself with his armour, boast, as he that putteth it off. For when flesh and blood will brag of his greatness, glory in his strength, and vaunt of his victories before hand; there is a God in heaven that watcheth over his chosen; and, when the wicked mean most mischief against his anointed, can disappoint their purposes, and overthrow them in their own turn.  
So fell it out to this ambitious Spaniard, who promising to himself a victorious conquest over England, was conquered himself, without any blow, or not many blows stricken; the Lord of hosts setting the boisterous winds, and surging seas to fight against him; by which many of them were dispersed and drowned: not unlike unto the victory of Theodosius upon the Alps, for whom the story saith, that the great winds were sent from God to sight, and he had a great victory; whereupon Claudeanus writeth these verses: 
O nimium dilect Deo, cui militat aether,  
Et coniurati veniunt ad classica venti.  And so may we say to our Queen in her victory against this boasting proud Spaniard.  
O blessed of God, for whom the sky itself doth fight,  
And boisterous winds against thy foes do band to show their might.  
He is taught hereby what it is to fight against God, though he think never so basely of England's strength, or respect never so little of the ability thereof to encounter and resist him. For was not this his overthrow almost matchable with that, that young Agesilaus gave to the Arcadians? For they made war against the Spartans', when Archidamus was aged, and not able to go into the field, and he did send his son Agesilaus against them, who overthrew the Arcadians with small loss, or none at all; and it was called The teare-les battle. And, with praise to God be it spoken, he had cause (to his sorrow and shame) to think that our mild & maiden Queen wanted not ships, mariners, and soldiers to encounter him; nor yet noble, and valiant conductors; to stop his attempt, and resist his fury; and (I trust) she shall ever be able to man out shipping to master his malice, and to abate his pride; and I rest assured of it, because his, and the Pope's malice to her, is not because she is daughter to King Henry the 8. and sister to Queen Mary; but because she hath banished the Pope, that Antichrist of Rome, and hath yielded herself to the obedience of Christ jesus, in the voice of his Gospel.  
Hence it is, that the Pope rageth, and bestirreth himself with his curses, and sendeth his pupils abroad amongst us, to draw christians from God's truth, to his false religion; and to withdraw subjects from obedience to their lawful Sovereign; a work well beseeming Antichrist, and all his adherents. Against whom the heathen shall rise in judgement, and shall condemn them; who thought it unhonest, and unhonourable, not only to plot, and devise treasons, but even so much as to hearken to any treason offered them, though never so much for their benefit. For in the war between Fabricius the Roman, and Pyrrhus; the physician of Pyrrhus did offer for a sum of money to poison Pyrrhus, that so Fabricius might get the victory: but Fabricius was so far from accepting the offer, as he sent back the traitor to Pyrrhus, and bade him take heed how he entertained such traitors so near him. But the king of Spain deal not so with the Queen our mistress, when her poisonful Portugal physician Lopus would have poisoned her. For, from such hopes he taketh heart, and hath already offered to invade us; and hath been, and is still busied with us in Ireland, and did carry a full purpose this last spring, to try the uttermost of his strength to get footing here, had not her Majesty most providently foreseen in her princely wisdom how fit it was to speak with him at his own home, thereby to divert his forces from his intended invasion upon us, to defend himself; and to that end she sent out a royal navy under the conduct and command of two honourable Generals; who dividing themselves the one to keep the seas, and the other to set foot upon the spaniards sail. He that desired to land, left his honourable companion with the greatest part of the fleet, and himself hasteth with the companies agreed upon, to the shore, and with the extraordinary forwardness of a General, he stayed not the entrance of many before him into the town, but to the encouragement of all, both before him and behind him, he showed little to respect the safety of his own person; and more regarding the honour of his Sovereign, his country, and himself, than his own life, he entered the town with a small number at the first, and would not be daunted or driven back by the fiery fury of Spanish shot, settled in every house to annoy him: but continued his course, till he possessed the Market place, where he proceeded in his most valorous and victorious attempt, to the winning of the town: which done, he joined himself to his most honourable companion again, who no doubt was priest and ready to perform what belonged unto his place, if occasion had been offered. And all England hath just cause to praise God, for this blow of dishonour given to Spain, and for the safe return of both the honourable Generals again: who so speedily by their diligence, so providently by their government, and so forcibly by their courage arrived upon his coast, approached an attempt, and followed it with such magnanimity, as (by the goodness of the Almighty) they had most prosperous success, without any great loss of men, or shipping; & returned safe home, by the assistance of the same God, being as ready to defend us from invasion, as they have showed themselves forward to offend him at his own door. And no doubt this biting blow, lately given him by these two noble Generals, hath no whit abated his anger, but incensed him more: so as we are not to doubt, but that he will no longer stay from offering a revenge upon us, than he can furnish himself strongly to his liking. And herein shall he not want the help of all his popish confederates, both foreign, and at home. For I do not hear that the Pope's holiness is so purged from ambition, or so reconciled to religion, as he meaneth not to continue his claim for the Supremacy: or will cease to settle the dregs of his poison, and superstitious doctrine amongst us. I cannot conceive that the thirst of Parsons, and his pewfellows is yet quenched, from seeking the blood of our dear Sovereign, and (in her) the destruction of us all; the cause remaining still, for which heretofore they have sought it; neither can I be persuaded the Spain's malice to England is yet abated, but that the Queen our mistress, & her kingdom, is accounted with him a pray worth the enjoying. Therefore I doubt nothing of the Popes malicious forwardness to incite it, and to add all the strength he can to it; nor of our English traitors hearty disposition to further it; nor of the Spaniards ambitious desire to take it in hand, and his willingness to do the worst he can. And his worst let him do. For the God of heaven is with us, who is a just defender of all those that have a just cause: and as it was said of Constantius: Et causaque valet, causamque tuentibus armis: So may we say of our Queen: 
Her cause is better that she takes in hand;  
Her force more strong, Spain's malice to withstand.   
For whether we respect the Pope, the fugitive, and home-traytors, or the King of Spain; our cause is most just. With the Pope we stand for God's sacred and sincere truth, against his superstitious and Idolatrous falsehood. With the fugitive and home-traytor, we stand for our Sovereign, and country, against barbarous, unnatural, and most monstrous bloody hearted treasons. With the ambitious King of Spain we stand for our rightful Queen, against an usurping tyrant. And therefore there is no Christian heart so senseless, that will not stand for God, against the Devil; for Christ, against Antichrist; for truth, against falsehood: neither is there any true English heart so void of loyalty to his Sovereign, and love to his country, but that he will stand for both, against practices & plotformes of fugitives, against the fury, and madness of home-traytors; and against the invading humour of a bloody tyrant.  
Now, dear countrymen, you have a taste of the black darkness, that this our native, and natural country was in, when the Popish clergy carried the sway amongst us; and what a blessed change did befall us, when the mighty God from heaven allotted our most dear, and rightful liege Lady, to be his sovereign substitute, to govern over us, his children, and her naturally born subjects of England; by whose happy entrance into this seat of government those dark and cloudy days, dangerous both to soul and body, were turned into a clear sun-shyne of comfort, to all, that had any taste, and savour of the woeful blindness they were held in; or had any fence, or feeling of their countries misery. And lastly you have heard of the manifold dangers, that this our dear sovereign, and supreme governor (under God) was in; both in the time of her sister, Queen Marie; the bloody purposes, and practices against her by the Romish clergy; as also after she was possessed of the royal authority, due to her in this flourishing kingdom, by foreign malice, and home treason; by which the peace of our land hath been disturbed, her precious life mischievously, and many ways short at; and our whole country sought to be runiated, and overrun by invasion from the ambitious tyrant of Spain. And all these devices against her, and us, were plotted at Rome; from whence that man of sin (the Pope I mean) hath incited and encouraged home-born subjects to become rebels, in raising men, and carrying arms against their rightful Queen; and to become bloody traitors in conspiring the death of her, whose life is most precious unto us, and should have been most dear unto them. But our never failing God hath cut the throat of all those platforms, and practices, by disappointing the purposes of all these rebels, and traitors; and preserving the life of our gracious Sovereign Lady, beyond the reach of all policy, and wit of man: for which we can never be sufficiently thankful to this our good God, for that in the contynewing of her life, (which the Lord still long continue) true religion, the lives of us all, and our country's liberty, and tranquillity is preserved, and prolonged.  
This bloody monster of Rome doth not stay here, but having already stirred up Spain to set upon us both in Ireland, and in England, doth still whet them on, by his unholy provocations, to invade; and Spain being enraged at his former ill success when he was here, and the sharp blow now given him, will not disobey his holy father at Rome; nor refuse to give a new attempt upon us, to try whether he can speed better. For Romish malice is not easily abated; and the thirst of a kingdom will hardly be quenched.  
To meet with this proud popish champion, our careful Sovereign, and her provident Council consult daily, and command daily. They consult of the best means to resist him, and defend us; and they command all things necessary to be provided by us, that we may stand strongly for God, for Queen, for country, even for the life, and liberties of ourselves, and all belonging to us. It behoveth us therefore to be careful in our places also, that as her Majesty, & her honourable Council consult, and command for the best; so we should obey, and provide for the best.  
It is said of a learned man, that the felicity of a Commonwealth consisteth in well commanding, and well obeying. For if the commanders do their parts, if obedience fail, their commanding is vain: but if well commanding be answered with dutiful obeying, then is religion safe, the Queen is safe, the Commonwealth is safe, and we are all safe. For Xenophon in his time saith, that, Quae hoc tempore habemus bona, ob nullam aliam causam adepti sumus, quàm ob praestitam obedientiam principi. So sacred and holy a thing is obedience to Princes, before God himself, who commandeth us to obey: nay whom in this point none can disobey, being a true Christian; and so reverend a thing was obedience to such as knew not God, who were drawn thereto by the light of nature, and by experience of their own feeling the sweet thereof. Now herein we have an advantage above them: for we have both knowledge of God, who commandeth us to obey, and him we may not disobey; and we have no less cause to feel the benefit of godly and Christian obedience to our Christian prince, than ever had, or hath any nation of the world: and to show our selves senseless of this, were to resist God's ordinance, to be ingrateful to our dear Queen, and to shake off all care to continue the peace and prosperity of our country; and consequently to neglect our own private good.  
I hold it a sound ground, & not to be controlled, that every Christian ought to strive to keep these three things sound within his breast; his conscience before God, his loyalty to his Prince, and his love to his country. All which three for my part I account so nearly conjoined each to other, as they cannot justly be severed. For in vain do we speak of conscience to God, if we be short in loyalty, and obedience to her Majesty: in vain do we brag of loyalty to her Majesty, if we carry not a love to our country: and in vain do we protest love to our country, if we perform not all love, loyalty, and obedience to our Sovereign, & labour not in some measure to satisfy the duty of a good conscience to our good God.  
Our conscience cannot but tell us, that all obedience is due to the sovereign Magistrate. For we are taught it out of the book of conscience, the holy Scriptures; which teach us that we must submit ourselves to all manner of ordinance of man, for the Lords sake; whether it be unto the King, as unto the superior, etc. Our loyalty should tell us, & teach us, that the safety of her Majesty consisteth in loyal, and true obedience from her subjects: for obedience proceedeth of love; and Amor civium est regi inexpugnabile munimentum, saith Seneca. And our love should tell us, that the Commonwealth is most happy, where obedience is most heartily performed. For, as one saith very notably, Nihil est, quod regnum aliquod reddat potentius, firmins, serenius, aut durabilius, quàm obedientia subditorum. Whosoever therefore hath any conscience before God, any spark of a loyal heart to her Majesty, or the least sound love in his bosom to his country; he cannot but embrace this obedience, every way in himself seek to express it, and with others earnestly labour to persuade it.  
Notwithstanding we have some, and too great a sum of those amongst us, that shake off this obedience, and are so vehemently carried with a preposterous blind zeal to popish Idolatry, that the Romish Antichrist challenging to be Christ's Vicar upon earth, (though it be plain that in stead of Christ his simple and naked truth, he setteth up his unchristian, and carnal forgeries, and untruths) is had in more reverence and regard, by those recusant English-borne subjects, than is our most Christian, and most rightful Queen Elizabeth. For although the commandment be given from God, that we should obey her: yet dare they cover and cloak their disobedience under the colourable name of conscience: whereas it is nothing else, but a vain, and superstitious conceit, wrought in them from Rome, besotting them with a blind love of their dregs, and making them (like to the foolish Israelties) to prefer the leeks and onions of Egypt, before the sweet Manna, wherewith the Lord fed them from heaven. So that in them the old verse is fully verified: 
Quisquis amat ranam, ranam putat esse Dianam.  
The fool that to a frog his fancy ties,  
As fair Diana thinks it in his eyes.   
Now conscience must be grounded upon knowledge; and knowledge to guide the conscience must be fetched out of the sacred and holy word of GOD; the trial whereof they can no more abide, then can the owl the light.  
I note three things in this kind of people, worthy to be known and observed. First, the hurt they continually do: secondly, the hurt they would do: and thirdly, their deep dissimulation. For the first, it would ask a large discourse to discover all the hurts done by them, they are so many and manifold; I will only touch some. My own experience telleth me, that where the gentleman, and man of wealth refuseth to come to the Church, and is in any sort borne withal; there the meaner sort receive infection, and draw back from obedience. For, 
A 'bove maiori discit arare minor.  
Of elder ox the younger steer doth learn.   
If the men come to Church, and their wives refuse (which is a cunning trick much practised of late years) then is that household, both children & servants, in danger wholly to be corrupted. And sure it is, that the wives of the meaner sort are infected greatly by them; and the night crows persuasion prevaileth much; and in mint own knowledge, within these three years, many of the meaner sort are fallen away, and do fall away daily: Impunitatis spes, magna peccandi illecebra.  
Touching the hurt they would do, who doubteth but they would gladly have up their Mass again, and banish the sincere worship of God? Their whole catholic government and religion, I am sure, they long for. And yet, to pronounce these men to carry hollow hearts to Queen Elizabeth, is thought to be an uncharitable sentence. But I pray you tell me, Can God and Mammon; Christ and Boliall; the table of the Lord, and the table of devils agree together? Scripture saith they cannot; and it becometh us to believe it, no more can the Pope's authority, and Queen Elizabeth's stand together: and yet must I believe that these men carry loyal hearts to our Sovereign, though they obey the Pope, and disobey her. For my part I see no reason at all to believe them; and I wish all my countrymen to beware of them, for they are a dangerous breed; and the more dangerous, because many of them show to have a good outward civil carriage in civil matters. But let not that possess you with too great a regard of them: and to deliver you from the danger of such deceitful baits, I must assure you that this is a true position, that, without the true fear of God there can be no true religion; and unless the religion be sound, the face, and show of civil honesty (seem it never so glorious in the eyes of flesh and blood) is but a deceitful viso upon a crabtree face, covering the most vile, and cankered parts of a most deceitful heart; and so I come to their dissimulation.  
These civil honest men, that under pretence of conscience rebel against God in religion, and refuse to yield a loyal obedience to their liege Lady, and Sovereign (as in religion, and policy they ought, in her most just, and christian laws and commandments) seem to carry a most lamentable resolution lurking in their bosoms, against Queen, Country, & us all, when, they will seek the life of their, and our Queen, the thraldom of their, and our country, and the ruin of us all, that profess the gospel, to have their popish priesthood, and massing sacrifice up again; and if this be conscience, I know not what conscience meaneth. And yet this conscience they fetch from Rome; and, by the plain profession of them that are fled the realm, and have, (because they thought themselves out of reach) showed themselves in their colours, we may justly doubt the affection of those, that remain with us; how demurely so ever they will show to behave themselves. For they are of the horseleech kind; and seem to expect when they may glut themselves with the blood of God's saints: without which they cannot have their Dagon up again.  
The Recusants of our age cannot profess, nor make greater show of loyalty, and love to our dread Sovereign: neither can serve her outwardly with greater appearance of faithfulness; nor can protest more deeply by words and oaths, their true and good meaning to her, than did Gardiner, Boner, and Tonstall, to her noble father, and brother; which they did confirm by printed books. For Gardener he wrote his book De vera obedientia, and Boner added his epistle before it; And Tonstall published a flat treatise against the Pope. But when these two noble Princes were called to their last, and everlasting home, and kingdom in heaven, and Queen Marie possessed the government of this kingdom upon earth; then Gardiner did tear off his glorious viso, and showed himself in his right colours, and shape. For he, and his complices nevea rested, till they had brought in the Spaniard, and had matched him in marriage with the Queen; by which they betrayed God, her, and the whole realm.  
This bloody intention by this link thus strengthened, then cometh Gardiner out publicly in pulpit with this sentence, Hora est iam nos ê somno surgere: perverting the sacred scripture most profanely, and blasphemously to his bloody purpose; and what havoc he, and Boner, and the rest made of God's saints, and our dear brethren, and countrymean, stories make mention. Yea further, as before I have set down, this bloody monster Gardiner did put hard at the life of our dear Sovereign, and mistress, by whom (next, and immediately under God) we all live in peace, and safety, both of soul, and body; praised be the almighty for her deliverance, and long may she live, to rule and reign over us, to the wasting of popery to the least dram of that religion (or rather superstition) amongst us; and to the rooting out, and utter ruinating of all treasons, and traitors; and let all, that truly fear God, carry loyal hearts to our dear Queen, & love their country unfeignedly, as faithful christians, loyal subjects, and true hearted Englishmen, say Amen.  
As for the rest, such of them, as are to be converted, I wish them true, and speedy conversion, with all my heart; otherwise, rather than God's true religion should be darkened, her majesties least fingerake by treachery, and treason; or my country sustain the least harm by their unnatural practices, I wish their speedy confusion, and overthrow. For we may well say of them, as Tully said of Catiline the conspirator, in one of his orations, In all, or most of these happy years of her majesties most prosperous, & peaceable government, there hath been no traitorous practice against her person, or our country, but it came always from them, and by them; whom neither shame of their villainies, nor fear of punishment, nor any sound reason out of God's book, or the rule of true christian policy could withhold from pursuing their traitorous purposes, and practices. And to see, or hear, that the royal person of our Sovereign Lady was in danger, was pleasing to them; as contrariwise, the news of her happy escape, was irksome; so that, where there is only the bare sense of a true English heart, these Popish Recusants cannot bewitch, or deceive with their hypocritical holiness, or civil honesty: and so I leave them.  
Now my dear countrymen, to you, whom God hath seasoned with a better spirit of knowledge, and whose hearts he hath taught to honour, and love your rightful Sovereign, and Queen; and whom nature itself hath instructed to hold your native soil and country dear unto you; and to have a sensible feeling of many miseries threatened against yourselves, your wives, & children; pluck up your spirits, and be courageous in the lords quarrel, in the Queen's quarrel, in your country's quarrel, and in your own quarrel; know, and acknowledge this common quarrel of GOD, Queen, and Country, to be your own quarrel in deed. For in this busy bending of devilish wits together to conspire; and this joint-banding of huge, and strong forces to execute; your souls are hunted after, that they may be imprisoned in the dark dungeon of Popish Idolatry (which is the ready way to prepare them for the chains of darkness for ever:) your bodies are hunted after, to be exposed to their savage, and intolerable torments; and here with your wives to be deflowered, your daughters to be ravished, your sons to be made slaves, and all of you to be tied to a lingering tormenting life, or a bloody cruel death; your lands and goods are hunted after; not for ransoms to be accepted for your deliverance out of their civil hands, but for prays, and rewards to the tormenting Soldier, and proud tyrannical Spaniard.  
Let us therefore labour to be instructed daily more and more in the knowledge of God's truth, that our consciences being grounded upon true knowledge, we may be armed against all the subtle sleights of Satan, and his Romish instruments; and with courage, and with boldness stand to God's infallible, and eternal truth to our lives end; that when the time of our dissolution cometh, we may enjoy the crown of eternal glory; propounded to, and prepared for all those that make a blessed entrance into the profession and practice of true religion; continue therein with a christian proceeding; and hold on with perseverance to the end.  
Let us with all willingness strain ourselves to our uttermost abilities, to fight for God, for Queen, for Country, and for our own selves. For, what benefit shall we receive of our wealth, if the ravening Spaniard catch hold on us? And what comfort shall our wealth yield us, though we possess it, if our bodies be in bondage? And what pleasure can we take of our lives, if we see our wives, and daughters ravished, and deflowered, and our sons tied to perpetual slavery.  
For although the ground (in show) of the Spaniards coming to invade us, is his care to obey the Pope's commandment, to reduce this land to his obedience, in taking hold of, and receiving his Romish religion, and government; and our simple Recusants rae so sottish, and so bewitched with the enchantments of Popish superstition, as they believe this to be true; and the rather, because one of our Arch-runnagate traitors, sworn to the Pope's pantable, published a seditious pamphlet, before the last invasion, to persuade it; yet if you will give me leave to call to your remembrance the manner, and meaning of his coming into England, when he came, not as an invader, to conquer; but as a friend, to fasten a strong league of amity by a marriage, I doubt not to discover the treacherous cruelty of his heart.  
For this marriage was sought for, and intended also in show only to strengthen the hand of the Queen of England, to bring in the Romish religion, and government into this land; and to establish it with continuance, with purpose, and meaning to add strength to all the corners of christendom, to continue popery where it was; and to bring it in, where it was not; that so the Arch-prelate of Rome might hold the sceptres, and power of all princes, and potentates of christendom in his hand, to dispose at his pleasure. But the plots, and practices, laid, and pursued by the Spanish King, had made a woeful proof to England of a further mark shot at (which was discovered in a letter to some of our nobles from a true hearted Englishman in Spain) had not God almighty, in his rich mercy, prevented their purposes, and defeated them in their determinations; as it shall appear hereafter, if I first remember to you that it is recorded of the Spaniard, that in dissimulation he surpasseth all nations, till he have attained to his purpose; and when he can once prevail, he goeth beyond them all in oppression, and tyranny; also that he disdaineth all other nations; and that in pride, and carnal voluptuousness no nation cometh near him, and these be his qualities.  
Now to proceed to lay open the right mark, that in deed he shot at, though when he made way to join in marriage with Queen Marie, he made semblance of great conscience to Catholic religion, and great care to bring the whole land into the obedience thereof; and seemed to glory much, when it was brought to pass; as his letter to his holy father at Rome written out of England doth make show: wherein he expresseth what a worthy work he had done, when he had drawn the nobles, and commons of the land to submit themselves to his holiness, as their chief (those are the very words) yet little did the nobles, and commons know what was intended towards them by this Catholic child of Rome. For under this colourable name of Catholic religion, was hidden the ambitious humour of a most proud usurping tyrant; whose resolution was, upon mature deliberation, and consultation with his Machiavellian counsellors, to seek, by all the possible kind means he could, to win the principal of our nobles to affect him, and in their affection to possess him of the crown, and so to establish him in an absolute power over poor England; & to bring this to pass, he decreed to spare neither cost, nor kindness.  
If once he had obtained the crown, and regal power into his clutches, than (as in that letter of discovery is laid open,) The Council table must be filled with his counsellors; The haven towns must be possessed with governors of his appointing; Fortifications must be made by his direction; & Soldiers of his own must be placed in garrison, at places most apt for strength to himself, and annoyance to this poor nation; Then must the common law of this land be altered, by which justice is truly taught to all sorts; the Prince to govern, the people to obey; the nobles to live of their own, with out wronging the inferiors; the inferiors to live under the nobles, with all love, reverence, and duty, the rich to dwell amongst the poor without oppression; the poor to dwell with the rich without disorder; the offenders to be punished without partiality; and the well disposed to be defended, without respect of persons. This the law of the land doth offer unto us, to our comfort; and from this he purposed to make an exchange to his Spanish laws; which being no better than his Spanish Inquisition (as in deed they are not) we could not (out of question) receive great comfort by the exchange. For the Inquisition conventeth without known cause; compelleth to accuse without reason; condemneth without proof; committeth to the torture without colour; and finally never ceaseth till heart blood be sucked out of such, as make their woeful appearance. Which unholy Inquisition he did most savagely settle in most parts of his dominions; and this bloody Inquisition would he not have failed to bring into our land, with all other his laws, and ordinances suitable to the same. Their intolerable taxes also we must have been pestered with; being such (as my author reporteth, who knew them well) as England (thanks be to God) was never yet acquainted with, neither, I trust, ever shallbe. A taste whereof I will give you, as, that for every chimney, and other places to make fire in, as ovens, furnaces, smiths forges, and such others, a french crown was yearly paid to him. He had also polling pence for all manner of corn, bread, beef, mutton, capon, pigs, goose, hens, duck, chicken, butter, cheese, eggs, apples, pears, nuts, beer, wine, and all other things whatsoever the people feedeth upon. Yea no farmer, yeoman, or husbandman durst eat a capon in his house, if his friend came to him. For if he did, it must cost him six shillings eight pence though the capon was not worth twelve pence and so ioties quoties. These be the benefits, and blessings, that this Catholic king sought to bring in hither by this absolute authority sought for.  
My author doth further unfold his treacherous purpose towards this land, by discovering upon his own knowledge, and hearing, this king's intention to be, by little and little to root out the nobility: to keep the commons in beggary, and not to suffer one to live here, that was borne in twenty years before; but either to destroy them, or to make them slaves amongst the Moors. The colour whereof was, because they were borne out of the faith of the Catholic church of Rome: wherein he showed a very conscionable regard of their soul's health, and salvation, by killing them, before he sought to convert them; or by sending them where no instruction was to be had for them.  
And, to make up the full measure of all impiety, the faster to settle his crown upon his head from removing (if he had gotten it) he laid his plot to destroy out dear sovereign Lady, Queen Elizabeth: having decreed with himself, that neither she nor any of that cursed nation (so he termed it, and yet the Pope's holiness had absolved it) should govern England any more. But blessed be God, who hath blessed us with the life, and reign of our blessed Queen; who, (I trust) shall live to give him such a deadly blow, as neither his cursed self, nor any of his cursed nation, (justly so to be called, because the Pope, that cursed man of sin, hath blessed them) shall ever see the day to rule in England.  
Whiles this plot was laid, and the practice was in hand, to set the crown upon the Spaniards head, the Spaniards themselves did, in my authors hearing (as he reporteth) often curse the time, that ever their king married Queen Marie, unless they might get the crown; but if that might be brought to pass (which was meant by making of the marriage) they should then do well enough. Thus you see that under the colour of this marriage, salvation of souls seemed to be sought for; but in deed destruction both of our bodies and souls was pursued: Love to the nobles, and our whole nation, was manifested in show, but in substance, the ruin both of nobles, and nation was intended: Strength was said to be added by this match to our kingdom; but it is apparent they sought to strengthen themselves, by weakening us, and our kingdom. For without regard of sex, age, or degree, all were destined to slavery, and bondage at the least; howsoever they escaped with life. To knit up this; If marriage (the strongest bond of amity to a true religious christian heart) could not draw the least spark of true love from him to this noble Queen, who so lovingly made choice of him to be her husband; nor the honourable acceptation of him by the nobles, could work any sound love in him towards them; nor his coming in terms of love to our country, could yield better fruits, but to seek the ruin, and destruction thereof; what shall our dear sovereign Queen Elizabeth, her nobles, and all her people look for now at his hands, coming in open hostility, with banner displayed, ships manned, sword drawn, ordinance charged, minds fully bend to root out Queen, nobles, and people; and to make this flourishing kingdom a pray to his ambitious bloody desire?  
I look for little soundness from those, that are fugitives of our nation; but I could wish all English home dwellers should be so far from all senseless feeling of their country's misery (wherein their own share is, of what profession so ever they be) as to be not only free from treacherous combining with the enemy; but also forward to stretch forth their hands to resist his force. I would have none of Metius Suffetius his mind amongst us; who being required by Tullus Hostilius, to aid him in his war against his enemies, he promised to come (because he durst not deny him) but he stood a loof off, and beheld the fight, forbearing to join to either party, till he might see what way the victory would go. But Hostilius perceiving his cunning, and falsehood, caused him to be drawn in pieces with wild horses. You may read also in the book of judges, that Meroz was cursed for not helping in the war against Sisera; and Jael, for her forwardness therein was blessed. And surely the curse of the Almighty must needs light upon all such Englishmen, as will either by falsehood betray their Queen, & country, for love to Rome and Spain; or be cold in prayer to God, or faint in courage against the enemy, or pinching in purse, to make all requisite provision for the defence of their Sovereign, and country, against Rome, and Spain. neutrality, in matters concerning christianity; or loyalty, savoureth neither of a true hearted christian, nor subject. And Solon made a law, that in any stir, or tumult, all the Citizens should stand on one side, or other; he would have no neuters amongst them.  
Our Sovereign, and Country hath been assaulted many ways; and they both (through God's great goodness) have escaped many dangers; And surely it behoveth us to know, and understand, that a danger past requireth hearty, and continual thanks to be given to the author thereof; and a peril depending, exacteth both prayer, and providence. It is true, that we all, every mother's child of us, are very slack both in prayer, and thanksgiving. Yet we are more ready to beg of God those things we want, than to give him thanks for that we have already received. Notwithstanding, as Augustine saith, Non est dignus dandis, qui non est gratus de datis. We are easily entreated in sickness to pray for health; in danger to pray for deliverance; and in any adversity to cry for help; but how soon sickness is forgotten, when health is restored; How easily dangers fall out of memory, when deliverance is obtained; How little adversity is thought of, when help is once granted; many examples do prove. It is recorded for our learning, and warning, that ten Lepars were cleansed by our Saviour Christ; but only one came back, to give thanks. Again we read that the Israelites were in miserable bondage under cruel Pharaoh; and whilst the cross was upon them, they cried hard for help, and deliverance; but being released of their misery, and delivered from the intolerable burdens of Egypt; they are so far from being thankful to God, that they fall to murmur against God; and in steed of serving him, that had saved them, they fall to Idolatry, and false worship.  
Let this warn us to beware we be not slack in thankfulness to our God, who hath bestowed so many blessings and benefits upon us, and hath freed us from many perils, by so many strange deliverances. For thankfulness for a benefit received, draweth on a new blessing. And if ever this thankfulness were needful to appear in us, it is now, when, beyond the policy and wit of man, the life of our gracious Queen hath been sundry times preserved; and in her Gods true religion, our own lives, and our country's liberty both in soul and body prolonged. Let us know for truth, that our God hath not bound himself to continue a God of favour, and defence to us, unless we continue thankful to him. Therefore with the holy Prophet David let us say, Benedictus Dominus, qui non dedit nos in captionem dentibus eorum. But is this enough? surely no. For if our thankfulness come from a feeling heart, as it ought, it will not only sound in words, but will also show itself in action; and that in our continual care, and endeavour, both by practice & pains to seek the glory of God, and the good of his Church. The prosperity and welfare thereof aught to be more dear unto us, than our own lives. For no Commonwealth hath promise from God of peace, and tranquillity, but in the flourishing of religion, and true beauty of the Church: and in deed hereupon the salvation of our souls, and the safety of our Queen doth depend: and it is most certain, that if the Queen be in danger, we cannot look to sit safe.  
I find amongst the learned, that sincerity of religion, and love of the people, are two especial props and pillars of the state of a Prince. For sincere religion teacheth to love sound; and sound love quencheth all sparks of disloyalty. Therefore I hold it for certain, that religion, and the Queen's safety cannot be severed. For if religion flourish, the Queen must needs be safe: and, if the Queen be safe, religion must needs flourish: and, as I think them to deal unsoundly, that seek to settle her safety, without care of religion; so must I deem them to deal hypocritically, that speak much of religion, without care of her safety. For he that shall carry a right and sound care for Queen Elizabeth's safety, must first love religion, and fear GOD: according to that, which Constantius the Emperor said, who (grieving at his people's revolt from true religion, upon trial that he made of them) plainly protested, They that will not be true to God, can never be true to man. And therefore such of them as had any office, he putteth them out; such of them as were near about him, he displaced, and freed himself from the danger of such hollow-hearted subjects, and servants.  
Religion then is the true guide to every man's conscience, and holdeth every man's conscience within the compass of true obedience; and this obedience containeth every good subject within the limits of true love and fear: and where these two meet together, they make a sweet harmony in the heart of every true subject. For love nourisheth all care to please, and obey; and such fear expelleth all disposition to offend; and both join together with a feeling consent, to yield continual thanks to the almighty, for delivering our Sovereign from danger, and to pray daily and hourly to his majesty, that he will in mercy protect us still.  
This peril depending, it behoveth us to be provident. For as war is denounced, and threatened from foreign parts; so conspiracies lie and lurk closely at home in our own bosoms. Foris they prepare; intus they conspire, and all to give a deadly blow to the state we live in; and to the person, whom (next under God) we live by. For I say it again, and I cannot say it too often, these preparers abroad, and these conspirers at home, shoot all at one mark: our religion they would alter, & thereby bring our consciences into thraldom: our government they would change, and thereby bring our bodies into slavery: and, to effect these the more easily, the life of our sacred Sovereign they would shorten, and thereby bring all misery and mischief upon us.  
These be high points, and of great consequence. For who would not rather die, than lose the liberty of his conscience? Who would not departed with any thing that he hath, to prevent the bondage of his body? and who would spare the best blood in his body (much less his purse) to redeem all danger from his religious, loving, and lawful Sovereign? I doubt not (dear countrymen) but that you are men of wisdom, and can easily conceive what danger we stand in, by that hath been set down before. You are men of judgement, and therefore can easily consider, what furniture is fit for the strengthening of us, to prevent such a danger (knowing treasure to be the finewes of war) and you are men religious, loving, and loyal; and therefore will not refuse to strain your purses far, rather than the religion of our God, the liberty of our Country, and the person of our Sovereign shall be exposed to the desire of Popish Idolaters, Spanish tyrannies, and bloody traitors.  
It is no time for us now to plead poverty; the cause requireth liberality; and we must be liberal; the life of religion, of Queen, and country, is at the stake. He that is sick of a dangerous disease, looketh not into his ability what he can spare; but looketh into the necessity of his case, what he must spare, to work himself recovery. And in this case he that would spare any cost, all men would hold him a very savage, and unnatural miser. I hope therefore being faithful Christians, loyal subjects, and true hearted Englishmen; the religion, and truth of God, the liberty of our country, and the safety of our Sovereign is of greater price with us, than ten thousand lives; and none of us will make dainty to spend the last drop of blood in our bodies, to ransom any of these; much less therefore will he spare to ransack the bottom of our purses, to add strength to prevent the danger. Peny thirst in this case may bring pound peril: and (to speak plainly) with what comfort can a religious Englishman live; I say, a religious man: for I speak not of the superstitious Papist, the godless Atheist, nor the schismatical Brownist) when he shall lose the liberty of his conscience? with what joy shall a man enjoy his substance, when he is brought into bondage and slavery? and what safety can there be to a right Englishman, when Queen Elizabeth is in danger?  
Seeing then they seek to bring their Popish Idolatry to us again from Rome, we must seek to entertain, and hold fast the religion of Christ jesus sent to us from heaven; and seeing they seek to tie us again in the chains of superstitious Romish bondage, we must seek to hold fast, and increase the liberty we enjoy, in the sincerity of Christ his gospel; seeing Rome, and Romanists seek enviously, and traitorously the ruin, and overthrow of our Queen, and country; we must seek religiously by obedience, and assistance, to uphold, & maintain the right, quiet, and prosperity of both.  
It is not in us, or our power, to effect this; but it becometh us to show our forwardness, and willingness to effect it; our lands, goods, and livings must not be respected, in regard of this; all prayer, all providence, and all endeavour that can be, is little enough to follow, and finish so holy, and heavenly a work; and this is our special comfort, the Lord himself is on our side, for it is his own cause, who is of power sufficiently able to defend us; who in his mercy is forward, and willing to defend us: and if we can call upon him in faith, and will walk before him in fear, and trembling, he will never fail us. For The Lord is nigh unto all those, that call upon him in faith, and verity.  

2. Chro. 15.  The same, that Azariah said unto Asah, and all judah, the same may be said unto our Sovereign, and unto all England; that the Lord is with her, and with us, whilst we be with him; and if we seek him, he will be found of us; and if we forsake him, he will forsake us. Which being uttered by this Prophet to them, they make speed to turn from their evil ways; they haste heartily to call upon the Lord; both king and people turn; both king and people pray; and they all join in offering the sacrifices allowed, and looked for in those times, and make a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers, with all their heart, and with all their soul; and a law is set, that whosoever will not seek the Lord of Israel, shall be slain, whether he were small or great, man or woman; and they take a solemn oath to perform this to the Lord with a loud voice, with shouting, with trumpets, and with cornets: and it is said in the text following, that all judah rejoiced at the oath. For they had sworn to the Lord with all their heart, and sought him with a whole desire. The blessing also that followed this hearkening to the Prophet, (bringing forth so religious an obedience to his words) is set down. For it is said, The Lord was found of them, and gave them rest round about. Here is a blessed watchword word from the Prophet; a blessed obedience both from king & people; a blessed comfort sent from God; & this happy issue followed; namely, the overthrow given by Asah to the Ethiopians, who was set upon by Zerah of Ethiopia with an host of ten hundred thousand, & three hundred chariots (as it is recorded in the former chapter) and it is there said, that Asah did go out before him, and set his battle; and Asah lift up his voice unto the Lord his God, and said, 
1. Chro. 14.11.  O Lord, it is nothing with thee to help with many, or with no power: help us, o Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name are we come against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God, let not man prevail against thee. And the text saith, that The Lord smote the Egyptians before Asah, and before judah, and the Ethiopians fled.  
Here is a lively pattern of our state and cause. Asah destroyeth Idolatry, and banisheth false worship: he is maligned by the Idolatrous Ethiopians, who send out forces against him; he prepareth, and setteth out against them; he putteth his whole and only trust in the Lord; he prayeth unto him; the Lord heareth him; the Lord scattereth his enemies, and giveth him the victory. Is not this the very cause of our liege and Sovereign? who hath banished Popish Idolatry, and hath established the true, and sincere worship of God; and for this is maligned by the Anti-christian Pope, by the ambitious King of Spain, and by all the popish confederates of Christendom. And did not Spain man out a huge Navy by sea upon England, as the Ethiopian did send out an army by land, to set upon judah? They prayed, and we prayed; the Lord heard them, and the Lord heard us: the Ethiopian army the Lord of hosts discomforted, and the Spanish Navy the Lord of hosts did disperse and overthrow. Upon this victory the Prophet Azariah warned Asah, and all Judah; and both king and people harkened and obeyed: and since our victory, the Prophets and preachers of our time have often warned us; and it becometh us to hearken and obey: which if we do, then must we make the like covenant with our God that they did; join in the like oath that they did, and joy when we have done it, as they did. Then shall the same blessing be promised and performed unto us, that was unto them; The Lord will be found of us, and will give us rest round about us. And if the Lord for his own glory, and our trial, give a way to Rome and Spain, to set upon us again (as they brag, and threaten that they will) let us believe with Asah, that the Lord is of power sufficient to overthrow great and huge armies with a small number; and let us pray to him with Asah, that he will stand with us, and for us, in the day of battle; and then, no doubt, neither Spain, Pope, nor Devil shall have power to prevail against us.  
I find it recorded, that King Henry the 8. her majesties most noble father, in the 19 year of his reign, (before the Lord had touched the eyes of his heart, and pulled away the scales that darkened his spiritual sight) showed such zeal to that superstitious religion of Rome, which in the time of his blindness he professed, that upon war threatened, and pursued by the Emperor against Rome, for the sacking thereof, he suffered the Cardinal to enjoin his whole land and kingdom, that solemn Processions, and fasts should be solemnly held (after their blind manner) for the deliverance of Rome from his ruin intended towards it; in so much as this one Article specially is added to their Litany, Sancta Maria, etc. ora pro Clement Papa.  
Verily I could wish that not only commandments, and examples Canonical out of the book of God, (whereof we have plenty) should of conscience move us to such holy exercises in these times, because our sins have provoked the judgement of God; but also that this zeal without knowledge in a false religion, should even for shame incite, and stir us up with servant zeal to seek the glory of our God; and by such godly religious necessary exercises to humble ourselves before the throne of his majesty, to beg either release of these troubles threatened against us, and hastening upon us; or his arm of assistance to defend us from the fury, and deliver us from the danger.  
For if they could be drawn in a superstitious blind zeal, to fall to their superstitious prayers for a priest; I see not how, with a good conscience, we can be slack to fall to religious and hearty prayers to our God, for our Christian religious Prince. If they could be so forward in England to fall to prayers for an Italian stranger; much more ought we in England for our naturally born Sovereign. If they were so ready to pray to God for him, to whom they could not subject themselves, and continue in a true, and holy obedience to their God; much more should we haste to run to power forth our prayers to the Almighty for her, to whom we ought to perform all obedience; unless we will show ourselves to rebel, and wage war against God himself.  
I will enlarge this no further, but leave it to the religious care of such as carry the chief place in our Church, who (I doubt not) will play Azarias part in warning our Asah; and I assure myself, our Asah will hearken to it, and her whole people will follow with willing and most joyful hearts: which God grant, that so this extraordinary attempt threatened, may have such extraordinary exercises of fasting and prayer, as were (with the fruit of a blessed success) used in the year 1588. when the Spaniards last attempted invasion; and those not formal, but zealous; even such as may instruct the conscience, to humble the heart, to acknowledge the sins committed, to meet the Lord by repentance; and then no doubt the Lord will hear us, and our victory will follow.  
God give us repentant hearts for our sins, careful and sincere hearts to our Sovereign, loving hearts to our country, and charitable hearts one towards an other. No doubt then, out religion shall flourish, our Sovereign shall live long, and our country shall ever prosper, maugre the malice, and practices of all Tyrants and Traitors. For this ought we all to pray; and for this all, that truly fear the Lord, and sincerely affect his truth, and gospel, will daily, and heartily pray. But for this the superstitious papist hath no will to pray; and the scorning Atheist knoweth not how to pray. From the malice, and madness of both these, God almighty deliver her Majesty, and this flourishing kingdom; that God, and his truth may be wholly, and only reverenced, and regarded; and such, as oppose themselves against him, either by corrupting his religion, or flatly denying him, and all religion, may either by severity of law be corrected, and reform, or else by christian justice be removed from amongst God's people; that our English soil may not be stained with blasphemous Papists, or profane Atheists.  
Thus having adventured to make this rude collection of a matter most necessary to be understood, and thought of, by all true christian hearted Englishmen; I will knit it up with this earnest request to all my countrymen, that my endeavour may be accepted, because I have undertaken it of love; that my defects may be borne withal, because my heart carrieth a good meaning; and that the truth of the matters herein contained may receive no discredit through my particular rudeness in the collecting; nor the cause itself (requiring a special, and great regard) stand subject to any disgrace by want of good method in me to dispose it. This obtained, I desire no more, but wish the growing of God's truth, and religion amongst us, by mighty increases; the prolonging of our dear Sovereign's days with bodily health; and home quiet, and the preservation of this little Island of England from Popish ignorance, foreign invasion, and home treason.  
God only can work this; and to God only I pray for this; and unto God alone I commend his own cause, which is, religion, the safety of his anointed (by whom, as the mean, Religion standeah with us) and the defence of our Country, which, without religion, and her majesties safety, cannot long prosper.  August. in Serm. 210. de tempore. Non quisquam tibi potest nocere, si damnato scelere divinus in te germinauerit cultus. 
FINIS.