SIR WALTER Rawleighs' GHOST, OR England's Forewarner.  
Discovering a secret Consultation, newly holden in the Court of Spain.  
Together, with his tormenting of Count de Gondomar; and his strange affrightment, Confession and public recantation: laying open many treacheries intended for the subversion of England.  
Cresce, Cruor Sanguis satietur sanguine cresce, Quod spero sitio, vah sitio, sitio.  
PSAL. 14. VER. 7. Destruction and unhapinesse is in their ways: and the way of peace have they not known, there is no fear of God before their eyes.  
VTRICHT, Printed by John Schellem. 1626.   

SIR WALTER Rawleighs' GHOST.  
ALthough the liberty of these times (wherein your Currants, Gazetta's, Pasquil's, and the like, swarm too too abundantly) hath made all news (how serious or substantial soever) liable to the jealous imputation of falsehood, yet this relation I assure you (although in some circumstances it may lean too near the flourish of invention, yet for the pith or marrow thereof, it is as justly allied and knit to truth, as the light is to the day, or night to darkness.  
To hold thee then (Gentle Reader) in no further suspense, be pleased to understand, that some few days after the solemnity of the Purification of the blessed Virgin (according to the Roman and Spanish computation) It pleased the majesty of Spain, Philip the fourth, to retire himself to his delicate house of pleasure, called Casa del Campo, situated near unto the town of Madrid or Madrill, where his standing Court for the most part continually remaineth: And the nearest in attendance unto him (next to the Cound de Olivares) was the Cound de Gondomar, the Archenemie to the flourishing Estate of our England, and the fox whose stench hath not cured the palsy, but rather empoisoned & brought into an apoplexy many Noble and some times well deserving English hearts. Neither was the King for his pleasure retired to this house of Pleasure, but rather through the necessity of some special affairs, the greatest whereof seemed to be gathered from the last attempt of the English upon the Fort & Castle of Punetall & the town of Cadiz or Cales, wherein though the loss was not so great or material as might either make the Assailant or Assailed offer Roses, or Nettles upon the Altar of Fortune; yet the affront seemed to strike a more deep impression in the hearts of the Spaniards, than could be well taken away with scorn (which is the ensign of their pride) or with the hope of future advantage (which only gives life unto their envy and Malice.  
And therefore now at this time & in this place, after many consultations held with the Earl of Gondomar, whom the whole world baptised the butteslave or incendiary of Christendom, the Intelligencer, ambassador & jesuitical Archbishop Leadger (as his practices in our Nation hath well witnessed) touching some notable revenge to be had against the State of Great Britain, being the only jewel on which Spain had long since fixed her heart, to make her universal monarchy every way full and perfect, he is by command from the King (in the person of the Cound Olivares) to make his appearance before the Pope's Nuntio, the Duke of Lerma, the Duke of Cea, the Duke of Infantasgo & the Constable of Castila, who had a special commission signed for that purpose, & to deliver unto them all those secret advantages, which he had either by the experience of time, the continual labour of his brain, the corruption of his bribes, the threatenings & insinuations of his Popish Priests, the petulant flatteries of his papistical English mistresses diving into their husband's Counsels, or by any other direct or indirect means, won unto himself a knowledge or instruction for the alteration or subverssion of that brave & flourishing British monarchy. And in this charge the C. de Olivares according to the state and magnificence of the Spanish reservations, began to make a great flourish of many demure & austere circumstances unto the E. of Gondomar, concerning the greatness of his engagement, the high Trust reposed in his singular knowledge, & the infinite expectations the King and the whole State had fixed upon the wisdom of his proceeding; adding thereunto sundry admonishments or caveats to call into his remembrance, touching many alterations in the State of Great Britain, some defencive, some offensive since his last abode or comercement in the same; And amongst the rest as a thing of most especial note, the Cound began to repeat many relations which Gondomar himself had delivered unto him touching the general, warlikenesse of the British Nation, affirming that he had heard him say, that he had seen the very children and boys in the street, make their sport and play a school of war, and by imitation from elder knowledges to express in child play, the very excellency and perfection of martial discipline, which had summoned in him both matter of passion & admiration, that he had often cried out, What will the English do, every child will be an Hercules and kill a Serpent in his cradle: This, Olivares told him was but a small shadow or little prick to express a much greater substance now in use: for since the death of King James, of everliving and famous memory, the Englishmen, who for the space of twenty two years before, had but as it were dallied and played with arms, rather seeking to affect it for novelty then necessity, were now in one years deliberate and material exercise, become so singular and exquisite, that the Netherlands blushed to see themselves overgone in a moment, & that to be made familiar in an instant at which they had laboured to obtain to in diverse ages.  
Besides Olivares assured him that he had received infallible intelligence out of the Archduches Countries, that a hundred & odd of the best experienced soldiers or firemen (being all English) were sent from the States of the united provinces, into Great Britain, to educate and instruct in martial discipline every several Country and province, in so much that the whole island was nothing now but a nursery of excellent and exquisite soldiers.  
To this Gondomar replied that he had from certain Jesuites in England, received the like intelligence, and with this addition, that those excellent elected men in the Low-countries found their equal Schoole-followes, nay many Tutors and experienced Masters when they came into England, so that indeed their necessity did but convert to superfluity and a little loss, to some that were of much better deserving.  
Yet said Gondomar further, for mine own part though this make much for our terror & amazement; and that we must with Curtius leap wilfully into a gulf of certain ruin ere we can hope of revenge or triumph, yet doth this new military course little move my blood; for though I must confess the Nether-lands to be the only unparaleld school of war in the whole world, yet the only thing it teacheth is form and Fire, entrenchment and Besiegement; but for the use of the Sword, push of the Pike, bringing of Grosses body to body and hand to hand, the exercise of every private strength, and the fortune of Battles; Things which the English must of necessity be exposed unto, Hoc raro aut nunquam; And therefore (my Lord) I tell you, I more quake when I see an old Irish Commander drilling an English Company, who never beheld an enemy but he felt his Sword and knew his Target, then when I see infinits of golden fellows, teaching men only dance to the tune of Posture, or framing chimaeras in their brains, whether the Pike and the bow, or the Pike and Dragoone, or Pike and long pistol be of greater importance: But of these things we shall have a larger time to discourse & think upon, it sufficeth me that I know my royal master's pleasure & your honourable instructions; all which I will study, to satisfy only diverse things are (through other employment, laid as it were aside from my memory, not utterly forgotten, therefore I beseech I may have the respite of some few hours to reckon with my former knowledge, `and so yield up the whole sum of my duty and service.  
To this Olivares seemed exceeding willing, & so the Earl to make choice of his best time, they departed one from the other, Olivares returning to satisfy the King, & Gondomar taking his Litter, went back to Madrill, where what contention grew betwixt him & his old acquainted mischiefs, how every minute he produced new and unnatural Cocks-egges, brooded them from the heat of his malice, hatch them with the devilishness of his policy, and brought forth Serpents able to poison all Europe, is a Discourse monstrous and almost inexpressable; I will therefore omit this mutiny of his troubled thoughts and only pitch upon this one accident, no less strange than memorable; wherein as in a Mirror every eye may behold the weakness of a guilty thought, and how easily frailty is surprised and overcome, when it encounters with these two main enemies of our blood, fear and Amazement.  
It so fell out, that the Morning before the noon on which Gondomar was to appear before the designed Commissioners, partly to refresh his perturbed spirits with the pure air, and to recollect unto himself all those thoughts and circumstances which might make a glorious passage for the huge and monstrous body of mischief where withal he was that day in labour; he caused his attendants to bring him in his Litter to the Prada, near unto the city of Madrill, being a place of recreation and pleasure for the nobility and gallantry of Spain, not much unlike to our new More field walks, near to the city of London, only that this is more private and reserved; for as ours is common to all men of all sorts, so is this Prada only but for the King, the grandees of Spain, the nobility and some Gentlemen of the uppermost or best quality.  
After Gondomar had in this place of recreation taken a turn or two in his Litter, whether he found his ruminations disturbed with the uneasy pace of his Mules, or that he had not elbow room enough in his Litter, to give action and grace to many of those damnable thoughts which in that hour gave him singular contentment, for the Spaniard is not of our dull English quality, to let his words pass from him as neglected strangers or thoughts out of the compass of his dearest familiarity, but rather as dear children or choicest friends, to lend them admiration with his eyes and hands, to adorn them with expectation in the shrug of his shoulders, and with a thousand other mimic gestures, to make a speech that is as trivial and unseasoned as folly itself, to appear as serious as if it were a Delphan Oracle: upon some one or other of these Spanish disgusts, this Fox (our Earl) unkennels himself and makes his servants take him from his Litter, then placing his chair (the true sworn brother, or at least the nearest kinsman that might be to a closse-stoole) under the shadow of certain trees, in a walk more reserved than the rest, he commanded his attendants to withdraw themselves; and he had reason so to do for two principal respects: the first, lest his antic postures, mumps, moes and Munkey-like wry faces might draw laughter or scorn from his vassals, or lastly lest the violence of his study and meditations might make some words fall from him, which he thought too precious for another man's bosom.  
Being obeyed in all his commandments, and seated thus alone by himself, only guarded by his two choice friends Malice and mischief, he had not called up many evil thoughts to appear before him, when on a sudden (according to the weakness of his apprehension) there shined round about him a most glorious and extraordinary light; which might be taken rather for fire or flaming, then shine or glittering: and this appeared so suddenly, spread itself so largely and increased so violently, that terror, fear and amazement at one instant raised upon the heart of the Earl, and with their cold qualities did so stupefy, dull and contract all his spirits, that as if he had seen Medusa's head, the poor Don was become altogether a piece of ice or marble; he had no spirit to remember there were spirits, his cross and blessings, his holy water and his Agnus Dei, his monk's charms, and his Jesuites conjurations were all now turned to quaking and trembling, to staring & stark madness, to gaping and groaning, to want of words through strife for words, and indeed to what not that might show the singularnesse of a perplexed astonishment? his nightcap throws his hat in the dust, and his hair makes his cap fly into the air like a feather; he doth reverence but sees no Saint, would fain utter either salutations or curses, but knows not by what name to call his controller: In the end starting and standing upright, seeming to see what he would not see, or to find out that with curiosity, which he had rather lose with the best care of his spirits; straddling like a colossuses, as if he neither respected present perils, nor feared those which were further off, he looked as if he would look through the pure air, and though it have truly no colour, yet was his search so diligent that he appeared to find out a constant complexion; yet all was but his new fear, which neither the manner of his life (which had ever been desperate, subtle, and reserved) the condition of the times (at that time and in that place free from perplexities and incumberance) the state of his affairs (rather rising then declining) nor his present negotiations strong enough to have encountered with any Goliahs' amazement, was able now to keep constant any one joint about him: I have read that the Duke of Burgundy had like to have died at the sight of the nine Worthies, which a Magician had discovered but: our Don Gondomar is like now to dye at the sight of nothing but air and his own imagination; for he had every symptom of death about him, as a body trembling, a stomach swelling, forehead turned yellow, eyes dead or sinking, a mouth gaping, & what not that could say our Don is now upon the pitch of departing. They say that great Princes should never see the portraiture of fear but upon their enemy's backs; sure I am Gondomar now saw both fear and cowardice upon his own heart. But why should I drive you off with more circumstance? the nakedness of the truth is, that as he gazed thus fearfully about, there appeared or seemed to appear before him the Ghost of Sir Walter Raleigh Knight, a Noble famous Englishman and a renowned soldier: at this apparition the Earl fell down flat to the earth upon his face (for backward he durst not, lest he might give an offence to his surgeon) and yet the posture in which this Noble Gentleman appeared, how ever fearful to the guilt of Gondomars conscience, yet it was amiable and lovely to any pure and honest composition, for he was armed at all pieces, and those pieces of silver, which is the ensign of innocence and harmlessness: In his right hand he brandished his sword, which was an instrument that had been ever fatal to Spanish practices, and had not the edge been taken off by this fox's subtleties, I persuade myself (by this time) it had near made a new conquest of the West Indies; in his left hand be seemed to carry a cup of gold filled with blood, which blood he sprinkled, some upon Gondomar and some upon the ground, uttering in an hollow and unpleasant voice, these or the like words following.  
Cresce Cruor, Sanguis satietur sanguine Cresce, quod Spero Sitio, ah Sitio, Sitio.  
Gondomars attendants who had all this while (a fare off) beheld their Lords actions, seeing him now falling down in this trance, came with all possible speed running unto him, but ere they could offer an hand to his assistance, they might hear him utter words of that strange nature and quality, that their fears bridled their charities, and they were rather willing to let him lie still, bending their attentions to his words, then by a too officious disturbance to break off any part of that discourse which might either make for the bettering of the knowledge of the State, or otherwise be applied to future service, at which these unnatural and abortive accidents ever point, & therefore fixing their eyes and their ears constantly upon him (as he lay grovelling on the earth) they might hear these, or like words much like unto these, proceed from his perplexed and amazed spirit.  
Blessed soul (Noble Sir Walter Raleigh) what have I to do with thy goodness, or wherefore hast thou left the peacefulness of thy rest, to torment and call me to account ere the prefixed and full day of my trial be comed, and that I must stand face to face with thee and a world of others before the greatest tribunal, I can confess mine iniquities, and that I have been to the King my master, as Borgia Caesar was to Pope Alexander the sixth, an instrument willing to take upon me any or all manner of sins how odious or vild soever, so I might but make Spain look fresh, & that those imputations (which otherwise might have drowned her) might be but put into the Catalogue of my services, though defame and curses were heaped upon me, in much greater quantities than Ossa, Pelion or Pindus. I do confess I have been the very Nose of the Spanish State, through which hath been voided all the excrements both of the head and the whole body: I have been a channel or a Common-shoare to the Church of Rome, and what either Pope, Priest, knave or Jesuite could invent, I have not left to put in practice: I knew the odiousness of conspiracies, and how hateful they are both to God and man, yet had I never the power to leave conspiring: I knew both that the Law of God and the law of Honour, tied Princes to detest conspiracies, and had many times read over that notable history of Lewis the eleventh, and could myself repeat the noble and famous praises which all Europe gave him for advertising his arch-enemy the Duke of Burgundy of an attempt against his person: but what hath this wrought in me? certes nothing but more flame and more fuel, so long as my thoughts were busied with the study and remembrance of an universal monarchy.  
I confess I have many times said (how ever I have believed) that those great ones which seek to make away their enemies otherwise then by justice or the event of war, shows mind base and coward, and that their souls are empty of true courage, fearing that which they should scorn: I confess I have admired the goodness of Faritious who delivered into Pyrrhus' hand the slave that should have poisoned him: I have made Tiberius Caesar a demigod, for answering a King of the Celtes which made him an offer to poison Arminius, That Rome did not use to be revenged of her enemies secretly and by deceit, but openly and by arms; but have I pursued this honourable tract: have any of my ghostly fathers the Jesuites, or my masters the Inquisitors given examples for these restrictions? no, their lessons are of a clean contrary nature; they say Flaminius was an honest man when he made Prusias the King of Bithynia violate all the laws of hospitality and virtue, in the murder of Hannibal, but the whole Senate condemned the action for most odious, accused Flaminius of cruelty and covetousness, of vain glory and of ostentation: and questionless had they had any touch or feeling of divinity or christianity they could not have found any other rank for him, than that next unto Judas: these fair paths I have known, but these I have forsaken: and as Flaminius was the cause of Hanibals death out of an ambitious emulation, that he might in the Histories of succeeding times be made notorious and eminent for so soul an action. So I must confess I that have the whole course of my life laboured continually in the deep mine of policy; have not spared any blood (how excellent soever) so I might be remembered in our after Annals, for one of the chief master workmen which went to the building up of the King my masters Universal Monarchy: And in this I must confess, most blessed soul, that thy death, thy untimely (& to the Kingdom of Great Britain) much too early death (which with all violence & with all the conjurations, persuasions & examples that could tie & bind together the hearts and bodies of Princes I did both plot, pursue, effect and consummate) was one of the greatest masters pieces in which I ever triumphed; I have made myself fat with thy downfall: and the blood which issued from thy wound, was Nectar and Ambrosia to my soul; for from thy ending I knew rightwell must proceed Spain's beginning: for never could the Spanish King say as the French King did, jesuis Roy seul, I am King alone of the Indies as long as Raleigh lived, whose knowledge and experience was able to divert, convert and turn topsie turuie all his conquests, all his proceed. I say the tottering ground whereon my King title to the Indies stood, that it was nothing but violence and force, tyranny and usurpation, and that if a stranger or more gentle army should enter, how easy it was to set us besides the cushion; this I knew thou knowest, and what not besides which belongeth to so great an attempt and triumph? I must confess I have called up into my mind the honour, the antiquity and greatness of thy great family, how rich thou wert in blood and friends, the whole West of the English Nation depending on thine alliance: The manner of thine education, which was not part but wholly Gentleman, wholly soldier, the edowments of thy virtues, which was Learning and wisdom; the advancement of those endowments, which was to be the greatest, the best, the most renowned Princess that ever breathed in Europe; and in the greatest time of the greatest actions, the busiest time of the most troubled Estates, the wisest time for the discussion of the most difficult affairs, and the only time that did produce the excellency and perfection of wisdom, war and government, so that nothing could be hid from thy knowledge, neither wouldst thou suffer any thing to be concealed from thine experience, for thou hadst ever a mind actively disposed; and howsoever thy fortune was accompanied with all manner of felicities, things able in themselves to have drawn thy mind from all other objects, and to have settled thee upon this theory, and solitariness is the most excellentest condition belonging unto mankind, in as much as in it he only findeth the true tranquillity of the mind, for nothing is wanting in that quiet habitation; Manna falls there, the ravens bring bread from heaven; if the waters be bitter, there is wood to sweeten them: If the combat of Amalec & Edom be there, the triumphs of Moses & Josua are likewise there, for what cannot a life retired either suffer or care in its contemplation; yet all this thou didst neglect, and both contradict and disprove: thou knewest this life unfit for thy greatness, and thou wert not borne for thyself but thy country, thou knewest the Sea, wherein every great soul should wander: had not haven but the grave, and that as they lived so they ought ever to dye in action. Hence it came, that even in the very flourish and glory of all thy great estate, thou betookest thyself to the Seas, and what thou hast before by thy purse and infinite great charge in the actions of other men won and annexed to the diadem of thy great Mistress, now thou dost in thine own person take a view. and sutuay of the same, applying knowledge to report, and making thine own experience a controller to other men's relations: I dare not (for the honour of my Nation) unfold the woeful perplexity in which Spain stood during this tedious voyage, how she quaked to think of the general view which thou hadst taken without impeachement of all the West Indies; but most of all when she was advertised of thy long and laborious passage upon the river Or anaque, the distinguishments which thou hadst made betwixt it and the river of Amazons; and the intelligences which thou hadst gotten for thine ascent to the great city of Manoa and kingdom of Guyana; defignes which if they had been pursued according to thy willingness and knowledge, we had not at this day acknowledged one foot of earth for ours in all the West Indies: O the miserable estate of Spain if these things had proceeded! she had then, which now threatens all, begged of all; and the Pistolets of gold and pieces of plate wherewith it now corrupts and conquers Nations, had then been turned to Leather or Iron, or some other Spanish stuff more base and contemptible: Was it not now high time to conspire against thee, to dig mine under-mine, to enter into familiarity with malcontents, to seduce some, to bribe others, to flatter all; to preach a thousand most damnable false doctrines, for the subversion of Princes and the destruction of their faithful servants: was it not time for us to make Religion a cloak for our villainy, and underthe lamb's fur to cover the wolves policies? Believe me (blessed shadow) had we either made conscience of sin, or scruples for the maintenance of Honour, we had not subsisted as we do, but had sadly lain like those which now lie captived below us, can Spain ever forget thine attempt upon her own confines and in her most securest places, call up Cadiz to witness, she will show you some of her ashes; call the King's great Armada to account, which was led by his twelve (supposed invincible Apostles) and the most of them must rise from the bottom of the seas, some must desimbogue from your our own harbours: Let Pharaoh in Portugal speak, and she will confess that her Church will yet hardly cover her Idols. When I look upon the lands of the Azores, me thinks I see Fiall burning in the flames which you cast upon her, whilst all the rest bring in the tributs of their best wealths, to save themselves from perishing. Lastly but not lest, for from it I raised the groundwork of thy fatal destruction; I cannot but recount thine action upon the town of St Thoma standing upon the river of Oronoque, how fit it lay as a bait to draw thee into mischief, and how bravely it gave me occasion never to desist till I saw thy ruin; alas, was that despised town to be prised with thy life, with thine experience, with thine ability to direct, or with the least part of thine actions? no, it was not only my malice made it inestimable, and my continual solicitations, mine imprecations, my vows, mine exclamations upon justice, mine instances on the actions of pious and religious Kings, and the dare of too bold and ambitious subjects, was so importune and violent, that but the great forfeiture of thy blood, my fury could find no satisfaction: hence you fell, and that fall was to me more than a double Banquet; for now I thought I saw all things secure about me: Now said I to myself, who shall shake any one stone in our building? who shall give us affright by sea, or show us the terrors of the land? what shall hinder us now to bring home our gold in Caruiles', and our merchandise in Hoys and Flyboats? all is ours, the Ocean is ours, and the Indies are ours: this could we never boast before, yet this was my work, and in this I triumphed.  
At these words the Ghost appeared to show anger, and menacying him with frowns and the shaking of his sword, the poor Don lifting up his arms under his cloak, showed his red badge of the Order of Colotrauta; but finding the cross utterly void of virtue to divert that charm, he began to cry out again in this manner.  
Do not mistake me (blessed soul) in that I have said I triumphed, for I will now with grief and repentance buy from thy mercy my absolution. It is true that then I triumphed, for what is he that takes in hand any labour or work of high consequence, but when he hath finished it to perfection, he sits down and rejoiceth? So I that saw (not a fare off but near at hand) the infinite hindrances, rubs and impediments, which thy knowledge, thy valour, thy command and experience, might bring to any work undertaken by my King, for the advancement or bringing forward of his universal monarchy: and when I pondered with myself, that no Nation under heaven was so able in power, so apt in the nature and disposition of the people, nor so plentiful in all accommodations, both for sea and land, as this island of Great Britain, to oppose or beat back any or all of our undertake, When I saw France busy both at home and abroad, the Lowe-Countries careful to keep their own, not curious to increase their own; when I saw Germany afflicted with civil anger, Denmark troubled to take trouble from his dearest kinsman: the Polender watching of the Turk, and the Turk through former losses, fearful to give any new attempt upon Christendom, and that in all these we had a main and particular interest: when I saw every way smooth for us to pass, and that nothing could keep the Garland from our heads; or the goal from our purchase but only the anger or discontent of this fortunate British island; blame me not then if I fell to practices unlawful, to flatteries deceitful, to bribery most hurtful, and to other enchantments most shameful, by which Imight either win mine own ends, or make my work prosperous in the opinion of my sovereign. I confess I have many times abused the majesty of Great Britain with curious falsehoods, I have protested against my knowledge, and uttered vows and promises which I knew could never be reconciled: I have made delays, sharp spurs to hasten on mine own purposes, & have brought the swiftest designs to so slow a pace, that they have been lost like shadows, and neither known nor regarded: I looked into your commonwealth, and saw that two and twenty year's ease had made her grow idle; I saw the East Indies eat up and devour your Mariners & seamen, & time and old age consume and take away your land captains; and of all, none more material than yourself: Blame me not then if I made thine end my beginning, thy fall the fullness of my perfection, and thy destruction the last work or masterpiece of all my wisdom and policy. This is the freedom of my confession, and but from this sin absolve me, and I will dye thy penitent in sackecloath and ashes.  
At these words the apparition seemed (in the fearful imagination of the poor Don) to be more than exceeding angry, and looked upon him with such terror and amazement, that Gondomar fell (with the affright) into a trance or deadly sound, whilst the Ghost seemed to utter unto him these or these like words following.  
To he whom base flattery, want and covetousness hath guilded with these foolish and unfitting hyperboles, as to call thee, 

The Flower of the West,  
The delight of Spain,  
The life of Wit..  
The light of wisdom. 
Gondemars' false Title or style.   
The Mercury of Eloquence.  
The glory of the gown.  
The phebe●s in Court.  
Nestor in counsel.  
Christian Num●.   and principal ornament of this time.  
Lord Diego Sarmiento de Acuna, Most honourable Earl of Gondomar, governor of Menroyo, and Pennarogo, of the most honourable Order of Cola●●au●a, counsellor of State, one of the King's Treasurers, ambassador for his Catholic majesty to his royal majesty of England, Regent of the town and Castle of Bayon, precedent of the bishopric of Tuid in Galitia, chief Treasurer of the most noble Order of Alcantara, One of the four judges of the sacred privileges, pronotary of the kingdom of Toledo, Leon and Galitia, and principality of Astures, And Lord high Steward of the most Puissant, Philip the four King of all the Spain's and of the Indies.  
Lo thus I salute thee with thy true style and eminent Inscription according to thine absolute Nature, quality and Profession: 

To thee then that art,  
The poisonous weed of Europe.  
The Atlas of Spain's sins and conspiracies.  
The devil's fool.  
The wiseman's bugbear.  
The Mercury of knavish policy. 
Gondemars' true Title or style.   
The disgrace of civility.  
The buffoon in court.  
Ate in counsel.  
Atheist, for the Pope's advantage, and principal Intelligencer between Hell and the Jesuites.    
Don Diego Sarmiento de Acuna; Most dishonourable Earl of Gondomar, Pouller and pillar of Menroyo, and Pennaroyo, of the rich covetous Order of Colatravia, Gazetist of State, one of the consumers of the King's purse, Intelligencer for his Catholic majesty against the royal majesty of England, Spoiler of the town and Castle of Bayon, an ill example to the bishopric of Tuid in Galitia, chief cashkeeper for the Order of Alcantara, One of the four Bribe-takers for the profane privileges, Promoter for the kingdom of Toledo, Leon and Galitia, and principality of Astures, and a continual Broker between the King of Spain and the Pope, and between the Jesuites, the Inquisitors and the devil.  
Hearken to my detection, and though I know thou canst steal and kill, swear and lie, weep and wound, and indeed do any thing that is contrary to Truth and justice; yet in this accusation, shame and thine own putrified conscience shall be witnesses so powerful and undaunted, that thou shalt not be able to refel any one allegation or smallest particle.  
To begin then with mine own end, though I know the day of my death was the greatest festival that ever thy fortune did solemnize, though it brought to Spain a year of jubilee, to thy reputation Absolans pillars, and to every papistical Minister in the world, the praise of his Artes-master; yet poor despised mortal, know, it was not you, but a more divine and inserutable finger which pointed out my destiny to this manner of end & destruction, neither is it fit for the humility of ignorant man to open his eyes, as daring to presume to gaze on the radiant beams of that sovereign power, which disposeth of second causes as he pleaseth: neither do I afflict thee as my particular executioner, but as my country's general enemy: It sufficeth me that the great God who is judge of life & death, hath disposed of my life, & after this early manner, that in it he might express the effects of his justice; therefore trouble not thyself with my death which was thy comfort, but be vexed at thine own life, which is nothing but a continual pilgrimage to Ambition, and an undermining mole to dig down the Church of God, and to bring the gospel of our blessed saviour into eternal captivity. Hast not thou been an untired packhorse, travelling night and day without a bait, and loaden like ad ass, till thy knees have bowed under the burden of strange and unnatural designs, by which to advance thy Master to the universal monarchy of all Europe: This thy fear hath made thee confess, but this thy flattery and falsehood will deny, should not the efficacy of truth make it most apparent and pregnant: Therefore to enter into the first streams from whence Spain hath gathered the great Ocean of its sovereignty, there is no fountain more remarkable than the Battle of Alcazar in Barbary, where the too forward Don Sebastian King of Portugal (whether slain or not slain) engaging himself too unfortunately, gave occasion to Philip the second of Spain, to enter and usurp upon his kinsman's kingdoms, to expel Don Antonio from his right and inheritance, and as it is strongly supposed, to cause the true King himself to dye in the galleys; hence he became King of all the Spain's and Portugal, pulled to himself the sovereignty both of the lands of the Canaries and of the Azores, the one securing his way forth, the other securing his way home from the West Indies, and so made the conquest thereof more safe and undoubded: he took also by the same interest many strong holds & merchantable places in the East Indies, so that sitting now alone in Spain without a competitor, and having treasure from the West Indies wherewith to pay soldiers, and merchandise from the East Indies wherewith to enrich his own subjects, what could he, or what did he contemplate upon but the augmentation of his monarchy: Hence it came that his waare grew violent upon the Low-Countries and under the governments of the Duke of Alva, and Don John Duke of Austria, the tyrannies so insufferable, that all manner of freedoms were converted to slaveries, and the blood of the nobility made only food for the slaughter-house, yea such as were remote and stood farther off from his cruelty, depending upon their own rights and under the covert of their own guards, were not yet safe from Spain's conspiracies, and that witnesseth the death and murder of the famous Prince of Orange, the imprisonment and death of his eldest son, and a world of infamous practices against the life of Count Maurice, the last Prince deceased, and against the safety of Count Henrike the Prince now surviving: what incrochments were daily made upon these distressed provinces, all the Princes of Europe blush to behold, and had not Elizabeth my dread Lady and mistress of famous and blessed memory, taken them to her royal protection, they had long since been swallowed up in the gulf of his tyranny; and none of them now living had known the name of free Princes: and as this work was begun by Philip the second, so it was continued by Philip the third, and is now at this hour as earnestly pursued by Philip the fourth and his sister the Archduchesse, and rather with gaining then losing; so that should England but turn its face a little away from their succour, there would be a great breach made in the hope of their subsisting.  
But you will answer, that if Spain had fixed down its resolution upon an universal Monarchy, they had never then hearkened to a peace with the Nether-Lands: to this thine own conscience is ten thousand witnesses, that the peace which it entertained was nothing else but a politic delay to bring other and imperfect ends and designs, to a more fit and solid purpose, for effecting of his general conquest: for what did this Truce, but divert the eyes of the Nether-lands (which at that time were growing to be infinite great masters of shipping) from taking a survey of his Indies, and brought a security to the transportation of his plate and treasure, and made him settle and reinforce his Garrisons which then were grown weak and overtoyled, besides a world of other advantages, which too plainly discovered themselves as soon as the war was new commenced.  
As he had thus gotten his feet into the Nether-lands, had not Spain in the same manner, and with as much usurpation, thrust his whole body into Italy? let Naples speak, let Sicill, let the lands of Sardinia and Corfica, the dukedom of Milan, the revolt of the Valtoline and a world of other places, some possessed, some lying under the pretence of strange Titles, but come to give up their account, and it will be more than manifest, that no signory in all: Italy but stood upon his guard, and hourly expected when the Spanish storm should fall upon them; how many quarrels hath been piled against the State of Venice, some by the Pope, some by the King of Spain? how many doubts have been thrown upon Tuscanie? what protestations have flown to Genoa, and what threatenings against Geneva? and all to put Italy into conbustion, whilst the Pope's holiness, and his Catholic majesty, like Saturn's sons, sat full gordgd with expectation to divide heaven and earth between them.  
O was it not a brave politic trick of Spain, (neither was thine advice absent from the mischief) when the difference fell between Henry the Great of France and the Duke of Savoye, about the Marquisate of Saluses; the King than your master under pretence of aiding the Duke his brother in Law, sent diverse Regiments of Spaniards which were quartered some in Garbonieres, some in Montemellion, Savillan, Pignoroll and diverse other places about Savoye and Piedmont, but when the Truce was concluded, could the Duke upon any entreaty, potent or message make these Spaniards to quit his country? no, by no means, for they were so fare from leaving ●heir foothold, having received dtuers commandments to keep it, both from the Count de Fuentes (at that time viceroy of Milan) from thee by private letters, and from the King your Master by sundry Commissions; that the chiefs of those troops, peremptorily answered the Duke, that they would hold their get, in despite of all oppositions, and were indeed full as good as their words for a long time, till at last the Duke (enforced thereunto) raised up a strong Army, and in a few days put them all to the sword, I would here repeat the Spanish attempt against the Castle of Nice, being the very key or opener of an entrance into the very bowels of Italy; I could speak of the dangerous quarrel raised between the Duke of Savoye and the Duke of Mantoa, for the Marquisate of Montferrat, and how fatal it was likely to have been to the whole state of Italy, wherein Fuentes and thyself, showed all the art of practice that might be, which, should become the master workman; but these things are so pregnant and apparent that they need little discussion.  
Let me now awaken thy memory with some stir up or practices against the kingdom of France, no less but more pernicious than any of the former; who was the head or chief sovereign (after the the death of Henry the third King of France and Poland) of that most unchristian like combination, entitled the Holy, but truly unholy League, was it not Philip of Spain one of your most Catholic Masters, who made the great and valiant Guise his sword and servant, the old Queen mother his intelligencer and admirer, the Cardinals his Ministers and seducers, and the Pope himself a prodigal child, to bestow and give away whatsoever he required? was not all this Philip of Spain your Catholic Master? How long did he keep Henry the fourth surnamed the Great, from his lawful Throne and inheritance? what cities did he possess? Even the greatest that France could number: what Countries under his command? all that were rich or fruitful: and what nobility had he drawn from their obedience? those that were more powerful and best beloved; in so much, that had not my most excellent Mistress Elizabeth, of blessed and famous Memory, like a strong rock against the rage of a furious sea, taken the quarrel into her hand, and by her royal protection, first under the conduct of the Lord Willoughby, after under the conduct of the Earl of Essex, stayed and supported that reeling Estate, France it is feared, at this hour had only spoken the Spanish language: but God in his great mercy had otherwise disposed of these practices, and though with some difficulties, brought the crown of France to its true owner; a Prince so absolutely excellent in every perfection of true honour and magnimitie, that his parallel hath not been found in all the history of France, and although he had in his very youth and almost childhood prevailed in diverse Battles, as that at Montconter, and at Rene-le-duke; and although he had been assailed in the days of Henry the third, and in the space of four years, by ten royal Armies successively one after another, and sent one to refresh the other, and under the conduct of great and most glorious captains, against all which he prevailed, as witnessed his victory at the Battle of Coutras and other places, though he had given succour to Henry the third, and delivered him from his great danger at Tours, bringing to his obedience Gargeau, Gien, La Charite, Flwiers, Estampes, Deurdan and diverse other places: though he had been generally fortunate in all his great actions, yet after the death of Henry the third, this devilish combination, or Spanish knot of the League is more ominous, fatal and troublesome unto him, than all his former undertake; and he found that although he might have come to the crown of France by succession, which was the easiest way, yet God to try his courage, to exercise the force of his mind, and to make a foolish shadow or Ignis Fatuus of Spain's Ambition, presented the most painful and difficult unto him, which was that of Conquest: he was forced to raise on foot (by the help of our English Nation) three royal Armies, which he dispersed in three provinces; the first, into Normandy, where he was assisted by the Earl of Essex, the second into champagne, and the third into Picardy, where he was seconded by the Lord Willoughby, who brought him triumphantly into the suburbs of Paris, and by the blowing up of a Porte, offered to deliver the whole city to his subjection; the Earl of Essex did as much at Rouen, but the King desired to win France, not to destroy France, yet ere the Earl departed, he chafed rebellion out of the most part of Normandy: the King gave his enemis (the Spanish faction) battle upon the plain of Yury and won it, by which he regained in less than two months fifteen or sixteen great towns, brought Paris to infinite extremity, made the Spaniards wish themselves on the other side of the Pereneans: and indeed such a general amazement to all the unhappy Leaguers, that all stood aghast, as uncertain which way to turn them.  
This when your great Master beheld, and saw that all his hopes were dying in an instant, like a cunning conjurer he seeks to draw fire and lightning from heaven, to consume what his Armies durst not approach or disualewe, whence it came, that he rouses up Gregory the 13. then Pope, who indeed was the Oracle, or rather the creature of Philip your master, and makes him of a common Father between the head of a rebellious and usurping party, casting forth his fulminations with such violence and injustice, that the bulls were taken and burnt both at Tours and at Chalons; neither sent he out these bulls by his ungodly and bloody Ministers the Jesuites, or such like desperate and obscure mal-contents, but with an Army of a thousand cassocks of watchet velvet, embroidered with gold, and cyphers of Keys joined unto swords (whose errand was, to demand the execution of these bulls) now seeing the difficulty wherein affairs stood, upon the view of one hundred horse of the French Kings white Cornet, dare not for all the Pope or the King of Spain's hopes or commandments abandon the very shadow of the walls of Verdun, but like so many Foxes lay lurking in their kennels of security, knowing they had to deal with men, whose swords were so well steeled, that they feared not the lead of Rome, only like so many Furies of hell they seek to break all treaties of peace, and made it an action treasonable and most impious, to talk of an unity between the sovereign and the subject.  
But for all this, great Henry lost no time, for first, he passed into Normandy, secured his friends there, thence he went into Picardy, besieged Noyon and took it, even in the view of the Spanish army, who although they were three to one, yet durst not to hazard the Battle: which advantage the King wisely taking, and turning head upon his enemies, albeit he was advised to the contrary by his chiefest servants, yet his courage bound him rather to follow the path of danger with honour, then that of safety with shame, saying as Pompey said, That in striking his foot against the earth he would raise up Legions: so the Armies met together at Aumale, where though upon the first approach the King was hurt with a shot, yet he had strongth enough to cry Charge, Charge, and breaking through his enemies, he put the Duke of Parma and all his Spaniards to a shameful retreat; as this, so he beat his enemies at Bellencombe, he stripes them at Bure, and made them to quit Tuetot with much shame and loss.  
Thus this royal King's quarrel being just, and maintained by a good sword, the pride of Spain found that if the war contained longer, her Catholic greatness, could have more wood to heat her oven, than corn to send to the Mill.  
'tis purposelesse to speak of the ruin of Quibeuf, the recovery of Espernay, or that brave assault, where eight Horses put three hundred to rout; let it suffice me in one word to conclude, that in despite of all the engines which the Pope or the King of Spain could use, Henry of France became triumphant, and your Masters universal monarchy was turned topsie turuie: nay, the League the Typhon of sedition from whence sprung so many Serpents and Vipers of disloyalty, was smothered under the AEtna of her own presumption and pride.  
But did either Spain or Rome here stay their malice? fie no, but rather Anteus like, they rose up with double vigour, and what public war could not effect, private practice and conspiracy must bring to pass, for ere the Great Henry was well warmed in his Throne, Hell and the Spanish gold stirred up a wretch, who undertook to kill him; the tiger stayed his hand at the shining of a glass, and after his apprehension, confessed that he saw so much piety and zeal shining in the eyes of this Prince, that he felt horror in himself to offend the sovereign dignity ordained of God among Angels and Men. Hence it came that all France beheld and took notice of Spain's Ambition, & that indeed all their labour was but to reduce that flourishing Nation to a private province, which the Parliament of Paris (after it had vomited the phlegm of temporising) taking to heart, made forth a Decree for the dispersing and banishing of all the Spanish Regiments: and now five great Dukes, formerly bewitched with Catholic incantations, fall at the foot of this great King, and confess how they were beguiled.  
The first, was the Duke of Lorraine, which obtained a general Peace for his Estate, through the mediation of Ferdinand the Archduke of Tuscanie; the second was the Duke of Mayenne, who abstained pardon through the wisdom of his carriage, having still a watchful eye, that no general ruin might happen to the kingdom; The third, was the Duke of Guise, the loss of whose father and uncle, made his interest the greatest in this quarrel, yet had he the honour to receive the King's first embraces; The fourth was the Duke of Joyeuse, who as soon as he had kissed the King's hand, forsook the troubles of the world, betook himself to a solitary life; and the last was the Duke Mercure, who brought to the King, not himself alone, but with him the reduction of the goodliest province in all France: To conclude Philip of Spain your Master, seeing upon what false wheels his engines ran, was content to entreat for peace of this great Cheiftaine.  
But did here conspiracies and Spanish plots end? no, nothing so: for to come nearer to your own touch, and to repeat matters of thine own prosecution, Is it not an history most remarkable, and to Spain most infamous, of that desperate villain borne at negrepelisse, who going into Spain upon some discontents conceived against this great Henry of France, and as it was strongly supposed, having taken some directions from you, but full and material instructions from the devil's post horses your masters the Jesuites, did with all violence prostitute himself to murder this most Christian King; but the matter being so important, and carried through so many several hands, had lost so much strength of secrecy, that an inkling thereof came to the ears of the Barrant, then ordinary ambassador in Spain for the King of France, who instantly out of duty, and the hatred which every true Christian ought to bear against these odious and most atheistical practices, complained to the Pope's Nuntio, hoping of redress, both against the villain himself, yourself and the Jesuites, who are both villains and yourself; but the matter was fully blanched, and your impious ear (that had listened to this abominable sin) was excused, and the whole offence of subornation was laid upon a creature of yours; but one of the King of Spain's Esquiers, named by the place of his birth Valdomoro, who upon examination (having his lesson fore taught him, confessed all the passages to the Duke of Lerma, and that not only this slave, but diverse others had tendered themselves to the like service, yet this with the greatest violence, assuring him that he knew the means how to kill the King; which proposition, upon some conference with a Jesuite (who never take distaste at such a practice) he had accepted of, but yet with that caution and delay that nothing proceeded therein, neither was likely to proceed, and so all things were shut up without any further discovery, only that the Barraut advertised the King his Master thereof: but was this honourable or pious in Spain? no, the praise had been more perfect, and the merit more plain and evident for the Spaniards, if they had punished the traitor, made thyself Valdomoro, and the Jesuite examples, not to listen or give ear to such odious conspiracies, and by a careful advertisement to the King, made others dread the entering into so odious a business, for it is true in all the laws of hospitality, that this slave ought not to have come out of Spain unchastised, for all Kings are brothers, and all kingdoms interessed in these attempts. But the designs of Spain looked now an other way, and the traitor had leave to escape, who returning afterwards into France, was by the Verdun first precedent of Languedoc, apprehended at Tholouse and there executed, and his companion condemned to the galleys. O how fare was this action short, of that royal and Princely act of the famous late Queen Elizabeth! who having received intelligence of some Spanish mischiefs pretended against this great King, forthwith gave him intelligence, that a strange Gentleman, who was one of his followers, had no good meaning towards his person, and related unto him every circumstance as she had received it; but such was the bounty of this great King, that allbe reason would that he should have been apprehended, yet the King never discovered unto him a frown, but he still remained in the Court well entertained, was mounted out of the King's stable, and honoured with many of his trusty commandments, till in the end tortured with his own conscience, he stole away from the Court, & durst no longer abuse so royal a bounty; that this was a favourite of Spain yourself cannot deny, that he fled from France into Spain, your one cabinet is a witness, and that you did preserve him for the like exploits in others places: the mark on his face, the colour of his beard, and his clothes cut after the Walloone fashion were too apparent testimonies.  
I might here recount this great King's death by Raviliac, from whose blood, neither thyself nor Spain can wash themselves, though all the rivers in the world were exhausted and thrust into one entire Bath, and so spent upon your particular cleansings; but these truths are so fresh in memory, they need neither repeating, nor amplification.  
I could to these add a world of others, as the attempts upon the life and safety of the late Queen Elizabeth of famous memory, and the making of all those inhuman creatures pensioners of Spain, who had either by rebellion or other treasonable practice, attempted any thing for her untimely and sad destruction.  
Was our late dread sovereign, King James of blessed and happy memory, that Solomon of his time, a Prince so indulgent and careful for every good thing that might happen to Spain, a man so tender and vigilant for her reputation, that he ever placed it in the next rank to his own honour? was he I say? was this good King free from the bloody practices of Spain? no, to the eternal infamy of ingrateful and bloody Spain; I may ever proclaim it that he was more deeply plunged and his like, more bitterly besieged and assaulted, than any whatsoever before rehearsed: and to this I call up the plot of all plots, that devil of many legions of devils, the gunpowder conspiracy, that which should have destroyed all, not a single Prince or a single man, but many Princes, many men's whole generations; here was cruel Spain and here indeed (had not God prevented) was a strong foundation for an universal monarchy; and that Spain may not in this, plead not guilty: let her discover to the world what occurrents they were which drew Thomas ●inter into her confines, what negotiation was ●hat which he held with de Laxis, whence came his instructions and letters commendatory into ●he Archduchesse country? where did Guy Faucks ●eceiue his breeding? who gave information of ●is knowledge in myning? and who preferred ●nd advanced him to this piece of most damnable service? Questionless let truth answer to any of these positions, and the speech it must utter, will be Spanish language; who in all this Nation was so intimate with you as the Archpriest Garnet? or who like him found at your hands equal protection? he confessed and absolved the traitors, and thou didst absolve and confess him, and thereby didst get unto thyself from thine own Tribe, the nicke-name of Archbishop ambassador.  
Thus I have brought Spain's attempts for an universal monarchy, from Portugal to the Netherlands, thence through Italy, so into France; England, was looked upon by the way, in the year 1588. but she was not so drowfie as others: there is now but Germany betwixt him and the end of his Ambition, but is that free and untouched? woe to speak it, that of all is the worst and most horrid: O the lamentable estate, of those once most happy Princes! how hath the house of Austria drowned them in blood? and by the work of civil dissension, made them in their furies to devour one another. Is there any thing in this age more lamentable or remarkable, than the loss of the Palatinate? or is there any thing in which thy villainy can so much triumph as in that politic defeature? why, the lies which thou didst utter to abuse the majesty of England, and to breed delays till thy master's designs were effected, were so curious and so cunning, so apt to catch, and so strong in the holding, that the devil (who was formerly the author of lies) hath now from thee taken new precedents for lying. I would here speak of thy archduchesses' dissimulation, but she is a great Lady, and their errors at the worst are weak virtues.  
Therefore to thee that hast lent both fuel and flame to all the mischiefs of Europe, and that art now big in labour with new troubles and vexations, arise and collect thy spirits, become once honest and religious, let thy services depend upon good and necessary affairs, and not upon malicious and bloody practices: for behold, I thy Tormentor will never be absent from thine elbow, and whatsoever thou shalt contrive or plot for the hurt of Great Britain, I with the help of the holy Angels will return upon thine own bosom and the bosom of thy country, for the good of heaven and earth, who is the Protector of the Innocent; hath made royal King CHARLES and his Throne precious in his sight, therefore if thou desirest to live and see good days, touch not his anointed and do his Prophets no hurt.  
At these words, the glorious aparition (waving his sword about) vanished out of his sight, and the poor Don as if awakened from a deadly or mortal sleep rose up, looking about with such ghastly amazedness as affrighted all that beheld him. In the end espying his own servants, with tears in his eyes, terror in his heart, and a general trembling over all his body, he went into his Litter, and returned home, where how he refreshed himself, how he appeared before the designed Commissioners, and how he answered the expectation both of them and the King his Master, shall be declared upon the next return of the woman post which passeth betwixt the English and the Spanish jesutis.  
FINIS.