THE DISCOVERY OF A GAPING GULF WHEREINTO ENGLAND IS LIKE TO BE SWALLOwed by an other French marriage, if the Lord forbidden not the banes, by letting her Majesty see the sin and punishment thereof.  Save Lord, let the King here us in the day that we call Psal. 20. verse. 9 
Mense Augusti.  
Anno. 1579.   

IN all delibrations of most private actions, the very heathen are wont, first to consider honesty, and then profit. Some of them also many times, not without some blind regard to a certain divine nature which they worshipped before the altar of the unknown God. O the strange Christianity of some men in our age, who in their state consultations have not so much respect to Piety as those first men had to honesty, nor so much regard to honesty, as they had to profit: & are therefore justly given up of the Lord our God to seek profit where in deed it is not, and deceived by their lusts to embrace a showing & false Good in stead of that which is the good End of a wise man. Yea, who neglecting the holy and sure wisdom of God in his word, wherein are the only honourable instructions for polytyques, and honestest rules of govering our houses and own person, do beat their brains in other books of wicked vile Atheists and set before them the example of Turkish and Italian practices, whereby the Lord many times thrusts their hands into the nest of wasps and hornets while they seek the honey of the sweet be.  
This sickness of mind have the french drawn from those Easteern parts of the world, as they did that other horrible disease of the body: and having already too far Westward, communicated the one contagion, do now seek notably to infect our minds with the other. And because this infection spreeds itself after an other manner from the first, they have sent us hither not Satan in body of a serpent, but the old serpent in shape of a man, whos sting is in his mouth, and who doth his endeavour to seduce our Eve, that she and we may loose this English Paradise. Who because she is also our Adam & sovereign Lord or lordly Lady of this Land, it is so much the more dangerous & therefore he so much the more busily bestirs him.  
Now although the truth be that upon further ripping up of this serpentine attempt, we shall found the Church notably under mined by the Pope: the very foundations of our common weall dangerously digged at by the french: & our dear Queen Elizabeth (I shake to speak) led blindfold as a poor Lamb to the slaughter: yet should not my fear be so great, knowing her majesties wisdom sufficient to teach her, in such a matter as this, neither to trow a French man nor once here speak a daily hearer of mass (for she may know him by his hissing and lisping) but that some English mouths professing Christ are also persuaders of the same. And though this ship fraught with England's bane, were already undercrossed sail with the freshest gale of wind in her stern that can blow in the sky for our best port: yet had we counter puffs and counterbuffs enough to keep him aloof and to sand him back again into the deeps, if he had none but only french mariners and only french tackle. But alas this ship of unhappy load hath among us & of ourselves (I would, not in Prince's Court) those who with all their might and main help to hale it in: and, as though the blustering winds of our enemy's malice and the broad sails of our sins were not sufficient to give it a speedy passage hither, our own men walk on this shore and lay to their shoulders with fastened lines and cables to draw it in. This is our mischief, this is the swallowing Gulf of our bottomless destruction: else might we think ourselves impregnable. It is not the feeble assault of this carpet squire that would make us come to the walls or once shut the gates against him.  
Therefore albeit I wot well you understand already in general, what is that great calamity thus imminent over our heads whereof I speak: and albeit the bore consideration of some few apparent circumstances of this strange sought marriage by France with England, do sufficiently move and affect every Christian heart, in respect of the hurt to the Church of Christ: every English heart, in respect of the detriment to England: and every honest affectionate heart of any her majesties loving true servant in regard of the great danger thereby coming to her royal Person: yet to th'end our minds may be the more earnestly stirred up, by more particularly weighing the evils of this matter, we will enter into the parts of this practice and gauge the very belly of this great horse of hidden mischiefs & falsehood meant to us. And according as those not half taught Christians and half hearted Englishmen which persuade and solicit this french marriage, have in their mouths nothing but the church and common weal, pretending hereby either against their own conscience or of some other humour that blindeth them, to bring great advancement to religion and advantage to the state, with many smooth words of I wots what, assurance to her majesties person: I will likewise draw all my reasons to those chief heads of Religion, and the Policy, showing & proving, I hope, that this is a counsel against the Church of Christ, an endeavour of no well advised Englishman, as well in regard of the common state, as of her majesties good estate. to every of which it is pernicious and capital. In the end I will answer such of their adverse or perverse reasons as shall be left undisproved in this my proof.  
And first if a man would here bring in the Church to speak 
The church.  for herself, standing upon the doctrine of her Prophets and Christ the Lord, leaning upon the pillar of truth, whose crown and garland is to suffer rather than to use any vain help of man against God's law: mild though she be without all gale in her heart, and have no words in her honey sweet mouth but of a most loving mother: yet would she with sharp reproof take up these goodly procurers of her wealth as very practisers of her woe, she would call them to accounted why they take her holy name in their mouths, and she would scarce repute them for her children who will needs forsooth be her fathers. for (to reason with these Politics in their own profession) can they think any counsel wholesome to the state or becoming good counsellors, which can not be once deliberated of, much less put in execution, without both despising of the Prince and contemptuous breach of the country laws? they must needs say no, if they have any sincerity or plain dealing left. at lest they will say nay for fear. And think they that any their vainglorious devise can prove to the life or health of the church, which is offered her with shameful dishonour to her spouse, with the separating her from her Lord God, and with the treading under foot of that precious law, which îs her holy rule for order, and sovereign preservative against all headlong confusion? if they say yea, we say nay, and prove it nay. Namely that this procuration of marriage, is a breach of God's law, and not only for the sin thereof is against the church because it hasteneth vengeance, but we show by demonstrative reasons that it goeth to the very gorge of the Church.  
I trust, I shall not need to prove to these men's consciences this Mayor proposition or Maxim, that is to say, Sin provoketh the wrath of God, and that great sins call down great plagues, and mighty sinners are mightily punished. This argument, The world sinneth, such a city sinneth, such a land sinneth, such a try be, such a kindred, such a family, such a soul sinneth, Ergo, the 
Sin draweth vengeance.  world, such a city, land, tribe, kindred, family, soul, shall feel the vengeance of that high lawgever against whom they sin: is a most necessary consequence.  
This next though it be but the Minor in order and will not perhaps without farther proof be yelden unto by this kind 
This marriage is sin.  of protestants: yet is it as true as the former, that is, that it is a sin, a great and a mighty sin for England to give one of Israel's daughters to any of Hemors sons: to match a daughter of God with one of the sons of men: to couple a Christian Lady, a member of Christ, to a Prince & good son of Rome that Antichristian mother city. For the invincible manifestastion therefore of this truth, let us first consider England as a region purged from Idolatry a kingdom of light, confessing Christ and serving the living God: Contrariwise, France a den of idolatry a kingdom of darkness, confessing Belial and serving Baal. Then let us remember what was the first institution of marriage, which 
institution of marriage.  is set before us, as a directory rule for us in our marriages for ever, and whereunto Christ teacheth us plainly in all cases and other incidentes of marriage, to look back, when, upon a case put of marriage, he answers. IN THE BEGINNING IT WAS NOT SO. The first marriages were between pairs in Religion, and in the fear of God. And the first written commandments that are given by Moses touching marriage, have their regard to that first 
The first Laws.  institution, as it were to the oldest law. The which Moses rightly understanding and according to the interpretation of all laws when they bid or forbidden any thing, do therewith forbidden or bid the contrary: He also in Denteronomie forbade those matches 
Deut. 7. 3.  wherein the sons of God were given to the daughters of men, adding this reason. for, saith he, such marriages will make thy children to fall from me. And this place at once, may expound those other many places where it is said, lest they make thy children to commit Idolatry, to be added as a certain punishment by the judgement of God, and not for a doubtful reason as some would fain have it, that seek to draw the laws of God to their lusts, who should rather rule their lusts by the laws. Which pure institution of marriage S. Paul also continues: when enlarging the holy use thereof to all sorts of men, he yet hath this restraint, that it be in the Lord; that is to say, in his fear, as it was from the beginning, and according to his former commandments in his word.  
It is more then enough to break the holy ordinance instituted of God, which aught to govern us without further enqui rye of reason or commodity. But as the holiness of his laws is 
The end of holy maria.  wholesome to us, even in this life by obedience: so doth their transgression breed us infinite incommodities. For the end of this holy kind of marriage is our mutual help and upholdiug one an other in the fear of God. which appeareth by the reason of forbidding those unholy marriages, which is, least, saith the spirit of God, their sons draw your daughters or their daughters your sons from the Lord. Now as the one comes to pass where 
The hurt of unholy ma.  thorder of God is kept: so the contrary effect must justly follow upon neglect. especially if such a marriage be made in a gospellike land where the la of God is preached, and contrary to warning given out of God's book. Then without peradventure all blessing is taken away, and the plague followeth. And to teach our politics by reasonable arguments, what other reasons have the laws of all lands to join like to like in marriage, but for the nourishing of peace and love between man and wife, and for the well bringing up of the children in every family, whereby to make them profitable members in some serviceable vocation: considering that families are the seeds of Realms and petty parts of common weals, where if there be good order, the whole land is well ordered: and contrary, as in any instrument if every string or many strings be out of tune, the whole music is marred, and who so will preserve any entire, must conserve every part: so if the families be distempered and out of tune, the whole land is disturbed.  
Think you that the common weal can have this care for her less parts, and thus provide for the well training up of her children, & that the church of England wherein this holy la of religious matching & marrying the faithful with the faithful is give by Christ, to this end, that their children might be sanctified, and holily brought up in christian religion: think you I say that the church will easily departed with her dear daughter her daughter of highest honour, Elizabeth the Queen of England, who is the temple of the holy ghost: and will not hold her fast in her loving arms as being loathe to give her to a stranger, one that hath showed no signs of regeneration, and herself want thassistance of a faithful husband, and her children of her body, if any she have, which receive outward sanctification and entry into the bosom of the church through the promise of their faithful parents, be in danger to be profaned before they be borne, and to be corrupted after they are borne and throughout all their education?  
S. Paul speaking of contrary couple together, compareth them to the uneven yoking of the clean Ox to the unclean 
The disparagement of such marriages.  Ass, a thing forbidden in the law. And here again the laws of men whieh meddle but with the distribution of the things of this life, have learned this equity of the laws of God, that it is a great disparagement for health to be joined in marriage with any foul disease, for beauty with deformity, youth with decrepit age, or to tender a towns man daughter to a gentleman of birth. A citizen of Rome would hold foul scorn to marry a Barbariane. And the commonwealths of England & France I dare say, would marvel if either our Queen or Monsieur being both great princes borne, and of high lineage, should seek or consent in marriage with any low borne or contemptible person. Have the laws of common weals provided thus well for men? the world, stands it thus upon her slippers of reputation, in observing what is comely in marriage and honourable for each parsonage: and shall the laws of God, trow you, be of none effect? or shall it not be much more ugly before God and his angels, when an Hebrew shall marry a Cananite ' there is no such inequality as that of religion: no such disparagement, as not to be faithful no such dignity of Principality, as to be a good christian: and no such slavery, as to be a Barbarian from Christ jesu.  
Perhaps some man will defend these uneven Irreligious marriages, by abusing that place of 1. Cor. 7. But without any other help, that text itself is self sufficient to deliver itself from that violence: and the la of God from the beginning & to the end all one, with the obedient practice of God's children, and the plagues upon the transgressors: do evidently show, that Paul there speaketh only for the continuance of such marriages as were first not uneven, being made in time of infidelity on both parts, and by the aftercalling of one party are become uneven: for thè continuance I say, of such marriages, and not unevenly to yoke any Christian which is free to one not faithful.  
Now as by reasons it appears unlawful, so by examples it 
Examples.  may appear hurtful. Those good men of whom we love to be esteemed the children and followers, Abraham and Isaac had 
Gene. 24 3. Gene. 28. 1.  even a religious care not to have their sons match with the Cananeans dwelling at their next doors, but sent further of for the daughters of God. What a diameter of religion were it for us dwelling among Christians, to admit from over sea, the sons of men in marriage? The children of jacob were so well taught 
Gen. 34. 14.  bytheir father in the religion of their grandfather & great granfather, that they could answer, we may not give our sister to the uncircumcised, that is to say, we can not or we may not lawfully: for that we only may, which by the law of God we may. Those ill men to whom we would be ashamed to be resembled, made this manner of marriage. The old world which thus defiling itself was therefore washed in the universal flood. And Esau, whose fault yet was in this point less than ours, for they without care of Religion took the fairest and such as perhaps were next hand: we should, in this match, sand further of for our marriage and have not so much respect as to the fairest. being so far given over of God, as to forget even that part which we would gladliest please. And among those good men whom we set for holy examples, this manner of marriage was ever noted by the scripture among their faults. As the Israelites which thus fell away from the service of God, and withal out of his protection. As Samson and Solomon whose virtues we must imitate 
judg. Psal. Solomon.  and not these their sins.  
Where Solomon might serve for all examples, and him will I chiefly name and namely urge (speaking now of kingly marriages and courtly marriage makers) because he was a king, and also because, that godly Courtier Nehemiah doth notably apply it in a stronger case: using Salomons sin în this manner of unholy 
Nehe. 13. 23  marriages, as a reason to separate the israelites from their wives which they had already married, yea and by whom they had had children born to them: thinking it an ill-favoured noise to hear their children gibber in the streets half Hebrew half Ashdod. I pray you mark then how much more force Salomons example hath to dissuade a marriage that is yet but in parley & not concluded, to make no such fair reckoning of a babe yet unborn whose shape we see not, and how much more ill-favoured it were for us that in our churches speak the language of Canaan to join with them that in their mass mumble the strange tongue of Rome. And if woman, that weaker vessel, be strong enough to draw man through th'advantage which the devil hath within our bosom, (I mean our natural corruption and proonesse to Idolatry) how much more forcibly shall the stronger vessel pull weak woman considering that with the inequality of strength there is joined, as great or more readiness to idolatry and superstition. And if the husband which is the head be drawn aside by his wife over whom nevertheless he hath authority and rule: how much more easily shall the wife be perverted by her husband to whom she is subinecte by the law of God, and oweth both awe and obedience, how soever the laws by prerogatif or her place by pre-eminence may privilege her.  
And here note this, that every where it is set down how the wicked perverted the good, but no where that the better part converted the wicked. for even the ill ralke or other conversation of ill men, corruptes good manners. And sith Solomon a peerless king, beloved of God, as Nehemiah saith, so furnished in wisdom and of whom there were such certain demonstrations that he was the child of God, did yet this foully fall by joining himself in marriage with Idolatrons women, in so much as divers now think they found almost as many reasons to call in some doubt his salvation: I pray God it may seem fearful in the eyes of all other Princes and princesses, worms to him in wisdom, to do the like fault, for dread of the like sequel. Whereby it appears how vain that promise is of theirs, who say that Monsieure shall be instructed in our religion, and drawn from his, by going with our Queen to hers: besides that we would be loathe, with so certain great peril to our Queen, who is among men and women the chief to us: to attempt the uncertain winning of him who is among all men the lest to us. And if there were in him any hope of tolerable inclination to religion it would rather show now in the time of his suit to our Queen, by that means perhaps thinking to be less loathsome to her and les abominable to her people. but we have no cause to hope it. for he useth no protestant in the matter of marriage, although for some other colour he hath seemed to make some reckoning of some in some respect. And if there were hope, yet in so unadvised rashness to venture against the word of God, we may well look for God's judgement to come between, and punish our folehardines that he which loveth peril may abide and perish therein.  
But these discoursers that use the word of God with as little conscience as they do Machiavelli, picking out of both indifferently what may serve their turns, perhaps they will think to escape all hitherto said, by calling in question (for their mouths are their own to dispute of any thing without care of resolution) 
Papist.  whether to marry with the Papist that worshippeth the Lord of Heaven and earth? be against those interdictions in the law which seem to compass in no more but the Canaanites jebusites etc. And mere pagan nations: and whether to marry with the papist 
Cananite. Pagan.  who in general terms protesteth Christ, be to marry in the lord.  
To answer these men whose doubts proceed ever of their lust, to give themselves liberty, and not of a conscience afraid to offend God, I might say, that if to confess the Lord of heaven and earth, be enough to avoid those interdictions than might we entermary with Turks, jews, Moscovites, and divers other painnimes: and, as far as I remember, with some of the Cannibals. Look the stories of the new Indians. And albeit the Papist protest Christ in word, yet sith the unity of the Church is noted to be herein that Christians be the household of faith, in the fundamental doctrine whereof, what it is, what is the use, worthiness, & working thereof, the papists dissenting from us as far as they that scatter where we gather, it will be hard to make them of one faithful household with us.  
But to yield them a degree somewhat nearer us than Canaanites, compare them with the Moabites and the Ammonites, who were cousins to Israel by the flesh and had Lot for their father: 
Moabite. Ammonite. Ishmalite. Edomite.  or let them stand with Ishmael Abraham's bastards son, yea at once let them be in regard to us with Edome, Israel's twin brother, both which had the circumcision of flesh: yet was it not lawful for the israelites to marry with them: & in Solomon, namely, it is counted among other his sinful marriages, that he married 
King. 1. 11.  with those nations. But that we may yet give somewhat more to these strainers for lusts sake at a gnat and swallowers of a Camel through conscience (for they are more precise to do popery wrong, then to do the gospel right) let us I say, suffer the popish church to be made more of then she is worth, let us take her at the best and in as good account as any learned gospeler hitherto hath set her and let her have the allowance of two or three grains to be massier then the Edomite and finer than the pagan, to hung in an even balance and to be of one assay or touch with the Idolatrous and traitorous israelites that fell from 
Idolatrous Israelites.  God and were false to the house of David their king: yet shall papists be to light and to drossy to marry with us. For neither was it lawful nor lucky for the jews to marry with those jeroboamical Israelites, for all their ontward circumcision, and though they worshipped on the hill of the patriarch fathers.  
For this purpose read well the story of jehoram king of jehuda the son of good johosaphat that made a notable reformation in God's house. and for all his father's sake you shall see it objected against him and rendered as a reason of his other great outrageous sins, that he had married in the house of Achab king of the Samaritane Israelites. The wickedness and sin of which kind of marriage, as it is evinced by the very word of God and punishment upon the person of jehoram: so îs it proved by the horrible punishments following upon his generation. For Ahaziah or Ochoziah son of jehoram, by reason of the Queen mother Athalia, fell in such a leag. with the king of Israel that taking 
Athalia.  his quarrel, he fell with him upon the sword of jehu. After whose death the Queen mother and dowagier Athalia, played Rex and slew all the princes of the blood and peers of judah. All which murdures began, and are set down to have come for that marriage with the daughter of Achab, whose seed the Lord had said to purseu to the rote. Whereby it appears that whoso matcheth with any wicked race, do make themselves and their seed partakers of the sins and plagues of that race and their ancestors. And because the match of france with thitalian Athalia & her furies in that land, especially those at the marriage of her daughter Margeret, will of themselves apply themselves in every respect to agreed with her of judea, and prove the sin and punishment of such wicked willing matches between Christian true jews and popish bastard Israelites: I only name it and leave it to the trembling consideration of all, especially of such as it nearest toucheth, whom I beseech, in God's name, to stand weightily upon it.  
These things do necessarily infer the third proposion, which is the conclusion or final sentence of God's punishment against 
Conclusion against England.  this poor church, for this sin if it be committed. Fair therefore is their pretext of peace to the Church, who seek that thing that must be the cause of such a woeful effect.  
So that if our marriage makers be not so spiritual, as that the sin which this marriage hath simply in itself and of itself, only for being against Gods la, can not make them yield to confess the danger it bringeth to the church: let us compel them to come in by looking at the tail of sins and punishments that this venomous serpent of sin draggeth after it.  
It is not in God's church as in the Graecian host. there, delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi. but with us, Regis ad exemplum totus 
The King's sin striketh the Land.  componitur orbis. The sin of the Prince maketh the people to sin, whereby every one beareth his sin, and the Lord finds matter enough in Prince and people to wrap the one and the other in the same calamity. In reasoning it is truly said, one absurdity begetteth an other. even so hath sin a fruitful generation. and as the virtues are said to be chained together, so is never one vice or sin alone.  
But specially the breach of this law of God, in whom soever private person it lighteth, draweth not only a certain falling away to the goodman or goodwife of the house so ungodly married, but a danger also to children, servants, and every reteiner of that household. much more manifold is the danger, when the honourable dame and (as in humbleness I may say) the goodwife of England should be so (which God forbidden) unevenly matched It were more perilous to the overthrow of Religion in this faithful household of England, then if in one day were consummate the like marriages of a hundred thousand of other her subjects. for the straightest and roundest going Prince shall with much a do keep his people upright, especially in Religion. But let the Prince laake never so little, and the people will halt right down. The Prince's fall is like that of a mighty Oak, which bears down with it many arms and branches, therefore is it often recited in the scripture, that jeroboam cell away from God and all Israel with him. again, for the sins of jeroboam whereby he caused all Israel to sin against the Lord  
Now if the French fautors of this marriage, which can enlarg their policy and mince the word of God as they list, will yet cast about an other crooked by way to meet with this great inconveniences, that, forsooth, it shallbe capitulated, only lawful 
Monsieurs mass no private mass.  for Monsieur and a few of his nation to have their miserable mass without the admission of any Englishman: surely these men neither measure this article at the standard meatwande of the Lord, nor weigh the easiness of performing it in a wise man's balance. For, I pray you, do but go upon the Tamis and see what companies go to the french mass: inquire what numbers flocked in at backfield gates to the portugal mass: how the Spanish massers had their customers more then enough: and you shall easily see the lose reckoning of these men in matters of so great valeve. they will keep better books of their crowns. do they see deputed Ambassadors, able to break our highest laws of God's honour, in themselves and in so many of our nation: and can they think as they speak, that so great a prince, the husband (which God forhid) of our Queen, and perhaps (which God defend) honoured with the name of our king for our Qweenes' sake, shall not and will not give himself his own conditions for his own religion, to him and his, and so many of ours as will seek it at his hands?  
But whether this be their gross oversight, or whether they wink wiles against religion I will not now dispute: this is more than wonderful, that such as pretend outward profession of religion should make so irreligious account of Religion: O the wickedness of our professors and the hypocrisy of our protestants. Is not Idolatry the highest treason that can be against the Lords own person? doth it not go directly to the point he stands most on for his honour? do our lips say that we are zealous of god's honour, and tender over his church, & can our heart's rest in quiet and not tell her majesty how great a dishonour it is to have one mass, and what a plague it menaceth to the church? we do not love her, whatsoever we say when flattering her, perhaps, in other vanities, we do not fall down before her with tears, bewailing the wrath of God kindled against her, if by her advised permission, and by means of her maryange, God should be so highly dishonoured in this kingdom, wherewith he hath honoured her. Take not the word of God in your mouths, you that breathe such lukewarm counsel. halt no more on both sides. If God be God let him be so honoured. If Baal be your god take you to him altogether. honest men serve one master and him wholly, and our master will be so served or not at all.  
Of all sins ingratytud is odious with God and man: no unthankfulness like to ours, who having been thus long maintained in peace: and in the beginning having all nations our enemies, have now many faithful bordering friends, and are rich at home through our peace and by the blessing of God: will now serve from the Lord, and trust to our own devices, and make league with them, and suffer their Idolatry in our land, that never less loved us then now, when they look fairest. Good Lord (if it be possible) make us wise without experience of our solely. This were to set up altar against altar, and with Antiochus to offer the foul swine in the holy sanctuary, for this sin of Idolatry committed, great judgements have been executed upon the transgressors. whereby all they that believe the story of the scripture, and are not stark Atheists, must confess that this fear which we fear is no vain fear.  
The old world was drowned, the people of God often given 
judgements for Idolatry.  up into their enemy's hands, and in the end, the twelve tribes of Salomons kingdom rend a sunder, and a perpetual translation often tweluethes out of Salomons posterity for ever. jeroboam when he set up altars in the land of Israel contrary to God's law, he would have been loathe that any man should have said he committed Idolatry or made the people Idolatrous: yet that sin followed, and he thrown. out of God's favour, noted with a foul blot for a ringleader in sin often reputed in the scripture, his kingdom came to nought, & the whole people suffered a transmigration irretornable in Affiria. The only fear of this sin hath made the hears of many good men's heads stand right up. David durst not take the Idols name in his mouth, he would then have shaken to have set up an Idol to be worshipped.  
The memory of Asa is with a holy praise, for that his mother 
1. Kin. 15. 13 2. Chr. 15. 16  Maacha having set up a wooden Image in a grove, he would not suffer her to have her wicked religion to the dishonour of God, but without reverence of her superstitious request deposed her from her dignity utterly, and broke down her Idol, stamped it, and burned it at the brook Kidron. In which story I pray you observe these two circumstances, king Asa the son, to his own mother, and the manner how he did it, even with despite to Idolatry and zeal to God. The Lord sand Queen Elizabeth the everlasting commendation of Asa for many such notable acts. Elizeus protesteth by oath that he would not once talk with joram King of Israel had it not been in the presence of josaphat. Private men are bidden to fly from Idolatry, & Princes bear the Lords sword to make it flee and to chase it far away. If therefore they will have his hand to hold up their sword, they must let their sword serve him chiefly. But most notably the fear of this sin even before it was committed, and how jealous therefore they should be that are in authority, appears in the end of joshua, where the children of Israel feared lest the Lord would impute to them as all one fault to commit idolatry in themselves and not to remove it in their brethren. Which made them when the the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half of Manasseh, after the conquest of Canaan, at their departure home, over jordan, had set up but one Altar, of a good meaning in deed and for a monument of their unity in Religion with their brethren, but supposed of the rest of the tribes to be set up to the dishonour of the Lord and contrary to his la, which commanded but one altar throughout the land: they the other ix tribes & a half whose lots were fallen within jordane, assembled themselves, and, had not their rulers and princes that went Ambassadors over to Gilead, brought a reasonable and a religious satisfaction by the Reubenites answer, were ready to fall out with their brethren whom otherwise they loved, rather than to wink at the dishonour of their heavenly father.  
The reason of which their doing I beseech all governors to mark, which was, they feared lest through that one Altar the anger of God should also have consumed them. Now if one Altar, set up in the uttermost corner of that land, threatened destruction to the whole: and the offence of two tribes and a half, made all the rest to fear: if these Israelites feared so much at the building of an Altar which was meant to the honour of God, and only contrary to the outward show of the words of the law: shall not we tremble at this Altar which all the charity in the world can not conceive well of, as that which hath none use but to serve the devil? good Nehemiah for one piece of this our sin found in the people, feared the wrath of God & proclaimed public fasting & prayer Let us follow his example that the Lord may be still our God and remember us to do us good. Much more have we to shake, for that this our turning from God in strange marriage and permitting strange Gods (which the living God turn from us) should be more foul and more gross thenany of those former, which nevertheless deserved and had such plagues. For it cannot (I dare say) be showed in all the holystory that those people of God, in the worst marriage among them, did yet ever make any precedent pact or articulate condition aforehand with the Idolaters that they should quietly against the laws of their holy land commit Idolatry, but rather at first the Idolaters dissembling their own or making semblant of the true religion, fair & foftly wan by little & little through familiarity & mutual conversation of life after marriage by a stealing insinuation or flattery and creeping persuasion (dangerous therefore to have any sort of fellowship with the wicked) an open exercise of their paganism. But if any man persuade our Prince in whose hands the Lord hath put and holden a sovereign sceptre of peace now twenty years and more, and by whose hands the Lord hath quite expelled idolatry (he make her and us thankful for it) upon communication of this marriage to indent with man, how far God should be honoured: what is this but to sin more than the supposed sin of the Reubenites, & to exceed the transgressions of Solomon or jehoram even to erect an Idolatrous altar, not in a corner of the Realm but on the highest hill of the land, in London which is our jerusalem, and to make an open fault: not of infirmity, but by addised composition against the Lord and his truth: not in two shires and a half, but in the greatest part of the realm and head of the land, our prince. in so much as it should be safer to set up a thousand hill altars for hedgecreping Priests other where rather than this high Altar so near the Court.  
The sin of Achan, though not in this kind, proves that the sin of one man, and him private, done in secret and buried close under the ground, gave forth such a stench in the Lords nostrils as was contagious to the whole host. and his garment brought the plague among them. Much more shall the high sin of a highest magistrate done and avowed in open son, kindle the wrath of God and set fire on church and common weal.  
And this fire if it fasten on our church, it is like wild fire or fire from heaven that all the seas can not stop nor quench but the flakes thereof will fly over sea and keep havoc in the churches 
The hurt of this church hurts others  both on this side and beyoind seas. Our neighbour well builded church of Scotland must needs think herself to have some what in hand when our wall is aburning. The infant churches in the low countries shall lose a nurse of us. The elder churches in 
Especially the french churches.  Garmani a sister of strength.  
And when I remember the poor orphan churches in france I must needs give the price of godless impudency to those, which will needs forsooth maintain this marriage as a mean to assure religion in france, and to preserve the professors there from more massacres. These men have like unkind mothers, put (as it were) their own child. the church of England to be nursed of a french enemy and friend to Rome, and now very kindly they take in both arms the church of france, and give it a privy deadly nipp, under colour of offering it their teats, wherein is naught but wound if not poison. As therefore the enemies to God's truth seek those church's ruin, through hatred to religion: so should we, who are members of one body with them, have a care of them as of ourselves. The enemies think there kingdom of Antichrist can not stand, unless Christ be put out of these churches: let us know, as those reformed Churches next under God and their own forces, have stood by good neighbourhood, even so that there standing is our necessary strength.  
Certainly the Pope seeth well that one great stay why neither the French King in France, nor the Spanish king in the low countries, can destroy religion, is the help and awe of other Princes confessing the gospel, among which our Queen is in regard with the chief. A game he seeth as well, that next under God, one great cause why his interdictions against us, take no place in England nor Ireland: and that those kings to whom he hath given our land as it were to whom soever occupanti, can not come to take possession of us: is, because that they of the reformed religion in both those countries are as a brazen door, and an iron wall, against our popish enemies. and therefore by this match, he seeks to sunder them from us and us from them, and so by unbarring our brazen door and treading down our wall, to lay open his passage to us. I will not therefore vouchsafe this strange suppositon of these persuaders, the place of an objection to be answered in the end, but will use it for an other main reason of proof in this part, that this marriage is against the church, because it is against the churches of France. the which it must needs kill in the place, as they say, and withal give our church a deaths wound.  
Here is therefore an imp of the crown of France, to mary with the crowned Nymph of England. It is proved already that his coming shakes the church in England, and how shall he establish the religion in France. What is France to the church 
France.  of God, and to England for religions sake. France is a house of cruelty especially against Christians a principll prop of the tottering house of antichrist, and without which our Western antichrist had been ere this sent to his brother Mahomet into Greece whether he long sense sent his masters the Emperors of Rome. The long and cruel persecutions in France, the exquisite torments, and infinite numbers there put to death, do witness how worthy that throne is, to be reckoned for one horn of that persecuting beast the primitive Empire.  
This man is a son of Henrye the second, whose family ever since he married with Catherine of Italy, is fatal, as it were, to 
Valois. Medici's.  to resist the Gospel, and have been ever oney after other, as a domitian after Nero, as a Traian after domitian, and as julianus after Traian, Whose manifest cruelties and detected treacheries against God's church, have been severally sealed with his visible marks of vengeance, written, not upon the wall, but successively on their carcases, with a heavenvly fingar: not by torch light but at noon day in the eyes and ears of the world. in so much as Balthasar the father had his Maneh graven in the apple of his eye: and that in the eyesight of Anne du Bourg whose death for 
Henry the. 2  professing Christ he had vowed to see. His first son had his Tekel told in his ear which rotted him while he was yet alive. And 
Francise. 2 Charles. 9  his next son had his Phares marked in every vent of his body: that as he had shed Christian blood with julianus, so he might take of his own blood in his hand and say with julianus Vicisti Galiaeè. Who would not tremble to come near this kindred so wrathfully marked of God? who would become one with this generation so hateful to men? let us boast in this Galilean and defy julian. let us with confidence glory in the cross of Christ and 
Henry. 3.  not vouchsafe to join with these apostate princes. This present king, besides the sins of his ancestors have given the Lord cause enough of personal actious by his own excesses. Which though the Lord do not yet bring in upon him through his long suffering, yet assuredly there is a measure of his wickedness measured out, and a time for his judgements, whensoever the Saints of God have filled his bottle with tears. The plague common to the house he hath. That is, he wants one of his loins to sit upon his seat. So that we see by proof in three brothers that the Lord will not leave one of Ahabs' house. An ill disposed body he hath, a suspicious and fearful mind even of his friends.  
Touching this prince now offered to this church in marriage, if he be behind in mischiefs, remember he is younger in years, 
Monsieur.  and never came to that ability by might of a kingdom to perform his inborn malice to the church. and the discredit of his brethren have notably hindered him that way. Nevertheless, so far as his place would suffer, he hath been used to do that service to Rome, and damage to the church, that he was fit for. At the mass sacring marriage he was not old enough to execute any thing, but was set by his mother to cry and weep at the cruelties: that so showing some misliking of them, his credit might be saved for such another desperate match. all the rest of the credits of the king then, and his mother, brother, and sister being little enough to colour that mischief. since that time he hath been set a work in France and Flaunders. divers sergeant fallings out between him and his brother, and sudden appeasings. When he fled from the Court to Dreux, declaring himself protector of common liberty, he quickly made first a truce, and then a peace, whereby to frustrate the gathering and keeping together of that great army of protestants. If his meaning had been but indifferent to religion, he would not have been at that stately assembly and signed with them, the abolishing of religion in France. He was content to be used to pull towns out of the protestants hands, and in wars against them, namely Lafoy charity & Issoire. where, after his revolt, he committed such abominable cruelties and beastly disorders as if he now meant never so good faith & had never so honest a mind in these matters: yet is it not like that this man's foul hands should lay one stone of God's church Yea so far is the Lord from blessing such a disloyal hand in his public service, to the salvation of others: that he curseth him in public and private, in town and field, even in his own soul and body to everlasting death, unless he make open acknowledgement of so open and shameful outrages, and persever in well doing. After this he leaps over Paris walls as fleeing from the Court: and took on him the voyage into Flaunders with show of some tolerable mind to religion or at lest to help the oppressed professors: voving with divers solemn oaths and making others to swear, that they would never come at the court again and yet presently upon his return, he left his poor court all amazed at Alencon, and with two or three gentlemen only posted to yield himself into the king's hands with these words. Sir I yield myself to you to die at your feet, in your service, assuring you that never will I be estranged from you: with more like words, such as detect greatly the French lightness and french falsehood in him, general to all papists of that nation. The king with many embracings and caresses gave him the best welcome in the world. On which day also came to the Court the Duke Guise the great enemy to the church of God with five or six hundred horses with whom whatsoever unkindnesses he had seemed before to have, he now entered into a present familiariaritie and open kindness.  
When we speak therefore of France and of the practices there against the church: of their some time mitigated nature towards 
Queen.  Religion or of dissensions in appearance: and bruits of jealousy, which the Queen mother puts as visard upon her practices: we must cast our eye wholly to her, as the very soul whereby the bodies of the king, of Mousieur, of their sister Marguerit, and of all the great ones in France do move, as a hundred hands to effect her purposes. And when we speak of Queen mother, we must straightways present before us but a body or tronk 
Pope.  wherein the Pope moveth, as her soul, to devise and have executed whatsoever for the appetit of that sea. even as Necromancers are said to carry about a dead body by the motion of some unclean spirit. And this soul of France, as it hath been most eager and obstinately bend against Christ's church in all things wherein she intermeddled: so above the rest hath she been a dangerous practiser in marriages. For to begin with the marriage of her other daughter into Spain, in the life of her husband, what 
France marrieth with Spain and Piedmont.  time a sister of his was married into Piedmont, & so three great princes linked in a threefold cord (as it were) by that alliance: all the world knoweth, that the capital capitulation and article of inprimis (as I may say) in that threefold marriage, was, against God and his anointed. which strong cord, though the Lord which is in heaven laughed to scorn and turned to the strangling of the twisters thereof, insomuch as the father died presently, and the daughter lived but a short time after and with small joy: yet hath not this spider left to twist once more.  
And albeit in the marriage of the first daughter she sped not 
Parisien marriage.  so well, by reason there was no sin of the church in it (for they yoked themselves asses to asses) yet in joining this latter sister with the king of Navarre, she had better luck, because our sins joined with hers, in that we joined one of our Oxen to one of her she asses. In this tragedy she played her part naturally, and showed how she governs all France. Her daughter Margerit was the stolen to lure and allure them that otherwise flew high hovering a far of and could not be gotten. her son, than king, was in all the haste become a father to the Admiral and those of the religion. Monsieur that then was and now king, he played false semblant, as though he had been merueylons angry at the marriage & at the grace which the Admiral and the rest of the religion found with the king. Monsieur that now is, he played the child's part or weeping part, reserving his credit as is a foresaid, till a riper age, all this while the mother as setter forth of this earnest game, stood holding the book (as it were) upon the stage and told her children and every other player what he should say. the last act was very lamentable. A king falsified his sworn word: The marriage of a king's sister imbrued with blood: A king murdered his subjects: many noble & honourable gentlemen shamefully used: valiant men surprised by cowards in their beds: Innocents put to death: women and children without pity tossed upon halberds and thrown down windows and into Rivers: learned men killed by barbarous soldiers: the saints of God led to the shambles all the day long and all that week long, by vile crochetors or porters: the church of Christ razed, the very nest egg broken, as far as men's mischievous reasonable wit cold reach: and, that which was worst, those that lived, were compelled to forswear their God: and little ones Christened before to Christ, were now dipped again to Antichrist.  
He therefore that loveth the church, can not think this marriage to promise' any happiness to God's church in France. No certainly as touching the church, it hath that mischievous end set unto it by them, which the former marriages had. God grant we hearken not in this match to the present French king and his brother: lest by abusing us also inmariage through our sins, we through unadvised policy fall in the same snare with our good brethren: and the king with his brother for so abusing us, be gathered to their fathers and buried with them in the same grave or hell of infamy, by God's manifest judgements upon them. And which is all the good can come to the churches of France by this marriage, the Queen mother, seeing now all her four sons after a sort to be kings, find that delphic answer of her familiar spirits subtly fulfilled: so as she may challenge no longer life of the devil, but that he to whom she hath given herself, must rid that Realm and those poor churches of her.  
A man would think that this matter needed not to be any whit set forth, but that the very name of the Parifien marriage should affray any protestant of Eugland or France from ever looking for any good to come, by committing this ill. yea the scourging rod which followed so hard at the heels of that sin, and where judgement began at God's house, should as a thonderclap of God's wrath astonish all politics. And if Thadmerall & the hundred thousand men women and children, whose innocent blood solemnized that marriage, might be sent to us again from the dead: they would, out of their heavenly love to God's church hear on earth, lively and hotly dissuade this kind of marriage: they would lay forth the harms of that marriage: with such revived afections as their wounds would bleed afresh and their headless bodies speak (as it were) before you. But we have Moses and the Prophets, we have Christ and his apostles: if we believe not them, we shall be taught by late experience, and go the way of our Parisien brethren. Yea though this marriage being made, should not have, towards us, that malicious bloody effect which is meant, and that it should but weaken us, as that of spain did, alas nevertheless for the poor protestants in france: there ruin were present. for we saw when, before the great murder, there was a new coloured friendship made with our Queen such as with other Princes (in respect whereof both she & they were notably abused and wronged by the massacer following:) that friendship served first to blear the eyes of the French protestants, and after to put them quite out. which single friendship with the Queen, if it made the french king the bolder to enterprise the murder, how far will he presume having a brother in the heart of our Court to refresh the remembrance of his alliance & to stay any contrary aids from hence, while he seize upon his protestants and worry them like sheep.  
And if Monsieur had any sincere meaning to relieve the protestants, he would employ all that credit and familiarity which he now hath, while he is present with the king, to the protestāns 
Feeble hope of Monsieurs change.  good: even now when as they seem to have some need of him. He means nothing less: and that he means the contrary, may easily be gathered by the many blasphemous speeches and cruel threatenings against reformed religion, proceeding from such as been in the train of his present legate a later in England. his ill will also to help the protestants, may appear, that where as there have been since the last peace many violences, murders, & outrages, and justice for those facts denied, and establishment of churches, withstood, all against the edict: yet Monsieur, showed never to have any common compassion, such as some man would have upon beasts, when he saw them overburdened. In france, he hantes the mass, and is haunted only of papists. In Flaunders, he joined himself only with the Papists, and strengthened that tumultuous part of the Wallons from whence all the present disorder there, comes, and th'advantage to the Spaniard by mutual dissension. his messenger here, though he be in continual conversation with the king's Ambassador, and at one table: yet can not one mass serve them, but they must have three or four Priests, that do nothing but go from the tavarn to mass and from mass to the tavarn. A miserable hope therefore of the masters change to good.  
And to conclude this part, vulesse he had some extraordinary purpose and some Italian Quintessence of mischief meant to be compassed against the church of Christ, in which service the Pope will employ his catholic and his christian son and all his sons, and they like obedient fools do his william. it could not be possible that he would speak of coming hither with any meaning. For pope, mother, and brother, and all papists would resist it. and he himself for his own part, would cast with himself, that, being next king of France, if he should be here at the death of his brother, he might beholden for a noble hostage till they had restored us our manifold wrongs. and again on the otherside, it might put him in danger of his French kingdom, being there but slendrly beloved for his family and for his person, and where other great houses for valour in their persons, and perhaps title of their ancestors would be judged by the wise and by the multitude more worthy to reign over them. and so perhaps we might keep a gage that they would not care to redeem. The hazards to himself and his state, must needs tell us, that it is a commodity by our extreme incommodity, which he seeks. especially to God's Church against which all the kind of them have sworn enmity.  
For the Lords name sake therefore, O christian Queen ELIZABETH, take heed to yourself and to the church of jesus Christ for which he shed his blood, and which he hath shielded under your royal defence. show yourself a zealous Prince for God's gospel to the end. foresee, in a tender love to this people committed to your government, the continuance of the truth among them and their posterity. And for so much as in any great plague that can come to this chutch your majesty must have your part being a chief member therein, as by being in the bosom thereof you receive of the graces bestowed among us: have a care even of yourself and for yourself also, we instantly beseech you, to keep this sin far from you by admitting no counsel that may bring it near you: and in that common confession of sins with the shaking of this rod drives us all to deny some of your delights also, & enter with the whole church into judgement of ourselves that we be not judged of the Lord. And sith the Lord hath used you as a mean to spread and enlarge Christ's kingdom in other churches, and to harbarough the persecuted Christians in your own kingdom: stop your majesties ears against these forcerers & their enchanting counsels, which seek to stay this happy course of yours, and to provoke God's anger against you, pray against these dangerous tempters and temptations, and know assuredly, to your comfort, that all the faithful of God pray for you, and when you are in your secret most separate closet of prayer, they join with you in spirit.  
The Lord endue you with wisdom according to that you have need of, at this special time. and considering the state of princes is, in this one point, more unhappy than the poor man's degree: that they have none enemies that dare tell truth, and commonly such as been their chief favourites yea, too many churchmen, which have particular privileges to speak truth (a cruel and impious betraying of a sacred prince) study rather for smooth delicate words then for plain rough truth: so much the more I beseech the Lord of his mercy to supply their want of duty with such extraordinary store of counsel in your own breast, and grant you such a principal spirit to discern spirits and to sift counsels, that you may smell a flatterer from a loyal counsellor, prove all and approve the best. And seeing the very place of a prince doth bring him some disadvantage through our old Adam, who when he is lift up, will hardly yield to the good poor advice of them that speak truth in a bore simplicity: the same Lord fill your royal heart with such a tractable and easy sweetness of a yielding nature, that you readily and humbly may harken to all good counsels sent you from God and such as fear God and love your Majesty. Yea, that you may know, that it makes most for your safety, to encourage and make much of plain honest speakers, and to put out of heart all flatterers. For true plain men are the best spies of a prince, they watch when you sleep, and will ring a timely a alarm in your ear, before the danger approach. flatterers never watch but when you wake and that they may be seen, they will lull you in security till the sin and punishment thereof be heard at the doors. The Lord deliver you from them even as from Ravens and Dogs. And whosoever 
Two trials of these persuaders. The first.  doth most hottlye follow this suit ot french marriage with your Majesty, seek to satisfy yourself most gracious Queen, with what faith and love he can do it. let this be one fire to try him in, that whereas marriage is the most important matter even to the privatest person that he can do all his life long, as that which makes most to an happy or unhappy life here. and therefore even the meanest body will not enter this weighty consultation of marriage, without special prayers to God for his direction: if these men, while they deal in this high marriage so nearly concerning your own person and so much importing the whole church in these parts of the world and the state of England, have persuaded not only your private prayers, but, according to your public place, have also proclaimed or wished to be proclaimed public solemn prayer to God through the land, that he might sand the best issue to this counsel: then have they not neglected a great help in this thing and have considered of this matter as the consequence thereof requires.  
Again, let this be a second trial (for it were well done to try 
The second trial.  them seven times) if heretofore through out all your younger years they have continually been thus earnest and taken every good occasion to persuade you to marriage, hanging upon your skirts (as it were) and lying at your feet, for to win you to marriage, alleging reasons for church and common weal as they now prrtend: then may you think they now have also a good meaning at lest, and are but deceined but if heretofore they have been either domme or slow speakers in this cause, when all good men wished it, and whole parliaments humbly besought it, when they that be most religious prayed for it of God and prayed it at your hands above others, no appointing you to one as though there had been but one husband in the world, but leaving it to your godly considerate choice any where: if in that mean while, these present persuaders rather tended their own enriching and advancement making no great reckoning of this matter, or if they have not very vehemently and continually thorough out your reign enforced it with the same heat they now do: I can not see what good thing can thus suddenly bring them about to this earnest thought of marriage, and that with this man pressing you with him as the only fit man, after so many years of your reign and at these years of your life: but that they be very balaam's, perhaps not of malice but blind, not seeing what harm they seek even to themselves, and are abused by some Balac, and that Romish archbaalam, who, by God's mercy, having in vain assayed all other engines to overthrow this church of God, by excommunication, interdiction, absolving our neighbour kings of any ancient league or late oath of society, and dissolving the fealty and loyalty of subjects, and having done his worst by all forcible means of that holy league of hostility decreed in the last Tridentine session: doth now remember an older Canon of constance which is that faith may not be holden with such as he takes for heretics. And therefore as one at his wits end, resolveth upon this conclusion, slily to stir up one of his honourable sons to join, in marriage with our eldest daughter which before hand he means, though it be against his own saw, to dispense with. knowing assuredly by the experience of that old false prophet, that when the Lords long suffering had passed by, many of the Israelites sins: yet so soon as they were won in, to marry with the Moabites, the wrath of God would forthwith break out upon them. the Lord grant us to bewail this sin, and to prevent this judgement.  
How are we blinded that since the Lord spared not the whole world but covered it with waters from heaven, yet England thinks to be somewhat in God's sight, a poor Island surrounded already with the Ocean seas, which can (if the Lord do but whistle) come tumbling in and devour us up. he broke in upon his own people, whom he had hedged in with privileges: & yet we that were, as other nations, presume to sin and hope to escape his hand. he found away, out of his gracious promises, in justice to plague Solomon the king of his own holy mountain, to whose person also he had so bound himself: and yet we that are but masters of a molehill in the world exceedingly defiled through our many transgressions, think not to bear our own sins. Solomon for these very sins lost ten parts of his own kingdom which he had in quiet possession and had lost the whole but in regard of the holy promises to judah: and we leap at a kingdom yet in the hands of our enemies and think to gain another kingdom to us or our heirs, by displeasing, with the self same sins, the same revenging Lord. No Noah, this counsel is not of the Lord, because it is a wisdom against his church, and if he be against us who shall be for us?  
Now as this counsel, for so much of it as toucheth the church, can not proceed but out of the mouth of some hired or at the lest & at the best, some blinded Balaam: even so, for those particulars thereof which concern the common weal and our Queen, it might well enough come from rash Rehoboams' ●oung counsellors, whom there lusts will ever keep young 
Common weal.  whatsoever years and experience they bear on their backs: 〈◊〉 not from that remnant of Salomons sages, whom the fear of God makes wisely old betimes. Having therefore thus far said of the church:  
Let us see whether their country love by not as little as their religious conscience, so as a man may not say, such saith, such 
A foreign match.  fruits. The danger therefore of a foreign match, is not so apparent or so light, as it can be easily espied or provided for by any assurances. And if wisdom might foresee the many lurking perils, yet this may we well look for, that such a kind of marriage being already proved to be a high breach of Gods la: the same Lord will! justly take away all wisdom from our wise men and courage from our valiant men. I humbly therefore beseech the Queen and alher wise, valiant and good men, rather to keep away the cause of this danger then to trouble themselves with provision that in coming he should not hurt.  
It is natural to all men to abhor foreign rule as a burden of Egypt, and to us of England if to any other nation under the son First, it agreeth not with this state or frame of government, to 
Foreign against kind. This state. Laws of England.  deliver any trust of under government to an alien, but is a poison to it. when we receive any such for a governor. And that is evident by our laws and ancient customs of the land disabling any alien to inherit the highest government of us. upon this reason, no doubt because a senseless and careless foreigner, cannot have the natural and brotherlike bowels of tender love towards this people which is required in a governor, & which is by birth bred & drawn out from the teats of a man's own mother country. according to the wisdom of that high politic call la of God: Choose a king from among thine own brethren. and if thee want of an English heart doth disable any from ruling the ship of our Realm: shall a French heart be kindlike enough to rule our Queen which is the stern of our ship? no, the place of an alien is far from such trust by the judgement of our natural laws. which appears in considering them by the 〈…〉 several degrees. First, for an alien which is an alien enemy, 〈◊〉 law doth not so much as protect his life (a thing other 〈…〉 
Alien enemy.  highly and dearly regarded in our laws, if in any other 〈◊〉 but makes him all in one predicament with the case of premuniri. and though the la of arms bid him be ransomed, yet our peaceable laws ask no subjects blood for arresting such a prisoner and kill him in cheapeside. And let this alien be an alien friend, yet if he be not denized, the laws can not abide him to be master of one foot of ground within the Realm. the reason 
Alien friend  whereof is, they are not inheritable to the laws of our land or answerable or able to demand by the laws, any thing from the meanest subject. Yea when they have their best footing here and are accounted members with us of this body by endenization or enfraunchisment, yet have those our wise forefathers that have left us England to rule and devil in, had ever such a 
Alien denizen.  watchful eye to strangers as they would not in their days of peaceable governments, and we, according to their custom, do not in these days suffer any stranger though denized to bear any office touching the peace and ordering of the land. he is not trusted with a iustiship of peace or petty constableship. much less would they make him Admiral of the navy, Constable of the tower, or Guardian of any castle or piece of strength. In time of popery when the Roman prelate usurped upon our prince for conferring benefices, Abbeys, and such livings here, to 
Prior's aliens  Italians, French, and other aliens at his pleasure, yet would the kings of those blindest days suspect treachery in these holy Abbots and Priors whom otherwise they made their Gods, & would without fear of sacrilege, sequester their profits unto the king's coffers and seize the land of those holy aliens, least they might perhaps wage foreign soldier with English pay, against the king of England. whereof they gave manifest experience to king Henrye the fift who having founded an Abbay wherein he put French friars, and in a visitation, as their founder finding them negligent in their devotions: he asked the good father of the house what was the cause. who answered flatly that they could not naturally pray for him, that had been enemy in himself and his ancestors to them and their forefathers and to their land which by kind they loved. so much nature remained in those of that ungracious spirit. Now if a founder of a beggarly rabble of friars, could not have their prayers, which at that time went a begging and were never so dear but a man might have a long paternoster for a penny: how dainty would they be of their money to Englishmen and how liberal in alms to aid their own countries and countrymen? Likewise in the days of king Edward the first, certain aliens richly beninificed, refused to aid the king in his wars: for which obstinacy, albeit the Pope would not let him deprive them, yet was he so bold as to put them out of his protection, leaving their lives out of defence or revenge by la. For these reasons, to this day it is expressed in the most large and most beneficial Legitimation made to any alien, that he shall not devil in Barwick, Hampton or such maritime or other town of trust. and all for fear least that their love towards their own countries, or hatred to ours bred in their bones, should never out of the flesh. So that we see no alien is made so legalis or ligeus to the crown of England but with some restraint to him in respect of the state, which can never so kindly matriculate him as the child which she hath born in her own womb  
And we are the more loath to put our shoulders under this burden any more, because already we have felt the weight of the little finger and smarting whips of this incommodity. which would seem yet so much the more irksome to us, if now after more than twenty years sweet freedom therefrom, we should be pressed down with the heavy loins of a worse people & beaten as with scorpions by a more vile nation. In which respect it hath been always yelden unto her majesty, for the chief and first benefit done to this kingdom, that she redeemed it and yet, not she but the Lord by her, from a foreign king: according to the worthiness whereof, it hath been from time to time notably set forth in monuments of ecclesiastical story, and civil chronicles, as a singular commendation to the happy beginning of her reign: yea it made her subjects in love with her the very first day, & hath increased it mightily to this hour. whereof it seems they have little regard who seek to stain the entry of her second twenty years and to blemish the praise thereof by the contrary of that which caused the first to be so highly extolled and by bringing upon her people a more dangerous foreigner and more to their discontentation, to leave them in worse case than they were found.  
For whereas all these kinds of alliances with realms are contracted for mutual support, this alliance presently in talk, hath no such hope. These Frenchmen gave such trial of their loyal alliance and of their profitable neighbourhood to the Grecians, either while they were yet in Galatia from whence their french 
Frenchmen.  brag is to come, either else in their vagabond time while they sought a place to set their foot on, that an Emperor of Greece burned them with this caremarke which they carry till this day: 
Who will needs hold friendship with France, must take heed of their alliance.   
According to the which counsel of Greece, the true and natural old English nation never esteemed nor loved the French: they have it sunk so deep and deeply laid up in their heart, as the savour wherewith their young shells were seasoned to the son from grandfather to father, who in teaching them to shoot would have them imagen a frenchman for their butt, that so in shooting they might learn to hate kindly, and in hating learn to shoot neearely. Out of this inbred hatred it came, that Frenchmen above other aliens bear this addition in some of our ancient chronicles, Charters, and, statutes to be the ancient enemies of England. And can it be safe that a stranger and Frenchman, should as owner possess our Queen, the chief officer in England, our most precious rich treasure, our Elizabeth JONAH and ship of good speed, the royal ship of our aid, the highest tower, the strongest hold, and castle in the land?  
It will not be received for answer to affirm barely, that this fear is without ground of truth, because, forsooth, the Realm 
Alteration of government.  must still be governed as before. we know that de iure it should be so. But in matters of kingdoms, who can say that de facto it shallbe so? will any persuader of this marriage offer himself a gage of life and death, that it shall be so? If he and many more would yet are they no counterpoise to the Queen and Realm, whose life and good estate comes here to be warranted. For if he mary her with that good love on both parts, which I wish with all my poor heart between her majesty and her godly husband whensoever and whomsoever she shall mary: yet shall he bear a great sway with her, who bears all the sway with us. and if he do not love her (the Lord keep her from proving) then must she fear him. so as for fear or love, he will rule her and the whole land for her sake. And this is done many times without taking on him supreme authority. for if he do but either give or sell, after the French manner our chief offices: he may rule though not as head, yet by those his promoted creatures, as by so many hands and feet. and though he be not precedent in the counsel, nor once admitted to sit personally in the chamber: yet would it be no hard thing for him to thrust in at the door such counsellors in whose mouth he may speak, and by them, as by hired spials, to know what is done at that board: and as by knights at his post to pass or repulse what him pleaseth.  
The example of the king of Spain serves for me in this case, and not for those which would make us believe he stood for a 
K. of spain.  cipher in algorithm. For how many great matters obtained he? and it is known too well, what pensionars he had of that honourable company of counsellors, again, at that time, the marriage with Spain was not so dangerous nor offering such cause of suspicion as now. for there was not yet come into the world out of the smoky pit of hell any such holy league as absolveth aforehand all conspiratif oaths given us. France and spain were then in wars: they are since allied by marriage of a French daughter, by whom Spain hath a daughter: and the least alliance in the world binds them together against religion. And though I esteem the king of Spain for a loyal king of inviolate faith & whole honour in respect of the French king: yet am I so far off from sound trust in either of them both, that considering how spain dotes upon that drunken harlot of Rome, I would be loathe that either france or Spain should have such a Porter here to let them in at a postern gate, as Monsieur is. Yea I do not only set this popish French faith behind the Spanish honour of promise holding: but I affirm without doubting, that it is not so safe to contract this near alliance with these French, as to make some other commun amity with those Moors beyond spain. whose barbarian religion and region, though it be farther from us than France: yet do those mores hold more Faith with strangers than these French do with themselves.  
A most illcome guest therefore to all sorts of men here. for to take this whole land in a lump, and to make no difference of papist or protestant: I am sure the devoutest papist that hath an English heart left to knok upon in his breast, wyllbe afraid to call Monsieur his master. But a most dangerous guest to this quiet of the state must he needs be, that to the grief of the greatest 
Contrary religion.  part and chief strength of the land, requires open exercise of a contrary religion, for himself and his, giving great hope thereby to others of obtaining some indifferent Interim. Now to prove that any alteration in religion or expectation to have religion altered, is a politic boil inflaming the peace of a settled and even state: I might have sufficient authority, to some men, out of macciavel. But I loathe once to take up his best texts though they were written in golden letters of the fairest text hand. Hereon will I only rest for this point, that to altar our good religion, or to give any premission to so wicked Idolatry as is his, takes away God's blessing from the state, whose providence it is whereby Rulers reign and states do stand. And let him, pardie, that holds himself the best politic, hold this with me for a corner stone and most lucky principle in policy: that, as to bring in and hold true religion, procureth God's protection, and worketh subjects obedience of heart far above all other laws or fear of laws: so, to put out God's gospel and to bring in idolatry, or to enlarge Antichrist and straighten the passage of Christ, doth shut all bessing from heaven: so as the Lord shall curse our counsel and cast us in our wisdom of overweening. In which behalf, we have somewhat already felt of that judgement for our fault of once deliberating so ungodly a thing. for wisemen in marrying of their children will most willingly seek houses of ancient amity, and carefully do avoid the seed of old enemity, which is heriditarie, as other diseases are. and we are not so wise in marriage of our common weal. for what house is more anciently enemy to her majesties royal ancestors and this land, than that of Valois? what king more out of league or long truce with this 
Valois.  state than he of France? as he who can not be content only to usurp a kingdom from us, but is impatient that our prince should so much as bear the true title thereof. And if we were such enemies when we had but civil quarrels and only, uter regnaret, how should not our hate be multiplied, when it is de aris et focis, and consequently, uter sit et vivat? And if entermariages amongst themselves in their own family, can not stay this fury of theirs, but that for religion only and none other quarrel, their very pity is cruelty even upon their own bowels, murdering and massacring one another by thousands and ten thousands: how shall any marriage make them friends to us, whom they repute as old enemies and have yet bleeding in their chronicles the dishonours and wounds heretofore given from hence to their kings & ancestors? Not not, well said that wise Trojan Timeo Danaos vel dona ferentes: and well may a simple Englishman say, timeo gallos, namely Valesios, nuptias ambientes especially such mixed marriages, which we know to be otherwise against their own conscience.  
It were well we learned that conscience of them, if not of conscience, at lest by horror of those streams of french blood 
Examples modern.  that was shed through such a marriage in Paris: assuring ourselves, that if they went up to the knocles in french blood, they will up to the elbows in English blood. And that cruelty raged not only on the poor and silly ones, but it took the noble men and great princes by the throat. Yea the king of Navarre himself who was the spouse in that infamous marriage to the end of the world, had the deadly sword hanging over his head by a twine thread, and had felt the point thereof if he had not to his dishonour (the Lord be honoured in his repentance) renied his God. Fron these men, that have eaten the people of God as bread, have been fleshed in murdering of multitudes, & drunk the blood of noble men, why should any good manner stay a good loving subject from fearing the same dangers and cruelties from the same men to our Queen? and so, a wretched confusion in this land, if for the sins thereof, she should come in their fingers to be a doleful bride in their bloody brydchambers: which God for his Christ's sake prevent Amen.  
Beside this late experience in our eyes of their dangerous dealings in marriages among themselves, we may learn, if we 
Examples ancient.  be so happy, by the ancient hurts that England have received through royal intermariages with that nation: and by the rules which the wise English counsellors of those times have set down as a state wisdom for their succeeding counsellors. yea we may see, that these marriages with France or with any other parts of that present dominion, before or sense it was united to that crown, have always endamaged England, and sometime France to. so as, for most part, they might be reckoned among those ill bargains that no body gains by, and therefore be 
Henry first  like cursed from above. Such were the marriages, where Henrye the first gave his daughter Malt the Empris, in second marriage, to the Earl of Angeow, and his sister Aelix (as some chronicles call her) to Steeven earl of Bloys. for thereof sprang the loss of a kingdom to Malt during her lufe, by being so far out of the land in another country, when she should have accepted it here: thereof sprang the perjuries of Steven king of England enticed to a kingdom through the commodity of his near place which seemed to provoke him and therefrom came the civil miseries to the people, who through the incertainty of a governor, were in field and arms one against another. with like blessing did 
Henry. 2.  Henry her son take to wife Eleonor daughter to the Earl of Aquitaine and Poictou, who through her own wickedness and the friends she made on the otherside, entertained many years an unnatural war between her own husband and his and her children, Henry, Richard, and john, And yet this unhappy Henry the father, must go and take Marguerit the daughter of Lewis the eight for a wife to his son Henry, and for his son Richard 
Prince H. Richard. 1.  took Aelix an other daughter of France, which alliances proved such assurances to Henry the second as his last five or six years were nothing but an unkind strife with his own sons and especially his son Richard made open war against him and wan from him a part of Normandy, by the help of his trusty friend Lewes the French king. After this, when Richard himself was king, notwithstanding all the French friendships and alliances: at what time he was taken prisoner in his return from jerusalem, the French king was not ashamed to excite john the brother of England to seize himself of the crown. The said john when he was king marrying the daughter of the Earl of Engolesme in France, and his son Henry the third having married 
R. john. 1. Henry. 3.  first a daughter of the Earl of Provence, and secondly french Marguerit sister to Philip the fair: found in the several days of their reigns, the French king to be no better than a prick in their sides, taking part against them and provoking their people to be, as it were thorns in their feet. Edward the second succeeding 
Edward. 2  his ancestors aswell in their unhappy folly, as in their kingdom: will needs marry with Isabel daughter to the same Philip. which proved such an assurance to himself, as that his French wife was able to bereave him first of his son carrying him into France, and having there made a strong part, could return and bereave her husband of his liberty and kingdom, and in the end of his life to, after a wretched captivity under his own son.  
So that of old, the alliances of France did set husband and wife together by the ears as in Henry the second and Edward the second: the father and son together, as they did Henry the second and his three sons, Henry, Rycharde, and john: brother against brother, as Richard and john: the king and his people together, as they did king john and Henry the third against the people: and as they did afterwards in Richard the second, & Henry the sixth. which the duke Thomas of Gloucester in his time 
Richard. 2.  well foresaw: and therefore upon treaty of the like marriage for Richard the second, who having now reigned. xix. years, and being thirty years old, fell amorous most unkindly and unkingly with a french girl but eight years of age, daughter to Charles the sixth, French king: he the same Thomas of Gloucester uncle to the king stepped up and withstood that match: having belike in these former experiences observed the truth of that general rule set down upon the French, by that Greek Emperor. And because I found the words of this Duke set down more expressly in a French chronicle then any where else, I will use their 
A witness without ecception.  own words as the fittest testimony in this case. The alliance of France (saith that Duke in that french story) hath been the ruin of England, and this new friendship between these kings (saith the Duke) shall never make me look for any assured peace attwene them, for (saith he) there was never yet any trust or religion or truth in the word or promises of the French. What an ancient & hereditary disease of disloyalty is this in the royal seat of France, especially since the Majors of the household become kings? And though this Duke's voice in this counsel were overruled by the multitude, or rather by the lust of the king: yet did the king and his people and their children feel how true it was in sequel. For first this extern amity with France, bred home enemitye in England. It cost us for an earnest penny the town of Breast in Brittany, by means of the kings outlandish Queen. And poor king Richard using in private connsaise altogether the French companions, such as his wife brought: began to disdain his own natural kinsmen and subjects, and finally following overmuch the cruel and riotous counsel of such minions, namely the Constable of France and earl of S. Pol who the French king sent of purpose to king Rycharde his son in law polling the people and putting to death such nobles as his french counsel put in his head, in the end he was quite vnkinged by Henry of Lancaster, afterwards Henry the fourth. who during the time that he plaited this enterprise, found hospitality in France for all king Rychards' alliance under his father in laws nose. The French match it was which within one year brought the king to dishonourable captivity, death, and deposing. which appears, for that in story it is reckoned, among other things that alienated from him the love of his subjects, so far as when he was taken, his enemy was fain to save his life by guard from his own people, and also it is objected against him that he had made this alliance with France, not calling to counsel the three estates of England. Even the last marriages we made with France 
Henry. 5.  were like unhappy to the end. Henry the fift that noble king had the alliance of Katherine daughter to Charles the seventh of France, and after had the possession of France, first by right of descent and marriage, then by conquest of sword, and lastly by covenant agreed with king Charles and his peers. yet could he none otherwise hold their love, but having their necks under his yoke. Which union of possession and right, to that realm, 
Henry. 6.  was afterwards fortified by crouning his son Henry the sixth in Paris and by a new match between him and Marguerit daughter of a French Charles, as most men saien, which cost him first for a princely bribe, the dukedom of Angeow and Ereldome of Main, and after many miserable destructions of our English chivalry & people lost both the new conquered title & ancient heriditarye dominions on that side, and finally wrought an ignominious deprivation of Henry the sixth from this realm. I think, I might set dowue all such matches, as unhappy ones: and contrariwise those matches nothing so unhappy, but for the most part prosperous, which were made either at home or in other places, as werens all those marriages made since Henry the sixth as by Edward 
Home mariges happy.  the fourth her majesties greatgraundfather, and by her majesties grandfather and by her father.  
And if a sister or daughter, who had no or dinarye counsel allowed her out of France, could yet continually prevail so much to the trobling of the state and deposing of the king here: what peril is it to draw hither a brother, who is to have his ordinary counsel, and some guard of force and continuall-intelligence with the French king, and is also to be a leader and executer of any devise himself, which a French woman could not do so well. the danger therefore in this match is increased beyond that in the former matches. for there the party, for or by whom, the danger came, was a woman, and therefore weaker: the party to whom the match fell out so hurtful, was a man, and therefore stronger: here the peril strenghtned for the party bringing the peril out of France is a man: and the party endangered is a woman These things deserve well the weighing, and may not be passed over upon every lisping word and crouching courtesy of a French Ambassador or other flattering petty messenger. And if our wise and renowned forefathers of England passed without stumbling over the threshold of suspecting the french alliance, even then when the french men professed & held the laws of arms with their enemies as soldiers: let us not be nicely fearful to pass the bounds of honourable modesty, in judging of the present princes which profess to deceive and break faith with such as we are, yea let us boldly & wisely cast this doubt that they whose friendships when they had not so ill purposes, but thought it their honour to match with us, wrought us yet this woemust needs now hurt us according to their hateful falsehood in dealing with us, whom they esteem, according to their doctrine of Rome, no better than dogs.  
Now as there is danger on the part of the French for great troubles to follow by this marriage, as well for that they have new fangled and stirring common wealth heads, lusting after Innovations, as also for the jealousy of two so near bordering kingdoms: even so will it be harder than iron for Englishmen 
Englishmen. K. of spain.  to digest with quiet stomach, the french insolences and disdainful bravades. For if the Spaniard coming in upon his honour, and being an ancient friend, at that time of one religion, did nevertheless bear away hard intreadie for his unwonted pride towards us: more danger will their be, lest these needy spent Frenchmen of Monsieurs train, being of contrary religion and who are the scum of the king's Court, which is the scum of all France, which is the scum of Europe, when they seek, like horseleeches, by sucking upon us to fill their beggarly purses to the satisfying of their bottomless expense: the poor plain and rude Englishman first give him the elbow in the street, than the fist and so proceeding to farther bicquerings in private quarrels, great troubles rise of small beginnings. for as touching the humble, mild, persecuted, and religious Frenchmen, that we receive him as a well-beloved brother, and that our old grudging nature against the french in this respect, is expelled, as it were with a fork. that comes by the force of religion, the Lord having wrought it in our hearts. But against these irreligious, haughty and faithless frenchmen, that bring in a religion contrary to ours, & have no conscience nor love to use us kindly, our English nature will return a main to his own course. which things also may evidtenly appear to any man, that would but mark how sadly & heavily & with how sorrowful countenances all the multitude of English both nobility & commonalty look, casting up their hands & eyes to heaven when they do but talk of the matter.  
This stinging stranger of France must we keep warm in our bosom at our own intolerable charge, which is another reason not to be neglected, sith treasure is a principal sinew of any 
A charge to the Realm.  state: and therefore would not be wasted, much less therewith to buy our own harm. For they are over credulous to be believed, who with the empty name of Monsieur, and of the French kings brother, would promise' such other fools as list credit them, mountains of gold and great gain to this royal state, by his worshipful revenues forsooth bringing in king Philip (who serves them in this devise for all in all) for their example. first who knows not this in general that every prince, though never so rich, will hoard up his own treasure, and spend of the strange purse. and it is a notable policy for our french enemy, by this means to weaken the very knees and hams of our Realm. Now, that which other princes do of worldly wisdom: Monsieur must do of mere necessity. for let his receipts be great for a subject, yet shall they not be sufficient to maintain his mind in state of so great a priuce & companion to our Queen. for even already his debts & expenses are said to be farther at odds with his revenues, than many years receipts can yield the arrearages.  
But these persuaders, as men having their eyes dazzled with the golden sun, are over affectioned to this match and can not see that Monsieur hath not more counties than king Philip had archdukedomes: nor so many dukedoms as king Philip had kingdoms: and that he is not able to drop half testons for king Phillip's pîstelas: nor with silver to weighdowne his gold: as also that king Philip for all those dominions & mines of treasures, was content to be pingling with our purses: made Queen Mary to ask more extraordinary and frequent subsides and tasks, than had been seen in so short a reign: further causing her to borrow more loans of hundred pounds, forty pounds twenty pounds, and ten pounds of her subjects, than were ever paid again by a great sort. thus gleaning the money from the subjects, & by armfuls lading out of the exchequer, that both the land and the Exchequer was left as empty to the Queen's majesty that now is, as it was many a day. The very bodies of our men, were fain to be employed in his service and foreign wars there to abide the foremost force and to be as a wall between the honourable Spainard and the Canon. which wars nothing in our own quarrel, besides the present loss of noble men and good soldiers there at the place, cost us in a back reckoning, the richest and strongest town of war that the Queen then had. And yet must we have king Philip brought in for example of a gainful marriage to England. In deed we had great cause to thank the Lords mercy, who delivered us from that king his power, as we had to thank our sins that we were given into his hand. but we may say we scaped a scouring. for, but that he was newly settled in his own kingdom, and could not tarry to be warm in his bed here, the end would have been worse than the beginning, he would have held hard, if not for the soil of the kingdom, yet for the navy, for the ordinance, and other chief movable treasures and real jewels of the land. All which things come in a more danger with this Prince, because if he be king of france, he shallbe nearer and readier by colourable polices to wythdraw by little and little all things from hence in her majesties lysr, & by force to challenge them, if (Which God say nay to) she should be his wife and die before him.  
There is another dangerous danger in this foreign french match that ariseth yet far higher, in that he is the brother of 
Monsieur heir asparant of France & the dangers thereby.  childless France. So as, if Henry the third now king, should die the morrow after our marriage, and Monsieur repair home, as we may be sure he would, into his native country a larger and better kingdom: then, by all likelihood, either must our Elizabeth go with him out of her own native country and sweet soil of England, where she is Queen as possessor and inheritor of this imperial crown withal regal rights, dignities, prerogatives, pray heminences, privileges, authorities, and iuredictions of this kingly office and having the kingrike in her own person, into a foreign kingdom where her writ doth not run & shallbe but in a borrowed Majesty as the moon to the son, shining by night as other king's wives, and so she that hath ruled all this while here shallbe there over ruled in a strange land by some belledame not without awe perhaps of a sister in la, and we her poor subjects that have been governed hitherto by a natural mother, shallbe overlooked at home by some cruel and proud governor, or else must she tarry here without comfort of her husband, seeing herself despised or not wifelike esteemed and as an eclipsed son diminished in sovereignty, having such perhaps appointed to serve her and be at her commandment after the french phrase, which in plain English will govern her and her state.  
In this great matter what an illuding answer is it again by the particular example of the king of Spain to put away this 
Spanish K.  reason grounded upon these two general rules. The first is, that a stranger mighty king brought into a realm to aid them as 
strange aid.  was the Turk and his Saracens, or upon any lighter occasion, will hardly be gotten out again. The second, a stranger king drawn in by our sins and sent by God's justice for our punishment, is not rid without God's extraordinary help. Now sir, because we were once happily dispatched of Spain, therefore we shall once again commit this gross folly and contemn that general rule of policy. And because the Lord in mercy did once deliver us from spain, therefore we will tempt him again by delivering ourselves into the hands of France. Alas for these men, if king Philip had never married Queen Mary and if this matter had been to dispute xxvij. years ago, then had they had no one reason for their side, nor no answer to escape any of our arguments. and this absurd manner of reasoning is very Macciavelian logic, by particular examples thus to govern kingdoms and to set down general rules for his prince whereas particulars should be warranted by generals. But there master wrested his ungracious wit ever to the maintenance of a present state, and these foolish scholars put forth their gross conceits to the overthrow of this present, in hope of, I wot not what, futur common wealth of their own head. Some subtlety there is also in this 
French marriage more dangerous than spanish.  answer, that when we are to deliberate of France which is the more near and more ancient, therefore more dangerous enemy, to annoy us with his forces and to hold us if he once have us: they bring us in example spain, a more remote potentate & an ancient friend, one that was at that time of one religion with this kingdom, and therefore not so pricked to hasten some change in our state, as this man, who being led by Antichrist must not endure with any patience that state where Christ is. Moreover our dispofition more ready to war with France then with spain, is holpen by more continual occasions given of both sides, by more conveniency of means to perform suddenly, which will make them let no opportunity slip, that may bring so come bersome a neighbour under them as we are. And better may they do it now, then might the king of spain then. for them was Spain at wars with France, neither was it like that France would have been holden by any friendship while he should have suffered a more pnissant neighbour set his foot here, whom he might so easily let by helping us. But now is there no enemity between France and Spain to let this practice: they are of kin by the flesh, and by their religion. and the holy league ties them together in that respect as it were faggotstiks. And in truth spain being so far and France so near, France hath great advantage in this comparison and cannot be so letted of Spain, as spain may be by him.  
These dangers wherein this dangerous practice of marriage wrappeth Queen Elisabeth in hyrlyfe time and her England together alike, will, I doubt not, move those in authority to avoid them and others that are private to pray against them most seruently. But these calamities, alas, end not with this age. For where as these persuaders lay for a chief ground their certain expecting issue of her majesties body upon this match and the commodities thereof ensuing, thereby persuading this strange conceit: I will at once dispatch that reason that might be objected against me, & make it a chief argument (for I esteem it my second politic reason) to dissuade the French marriage especially. If it may please her Majesty to call her faithfullest wise physicians and to adjure them by their conscience towards God, their loyalty to her, and faith to the whole land, to say their knowledge simply without respect of pleasing or displeasing any, and that they consider it also as the cause of a realm and of a Prince, how exceedingly dangerous they found it, by their learning for her majesty at these years to have her first child, yea how fearful the expectation of death is to mother and child: I fear to say what will be their answer, and I humbly beseech her Majesty to inform hyrselfe thoroughly even in her love to the 
Issue dangerous to the Queen.  whole land, which holds dear her life and peace, and which as it hath hitherto deutifully sought her marriage while hope of issue was, desiring it as the chiefest common wealth good, and withal that fear God English or stranger would have rejoiced to see that the reign of Queen Elizabeth might have been drawn forth, as I may say, in her faithful line: yet dare we not now otherwise crave it, but so as it might be by such afather as had a sound body and holy soul, and yet not then neither, unless she may first found it to stand with her life and safety:  
And when I think more earnestly of this matter, me thinks it must needs come first of a very French love to our Queen and land, to seek this marriage, even now so eagerly at the uttermost time of hope to have issue, and at the very point of most 
Note.  danger to her Majesty for childbearing: whereby they think, if her Majesty have issue, to see either the mother die in childbedd (which the Lord forbidden) and the land left again as theirs hath been, to an infant: or else to see both mother and child put in a grave, and so the land left a spoil to foreign invasion, and as a stack of wood to civil wars. All is one to them saving that they desire the worst to befall us. And if there be any persuader of this strange marriage, in whom remains yet a simple mind but miss or miscarried, I desire him or her, and I charge them as they will answer to God of their truth to their Mistress of England & English brethren, that they close their hand and put their fingar to their mouth, and weigh better hereof as well by the law of God, as of human policy which must, no doubt, agreed with God's law. I counsel them to consider these dangers common to themselves with all other. and if they look well about them, they shall found this marriage a right unhappy one, and on no side happy, wheresoever they turn them.  
For let it be that he have issue by her and that none but feamal only: we have hazarded our kingdom for putting it in the hands of the father, who under colour of some tutorship to his daughter, 
Issue female only.  will have her into France and so either adjoin this land to France, or marry her to some French or other stranger at his liking: and all this while we never the near possession of our old right in France which we so much desired. for the Salic law bars her quite. And though she should come and dwell in England, yet her bringing up being in France, her father will nousell her in his own religion, and so she coming home shall strive to staplish popery, as the late Queen of Scots did when she came out of France: whereupon ensued those bloodshedds and red wars: besides the ill-favoured examples of the French Court and kings, which we would be loathe our English princes shall learn and bring home hither.  
If this issue by Monsieur should be a son and but one son: then will he translate his Court into France, and leave this 
Issue male one & only Viceroy.  poor Provence to the managing of a viceroy, the grievances whereof are enough set forth by referring you to the proconsulates of Rome under that Empire: to the undergovernours in the former monarchies. to the viceroys and Luogotenenti of spain in Naples-Cicil and here nearer in the low countries. Who like boars in a fat new broken up ground, by sowing first some seeds of dissensions to breed partialities in the country, do root out the ancient homegrowing nobility, and turn under perpetual slavery, as clods, the country people, yea and perhaps in the end, caught with the liquerishnes of government, seize themselves of the absolute kingdom, and deceive their master, so did the ancient Monarchies melt: so did this present Empire loose her provinces and is now become less than a kingdom: and so may this ancient kingdom be transferred to a rebellious seed. Such rough plowers do our sins deserve, to blow deep furrows on our backs, if the Lord in mercy look not on us. I am not ignorant that some pass easily this incommodity 
Mark well these Englishmen.  of viceroy affirming it to bring honour not peril. for (say they) this son being born here, shall be king of both kingdoms with great honour, as hath been heretofore. But they be sweet Englishmen if you mark their English. we reason of the dishonour and servitude which comes to the nation, and they answer of the honour that comes to the prince. more like bascia's to the great Turk, than Christian commonwealthmen. as though our Christian and natural Queen could think any thing profitable to her, which might any way though a far off, tend to the perpetual bondage of her people: here though they subtly let slip the assured hurt which hereby falls to the common weal: I will not forget to show how incertain, yea and how certainly perilous to the prince, this honour is wherewith they flatter her.  
Holy king Henry, as they call him, whom I suppose they will bring in for example, was crowned in Paris: and yet lost all on that side before he was a man, as I remember, or soon after, and before his unhappy death, he lost this land also. which loss of both came by striving for both. So that he may with more reason 
Henry the sixth no good example to persuade by.  be recorded among those fallen princes at the lowest of Boccaces wheel, or in our English book of fallen Magistrates, then to be reckoned up by any faithful English man for a pattern of imitation to our present Queen Elizabeth. Who so will avoid those fearful effects, must avoid the cause from whence they proceed and not bring such examples to be followed. This example of Henry the sixth, would prove like to our present case if it were pursued. For, the complexion and constitution of Monsieur, is not to live long, but to leave his child in the cradle, for the reasons hereafter remébred. And if the birth of this child should any way endanger our Queen: the poor infant if he overlived should have two over great sceptres to play withal: even as Henry the sixth had. and so much the worse as there are even now one or two houses in France which would easily be saluted as kings, and of whom both Monsieur and the king that now is, may well stand in fear. perhaps these men would provide that this child should be borne in Monmouth and not at windsor and then they would think all sure. Me thinks they should run headlong on this remedy that are blinded in this evil. Thus it comes oftentimes to pass, that flattery woundeth princes even with the very self things it so fairly beareth in hand.  
And if he should have a son and a daughter, so as both of them 
Issue male and female.  over living their parents, the son should be actually king as well of his fathers as of his mother's kingdom and then die without issue: his sister yet living: is it not more then probable in this case that the next prince of the blood in France under pretence that England was once vested in the blood of the French king and under their government will draw it also by this unity of possession with the crown of France, under the law Salic and so quite unqueen the desolate sister? for the lest colour in the world joined with the sword in a strong high-minded king's hand, makes a good title to a kingdom, even against father, mother, wife, brother, and sister: as stories witness, and according to that which is said, No faith in matter of a kingdom. Much more against that poor daughter which then should be a stranger in the house of France. The actual possession of her brother, will make no title: neither will it be any plea, to say that by our laws, lands descended from the mother are guided to the heirs of the part of the mother. but our issue must be battle, which is a trial most incertain, most perilous to the daughter who being out of possession, shall have much ado to found equivaliant champions.  
And if this Monsieur should have by our Queen, two sons or more: it must needs breed foreign wars and civil partaking through 
Two sons or more.  disagreement of the brethren, while the younger looking back to the times of william the first, would challenge to have kingdoms and such regal dominions divided among children, as the Conqueror did with England and normandy: and the elder knowing himself according to the present laws heir to both would claim both: utterly denying this carpet conquest of Monsienr to be any conquest like that of William. And so that miserable civil dissension in England renewed after her, which in the peacemaking marriage of her noble grandfather, and in the person of her royal father, and in sustenance of that line in her hitherto is happily quenched. He that confesseth all these inconveniences and weens to provide for them with his pen in his study, or by acts of parliament, or by any other conditioning of oaths and sworn promises contested at their high altar of their mass, forgets the many experiences of sayths most solemnly given, falsified. on the other side he that scorns this our particularizing of this matter and putting of the case, what if he have issue male only, or female only, must be put in mind again, how unlike it is for her to have any: how dangerous for her to have but one: and how her years do necessarily deny her many. he must also remember on the side of Monsieur how fruitless a race that is. his eldest brother had none: his second brother but one & that a daughter: his third hath none: all of them being a forced generation by physic after many years, when their mother feared to be put away as barren. Not where therefore are we to match with less hope of issue. And if it seem curiosity that we proceed further in this case, as to say what if Monsieur should have both male and female, or divers males: I require of him but so much foresight and casting of doubt for the happy staying of this crown in the English line of our auneient kings, as noble men and other great landed once at this day have. who in their usual conveyances do marshal the fall of their inheritances by limitation upon limitation even to the tenth son of their body begotten and to the tenth nephew of their foresaid tenth son of his body begotten. May it be lawful, so to provied for the continuance of pelting manners in one family of a subject: and will he not carefully cast a few doubts for holding of the crown with many principalities and dukedoms, for the preservation of the capital corporation of England: in respect where of all other the greatest castles, honours, and manors, are but mesnalties or rather very messages and tenancyes paraval. Issue therefore, or no issue by this Frenchman's body: the issue of this Frenchman's marriage is most dangerous to this Realm, and the very consideration of it fearful in behalf of our lief sovereign.  
But these gloosing Frenchmen have whet on some of our persuaders, 
These fair words make no wise man fain. Dominion.  who likewise whet on others, with remembrance of the dominions and rule which their ancestors sometime bore in France, and which this land now wants with some disgrace. Other of our men's teeth are made to water with fair promises of reposseding those seigneuries and countries which their noble forefathers enjoyed: as though, by means of this marriage, they would set foot there (I know not how) before the french 
Revenue.  were aware, and sending over some colonies from hence of such superfluous gentlemen as themselves, they would hold it maugre the king there. with such brave words the false flattering frenchmen, bring fond credulous Englishmen into a supposed paradise. These braving English gentlemen are as far from the wisdom of their noble auncestets of whom they speak, as from their courage. It were verily a conquest fit for gentlemen, to assay the recovering of our former losses, and to begin even with our last loss first. but if these men's either wisdom were such as were like to get it, or their courage such as were like to keep it, they would remember that in times passed, the noble▪ Englishmen delighted rather to be seen in France in bright armour then in gay clotheses and masking attire. they did choose rather to win and hold by manly force, then by such esseminate means. Yea when they did obtain any thing by marriage, it was not that England was married to France, but by marrying france 
As the wise is subject to her husband: so is her country to his land.  to England. wherein is great difference if a man have the wit to mark it. For if either we were Frenchmen or our nation more large and pleasant than France: we might perhaps have reason simply to desire it. Then should our land▪ be the royal seat, our king should be resident among us, and our empire increased by so many vassals. which though, by the marriages of our former kings the flowers of kinghthood, would have fallen out otherwise in process of time, to the same bondage of this land, if they had still kept France, because their succeeding children kings of England would have removed thither as into a more rich and pleasant kingdom out of England divided from the world: yet had even our forefathers in the days of those victorious kings, that reason to desire it which we want. that is, they went thither with their kings to be masters of country and people, and to hold it by aims as strongest: & wheresoever their king went he was still an Englishman, and trusted most & most advanced Englishmen. yea those kings had ever Animam revertendi, as I may say, into England▪ in so much as king Henrye the fift who had set surest foot in France, yet he had a mind to be brought after his death out of fickle France into well stayed England. and here we have his bones. But in this marriage our Queen is to be married, and both she and we poor souls, are to be mastered and, which is worse, mistrised to. And as for the issue he shall be mere French, no more acknowledging us, then that other Pharaoh which never knew joseph.  
This therefore were a desire more like the noble blood of those times, rather to fight for that we have not, then to dance for that we have: yea, I will say to these dancers for a garland and not for a kingly crown, as that duke of Gloucester said. It were more commendable for these jolly mates to demand by word and sword those dominions which we have lost, rather than by marriage to shut the gates of recovering any thing lost, and to open agate of losing all that is left. And if these men were either regenerate with their living brethren by the Gospel, or if they were not degenerate from their deceased noble fathers, & remained but in their pure naturals, they would never so speak for a faultor prince of Rome, and one that may be warranted to us and our heirs for an enemy ancestral, as I may say, and of an hateful blood from many grandfathers. And if they had but that natural sense which all living creatures have, to eschew in their kinds all contrary and hurtful things, they would not so labour this matter. For what if some of these persuaders can 
English French little worth.  talk a little French, and peradventure have none other English commendation wherein they excel their poor countrymen, nor whereby to climb one step to that height they look at: yea what if they could speak french naturally: think they for a little french in their tongues end, to be so much set by? alas poor men, how vainly they gape at french promises, with loss of their English possessions: If they should have their desire, it would not be long before their tongues would make their hearts ache. It might be honiemoone awhile with them but afterwards french would be no dainty dish, and these silly interpreters were happy if they might quietly stand without the door. whatsoever therefore their estate is now, it can not be so ill, as that must needs be under them. they shall know how sweet the only freedom in a man's natural common wealth is, by experience of that irksome contrary, to serve so wayward a master as is he that by slight or force conquers. who though he will love well the dominion so gotten: yet will he never trust but esteem with a vile estimation, all those that helped him to it, and scarce deem them worthy to live in that land which they have delivered him.  
But the grand reason and mother argument of these persuaders is the gainful honourable and strong alliance which must 
Alliance with france what it is  of necessity come by matching with the house of France: whereon hangs an other dwainling daughter reason, that great party, forsooth, that Monsieur can make us in that kingdom. Touching either of which reasons though I suppose they can say nothing for maintenance of their conceit, but that is already in their several places either expressly removed, or more than by the way answered: yet for their pleasures who think themselves never answered unless their reason have an express reproof, I will be bold with the reader and a little pass order to object it against myself again and handle it a part. First I demand of these adventurous commonwealminglers whether they ween this strength and honour to be had in the life of this king? and if so, then whither by his aid and friendly alliance? if they say yea, it is contrary to that they say in an other odd reason of bridling the king, who surely will never strengthen that which must curb him, and it is proved also that if he and his brother join in any thing, they will do it smally for englands good.  
If they think this great match of honourable strength in the present king's life, to be by reason of the great party only that Monsieur can make in France without the king: they are wide 
The silly great party of Monsieur  and little think of two other houses, which according to the two chief factions in France, have most devout favourers and addicted followers, as men been respectively minded towards them and their professions. whereof, the one house can have more executioners of any his cruel determination to offer violence, and the other more faithful aiders and companions of life and death in defence of their consciences lives and goods, then ever Monsieur could bring into the field when he joined himself with the Malcontents either in France or the low conntryes: or then ever he could have either to rescue him out of his feigned restraint, or to fall to him for his guard, when he seemed to ruun in some fear from the Court. Yea, of these two partialities in France, as we have no need of his help for winning us the one part, who be already, in the fear of God & christian love, so united to us, and in all leeful things so affectionate to the Queen's majesty, as, there homeloyalty saved, they wish her all prosperity and long life to the glory of God and advancement of the truth: So is not Monsieur in such credit with the other faction as he can gain us their hearts. For albeit, that be his best side indeed, yet is he of so small reckoning among the papists, that 
Monsieurs companions  unless the king will, he shall not have one great on so much as his companion or counsellor. For look into the government of his private affairs: and though he be a great prince the kings 
Counsellors Servants.  brother, yet hath he not one man of mark or of great credit that follows him: but a crew of unruly youths. Yea when he takes any public enterprise in hand, as that of Flaunders, which stood him so much upon in honour, and which was with secret 
Enterprises  intelligence between the king and him, and by collusion: yet because the king could not, for bewraying that counsel, declare his will overtly and liking to that voyage, not one Lord of name accompanied him. And let us believe our eyes in this his wooing of England. 
Woeng messenger.  No doubt very good manners which he can not but know required as well in regard of her Majesty as of his own highness, some proportion to have been kept in the quality of his messenger sent to her Majesty. It is therefore want of having at his devotion such as had been meet for such an embassage. Else had we had an other manner of man, and not this, I wots not what, who hath no credit in France but as a minion of Monsieurs & whatsoever place he presently hath, it is much increased even since he came hither to us and by the credit hereof. In so much as I think scorn in her majesties behalf, and the whole land takes it as an old french frump, that no worthier or nobler person is employed in so worthy and noble a message to our Queen.  
But letting go the poor party of Monsieur to be hoped for in France, we will in sinuate the small value thereof, by showing in a word or two, how little worth the accepting in alliance, the house of France is: either in this present king as our brother, or in Monsieur, though he were reigning french king and (which the Lord forbidden) out husband. It is alteady proved that France is our ancient foe and that their very friendships have proved enemityes to us. Here then we seek to make a new friend of an 
France, an old foe. A new friend.  old enemy. such an one as we may not trust, as well for the non trial of his love, as for the often trial of his hatred. I remember that Hector and Achilles are supposed to have found the very gifts of enemies to be deadly dangerous, yea such gifts as when they had them, made for their defence: whereupon the Grecians had in proverb that, enemies gifts were no gifts. And if there be such a malicious influence of an enemy into his gifts, that they seem as it were, poisoned, and can not be safely taken out of his hand, especially by a prince: How can we without desperate danger receive into our bosom the old enemy himself? certainly, we may take up this proverb, & the truth thereof is as authentic as that other of the Grecians, by a much more strong reason: that is, that an old enemy friend, is no friend. which proverb, though in christian reformed men it may now and then be falsified. yet do I not see, but in men unregenerate by the gospel, it remains true: and to believe it false, is perilous to prince or private person in choice of friend or ally.  
But if these persuaders will needs have this painted man to be a man, and this no friend to be a friend: yet is he of necessity a 
A dangerous friend.  most dangerous friend, by reason of his largely spread dominion which makes him esteem himself as the iron pot, and us as the earthen crock, with whom when he floateth on the sea, he weens he can dash us into shards at his pleasure, according to that emblem of Alciat. And though by the might of the high potter of mankind, & framer of kingdoms, he hath found our sides as hard as iron, and we have found him as brickle in our hands as clay: yet the pride he conceiveth in his own might, will make this dreadless enemy, an intolerable and an insolent friend to us, unless he may found us as serviceable as he found his old friend Scot land. wherein his old rancour still lurks and will provoke him to take any occasion. Thus under trust on our side, shall be shrouded treason on their part: which could never have his effect, if we were still enemies standing on our own guard and in nothing trusting them.  
Again, a most unsure and slippery friend he is. for they that seek utilem amicitiam, as he now doth, will also suddenly break friendship, inhonestae utilitatis causa. wherein he hath the start of us be 
An unsure friend.  fore we join, while we standing on our honour and Christian conscience, as it were, at the lists, shall give none offence but with much ado take any given, pretermitting the best occasion of resisting in time the beginnings: he, that hath made ship wrack of honour and conscience, shall make his profit of our conscience, and lie in wait to fall out for advantage, and to break through even whatsoever surest band of alliance.  
Furthermore, a needless friendship is it which we seek. For hitherto without their help and in despite of their beard we continually have holden our own, and many times prevailed up 
A needless friend.  on theyrr having thereforh tried their malice of 500 years to be contemptible, let us not without any need in the world accept their friendship now when it is most doubtful: lest the title of love compass that which hatred could never come near. Lastly, as in common alliances, it is no credit to entertain a reiec 
A dishonourable alliance.  ted friendship: so is this french alliance dishonourable to us, in respect it is the refuse of Scotland, who being weary of their pride and untruth, have cast them off now a good while since and all there old near fellowship, with resolute purpose so to continued because they found much more profit and safety in these more estranged terms of neighbourhood wherein they stand presently then in their false & insolent former friendship. And to speak truth, the honest late dealings of French are such, and they so renowned for an hateful seed of an hateful house, as, I suppose, they are not like to found friendship else where with any Christian prince of Majesty, especially to join with them in this friendship of marriage. which made their present king Henry the third as haughty as he is, to stoop to a mean man's daughter a vassal of his own And what if it were possible to make some thing of this no friend? to hold this wet Eel by the tail, as they say, and to have his friendship fast, and that the same would be in any thing needful, profitable without peril and not dishonourable, which 
A damage able friendship. Burgundy.  in no wise I admit: yet will our loss be otherwise far greater than his friendship can yield. For first this new found french friend of france, wilpresently cost us our old friend of Burgundy: which faithful society, if our valiant politîque ancestors preferred before that untrusty alliance with France, enen then when it was not yet married to Ostrich, nor crowned with spain: when it was not yet enlarged with her Italian dominions and midsea Isles, nor enriched with her golden Indians: & if also then it were more profitable to us then france: how shall France be now to be preferred before it, or prove more profitable to us now then that? And it is not only for peace and war, that Burgundy hath been entertained before France but even to this day, the merchants will tell you that the only low countries here at hand of that dominion, are more worth to us for venting the surplusage and abundance of our country commodities, and for the transporting hither of the most necessary merchandise of foreign parts, then is all France. Secondly, we shall for this overthwart friend of France, a professed enemy of religion, which only knitts the true-love knot: cast of Scotland a brother in Christ. whose profession as it hath made them new men in love 
Scotland.  and loyalty to us: so do our deserts toward them hither unto, & their need of our help henceforth, make them wholly ours & undoubtedly. And if we were in a brotherly perpetual league with that state, such as both our professions requires of us both, and such as our peculiar neighbourhood begs of us, who have one bounds of the sea, and but a small brook that parts us: doubtless our mutual friendship would prove more mutually strong and profitable, then with any potentate severed from us by seas, whose faith if we could assure ourselves of: yet can we not have it at all needs but must tarry for the wound and tide. All the religious states of Germany, and other whosoever that have 
Allemain.  gone from Rome, will at once throw away their Christian estimation of us. Those protestant princes who having tried the faithlessness of this generation, do set their bodies, possessions, and honours in the gap for defence of God's people in several countries, from sclavery of conscience, bodies, goods wives and children, will in their lour lament our unhappiness that will not not be warned by their harms: wherein I marvel not a little at some who regarding neither modesty nor conscience for the advancing of this marriage do slander those religious princes as recommenders to us of this marriage against which their deeds do speak and their words cry out.  
And for all these losses I know not what new friend comes in by this house of Valois in France, whiles it be the house of Ottoman the great Turk. with whom though France have 
Ottoman the great Turk.  holden, not a truce for a time, but a continual amity, which might well ynongh be the cause why the Pope decked him with his title of most christian king: yet have we of England ever defied him with the rest of those kingdoms that bear the name of Christ. and it will be for our Christian honour, that no match work the contrary, but that in this point we may still hold with them, as well in respect of our common detestation to his blasphemous Mahomet, as for that of all other christians we lest need to fear his might, being so far separate as Europe is large.  
If any man think that we may hold all these old & latter friendships: and that thembracing with France is not straightways an unfolding with all the rest: he neither considers the difference in religion between Scotland and France, nor the diffidence between France and spain, for the low countries, the which as spain hath in possession so doth France many times mut-ter a title thereto. This universal persuader, I say, of all friendships and especially with France, forgets how in times passed, our king Henry the eight could not be at once friend with the Emperor and the french king: but the league with one was present diffiance to the other: and that Scotland so long as they held France, was ever at deadly food with England, and since they clapped hand with England, they have not miss all most enemy like attempts of France,  
And to put him out of doubt, how odious all Germanny will hold us for our fellowship sake with Monsieur: let him remember how far from the dignity of a prince, they entertained Henry, than not single Monsieur and only a brothrr of France, as is our Monsieur Frances, but elect king of Poland a piece of Germany: when, to take real possession thereof, he passed through their territories. some of them, with much ado and after many reproaches for his cruel falsehoods, sending him only a bore passport which the devil might have had to be quickly packing, as did the duke of Saxony, to his worthy and princely praise. Some 
Duke of Saxe. Palsgreve.  of them, granting him a more free safeconduct, yet would not vouchsafe to see this great French prince, as the prince Palatine, that good man. whose blame was more in that action for his overmuch mildness, than was his praise for courtesy. Other of those states, as Spire, bending & turning the mouths of all their great ordinauce upon him on which side of the city or streets 
Spires.  soever he went, as it had been at a common enemy of mankind. Other, as in Frankford, saluting him by the unkingly name of the king of butchers in france. which though it were by the 
Frankford.  mouth of one principal man among them: yet was it ratified by the whole state, when he complaining to the Burgmaisters of this reproach as of a high wrong, they thought it not criminal nor to be pursued Exofficio against the accused, but only at the complaynants private action. wherein he fearing evidence enough so prove the saying true durst not put in caution but departed with shame enough and bore the reproach away on his back. In all those states and cities his welcome was such, as when he came again stealing out of Poland, he would not come back that way to thank them or to have the like, but choosed rather to go about by sea and land the farther and more dangerous way. The small reckoning which that man like nation makes of France, appears by the many happy aids from thence which have bidden base to Valols at his own goal in his own field and at the gates of his strongest walls, hunting the French wolf in defence and relief of the french oppressed lambs.  
A wise man without descending into these sensible particulars would in his understanding see the very general nature of suspicious friendship between neighbour kings: how like it is to the love between a jealous man and his wife in this one point: they be both of them fearful and jealous of their own states, & can not patiently endure that their ally should be any thing great with an other confine government, but straightway every countenance breeds a suspicion, and every suspicion a restraint of intercourse and traffic or open war.  
I might fetch examples farther of and out of tholder stories of Grecians and others. where ever the society withone neigh 
No plurality or totquot in stately friendship  bor was enemity with another state, according to that one great social la among others, which is, that friends and enemies must be common. But it is more than manifest hereby how ungodly and dangerous, how incertain & needles, how dishonourable & unprofitable, this near French conjunction is in itself. again, it is detected as evidently, how many friends in Christ, how many confederacies in old friend ship, how many alliances in blood, and how many sworn brotherhoods in wars, this one forsworn brotherhood of France will lose us.  
It followeth then necessarily upon that which hath been said, that we who already bear the flower delice quartarly, receive no honour by joining with it Par pale. And sith our Queen rightfully bears it, as king of France, and he occupieth it as actual french king: I believe it will pose the king of Heraltes of either realm to make aloving agreement and in one Eschocheon well to marshal, according to their rules, the self same cote of the usurper with the self same kingly cote of the right heir, having 
Laws of arms.  no difference. For, though it may be in other noble gentlemen's coats: it will hardly be done in kings coats. For Heraltes which are upright judges in these causes must imagine but one king in a land, as but one son in the heavens. perhaps, to salve this sore they will take up the old french coat of crawling Toads. But the noble Lion will choose him no such fear. his nature is to abide 
Toad.  no venomous thing in his den: how should he then embrace a Toad for his make? This difficulty of Heraltes is the 
Lyon.  lest of a thousand & might soon be dispatched, were not those other great ones, which even by this small difficulty also in that kind, are bewrayed. that is, that this marriage seems to strive withal laws: that of arms and al.  
Those therefore that persuade this band of strange alliance, must needs be such Englishmen as found themselves not advanced in this state according to that desert which they conceive in themselves and therefore disdain at others good estate: or else such, as are past hope hear and having nothing, know they can lose nothing what change or tumbling soever come. but these be degenerate dangerous Englishmen, who for the satisfying of their disdainful or hungry humour care not to let the common weal blood even in her Basilica vain, who having now lived, by God's grace, and through the great love of her subjects towards her, many years in a miraculous peace: and been a beholder and judge of other lands troubles: should now by this marriage throw, as it were, into the sea, not her ring with Polycrates, but her precious self: and putting her prosperity to the plunge: sand it to float or sink, by drawing into England a great spark of that family which hath been a fire brand in Europe. We can not hold this fire in our bosom, and not be burned therewith. Now that which is hurtful to the whole common weal must be noisome to every part.  
To begin with the chief thereof, her Majesty, in whom as two persons or bodies (as they say) do presently fall in consideration, the one her natural body, such as other private onhis have, the other, her body politic or common weal body which is her body of Majesty, incorporate in understanding of the laws: even so several discommodities and hurts are here to fall in consideration also, in respect of these her two bodies. which all beit they be of that nature as nothing can be harmful to one, but the same is full of harm to both: yet have I in speaking of the common wealth handled also her majesties civil body: as that which can no more be removed from the common weal than the head from the body: and as that which hath mutual suffering with the common weal in weal and woe, as hath the head with the body.  
And for her very self or self self, as I may say, which is her natural body, though it godly pleaseth her, according to the laws 
The Queen in her natural and private consideration  of all well ordered realms, and manner of all good princes, to abide th'advise and consent of all her estates, not to conclude her marriage before she parley in parliament with her subjects, before she consult with the laws and call the common weal as it were to common counsel, so as she on the one side may challenge of it an assured maintenance of her doing with body and goods, as a thing which had their general consent, and the whole land, on the other side, may say, I have chosen such a Lord as I dare put in trust with my Queen, for so much as it also is to be married with her, and in sort to be governed by him that shall be her governor: yet is she for her part to have her particular liking and hearts contentation in this match, in respect of that life she must lead with a husband, so as she may say within herself, I am gladly satisfied in this choice. else should she be in worse point them the worst of her wards, of whom she doth not so absolutely claim the marriage by any tenur, but that yet her tender may be their choice. Let us then see whither this prince be a convenable marriage in regard of her private person, who is already proved most unworthy and extremely dangerous for her princely parsonage.  
Here comes first to our remembrance, her constant dislike & indisposed mind toward marriage from the flower of her youth 
Dislike to marriage in general.  which in all that love her, bredes fear of a discontented life, if at these years she take not her best heed and faithfullest advice in her marriage. This first difficulty on the part of her Majesty, offers a second as great a difficulty on the part of his excellency, 
Monsieur no Paragon.  that is that he should hardly be the man that choice man of choice in all respects to content both eye and mind.  
And if any that persuades this marriage think to have quite himself substantially out of these two difficulties only by a bore objecting of them with referring over to be answered by her majesty, as in whose heart rests the best knowledge of her disposition to marriage, and contentation to this man: such one must be told, that he doth not his bounden endeavour, especially if his place give any leave to debate at large with her. In this point, belike, he is to learn of every parent or other whatsoever that hath a loving care of their daughter or dear friend. who upon a marriage moved will not set them down and rest in saying, you know whither it be fit for you to marry, and you know whither his man be fit for you & to your liking: but cannot con tent themselves, unless they press to help her with their best advise laying about to search and inquire, whether he be such as they wish. and if they found him otherwise, they lay the matter forth in time and frankly tell it her, lest through their silence or negligence, she fall in danger of an ill husband, the greatest cross that may be laid on a poor woman's shoulders. The same should be much more diligently done in marriage of a Queen and her realm and it is a faithless careless part, to leave her helpless in her choice of the person and personal conditions of her husband to her own only consideration. which how so ever sufficient it be, so much the more hath she need of help, as the matter is more weighty in her then in common matches. I marvel therefore they could not see, that as that meat brooks not well which is crammed in against the stomach: and as nothing is said to be done egregie which is undertaken invita Minerva: so surely in this marriage the success of joy and contentation can not be promised, if there be either a general untowardness to desire that state of life, or none hearty affection towards that person which seeketh.  
And for the presence or show of this man's person, although I wot well, that as for most part the sweet and amiable or crooked 
His person.  conditions of mind been (as I may say) written in the lines of a lovely or ill shape of body or face: so contrariwise that sometime a virtuous mind is meanly lodged and dwells in a homely cottage: yet do I not gladly meddle with this particular, but will also refer it to her majesties enteruieve, if it must needs come to that point, Only this I humbly beseech her, that she will view it and suruieu it, and in vieving she will fetch her heart. up to her eyes and carry her eyes down to her heart. And I beseech God grant her at that time to have her eyes in her head even in that sense in which Solomon placeth a wise man's eyes in his head: and then I doubt not but upon conference of her wise heart and her eyes together, he shall have his dispaching answer. But of many circumstances of his body I cannot hold my peace because I hope being well conceived and digested with other things that are and may be said herein they will let this enteruieu.  
I may not nor mean not to deny his great place that right which is due to all men: that is to reckon reports and bruits as reports 
His ill spent youth hither to.  and bruits. And though they speak in all laguages, of a marvelous licentious & dissolute youth, passed by this brotherhood: and of as strange incredible parts of intemperancy played by them, as those worst of Heliogabalus: yet will I not rest upon coniecturalls. Only this I touch lightly and cannot pass utterly in so high a matter as is the marriage of my Queen, that it is worth thinquiry after. For if but the fourth part of that misrule bruited should be true, it must needs draw such punishment from God, who for most part punisheth these vile sins of the body, even in the very body and bones of the offenders, besides other plagues to third and fourth generation: as I would my poor life might redeem the joining of Queen ELIZABETH to such one in that near knot which must needs make her half in the punishments of those his sins. Her majesties father had a law passed by parliament in his time, that whoso had unlawfully known that woman with whom the king was to marry, and did not before marriage come in and bewray it, should upon the matter afterwards detected, be holden little better than a traitor. His care to have a good woman was Christian and royal: he wist well, as the preambles of those statutes purport, beside the private contentation to himself that as well the sins of father & mother as the plague of their sins descends to the children: and considering his children were to be left governors of the land, which mightso also have part in these punishments, his care was so much more to be approved because it was also for the common weal. The same reason is to move in us all a hearty desire that her Majesty should marry with such a house and such a person, as had not provoked the great vengeance of the Lord. And surely considering the heinousness of the sin in every person, with the concurrant circumstances in this case of a prince, the law was a just law. we can have no such law against strangers: therefore, in her majesties name I require at the hands of all English Ambassadors & other travailing Englishmen abroad, & of all wise men at home, that they will be her diligent espials herein: giving faithful advertisement, not of such seldom or small faults as men corruptly call tricks and pranks of a young gentleman, but whither his life hath been so monstrously wicked as is reported. for it is no small matter for a Queen the head of the land to join in any manner with that person over whom the inevitable plagues of the most true Lord do hang. This is to approach to the plague when it cometh, and not, as Salomon'S wise man doth, to withdraw himself when he seeth it.  
His youth of years is an apparent inequality of this match, & a secret discovery of his mind not singly affected with true and 
His youth presently.  simple love to that he should chiefly seek. for among us of the meaner sort, not one in a thousand of those younger men that seek their elder matches, but doth it in side respects. and how can we think other wise in a young prince, heir apparent of france. It is quite contrary to his young appeties which will otherwise have their desire. It is therefore either for want of living and maintenance to his mind, and then is he not fit for this realm: or else is it certainly for some other notable practice which must needs be dangerous, because so great a man must be the instrument and because it is not disclosed.  
He is differing from her Majesty in religion: thagreement where 
His religion.  in as it worketh by God's blessing, a most near knot of good will and perfect liking in all things even among strangers: so, by the words of Christ, a disagreement in this kind brings the sword between father and children, brethren and sisters, between a man and his wife. Yea we have seen in our days, parents and husbands being papists, through the unnatural cruelty of that Italian heresy, upon the lest occasion and withal greediness to have delivered up to death their children & wife. And if all bands be little enough to hold love and to work a comfortable life here in earth against the many miseries of this noisome pilgrimage: let us not despise that which is the chiefest and strongest.  
And which I may not forget who so marrieth with any popeworshipper can not tell when to be sure of him. for they have 
Pope plays fast & lose. in marriages.  one knife to unloose all alliances with kingdoms and faith given to princes, that is the pope's dispensation, which is so just in itself as whither it bind or lose it may not be examined. if therefore after our marriage (which God first let) the changeable decree of a pope will pronounce the marriage no marriage, either upon some new advantage to the church of Rome, either else because Monsieur could have no children by our Queen, & for that there must of necessity sit upon that throne some of the blessed seed of Medici's, which was sent into France from a pope: no doubt this son of the pope in France is as much bound by popish obedience to leave against Gods la his wife, as his son of Spain was to take against Gods forbodd his own sister's daughter. And as much conscience will the holy father make to break a lawful marriage for his advantage, as to licence a lawless. what a fear of dishonour worse than the dishonour, were this, to depend upon the incertain pope whither we shall at any time hereafter be decreed to have lived in unlawful marriage yea or no. If any man anuswer hereto that this doubt is too far fetched and hath no reason to be conceived: let him at once take this reply for maintenance of this and divers other like reasons that are & may be made. That whosoever is careful of the life and honour of a prince, casts more doubts then for a common person. In their palaces they must have more guards for night and day, more porters more hus shirs and more doers to come to them even in time of peace, then common persons have. But when the enemy of a prince comes to be considered of, than princes will use their longest hands of strength, their tendered nosed counsellors & most piercing sight of their wise and faithful servants. and who would not suspect any treachery from that Roman enemy of enemies which like a juggling Egyptian plays fast and lose with all the world and is singularly a devowed enemy to our Queen as he was lately to her majesties father, because he refused and rejected one of his like godless dispensations for a like lawless marriage.  
another reason might be made a 'gainst this marriage, that, if 
His absence by being chosen K. dls where.  through his ambitious mind, not so blameworthy in such a prince as hurtful to such as should choose him, during the life of his brother he should be chosen king elsewhere: it might 'cause his absence little to her majesties comfort. But this reason I bring not for the force of it or for want of other. for I suppose the late honourable leaving of Poleland will be a lesson to any kingdom or state of free election how they shall choose this brother. If therefore as Qu. Mary's counsellors had that respect to her high honour that they did not marry her to K. Philip till he▪ was a king in the life of his father: so likewise these men would not talk of Monsieur, till he were her majesties peer by being chosen king by the frank election of any▪ state: I would not fear this matter. The only cause therefore why I thought this reason worth any mention is by that occasion to show the strange answer that is made thereunto by these persuaders, who in their common discourse and talk for this marriage, objecting a 'gainst themselves this danger of his absence, do yet again bring in K. Philip, as their example, that Monsieur need not be long absent from his wife, no more than was K. Philip. First, all that they can say herein, is, that he need not belong absent. Then can we say that this K. Philip was so long away that his absence pinched Qu. Mary's heart, and killed her with unkindness. But in deed I fear not this inconvenient for his being chosen king any where.  
One head reason yet remains which perhaps you think long for and me thinks I have said nothing in this last part till I have used it. That is the danger to her majesties person many ways, namely and above the rest, jest this should be but a fraudulent seeking 
A capital peril justly suspected.  of her by him, the more easily to possess an other afterward Of which meaning, there is such apparent presumption, and the great peril ensuing hath such evidence of being inevitable: as we may not rest in the credulous security of these smooth dangerous words: that, in good sooth, it is not so to be thought of by a christian prince, but to be rejected as a senseless conceit, once to suspect, that he would seek to any other so far inferior to our Queen in Godliness, virtue, wisdom, beauty, and whose peer in many respects is not to he found. This is but Reinards' flattering of our kingly bird and well natured Chanticleer in his goodly sweet voice and fair feathers.  
When noble men and princes in France, stood on their honour for all their actions, and would say nothing but true: they were worthily believed in the honourable word of a noble man. Now that they have degenerate from the honour of ancient noble men & their oaths been traps to deceive: it were foolishness joined with peril, to clad such Idolnoblemen with that purple garment of credit in their honourable word, which is due only to true Nobility. Yea we are dearly taught, not to heleeve them in their oath. And this rule that they press us with, of not suspecting lightly, holds more straightly among private men in their private matters, then for magistrates and counsellors who in their charges for church and common weal, cannot lightly be to chary or suspicious. And that we may not here seem to forge ourselves a doubt, but that we suspect such a thing as is very like to be meant by them: and the very like whereof hath been committed by them heretofore: let us speak of this foreign prince saving his grace that which otherwise we could forbear even of reverence to a prince were it not that it makes necessarily to the health and weal of our natural princ.  
What then is this Christian prince thus set before us whose credit must be so sacred as no charity must suspect it? he is the brother of the most Christian king, so called. many foul men have 
The credit that the french king lends his brother.  fair names All the pope's canonised dead saints are not saints: no more are all his living treschrestiens, of the best sort of christians. This most christien family of kings, is that which ever made more dainty to fall out with the great Turk, then with other even popish Christians: and hath held peace with the Turk when others have been in wars: with out regard of that secret society, which is, without speaking, contracted between men of one religion against a common enemy: and which, as a former faith, is implicatively excepted in any truce with an infidel. Yea which former faith aught to be kept, though with breach of express words of any subsequent league: and therefore more than treschres tienne heed to be taken in such leagues. This is that most Christien Prince, whose brother not long since, accepted a kingdom with promise and oath to maintain therein thopen exercise of turcism, arrianisme, jewism, papism, anabaptism, and such monstrous professions besides the truth of Christ's gospel. this is that most Christien prince, whose most christian brother, hath sworn to the toleration of our religion in his own kingdom: which yet he seeks to destroy by slieghte or force with out choice. This is that most christian court, where Macciavel is their new Testament, and Atheism is their religion. yea whose whole policy and government, seems te set the Turkish tyranny as a patarne, and they draw as near to it as their ancient laws will any ways suffer in so small time. To conclude, this is that treschrestien throne, which to the shame of all kings (so much as in them lay) by the deceit of an oath, in person of a king with some hypocrisy in religion, by the bait of a marriage, by hope of assurance in foreign leagues, by the base abusing of his own mouth to speak fair, and personal visiting him in his sickness whose life he sought, stained themselves with the blood of a number of their subjects which resting upon their kings faith, came upon confidence under the lee, as it were, of rheyr protection. Insomuch as they are now bankrupt of all credit with their own subjects, and with their own brother in law, husband to their sisters. so as upon no royal oath they will come in▪ but stand on their guard, and keep towns for their defence, Neither would the king of Navarr trust their sister so far, as to 
His sister not trusted by her husb.  receive her for his wife: till her mother riding round about France carried her to him, and together with her daughter put him in quiet possession of more towns for his further defence. And yet we may not suspect this Christian prince a brother of the same brother and sister. and if we do suspect him in behalf of our Queen's safety, we are straightways senseless and suspicious, without ground of our conceits: and who so forsooth, deviseth these doubts, will devise any thing that may hinder this marriage. This dare I boldly say that he who casts not these doubts, is not wisely suspicious. and he that passeth them over being once put in doubt, may pass over any thing that makes for her majesty's good estate. And a most strange dream it is of theirs who will have this match a bridle to the french king, a snaffle to spain, and a stopgamble to all practices of competition for popery, or any other traitorous attempt at home or abroad. whereas, all the contrary, it lays the reins at random on the neck of this horse of hidden treason, and sets a rider of choice upon him for the nonce: yea and opens all the ports to foreign enemies.  
For to come near the person of this our french prince: could all his countenances of being restrained upon his brother's first 
Monsieur & his own credit.  return from Poleland: and fallings out with him afterwards, his running from his mother: his secret withdrawing from the Court: and the Queen mother's trotting between her sons as a broker of reconciliation, win him so much credit among the protestants in France: as they would trust him for a leader, and not hold him still for a suspect? could his goodly aids offered to the states in the low countries, with personal taking upon him their defence, prevail so far: that he could come any farther within them, then that they could by their own forces well avoid him? Not not, the hurtful help of this shivering reed hath appeared by the event in both countries, and that it is no staff of trust. 
This mach no stop to practices of competition or popery.  Most unhappy therefore are they that may take heed by others, whose hands it hath hurt and will not. But let us against our conscience admit Monsieur to be in this matter simply silly or simply bonest: yet is he set a work and ruled by his brother and mother, and this suit followed for him with the manifest goodwill of his mother the motherpractiser of France. With the winking of the pope, who though against the marriage of the king of Navarre 
Qu. mother the mover. Pope winketh wills. French king denieth not.  to their sister, and against Monsieurs voyage in to Flanders, he sent his legate. yet here he sits quiet, which is a token that he looks through his fingers. This suit is pursued with the good allowance of the french king. For Monsieurs messenger hath continual conversation at home and abroad and one table with the king's Ambassador, a thing plainly arguing the kings good liking and continual intelligence with Monsieur for the proceedings herein. The strange papists and our rebels are in deep silence, not one opens his mouth against this marriage. 
Papists foreign & rebel silent.   
This prince can not but, either for love or fear, be great with the Guysian duke. and in deed of very late more theu ever, even when ît was said he should come over hither, he was nearly in ward and in deep conferences with that duke, who is to us 
Guise.  an enemy by kind, and for near consanguinity a fast friend to the late scottish Queen. who is the most hidden and pestilent adversary creature that lives, to our Prince & state. The fairest daughter 
Scottish Mary.  ter of the pope, and shotanchor of all papists. for as the holy league hath tied all these great onhis together by oath and their duty to the pope whom they will not displease to hate to the death all religious princes: so have they vowed it in the fourth degree against our prince, as chief support of religion, and in whose life or death (as they think) depends the exercise or not exercise of the Gospel in England and elsewhere. Again besides their afection in many other respects to this late Scottish Queen, they have set her down as the only loadstone, that should draw traitors together and rend our kingdom: that should set up I dolatrous altars from S. Michils' mount to Barwick, and make all the Israel of England and Scotland to sin. Her injurious challenges in France, her great and disloyal attempts in england, her confederacies with the Spanish Generals or regents in Flaunders: will easily tell a wise man, what devotion she hath to the Queen & what impatient greediness to snatch the crown from her head by opportunity or importunity, which so ever come first. There open and violent attempts of this purpose have been by God's grace frustrate. as enemies they can do no thing against her Majesty. Now must some great mean be used, and that undercloke of love, which is ever the last popish practice.  
From no place more fitly than out of France can they fetch this instrument of our woe. France is a neighbour, therefore convenient by the place. It is a land full of a well trained soldier, & hath all ready great numbers mustered that abide but their watch word. it is now at peace withal, and therefore at leisure: unless they will make wars to themselves. for cruelty they are approved, to execute any thing. For treason they are so imbrued in blood, as they are like to assent unto what soever plate never so barbarous. And this is also a device fit enough for such a solicitor, as is that false Scot prelate Rosse, mortal enemy hither, who is presently in France, and, like ynoug, her agent to procure this devise. Yea, unless we ourselves close our own eyes, we may see that it is a very french popish woeng, to send hither smooth tongued Simiers to gloze and glaver & hold talk of marriage: and yet in the mean while, jaques Fitzmaurice who hath been in France and conversant with Rosse, and even now came immediately thence into Ireland to invade our Queen's dominion there and assemble the traitorous papists in nomine domini domini papae. Is it possible for the breath of marriage well meant to England, and war performed in Ireland, to come out of one mouth? She hath already cost us enough of our English blood, and she cares not though she make havoc of nobility & people: she seeks her own turn by hook or crook. Above all the dangers to her Majesty I would she had one that might everyday cry with a loud voice. TAKE HEED O ELIZABETH OF ENGLAND, AND BEWARE OF SCOTTISH MARY. The Lord her God defend her from all her popish enemies.  
Let other men's squaymish judgements keep them in what temper of suspecting, it likes them: I can not be so blockish but to think that it is more than likely, he comes for this Mary: to the end that whereas, if there be any rebellious papists at home which can do naught for want of a leader, & those fugitive rebels abroad, can do nothing unless there be first some hurly burly in the land: this man may be he, where they shall first make head, and so grow into a body of rebellion. which afterwards they mean to aid with their foreign forces, to the destruction of those foolish rebels as well as of us. And though, in truth, with out flattery, she be inferior to our Queen, in all the best gifts yet may I well enough think, that Monsieur will stoop to her as well as king Philip their old example, whom yet again they use even here, did stoop in Flaunders and other where, most lowly in that respect and beyond all courtesy even in Queen mary's life. yea I do not see, why I should not make these gifts and excellencies of our Queen, so many arguments to prove great likelihood of impossibility to knit fast to her, the mind of Monsieur so contrarily qualified. For love is a knitting of like minds together first, & then of bodies by accident. And though foul bodies be often in love with the outward beauty of others: yet was there never foul vicious and Irreligious mind in love with a virtuous and religious soul. If any man yet again thinks it an unworthy suspicion of so high a prince, let him hear once again that one of that brotherhood did compass as unworthy a purpose: and all by laying to gauge that worthiness which his majesty might challenge, and by his personal action, which he judged no man would once suspect, in a marriage of his sister as near to him as this brother is to the now king. 
New french falsehood new English wisdom.   
These times have new falsehoods, which we must encounter by new foreseeing wisdom's. new diseases have taught physicians to found new medicines: and sith false frenchmen will do that which their forefathers would never do, let honest English men suspect that which their ancestors could never misdeem Especially in those matters, where popery comes between as the motif, and the french been the instruments. For to do that Roman synagogue service, the french, do account as fair virtues, all foul lies, treasons, poisonings, massacres, and turning of realms upside down. And for recompense of their brave night xploit at Paris, they were brought immediately, as it were, in a cart of triumph in at Rome gates: where the world is witness of the panegyrical praises and solemn orations pronounced in their perpetual fame, with many joyful fires in honour of that barbarous, unmanlike, and treasonable victory upon the noble Admiral that slept in the oath of his king. But though the hope of like commendation may make these men attempt the like fact: yet are these wicked praisings of the pope but a shadow of praisings and make as much to the true honour of the french, as their paper excommunication and burning by image at Rome, do hurt the good Christian in body or soul.  
Now the Spanish jennet will soon champ this cakebread snaffle a sunder. for this great feat that should be done in bringing K. 
This match no snaffle to Spain.  Philip to some reasonable conditions of peace with his subjects and her majesty to have some maritime part to her own behoof how shall it be wrought? by french forces only? They will not do it: they can not do it▪ and if they would or could: why is it not done already? if by french and English forces joined: why then doth he not join and confer with us all this while, rather than under hand seek to trump both them of the religion there and the malcontent? If it should be done by English forces only, as it must be indeed, (for he hath none to command) whiles they say that his brother will both man him and money him, and then they forget that which they said of being a bridle to France. If, I say, english money and englishmen must do this enterprise it may be much better achieved, now while we have the la in our own hands, and may command: then when we shall be covert baron, and have put our sword into an other hand. we have not so much need of him for a captain, as he hath of our strength to serve him. Neither do I think more truth in any of these their reasons, then that we should serve to work their will in those low countries. and if any thing were gotten, that should wholly go to France: but our butin in England, should be even as good in these wars to be taken for france against spain, as it was under Queen Mary, in the wars for spain against France. at what time the whole loss, even a grievous loss to any Englishman that shall look from Dover castle over to the other side, fell on our part.  
But in deed if it please her majesty to aid those low countries: as it will be most for our honour in the enterprise, and for our gain in achieving, to do it of ourselves, while uve are at 
The low countries.  liberty, and not under strange restraint: so is it now high time for the need they have, who by these delays shall be soon past help. and so the king of Spain have his will. And, in truth, the best welcome force and of most profit to those countries, must be the English without french. for the popish party of Arthois and Henault, never loved the french, and now dare not trust them: 
Artois and Henault. Gant.  and those of Gaunt hate them twice: first for religion, and then for the cause common to them with the Wallon, which is their overmuch intelligence with the common enemy the Spaynard. whatsoever peril therefore out of those countries, & from king Philip by reason of his pease there, is spoken of by these persuaders, thereby alluring us unto this match with France: is easily met withal by our own forces in time. which will be much more willingly received of them then the French, for all the late foolish and lewd pamflettes there spread by the french in their own favoer and our disgrace.  
And it is more absurd that France would consent to sand hither a bridle for himself. those that are of this mind, presuppose a 
This match no bridle to France.  jealousy between the French king and Monsieur: which we must first grant them. or else they fail to prove this in the beginning. Now, albeit I think, that the best faith can not be meant, but between the best men: yet may we be assured that how soever they stand between themselves for France, they will still agreed to annoy England and hold together like brethren the change of that air for this and his coming over sea will not change that mind: and still shall he be his brother and son of his mother: who seeing that both of them do follow this marriage, no doubt they will provide against their own brydeling. And it is like enough, though Monsieur knows a piece of their purpose: yet knows he not the depth of this mischievous practice. For they do not use to impart more to him then falls to his part to play. The king remembers, that he himself when he was Monsieur, being made privy to the then purposed horrible massacre, had like to have marred all, by lavishing out a word here of to one of his darlings: had not Lignerolls mouth been stopped with pap and the hatchet as they say. Besides, that Monsieur was never admitted so far in connsail as the present king nor esteemed so staunch.  
And if a man may guess sometime, what a thing is, by reckoning 
This wooing comes not of love to our Queen.  up what it is not: we shall not found in the king, nor his brother, nor mother, any loving cause to bring this new love in their mind. They never bore favour to her majesties person, they never showed themselves lovers to the quiet of this state: they accounted not themseldes any way beholden to prince or state. Every word or deed of ours, showing never so little compassion towards their murdered, or mislike of the murderers is deeply laid 
Mother.  up of them for so many wrongs. Much less will any man think she sends her son hither to school for our religion. It is far from 
King.  probability, to think that the king sends him hither, because he would be rid of him. as though he stood in fearful doubt of his greatness while he were in france. It is sufficiently proved otherwhere, that he is not followed nor esteemed generally in France, by papist or protestant. And if there were any such jealousy in the king's head, this were no wisdom by advancing his brother to so puissant a kingdom to make him more dread.  
And in Monsieur what do we found that may so earnestly sand him hither. he is here apparent to France: dangerous therefore 
Monsieur.  in respect of reasons otherwhere alleged, for him to be absent: especially the present king being so far gone and spent in the disease, as some of these persuaders will say, when they will further this match. And if he should come in with that honourable show becoming his greatness, and as any other such man will come that wooeth with good meaning, and feareth not any detection of hidden trecheryes▪ his voyage hither would be mightily chargeable. a thing ill becoming him, who is already drawn dry to the bottom and extremely indebted with his other coloured voyage into Flanders. And unless some notable practice pricked him hither, the very passage over the sea would appall this fresh water soldier, having read that between this and normandy there perished in one bottom, three kingly children. but utterly would he be discouraged by thadventure of honour which he makes in sailing hither, upon so slender likelihood of speeding or rather upon great reason of repulse: if his care of honour were not less than his greediness to accomplish his other mischief. And if he should speed (which God forspeake) yet must he come to a people that loves him not nor his train: and where neverthe 
England can not love Monsieur.  less he must have his guards and train prescribed and limited in regard of the state. And this people if heretofore it hath been so manly as to master this generation of Capet in his own or rather our home of France: me thinks this Monsieur can come with small hope to find good service at our hands, whose fingers will itch at him in our home of England. But above all, who can think, that he being the last of his father's line, and the only forlorn hope of raising up seed to his brothers, would match hear with so far gone hope of having issue: endangering by that means a willing translation of the crown of France from him and his father's posterity, to another prince of the blood. Not, not, not, the king, his brother, and his mother have some other meaning against the church, state, and person of our prince, even to have an eye in the head of our Court if they can bring it to pass, and an hand in the heart of this realm, to work our ruin and their great hatreds: and that as the mother hath long time ruled and turned the wrong side outward of France, so she might have this land another while for her stage. she is dressing her Prologue to send him in; trust him not. The players be tragical though he wear peaceable laurel on his head Yea the words that escape from some of them that are come on this message, do bewray how loudly they will speak here after. I pray God they to whom it belongs may keep away such gamesters. And sith the Lord for his own name sake & of his love to the gospel which we have among us hath weakened the hands of 
It is the lord by whom Queen Elizabeth reigns while other princes die and are deposed.  our foreign enemies & broken the devices of their heads hither to since he hath engraven such a searing love in her subjects hearts as children bear to there mother, and such a revercut note of sovereignete in her person as he is wont to set on them whom he calls by his own name and are his ordinances: in so much as it may be said of her most truly, it is the Lord by whom king's reign since I say the blessed word of Christ hath made her sword as the sword of G●deon, keeping her safe from many practices against her person while other kings and Queens have (thorough God's 
Keep covenant with thy God O Queen and defy this alliance. Foreign aids  judgement for their manifest sins) been subject to tumbling and suffered change in person and estates: Let us still rest in those maenes and approve that which we have proved for good. It is a folly to seek foreign aid, but upon extreme necessity. It is like desperate physic; when one is given up by all physicians, it sends him speedily either one way or other.  
They suffer themselves to be abused which believe the french men when they say, that England is unfurnished of friends, neither 
England needs no friends especially out of France.  in perfect league nor good opinion nor, near allied with any prince in Christendom. Our alliances are better than his and more assured, as in another place it is showed. we have the Lords right hand on ourside and all the hats and hands of those of our religion. Yea we were able by God's mercy, to throw out popery even then when it had more friends within the land, and when diverse princes and multitudes were enemies to us for our religion, that are since become religious even to the death. we doubt not therefore but much more easily we shall be able to hold our prince worthy of her, & I can not choose but say, that this prince of France, of all other unmarried princes, is most unworthy of her, for even that Christianity which her Majesty is called unto, and her princely priesthood in Christ jesus, is as far above all his pride in flesh, as heaven is above earth: & her earthly sceptre being added to the former excellency, sets him at her foot or rather drives him from her presence in judgement of God and men being but a subject in the kingdom of France & as yet no enroled citizen in thouward kingdom of heaven.  
The assured and great evils that grow here out to our head the Queen: make no less against the well doing of the lesser limbs of the land. For, to let pass the doings of ancient and present kings, who, when by such means, they win a county into 
nobility & Gentry of England.  their paws, first dispatch the ancient nobility, destroy the greatest kindreds, and scatter the mean sort into servile, unlearned, and unarmed trades: for thentreaty that our Nobility and Gentry are to look for, I will note but this one word, even of this very family of Hugh Capet the first of this third and present kingly race in France when, by such means as their own chro 
Hugh Capet  nicles do mention, he had wrested the sceprer from the hands of their Master and sovereign seed of great Charles, Peppines son, the first deed they did was to provide that the chief of that 
Carrola manus  line might die the death: perhaps some of them did choose some pinig death at Orleans, but die they must. This is a slip of Hugh Capet, and the practice of their mother and them in their own country at this present, is, to raze all ancient french houses and to rear up new, bringing all, as near as they can, A la Turkesque that all being there creatures may fall down and worship them. And if the present woeng messenger, a man of so base place and petty companion in the french court is yet so saucy as to be checkmate with our Queen, and to enter malapert comparison with our Noble men: doubt you not but the friends of of the bridegroom will be every man a petty king over our English nobility. 
Magistrates judges,  Our honourable Counsellors, ●udges, and other Magistrates, may not hold their honours & authorities. For if the mother being a foreigner to France where all manner government is denied her by their laws, can depose natural Magistrates, and help her countrymen to the richest offices, promote an Italian to be high Chanler there, & make her half Italians to be marshals of france: you may be sure, a french husband will easily advance his Italianate french men to our English preferments. Our lawyers shall be fain 
Lawyers.  to learn some other occupation. For new masters new men, and new Lords new laws. Not doubt the laws of france will prevail against the laws of Normandy: yea the foreign la, called civil, 
Laws.  w●l eat up our free customs & natural laws. Our soldiers of necessity 
soldier.  must be sent out under some joab, for some more desperate service then S. Quintin, one way or other to be dispatched and cut in pieces. For of all English people they will be worse loved of these french. Our Lord bishops may think it there greatest 
L. bishops.  honour to take such part as other poor men do. sure they are all to lose their dignities and riches, and so many of them, as ever were votary priests, must part from wives and children. Our Merchants 
Merchants & richmen.  and poor richmen, they may quickly without any counters cast up their books of reckonings, by that time such factors and malefactors as these men, have ransacked their coffers. Touching the meanest sort of men even in france itself, this 
People.  very day, all be contemptible peasants and Lackeys. And if there own natural poor labouring men, found no better condition of life under these uncourteyus kings. it were madness for us to look for so good. we must, doubtless, be one degree, at lest, beneath vile peasants▪ & lackeys. And if these new surveyor come into this land, we may bid farewell to thold English liberal measure of sixteen foot and a half to the pole: our Ortyards must be measured by the foot: our houses by the stories, windows, & chimneys, and 
strange tallages.  accordingly new rents raised upon them: our children shall not come freely into the world, without some unnatural excise for every birth as the earnest penny of a tributary life: our maidens who in some common weals are want to be bestowed with the public purse, must under this vile stranger, yield a share of their own marriage portions. which Impositions I neither draw from old tyrants: nor Imagine here of mine own head: but they are such as the french king very lately demanded and such as his subjects even now deny. whereupon the former troubles are like to revive, notwithstanding his mothers late riding about france with fair promises for the release of such brutish exactions Much might be said in these particulars, & by this little, the noble, gentle, and others what soever may learn to hate strange commanders, and to esteem our natural regiment. to detest the Turkish tyranny of Valois, & to thank God for the kind government of Queen Elizabeth: which the Lord grant her happily to hold on, and finally to end, as she began. But I had rather we should feel our grief in the ache of our head the Queen, then to esteem our gtevances apart.  
far from us than is this great assurance imagined to her majesties self, by thus matching, even as far as certain peril is from safety. where is the preservation of Religion? where is the strength and gain to the land? where is this honour to our kingdom? even as far from this marriage, as preservative is from poison, gain from spoil and beggary, and honour from danger of perperual slavery. I should have been afraid to have spoken thus much, had not the straight of this necessity driven me and my words been the words not of a busy body, speaking at all adventures: but of a true Englishman, a sworn liegeman to her Majesty, gathering these necessary consequences by their reasonable causes. And sith the faith of a man is broken sometime aswell in not doing or not saying as in doing or saying: I humbly beseech, that whatsoever offence any thing here said, may breed, it be with favour construed by the affection of my heart, which must love my country and Queen though it should cost me my life. yea rather let them of this land who excel severally in all good professions, having wisdom, disposition, & words at will, that hearing so publicly, famously & notoriously, a marriage to be practised by the pope which is against all laws of God and man, unwritten and written, of nature and nations, of the land and of policy, of arms & peace, tending to the loss of our religion, to the subversion of our state and freedom to the captivity of our Queen and her people, under our hateful foe the french: can not yet be stirred up to any piety towards their God, their country, or their prince, to handle this matter in their several skills as it requires. You Noble men and high counsellors join to your wisdoms courage, and adding to them both the fear of God, remember you be born & chosen for fathers of advise to the prince, and in a secondary degree assisting Tutors to the common we'll. tender to the Queen that faithful counsel which she may well challenge for advancing you to this honour, and pay to us again that duty of careful love whîch our reverence of honour most willingly acknowledged to you, doth deserve. You bishops and others, who sometime speak in the ears of our prince, let not your study be to leern french for the entertaining of this stranger, as though then you should be jolly gentlemen with the rest: but learn to speak the word of God, and speak it boldly, for keeping out this stranger. You, whosoever in Court, honoured by her Majesty with any special favour and grace, alas, that none of you will do her that right, as to tell her how far more precious her royal person is, and with how far greater danger thereto it is: then that this odd fellow, by birth a french man, by profession a papist, an Atheist by conversation, an instrument in France of uncleanness, a fly worker in England for Rome and France in this present affair, a sorcerer by common voice & fame, should have such free and gracious access to her chair of estate & great presence, who is not fir to look in at her great chamber door. All England in a tenderiealous love to her person beseecheth God to preserve her, & prayeth her to take heed of popish french men. You of the meaner sort throughout the land & all private ones know your place to be in all subjection & peaceable patience, with your prayers to solicit the Lord for his church, for this common weal, and for the Queen: that of his great mercy he will turn away this plague of a stranger in Christian Israel, and foreign frenchmen in England. The only noise of whose making hither toward, gave all these causes of fear, and wrong thus much hitherto said to be written, as it were with the tears of an english heart. And his sudden arrival here with all the manner and circumstances thereof would yield new argumêts of an other much longer discourse. For first his coming hither as it were in a mask, bewrays a strange melancholic nature in himself: who delights to make all his journeys in such sullen solitary sort, & therefore belike an ill companion to live withal in any fellowship. Then it shows his extreme want of ability to defray the expense of wooing in a bountiful show sitting such a prince as cometh to obtain out Queen. This his secret coming & departing, discovers a mistrustfulness in him towards our people, and therefore no love, which must needs come from his own ill conscience of fearing french measure in England. for on our part (the Lord be thanked) we have not committed such villenies. all men deem him unworthy to speed who comes in a net as though he were loathe to avow his errand. Some men may think he is ashamed to show his face, but I think verily that he means not sincerely who loves not light & will not come abroad. The last noble princely gentleman that went out of England to win a Queen in france gave trial & show of wisdom, manhood, behaviour, and parsonage, by open conversation & performing all manner of knightly exercises: which makes us in England to found very strange, this unmanlike, unprincelike, secret, fearful, suspicious, disdainful, needy french kind of wooing in Monsieur, & we can not choose but by the same still, as by all the other former demonstratife remonstrances, conclude that this french marriage, is the straightest line that can be drawn from Rome to the utter ruin of our church: & the very rightest perpendicular downfall that can be imagined from the point france to our English state: fetching in within one circle of lamentable fall the royal estate of our noble Queen, of her person, nobility, and commons. whose Christian honourable, healthful, joyful, peaceful, and long, sovereign reign without all superior overruling commander, especially french, namely Monsieur, the king of kings hold on, to his glory and her assurance of true glory in that other kingdom of heaven.  
Amen Amen. Amen.