A DECLARATION OF THE IUST CAUSES MOVING HER Majesty to send a Navy, and Army to the Seas, and toward Spain.  
Imprinted at London, by the Deputies of Christopher Barker, Printer to the Queen's most excellent Majesty.  
Anno Dom. 1597.   Royal coat of arms of Elizabeth I HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DIEV ET MON DROIT  

A Declaration of the just causes moving the Queen's Majesty to send a Navy, and Army to the Seas, and towards Spain.  
ALthough the Queen's Majesty as a Sovereign Prince, and Queen, is not (for respect of any person) bound to make account, or declare to the world the causes for justification of any her public actions: yet lest any sinister, or doubtful interpretation should be made, by the diversity of opinions, either of Strangers, or of her own natural Subjects, of her present preparations of a Navy, and an Army, now committed to the Earl of Essex, as her General, with divers Noble men, and other persons of credit and reputation, to serve with him both by Sea and Land: Her Majesty would have it understood for a very truth, that she is moved hereunto, only for defence of the State of her own Kingdoms, and people, against the apparent preparations of great Forces, put in readiness by the King of Spain, to offend her Majesty sundry ways, and specially to invade her Realm of Ireland. In which design he was so far proceeded in the beginning of this last Winter, that he had amassed together as great a number of Ships to serve in the said action, as he could furnish from all parts of his Dominions, or could recover, by imbarging all other Ships of service, which came for trade into Spain or Portugal. And yet such was the providence of God, contrary to that Kings hope, and intention, (by hastening of his Enterprise in a time unlooked for) to surprise some place in England or Ireland, before her Majesty could have had her own Force in readiness, she still providing (but that she is daily provoked) to have lived in Peace, which she professeth to wish both to herself, and all Christendom, as it pleased him who from Heaven with justice beholdeth all men's purposes, condemning the tyrannous disturbers of the world, and comforting such as for Peace withstand violence) suddenly and most strangely to drown and make unserviceable divers of his best Ships of war, being under sail coming from Lisbon, and very near to the destined Haven of Ferroll, with destruction of no small numbers of soldiers and Mariners. Amongst which, many of those Irish Rebels of all sorts of professions both titular Bishops, and other Irish people, that were entertained in Spain, to have accompanied either that Navy or some part thereof into Ireland, were also cast away. By which manifest act of Almighty God, that Army was so weakened, as the same could not put to the Seas, according to his former design: and yet nevertheless, as it manifestly hath appeared, the King of Spain not being warned by this just punishment by God's ordinance, without resistance by any outward Force, but forgetting how by the favour of Almighty God, his proud Navy in the year eighty eight, was overthrown by our Forces, and notwithstanding his loss at Cales by her majesties Army, which she was in like sort constrained for her safety to defeat, (all being but the preparatives to some dangerous action against her) such is still his malice, (although he find that both by God and man he is impeached in his injust pretences,) as he hath hastened to make all manner of new preparations of Shipping, and of men and victual, and munitions, greater than all Spain and Portugal could yield, & therefore hath sent into Italy, and to the East Countries for all things necessary to repair his Army at Ferroll, to pursue his former purpose, and in the mean time hath sent certain Captains in sundry small Vessels, with a remnant of some Irish Fugitives into Ireland, to animate the Rebels to be obstinate in their Rebellion, until he might send them succours, not only feeding the Principals with hope of vain Titles, and Dignities, but plainly avowing the usurpation of the whole Realm for himself, to the deprivation of her majesties Crown and State of that Kingdom, a matter so far known, and proved, as besides that, it is most notorious, that his Army was in October last on the high way towards their journey, the Capital Traitor Tyrone himself, hath sent to her Governor of that Realm, a letter signed with the King of Spain's own name, to the purposes aforesaid. Now than that these the King of Spain's actions and purposes, are manifestly known, & the reparation of his Navy daily laboured, and an Army newly levied, with all necessaries of Victual and Munition, brought to Ferroll fit for such an enterprise, so as his sending to the Seas (assoon as those difficulties are overcome) is daily expected, and so publicly divulged without giving colour for any other purpose. And seeing her Majesty doth find the Rebels in Ireland persist still in general expectation to be relieved with a Spanish Navy: Her Majesty of her Princely providence for the safety of both her Kingdoms, doth appeal to all the world whether she be not necessarily enforced, to send out this Army to the Seas, to resist & divert all Acts of Hostility which that Army of Spain, might now this Summer time attempt against either of her realms of England or Ireland, her Navy being compounded of a competent number of her Majesties own Ships of war without burdening of her Subjects for service with their Port ships (as in former times) but retaining the Admiral of her Kingdom in readiness with the rest of her Royal Ships, to withstand all other accidents that might appear dangerous in these parts near her. To all which courses her excellent Majesty being thus provoked, this her purpose may and ought not only to be allowed, but favoured, & furthered by all Christian Princes, States, and people, the same being so affected generally by her own Subjects as she is justly moved to deny the suits of great numbers of her Nobility & valiant Gentlemen, who having importuned her for leave to serve as Voluntaries in this Voyage, she hath stayed great part of them to do her service at home. And therefore little doubteth, but by continuance of God's favour (whereof she hath by sundry special and notable blessings had singular demonstration) to preserve her Kingdoms by her Forces, thus timely provided, and shadowed under the favour of Almighty God, who hath hitherto, and will hereafter see these Spanish, proud, and unjust attempts, made frustrate, whereby the King may by the chastisement of the Almighty God of Hosts, be induced to live in Peace with his neighbours, which all just Princes propound for an end of all their Martial actions.