A True and Full Narrative OF Those two never to be forgotten DELIVERANCES: One From The Spanish Invasion in 88 The other from The Hellish Powder Plot: November 5. 1605. Whereunto is added The like Narrative of that signal Judgement of God upon the Papists, by the Fall of the House in Blackfriars London, upon their fifth of November, 1623.  
Collected for the Information and Benefit of each Family, by Sam, Clark, formerly Pastor in Bennet Fink.  
Behold the wicked traveleth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.  
He made a Pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.  
His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.  Psal. 7.14, 15, 16. 
London, Printed for J. Hancock, and are to be sold at the three Bibles, being the first Shop in Popes-Head Alley, next to Cornhill. 1671   

 
  

TO THE HONOURABLE And His much Honoured Friends EDWARD RUSSEL, Esq Son to the Right Honourable FRANCIS Earl of BEDFORD. AND TO The Lady PENELOPE, His prudent and pious Consort.  
SIR, MADAM,  
I Take the boldness to present you with these Narratives, not for that they are new, or supposing yourselves to be strangers to them: but as a Testimony of my Gratitude for these favours I have received from you: The high Heavens may be seen in the lowest valleys: So may a large heart in the least Gift. But truly though the Gift be worthless, yet so is not the matter contained in it, which sets forth such eminent and signal deliverances as no Church or people in these latter Ages of the world have received; And there must be a recognition of God's mercies, or else there will neither follow estimation, nor retribution: Hence Micah 6.5. O my people (saith God many hundreds of years after) remember now what Balack King of Moah consulted, and what Balaam the Son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal, that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord. If there be not such a recognition of former deliverances, we that should be as Temples of his praise, shall be as graves of his benefits. Our souls indeed are too like filthy Ponds, wherein fish die soon, and frogs live long: Rotten stuff is remembered, memorable mercies are forgotten; whereas the soul should be as an holy Ark; the memory as the pot of Manna, preserving holy truths and special mercies; as Aaron's Rod, fresh and flourishing. Oh! let us imitate that man after Gods own heart! If the Lord will be David's shepherd, he will dwell in God's house to all perpetuity, Psalm. 23.1, 6. If God deal bountifully with him, he will sit down and bethink himself what to render for all his benefits, Psalms 116.7, 12. A Christian counts all that he can do for God by way of retribution, but a little of that much he could beteem him; and thinks nothing more unbeseeming him than to bury the mercies of God in oblivion. His two mites of Thankfulness and Obedience he daily presents, and then cries out as that poor Grecian did to the Emperor, If I had a better present thou shouldest be sure of it.  
What then may we judge of those persons in our days, who labour to extenuate, yea annihilate these deliverances? that would have no public commemorations of them, that study how to invalidate them, and to blot out the remembrance of them? To render good for evil is Divine: Good for good is Humane: Evil for evil is brutish: But evil for good is Devilish. Yet alas! how ordinary an evil is this among us, to abuse our deliverances to Gods ' dishonour? But Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people, and unwise? Is not he thy Father? he hath bought thee, etc. Deut. 32.6. Should we not remember that good turns aggravate unkindnesses, and our offences are not a little increased by our obligations? Ingrateful persons are like the Snake in the Fable, who said to the Countryman when he had showed it kindness: Summum praemium pro summo beneficio est ingratitudo. Ingratitude is the greatest reward of the greatest benefit.  
How many such Snakes have we amongst us, that return evil for good, and unkindness for kindness? Is not this to fight against God, with his own weapons? as David did against Goliath: as Jehu did against Jehoram: and as Benhadad did against Ahab, with that life that he had lately given him? for the preventing whereof (if it may be) are these things published, being almost worn out of remembrance more than the very names of them. Besides, though they may be found in larger volumes, yet are they not so fit for every Family: And as I have presumed (honourable and beloved) to publish them udder your protection, so I doubt not but they will find the better entertainment for the same. My earnest desire and prayer for you is that the God of Peace will fill you with all joy and peace by believing, multiplying his Blessings upon you and yours: And that you would afford me a room in your Albe among those that  
Sir, Madam, Love, honour and serve you. Sam. Clark. From my Study in Thridneedle Street, Octob. 22. 1657.   

THE SPANISH INVASION A Commemoration of that wonderful, and almost miraculous Deliverance afforded by God to this Nation from the Spanish Invation, Anno Christi, 1588.  
THe year one thousand five hundred eighty eight, was foretold by an Astronomer of K●n●ngsberg, above one hundred years before, that it should prove a wonderful year: and the Germane Chronologers presiged, that it would be the Climacterical year of the world, which was in some measure accomplished in that glorious and never to be forgotten Deliverance vouchsafed by God to us in England, and in that fatal overthrow of the Spanish Navy; A true Narrative whereof follows.  
But that we may the better see what induced the Spaniard to make this hostile Invasion, we must be informed: both who were the inciters, and by what arguments, and artifices, they stirred him up thereunto.  
The Inciters were the Pope, and some traitorous English Fugitives who were entertained in Spain, and at Rome. The design was, The Conquest of England; which had been hindered for the space of ten years by reason of the Spanish Wars in Portugal. The Arguments were, that seeing God had blessed the King of Spain with admirable Blessings and Successes; had given him in Portugal, the East Indies, and very many rich Islands belonging to the same; that he should therefore perform somewhat that might be acceptable to God (the giver of so great and good things) and most worthy the Power, and Majesty of the Catholic King: That the Church of God could not be more gloriously, nor meritoriously propagated, than by the conquest of England, extirpating Heresy, and planting the Catholic Roman Religion there. This War (they said) would be most just and necessary; considering that the Queen of England was excommunicated, and persisted contumacious against the Church of Rome. That she supported the King of Spain's Rebels in the Netherlands, annoyed the Spaniards with continual depredations; surprised, and sacked his Towns in Spain, and America, and had very lately put the Queen of Scots to death, therein violating the Majesty of all Kings.  
Again, that this War would be no less profitable than just; For hereby he might add to his Empire other flourishing Kingdoms, extinguish the Rebellion in the Low-Countries, hitherto fomented and supported from England; secure his voyages from both the Indies, and abate his vast expenses in convoying his Indian Fleets both forward and backward: For proof whereof (they suggested) that the English Navy was neither for number, nor greatness, nor strength comparable to that of Spain; especially having the Portugal Fleet now annexed unto it. That England was not fortified, and it wanted Commanders: Soldiers, a Cavalry, and Ammunition; was bare of Wealth, and Friends. That there were many in all parts of it addicted to the Romish Religion, and would upon the first opportunity join their forces with his. In brief, that so great was the strength of the Spaniard, and so unmatchable was their valour, that no man durst oppose against them, and therefore they might confidently assure themselves of victory. Moreover, that now an opportunity was afforded by God himself to the King of Spain to effectuate this great design, having no cause to fear any other enemies, by reason of a Truce lately concluded by himwith the Great Turk, and the French (his old enemies) being now embroiled in Civil Wars at home. They persuaded him likewise that England was an easier conquest than the Netherlands: For that he had a shorter cut to it by Sea, and that an open Sea: neither was it so fortified with Cities, Castles, etc. as the Netherlands were: and that England being once conquered, the Netherlands would soon follow of course, having lost their best supporter.  
These, and such like arguments prevailing with the King of Spain, in the next place they held a serious Consultation about the manner of Invading England. Don Avares Bassano, Marquis of Sancta Cruse; who was to command the Armado, advised that some Port-Town in Holland, or Zealand should suddenly be surprised by the Prince of Parma's Land Forces (who was then Governor of the Netherlands under the King of Spain) and by some Spanish Ships sent to assist him by Sea, that so the great Fleet might have an Harbour from whence to begin their Invasion: with whom agreed in opinion the Prince of Parma himself, who was very forward to promote this expedition. But others opposed this by reason of the difficulty, danger, expense of time, and vast charge that it would require. They held that with the same charge England might easier be won, and that the Conquest thereof would be assured, if a well-appointed Army out of Spain, and the Low-Counties might be landed at the Thames mouth, and London (the Metropolis of England) surprised by a sudden assault. And this opinion, as the more probable, prevailed. And then again it was advised by some, that War should first be denounced by an Herald, both to remove suspicion and jealousy from neighbour Princes, and to drive our Queen to call in foreign Forces to assist Her: hoping that according to the insolent manner of mercenaries, they would raise mutinies, and spoil the Country, which would make the Queen's Subjects evil affected towards Her, so that all things would grow into confusion in England. But this motion was not harkened to by men grown fierce, insolent, and confident of their own strength, only they desired the blessing of the Pope upon their Armado, and the prayers of the Catholics to God and the Saints for good success. And to strike the greater terror into the hearts of the English, They set forth Books with printed Maps, wherein was expressed the greatness of their Preparations in each particular, which indeed was so great in Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Sicily, that the Spaniards themselves were amazed at it, and procured the Pope to christian it by the name of the Invincible Armado.  
Now that the wonderful power and mercy of God to us in this poor Nation, in protecting us against the same, may the more gloriously appear, I shall in the next place set down what their preparations were for Ships, Mariners, Land-Souldiers, Ammunition, and other provisions for the carrying on of so great an undertaking.  
The Spanish Navy, being the best appointed for men, munition, and all manner of provision, that ever the Ocean saw, had been five years in preparing, consisted of one hundred and thirty Ships, whereof these were the principal.  
The Admiral Gallion of Saint martin's, of a thousand Tun burden, had in her one thousand seventy and seven Mariners, three hundred Soldiers, fifty Canon, etc.  
The Gallion of Saint john's, of one thousand and seventy Tun, had in her one hundred and sixty Mariners, two hundred and thirty one Soldiers, fifty Canon, etc.  
The Gallion of Saint Mark of seven hundred and ninety two Tun, had in it one hundred and seventeen Mariners, two hundred and ninety two Soldiers, etc.  
The Gallion of Saint Philip, of eight hundred Tun, had in it one hundred and seventeen Mariners, four hundred and fifteen Soldiers, forty Guns, etc.  
The Gallion of Saint Lewis, of eight hundred and thirty Tun, had in it one hundred and sixteen Mariners, three hundred and seventy six Soldiers, forty Guns, etc.  
The Gallion of Saint Matthew, of seven hundred and fifty Tun, had in it fifty Mariners, one hundred and seventy seven Soldiers, forty Guns, etc.  
The Gallion of Saint James, of five hundred and twenty Tun, had in it one hundred Mariners, three hundred Soldiers, fifty two Guns, etc.  
The Gallion of Florence, of nine hundred and sixty one Tun, had in it one hundred Mariners, three hundred Soldiers, fifty two Guns, etc.  
The Gallion of Saint Christopher, of three hundred fifty and two Tun, had in it ninety Mariners, three hundred Soldiers, thirty Guns, etc.  
The Gallion of Saint Bernard, of three hundred and fifty two Tun, had in it one hundred Mariners, two hundred and eighty Soldiers, thirty Guns, etc.  
A Ship of Saint Angelo, of seven hundred sixty and eight Tun, had in it one hundred and fourteen Mariners, three hundred and twenty three Soldiers, thirty Canons, etc.  
The Gangrine, of one thousand one hundred and sixty Tun; had in it one hundred and ten Mariners, three hundred Soldiers, thirty six Canons, etc.  
The Ship Saint James, of six hundred and sixty Tun, had in her one hundred and two Mariners, two hundred and fifty Soldiers, thirty Guns, etc.  
The Manuel, of five hundred and twenty Tun, had in her fifty four Mariners, one hundred and thirty Soldiers, sixteen Guns, etc.  
The Saint Mary, of seven hundred and 7 Tun, had in her fifty Mariners, two hundred and twenty Soldiers, thirty Guns, etc.  
But I need not reckon up the rest. They had in all one hundred and thirty Ships, containing Ffty seven thousand, eight hundred and eight Tun; wherein were Eight hundred and forty five Mariners, Nineteen thousand two hundred and ninety five Soldiers, and two thousand and eighty eight Galleyslaves. And so confident were the Spaniards that England should pay the shot, that they spared no cost for furnishing it forth with all things necessary. For which end they provided of Bullets for great shot two hundred and twenty thousand. Of Powder four thousand and two hundred Kintals, every Kintal containing a hundred pound weight: of Lead for Bullets a thousand Kintals: of Match a thousand and two hundred Kintals: Muskets seven thousand: of Partisans and Halberds ten thousand: with store of Murdering pieces, double Canon, and Field pieces for the Camp: they had also store of Furniture for Carriages, Mules and Horses; so that they were sufficiently provided both for Sea and Land. Bread and Biscuit ready baked, and Wine laid aboard for six months' provision. They had moreover six thousand and five hundred Kintals of Bacon; three thousand of Cheese, besides other Flesh, Rise Beans, Pease, Oil, and Venegar, with twelve thousand Pipes of fresh water. They had also store of Torches, Lamps, and Lanterns, Canvas, Hides, and Led to stop Leaks: Whips and Butcherly Knives to murder and torment the poor English. In a word, the Army was thirty two thousand strong, and cost the King of Spain thirty two thousand Ducats every day.  
In this Army were five Regiments of old Spanish Soldiers of the Tertios of Naples, Sicily, and the Terceras, commanded by five Masters Del-Campo: The first was Don Diego de Piementel, a Knight of the Order of Saint John, and Brother to the Marquis of Taveras: The second Colonel was Don Francisco de Toledo, brother to the Earl of Orgas: The third Don Alonzo de Luzon: The fourth Don Nicholas de Illa: The fifth was Augustin Mexia; each Colonel having in his Regiment thirty two Companies, Besides the Castilian, and Portugal Bands, each of them having their peculiar Commanders and weapons.  
The General of this mighty Army (the Marquis of Sancta Cruse being now dead) was Don Lodovicus Peres, the Duke of Medina Sidonia of the Order of the Golden Fleece. The Admiral was Don John Martinez de Richald: The Marshal Don Francisco Bovadille: Others were chief Counsellors for the War, and Don Martin Alarcon was Vicar General for the holy unholy Inquisition, in whose train were a hundred Monks and Jesuits: and Cardinal Allen was appointed the Superintendent of Ecclesiastical matters throughout England, who fearing to be unprovided, translated Pope Sex●us his Bull into English, that it might be the sooner published upon the arrival of the Spanish Fleet in this our Nation. Of voluntary Adventurers, there were a hundred and twenty four Noble men, and Gentlemen of all the greatest houses in Spain, hoping to be well paid with the Lands and Riches of England.  
The Prince of Parma also in the Netherlands, by the King of Spain's Command; built Ships, and very many flat bottomed Boats, each of them big enough to carry thirty Horse, with Bridges fitted to them to ship and unship the Horses: He hired Mariners from East-Germany, set many thousands on work to dig and deepen River; from Antwerp to Gaunt, and to Bruges: lading three hundred small Boats with Munition and Victuals. Two hundred more flat-bottomed Boats were made, though not so big as the former, which lay ready in the Haven of Newport, besides thirty seven Ships of War at Dunkirk: He prepared Piles sharpened at the nether ends, headed with iron, and hooked on the sides to pile up the mouths of Rivers: At Gravelling he provided twenty thousand empty Casks with cords, and other furniture to make floating Bridges to stop up the Havens▪ beside an infinite number of faggots: He shipped likewise a great abundance of Saddles, Bridles, with other furniture for Horse, and Horses also for Carriages, with Ordnance and other provisions for War.  
Near unto Newport he had lying under the command of Camillo thirty Companies of Italians, two of Walloons, and eight of Burguignons every company containing a hundred men: At Dyxmew he mustered eighty companies of Netherlanders, sixty of Spaniards, sixty of High Dutch, among which were seven hundred fugitive English under the command of Sir William Stanley, who of all others were held in greatest contempt: neither was Stanley, nor the Earl of Westmoorland, not others which offered their service and counsel once heard, but for their treachery to their Country barred from all access, and as most unfortuate conductors, worthily with detestation rejected. At Conic also he quartered other four thousand, and at Watene nine hundred horse, commanded by the Marquis of Guast. And to this land-service came the Duke of Pastrana, supposed to be the King of Spain's base son: the Marquis of Buorgon, one of the Duke Ferdinand's sons: Don Vespasian Gonsaga of the house of Mantua, a great Soldier, who had been Viceroy of Spain: Don John de Medici's, bastard of Florence: Don Amadeus, bastard of Savoy, with many others of the like quality.  
Neither was Sixtus Quintus, Pope of Rome, any ways backward to show his diligence, and devotion to this intended invasion; but sent abroad his Crusado (as he used to do against the Turks and Infidels▪) wherein out of the treasure of the Church he gave plenary Indulgences, and pardon of all their sins to every one that contributed his assistance hereunto: and for the furtherance of this enterprise, himself undertook to contribute a million of Gold, the one half presently down, the other half when any notable Haven in our land should be won: yet with this Proviso, that the Crown of England should be held as Feudatory to the See of Rome; in earnest whereof he bestowed upon the King of Spain his Apostolical Benediction, and the Title of Defender of the Faith: He sent also Cardinal Allen into the Low-Countries, and renewed the Bulls of Pius the fifth and Gregory the thirteenth, whereby Queen Elizabeth was excommunicated, deposed from her Throne, and her Subjects absolved from all allegiance to her.  
Thus we see what preparations were made both at Sea and Land; at Rome, in Spain, and the Netherlands, for the subduing of England, extirpating the Gospel, and subjugating us under the yoke of Spain: now let us see what provision and preparations our Queen made to dispel this black cloud that hung over our head: And truly the first thing that she did was most Christian; For as when Jehosophat was threatened with the like danger. 2 Chro. 20.3. He sought the Lord and proclaimed a fast; so did She, requiring all her subjects to humble themselves by fasting and prayer, knowing that these are the best weapons of the Church, that they by them might seek unto the Lord, and say in the words of Jehosophat, O Lord God, art not thou God in Heaven? and rulest not thou over all the Kingdoms of the Earth? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? O our God, wilt thou not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us, neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee. But in the second place, knowing that Prayers without endeavours and means are like Rachel, beautiful but barren, that She might not be taken unprovided, She prepared with all diligence as strong a Fleet as She could, and all things necessary for War; and She that in discerning men's parts and abilities was of a most sharp judgement, and ever most happy, having the free choice in herself, and not by the commendations of others, assigned to every office by name the best and fittest men.  
The charge of her Navy she committed to Charles Howard of Effingham, Lord Admiral of England, of whose skill she had had former experience, and whom she knew both by his Moderation and Nobility, to be wary in providence, valiant industrious, and of great authority among the Seamen, and well beloved of them: Her Vice-Admiral she made the famous Sir Francis Drake, and these she sent to the West parts of England; and for the Guard of the narrow Seas, she appointed Henry Lord Seimore second son to the Duke of Somerset, whom she commanded also to lie upon the Coasts of the Low-Countries, with forty Ships, to watch that the Prince of Parma might not come forth with his forces: By Land She commanded the General forces of the Realm to be mustered, trained, and put in readiness in their special shires, for the defence of the whole, which accordingly was done, and whereof the Lord Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester was appointed Leeutenant; twenty thousand whereof were disposed along our South Coast for the guard thereof: besides which, she had two Armies; one of which consisting of a thousand Horse, and twenty two thousand Foot, was encamped at Tilbury near the Thames mouth, whither the enemy fully intended to come: The other which was led by the Lord Hunsdon, consisted of thirty four thousand Foot, and two thousand Horse, which were to be the Guard of the Queen's person: Herself in courage far surmounting her sex, as another Zenobia or rather Deborah, led forth the Lords Host against this great Sisera, and her Soldiers valiant and skilful, both for courage and quick dispatch, might well be compared to those Gadites that came to aid David, whose faces were like the faces of Lions, and were compared to the Roes in the Mountains for swiftness.  
Arthur Lord Grey, Sir Francis Knolles, Sir John Knorris, Sir Richard Bingham, and Sir Roger Williams, all gallant men, and brave Soldiers, were appointed to consult about managing the Land Service: These advised that all the commodious landing places for the enemy, as well from Spain, as from the Low-Countries should be manned and fortified, as Milford Haven, Falmouth, Plymouth, Portland, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, the open coast of Kent, commonly called the Downs, the Thames mouth, Harwich, Yarmouth, Hull, etc. and that the Trained Bands throughout the Coast Shires, should meet upon a signal given to defend the said places, and do their best to prohibit the enemies landing. But in case he should land, that then they should leave all the Country round about waist, that so they might find nothing for food, but what from their Ships they should carry upon their shoulders, and that they should hold the enemies busied both night and day with continual Alarms, but not to hazard a Battle till more Commanders with their Companies were come together.  
Some suggested also to the Queen, that the Spaniards abroad were not so much to be feared as the Papists at home; for that the Spaniards would not attempt the Invasion of England, but upon confidence of aid from them: She thereupon committed some of them to prison at Wisbeach in the Fens; by her Letters also she directed Sir William Fitz-Williams, Lord Deputy of Ireland what he should do.  
The King of Scots she put in mind to beware of the Papists and Spanish Factions: By her frequent Letters she wrote to the States of the United Provinces not to be deficient in assisting her what they could.  
But amongst these preparations for War on both sides, Philip King of Spain, to cast a mist over her Majesty's eyes, and to rock her into a sleep of security, importuned by all means the Realms unto peace, employing the Prince of Parma to be his instrument therein, who dealt earnestly by Letters with the help of Sir James Crofts, a privy Counsellor, and a man much addicted to peace, as also by Andrew Van Loey, a Netherlander, that a treaty of Peace might be entered upon, affirming that he had Warrant thereunto from the King of Spain. Our Queen measuring other Princes by her own guileless heart, gave ear to this deceitful lullaby, little suspecting that a deadly snake could be hid in so fair a Garden; yet resolved to treat of Peace with her Sword in her hand, neither was the Prince of Parma against her so doing.  
In the month therefore of Feb. Commissioners were sent into Flandeas, Henry Earl of Derby, William Brook, Lord Cobham, Sir Jamis Crofts, Valentine Dale, and John Roger's Doctors of the Law, who arriving there, were received in the Prince of Parma's name with all courtesy; who thereupon sent away Dale presently to him to know where the place of meeting should be, and to see his Commission from the King of Spain: the place he appointed to be near Ostend, the Town itself being then in the English hands; and as for his Commission, he promised it should be produced at their meeting: Only he wished them to hasten the matter, lest any thing should happen in the interim to interrupt the treaty: and one Richardot, which stood by him, said more openly, That he knew not what in the mean time might be done against England. Which being reported to the Queen, She sent Rogers to the Prince to know whether there was any design for the Invading of England, as he, and Richardot by their words seemed to imply: The Prince answered that he had never any thought for the Invading England, when he wished the Treaty to be hastened, and was angry with Richardot, who denied that any such words had fallen from him.  
Commissioners for the King of Spain were Maximilian Earl of Aremberg, Governor of Antwerp, Richardot Precedent of Artois, with some other Civilians.  
These stayed at Bruges, and for all their pretended haste, much time was cunningly spun out about the place of their meeting, which should have the Precedency, and what hostages should be given for security of the Commissioners: yet at length the Spaniards yielded to the English Precedency, both in going and sitting: and the place wars in Tents near unto Ostend.  
The demands for the Queen were, that there might be a surcease of Arms, with a present and undelayed Truce, she mistrusting the Spanish preparations at Sea: The sending away of foreign Soldiers out of the Low-Countries for England's security: A restitution of such sums of money as the Queen had lent to the States, and which the King had promised to restore: That the Netherlanders might enjoy their ancient liberties, and privileges, nor be governed by a stranger, but by a Native Prince: That they might have liberty to serve God with Freedom of Conscience: And lastly, that the Articles of the Pacification of Gaunt, and other like treaties might be observed; which things if they were granted, she would condescend upon reasonable conditions to deliver up the Towns in the Netherlands, which she then had in possession, that it might appear that she had not for her own advantage, but for the necessary defence of the Netherlands, and herself taken up arms.  
To these the Spaniards replied, that touching their preparations at Sea, they did assure them that it nothing concerned England. That to send away the Soldiers, the King could not resolve till the Netherlanders had submitted themselves to him. Concerning their privileges, that it appertained nothing to the Queen, neither should She prescribe to the King a Law. And so far was he from tolerating Religion, that he would not so much as hear thereof, otherwise than he had allowed to other Towns that had submitted to his obedience. And as for those Towns which had been taken from the King, and the money expended about them, They said that the Spaniard might demand as many Myriad of Ducats to be repaid to him by the Queen, as he had expended upon the Low-Country War, from the time that She supported the revolting Netherlanders, and took them into her Protection.  
About this time went Dale by the Queen's command to the Prince of Parma, and mildly expostulated with him about a Book lately published by Cardinal Allen, That English Renegado, wherein he exhorted the Nobility and People of England and Ireland to join with the Spanish Forces, under the conduct of the Prince of Parma, to execute the Pope's sentence already published by his Bull against Queen Elizabeth; wherein she was declared an Heretic, Illegitimate, cruel, for putting to death the Queen of Scots, etc. And her subjects absolved from their Oath of Allegiance, and commanded to aid the Prince of Purma against Her. (And indeed there was a great number of these Bulls and Books printed at Antwerp, from thence to be dispersed all over England.)  
The Prince denied that he had ever seen any such Book, or Bull, neither would he undertake any thing in the Pope's name; howbeit that he must obey his Prince. But for the Queen of England, he protested that he did so honour her for her Virtues, that next to the King his Master, he esteemed Her above all others, and would be ready to do Her service. For the manifestation whereof he said that he had persuaded the King to condescend to this treaty of peace, which would be more advantageous for the English than for the Spaniards: For (said he) if the Spaniards be overcome they will soon recover their loss; but if You be overcome, your Kingdom, and all is lost: To which Dale made this reply: Our Queen is provided with strength sufficient to defend her Kingdom, and you yourself in your wisdom may foresee that a Kingdom cannot be lost with the fortune of one Battle; seeing the King of Spain after so long Wars, is not able to recover his ancient inheritance in the Netherlands. Be it so (said the Prince) These things are in the hands of the Almighty.  
After this the Commissioners contended with mutual debates, and replies, still twisting and untwisting the same thread. For when the English pressed that a Toleration of Religion might be granted for the United Provinces, at least for two years; It was answered, That as the Spaniard demanded not this for the English Catholics; so they hoped the Queen in her wisdom would require nothing of him which might be against the Honour, Oath, and Conscience of the Spaniard. When they demanded the money due from the States of Brabant to our Queen; They answered, that it was lent without the King's Knowledge or Warrant; and that the accounts being cast up, how much the said money was, and how much the King had disbursed about the War, it would soon be known to whom the most ought to be repaid. With such answers as these they dallied with the English Commissioners, till the Spanish Fleet was come within the view of England, and the thundering of the Ordnance was heard from the Sea, which put the English Commissioners into some suspicion and fear, having no hostages for their safe return. But they received a safe conduct from the Prince of Parma (who had in the mean time drawn down all his Forces to the Sea coast) and so were conducted to the borders near Calais. Thus came this Treaty to nothing, undertaken by our Queen (as was conceived) to divert the coming of the Spanish Fleet: and continued by the Spaniard to surprise England unprovided, and at unawares So both sides put the Fox's skin upon the Lion's head.  
And now we are come to speak of this Invincible Armado, which was the preparation of five whole years at least. It bore itself also upon Divine assistance, having received a special Blessing from the Pope, and was assigned as an Apostolical Mission for the reducement of this Kingdom to the obedience of the See of Rome: and in further token of this holy Warfare, there were amongst the rest of the Ships, twelve, called by the names of the twelve Apostles. The Galleons and Galliass were of such a vast size, that they were like floating Towers and Castles, so that the swelling waves of the Sea could hardly be seen; and the Flags, Streamers, and Ensigns so spread in the wind, that they seemed even to darken the Sun, and to threaten destruction which way soever they turned.  
On the nine and twentieth day of May this Fleet set sail out of the River ●ayo, bending its course towards the Groin in Galizia, the place appointed for the general Rendezvous, as being the nearest Haven unto England: But whilst they hoist and spread abroad their proud sails to the wind; God, who is an enemy to such Nimrod-like undertake, and hating such hostile actions, suddenly manifested his displeasure, and poured out revenge by a sudden and hideous tempest, which drove the Duke of Medina, the General, back again into the Groin; eight other of the Ships being dispersed on the Seas, had their Masts broken, and blown over board; besides three other Portugal Galleys which were driven upon the Coasts of Bayon in France, where, by the valour of one David Gwin, an English slave, and the help of other slaves, French, and Turks, they were delivered into the hands of the French, and they freed themselves by the slaughter of the Spaniards, amongst whom Don Diego de Mondrana was one.  
About the same time the English Admiral, and Vice-Admiral, who had in all about one hundred Ships, whereof fifteen were Victuallers, and nine Voluntaries of Devonshire Gentlemen, hearing for certainty that the Spanish Fleet was ready to hoist up their sails, resolved to put forth from Plymouth, and to meet, and fight them by the way; but were so met with by the same wind, that they could not get past the Syllieses, and thence also were forced by the Tempest to return into their former harbour, to refresh their Ships, and Companies; only some of their Scouts at Sea descried some of the Spanish Ships, which likewise had been dispersed with the storm: but before the English could come near them, the wind vereing about, carried them back to the Groin, where there rest of their Fleet lay in harbour.  
Intelligence being brought that the Saaniards were in want, their great Ships dispersed, and the rest sorely shaken with the storm, and their men dying by multitudes of the Pestilence; the Lord Admiral Howard intended with the first Northerly wind to take advantage, which coming about upon the eighth of July, he launched forth, and bore his sails almost within the sight of Spain, purposing to surprise their weather-beaten Ships, and to fight them upon their own Coast. But then the wind suddenly changing into the South, and he wisely foreseeing that the enemy might pass by without his discovery, that the Seas might be stormy, or his Fleet wind-bound, and that whilst he thus lay abroad, his service might be more necessary at home, and that his work was to defend the Coasts of England, he therefore presently returned and anchored his Fleet in the Haven at Plymouth, suffering his men to refresh themselves upon the Land.  
At the same time there came more confident advertisement (though false) not only to the Lord Admiral, but to the Court, that the Spanish Fleet could not possibly come forth again that year, upon which reports (a dangerous matter in State affairs) so confident was our Queen, that she sent for four of her biggest royal Ships to be brought back to Chattam: But the Lord Admiral suspecting the worst, by a mild and moderate answer retarded it, desiring that nothing might be lightly believed in so weighty a matter, and that he might retain them though at his own charge. Wherein indeed a special providence of God did appear, for just at that time news was brought to the Lord Admiral by one Captain Thomas Fleming, that the Spanish Fleet was entered into the British Seas, commonly called the Channel, and was seen near unto the Lizard point, which came thus to pass.  
The Spanish ships being new rigged, and their wants supplied, their King still hot on his former resolutions, instantly urged and hastened his Commanders to put forth again to Sea, which accordingly they did upon the eleventh of July with the same South wind which (as was said before) brought back our Navy into Plymouth; and so having a more favourable Gale, with brave shows, and full Sails, they entered our Channel, where casting Anchor, they dispatched certain small Pinnaces to the Prince of Parma, to signify their arrival and readiness, and to command him in the name of their King to forward his charge for that service.  
July the twentieth about noon, this terrible Fleet was descried by the English, coming forward amain with a South-west wind. It was a kind of surprise: For that (as was said) many of our men were gone to land, and our ships ready to depart: Nevertheless our undaunted Admiral towed forth such ships as he could get in readiness into the deep Sea, not without great difficulty, certainly with singular diligence, and admirable alacrity of our Mariners, cheered up with the Admiral's own presence and assistance among them at their halserwork, the wind blowing strongly into the Haven.  
When they were forth they saw the Spanish ships with lofty Towers like Castles, in front like an halfmoon, the horns whereof stretched forth in breadth about seven miles, sailing (as it were) with labour to the winds, the Ocean groaning under them; so that though with full sails, yet they came but slowly forward. They seemed as it were to make for Plymouth; but whether their Commission was otherwise, or because contrary to their expectation, they saw the English ships out of the Harbour, they steered by towards Calais, hoping to meet with the Prince of Parma: The English willingly suffered them to pass by, that they might the more commodiously chase them in the Rear with a foreright wind.  
july the twenty first, the Lord Admiral of England sent before him a Pinnace called the Defiance, to denounce war by discharging her Ordnance, himself following in the Ark-Royal, set upon the Admiral (as he thought) of the Spaniards but it proved to be Alonzo de Leva's ship, where fire, smoke, and loud thundering Cannons began the parley; and rending Bullets most freely interchanged betwixt them, were fiery messengers of each others minds. Soon after came up Drake, Hawkins and Forbusher, playing with their Ordnance upon the hindmost Squadron of the Enemies, which was commanded by Rechalde, who laboured all he could to stay his Men from flying for shelter to the Fleet, till his own ship being much battered with shot, and now grown unserviceable, was with much difficulty drawn into the main Fleet. At which time the Duke of Medina gathered together his whole Fleet, scattered here and there by the English, and hoising more sail, kept on his intended course toward Calais; neither indeed could he do otherwise, the wind favouring the English, and himself finding the inconvenience of their great and high built ships, powerful to defend, but not to offend; to stand, but not to move; whereas on the contrary their enemies were nimble, and ready on all sides to annoy them, and as apt to escape harms themselves, being low built and so easily shot over. Hereupon he caused them to gather themselves up close in the form of an halfmoon, and to slacken their sails that their whole Fleet might keep together. But our English Admiral having maintained an hot fight for the space of two hours, thought nor good to continue it any longer, thirty of his ships scarce coming to the work, the rest being as yet scarce gotten out of the Harbour.  
In this first days fight the Saint Katherine, a Spanish Ship, having been sorely battered and much torn, was taken into the midst of their Fleet to be repaired: And an huge Ship of biscay of Don Oquendoes, in which was a great part of the King's treasure, began to be all in a Flame by force of Gunpowder, which was fired on purpose by a Flemish Gunner, for being misused by them: But the fire was soon quenched by the assistance of some other ships sent in to her help. All this while the Spaniards for want of courage (which they called Commission) did what they could to decline the fight, casting themselves continually into Roundels (their strongest ships walling in the rest) in which posture they made a flying march towards Calais: yet in the former medley a great Gallion, wherein was Don Pedro de Valdez, Vasques de Silua, Alenzo de Saias, with other Noble men, being sore battered with the English shot, in avoiding whereof she fell foul upon another ship, and ere she could be cleared had her foremast broken off, which so hundred her sailing, that she was unable to keep way with the rest of the Fleet, nor were their friends of courage to succour these distressed Lords, but left both ship and them in this sudden and unexpected danger. But the night coming on, our Lord Admiral supposing that they had left neither men nor Mariners aboard within her, and fearing to lose sight of the Spaniards, passed by her, and followed the Lantern which he supposed to be carried by Sir Francis Drake, as it was appointed, but that brave Knight was eagerly pursuing five great Hulks which he took to be of the Spaniards, but when he came up, and haled them, they proved Easterlings and friends, and so were dismissed: yet by this mistake of his, the greatest part of our Fleet, wanting the direction of his light, was forced to lie still: so that he and the rest of the Fleet till towards night, the next day, could not recover sight of the Lord Admiral, who all the night before with two other ships, the Bear and the Mary-Rose followed the Spanish Lantern.  
July the twenty second; Sir Francis Drake espied the aforementioned lagging Gallion, whereupon he sent forth a Pinnace to command them to yield, otherwise his bullets without any delay should force them to it: Valdes, to seem valorous, answered, that they were four hundred and fifty strong; that himself was Don Pedro, and stood on his honour, and thereupon propounded certain conditions: But the Knight returned this reply, that he had no leisure to parley, if he would immediately yield, so; otherwise be should soon prove that Drake was no dastard. Pedro hearing that it was the fiery Drake (whose name was very terrible to the Spaniards) that had him in chase, presently yielded, and with forty of his companions, came on board Sir Francis his Ship, where first giving him the Congee, he protested that he and all his were resolved to have died fight, had they not fallen into his hands, whose valour and felicity was so great, that Mars and Neptune seemed to wait on him in all his attempts, and whose noble and generous mind towards the vanquished, had often been experienced even of his greatest foes. Sir Francis to requite his Spanish Compliments with English Courtesy, placed him at his own table, and lodged him in his own Cabin: the residue of that company he sent to Plymouth, where they remained prisoners for the space of eighteen months, till by payment of their ransoms they obtained their liberty: But Drakes Soldiers had well paid themselves by the plunder of the ship, wherein they found 55000 Ducats of ●old, which they merrily shared amongst them. The same day Michael de Oquendo, Admiral of the Squadron Guypusco, and Vice-Admiral of the whole Fleet, suffered no less a disaster; whose ship being one of the greatest Galleons, fell on fire, and all the upper part of the ship being burnt, most also of the persons therein were consumed: howbeit the Gunpowder in the hold not taking fire, the ship fell into the hands of the English, which, together with the scorched Spaniards therein, was brought into Plymouth, a joyful spectacle to the beholders. All this day, the Duke of Medina laboured securely to set his Fleet in order; To Alphonso de Leva he gave in charge to join the first and last squadron together; To every ship he assigned his quarter to ride in according to the form prescribed in Spain, commanding them upon pain of death not to desert their stations. Glitch, an Ensign-bearer, he sent to the Prince of Parma to acquaint him with his condition.  
July the twenty third, early in the morning the Spaniards taking the benefit of a Northerly wind, when they approached right against Portland, turned about against the English; but the English, nimble, and foreseeing all advantages, soon turned aside to the Westward, each striving to get the wind of the other, which at last the English got, and so they prepared themselves on each side to fight; and the English continued all day from morning till night to batter those wooden Castles with great and small shot: The fight was very confused and variable, whilst on the one side the English bravely rescued the London ships that were hemmed in by the Spaniards, and on the other side the Spaniards as stoutly delivered Rechalde being in danger▪ Never was there heard greater thundering of Ordnance on both sides, the chiefest fight being performed on this day; yet notwithstanding the shot from the Spanish ships for the most part flew over the English without hurting them, only Cock an Englishman died with honour in the midst of his enemies in a little ship of his. The English ships being far the lesser, charged that Sea-Gyant with marvellous agility, and having given them their broad sides flew off again presently, and then coming up, leveled their shot directly without missing those heavy an unwieldy ships of the Spaniards. But the Lord Admiral would not hazard a fight by grappling with them, as some unadvised persons would have persuaded him: For he considered that the enemy had a strong Army in the Fleet, whereas he had none; that their ships were more in number, of bigger burden, stronger, and huger built, so that they could not be boarded but with extreme disadvantage: He foresaw also that the overthrow would turn to a greater damage than the victory would avail him: For being vanquished he should have brought England into extreme hazard, and being conqueror he should only have gained a little glory to himself for overthrowing the Fleet, and beating the enemy. On this day the sorest fight was performed, wherein, besides other remarkable harms which the enemy sustained, a great Venetian ship with some other smaller were surprised, and taken by the English, and the Spaniards were forced for their further safety to gather themselves close into a Roundel, their best and greatest ships standing without, that they might secure those that were battered and less.  
July the twenty fourth, the fight was only between the four great Galliass, and some of the English ships, the Spaniards having great advantage, theirs being rowed with oars, and ours (by reason of the calm) having no use of their sails, notwithstanding which they sorely galled the enemy with their great and chain shot; wherewith they cut in sunder their tackle, cables, and cordage to their no little prejudice. But wanting powder which they had spent so freely, and other provision to maintain the fight, the Lord Admiral sent some of his smaller ships to the next Ports of England to fetch supply; which stirred up jealousies in the heads of many, that we should thus want upon our own Coasts. In which Interim a Council was called, wherein it was resolved that the English Fleet should be divided into four squadrons, and those committed to four brave Captains, and skilful Seamen, whereof the Lord Admiral in the Ark-Royal was chief: Sir Francis Drake in the Revenge led the second: Captain Hawkins the third: and Captain Forbusher the fourth. Other most valiant Captains there were in others of Her Majesty's Ships, as the Lord Thomas Howard in the Lion, the Lord Sheffield in the Bear, Sir Robert Southwel in the Elizabeth, Captain Baker in the Victory, and Captain George Fenner in the Gallion-Leicester: It was also further appoined that out of every squadron certain small vessels should give you a charge from divers parts in the dead time of the night, but the calm continuing, this design could not be effected.  
July the twenty fifth, being Saint James day, the Spaniards were arrived against the Isle of Wight, where was a most terrible encounter, each shooting off their whole broad sides, and not above sixscore yards the one from the other: There the Saint Anne, a Gallion of Portugal, which could not hold course with the rest, was set upon by certain small English Vessels, to whose rescue came Leva and Don Diego Tells Enriques with three Galliass: which the Lord Admiral himself and the Lord Thomas Howard in the Golden Lion, rowing their ships with their boats (so great was the calm) charged in such sort with their roaring Canons, that they had much ado, and that not without loss, to save the Gallion, from which time forward none of the Galliass would undertake the fight. The Spaniards reported that the English the same day beat the Spanish Admiral in the utter squadron, rending her sore with their Great Ordnance, and having slain many of her men, shot down her main Mast, and would have much endangered her, but that Mexic and Rechalde came in good time to her rescue. That the Spanish Admiral, assisted by Rechalde and others, set upon the English Admiral, which happily escaped by the sudden turning of the wind. That thereupon the Spaniards gave over the pursuit, and holding on their Course, dispatched again a Messenger to the Prince of Parma, to join his Fleet with all speed to the King's Armado, and withal to send them a supply of great shot. But these things were unknown to the English, who wrote that from one of the Spanish ships they had shot down their Lantern, and from another the Beak-head, and that they had done much hurt to the third; that the Non-parrella and the Mary Rose, had fought a while with the Spaniards; and that other ships had rescued the Triumph, which was in danger: The truth is, they had so sorely battered those huge wooden Castles, that once more they forced them for their further safety to gather themselves into a Roundel.  
July the twenty sixth, the Lord Admiral, to encourage and reward the Noble Attempts of his gallant Captains, bestowed the Order of Knighthood upon the Lords Howard and Sheffield, Roger Townsend, John Hawkings, Martin Forbusher, and others: And yet the vain glorious and boasting Spaniards caused a report to be spread in France, that England was wholly conquered by them. It was resolved by our men that from thenceforth they should assail the enemy no more till they came to the British Frith, or straight of Calais, where the Lord Henry Seimore and Sir William Winter, with the ships which they had for the guard of the narrow Seas, waited their coming; and so with a fair gale from the South West and by South, the Spanish Fleet sailed forward, the English Fleet following it close at the heels. And so far was it from terrifying our English Coasts with the name of Invincible, or with its huge and terrible spectacle, that our brave English youth with an incredible alacrity, leaving parents, wives, children, kinsfolk, and friends out of their entire love to their native country, hired ships from all parts at their own proper charges, and joined with the Fleet in great numbers, amongst whom were the Earls of Oxford, Northumberland and Cumberland: Thomas and Robert Cecil: Henry Brook: Charles Blunt: Walter Raleigh: William Hatton: Robert Carey: Ambrose Willoughby: Thomas Gerard: Arthur Gorges, and many others of great note.  
July the twenty seventh, the Spanish Fleet making forward, towards evening, came over against Dover, and anchored before Calais, intending for Dunkirk there to join with the Prince of Parma's forces, well perceiving that without their assistance they could do nothing: They were also warned by the Pilots, that if they proceeded any farther it was to be feared lest they should be driven by the force of the tide into the Northern Ocean. The English Fleet following up hard upon them, cast Anchor so near that they lay within Culverin shot; at which time the Lord Henry Seimore, and Winter joined their ships to them, so that now the English Fleet consisted of one hundred and forty sail, all able ships to fight, sail, and turn about which way soever they pleased. Yet were they not above fifteen that sustained the greatest burden of the fight. From hence once more the Duke of Medina sent to the Prince of Parma to hasten forth his long expected, and much desired forces: with which messengers many of the Spanish Noble men went to land, having had enough of the Sea; amongst whom was the Prince of Ascoli, the King's base son, who returned to his ship no more; and indeed well it was for him, for that his Gallion was afterwards cast away upon the Irish Coast, and never returned to salute Spain. These messengers earnestly prayed the Prince of Parma to put forth to Sea with his Army, which the Spanish Fleet should protect, as it were under her wings, till it was landed in England. And indeed the Prince of Parma, hearing the best, and not the worst of this voyage, made all things ready that lay in his charge, whose hopes were so fixed upon England's Conquest, and the glittering Diadem upon Queen Elizabeth's head did so dazzle his ambitious eyes, being assured by Cardinal Allen that he was the man designed to be crowned therewith, that neglecting the Coronet of the Low-Country Government, he transferred the charge thereof upon Count Mansfield the Elder, and having made his vows to the Lady of Hall in Heinault, he was already in conceit no less than a King. But the date of his reign was soon expired, and his swelling tide fallen into a low shallow ebb: For the day following in his march to Dunkirk, he heard the thundering Ordnance ringing the passing peal of his hopes and title, and the same evening had news of the hard success of the Spaniards, the hoped advancers of his dreamt felicity; and indeed do what he could, he could not be ready at the Spaniards call: His flat-bottomed boats for the shallow Channels leaked; his provision of victuals proved unready, and his mariners (having hitherto been detained against their wills) had withdarwn themselves: there lay also watching before the Havens of Dunkirk and Newport, whence he was to put forth to Sea, the men of War of the Hollanders and Zelanders, so well provided with great Ordnance and Musketeers, that he could not put from the shore unless he would wilfully cast himself and his men upon eminent perils and dangers of destruction: and yet he being a skilful and experienced Commander, omitted no means, being inflamed with a desire to conquer England.  
But Queen Elizabeth's foresight prevented both his diligence and the credulous hope of the Spaniards. For by Her command the next day after the Spaniards had cast Anchor, the Lord Admiral made ready eight of his worst ships, filled with wildfire, pitch, rosin, brimstone, and other combustible matter: their Ordnance were charged with bullets, stones, chains, and such like things, fit instruments of death; and all the men being taken out, upon the Sabbath day, July the twenty eighth, at two of the clock after midnight, were they let drive with wind and tide, under the guidance of Young and Prowse, amongst the Spanish Fleet. And so the Pilots returning, and their trains taking fire, such a sudden thunderclap was given by them, that the affrighted Spaniards, it being the dead time of the night, were amazed, and stricken with an horrible fear, lest all their ships should have been fired by them. And to avoid this present mischief, being in great perplexity, they had no other remedy to avoid these deadly engines, and murdering inventions, then by cutting their cables in sunder, the time being too short to weigh up their Anchors, and so hoising up their sails to drive at random into the Seas: in which haste and confusion the greatest of their Galliastes fell foul upon another ship, and lost her rudder: and so floated up and down, and the next day fearfully making towards Calais, ran aground upon the sands, where she was set upon by the English. This Galliass was of Naples: Her General was Hough the Moncado, who fought the more valiantly, because he expected present help from the Prince of Parma: But Sir Amias Preston gave such a fierce assault upon her, that Moncado was shot dead with a bullet, and the Galliass boarded, wherein many of the Spaniards were slain, and a great many others leaping into the Sea were drowned, only Don Antonio de Matiques, a principal Officer, had the good hap to escape, and was the first man that carried the unwelcome news into Spain, that their Invincible Navy proved vincible. This huge bottom manned with four hundred Soldiers, and three hundred slaves, that had in her fifty thousand Ducats of the Spanish King's treasure, fell into the English men's hands; a reward well befitting their valour, who sharing it merrily amongst them, and freeing the miserable slaves from their fetters, would have fired the empty vessel: but Monsieur Gourden, Governor of Calais, fearing that the fire might endanger the Town, would not permit them to do it, bending his Ordnance against those which attempted it.  
Had not this politic Stratagem of the fireships been found out, it would have been very difficult for the English to have dislodged them; for those huge ships had their bulks so strengthened with thick planks, and massy beams, that our bullets might strike, and stick, and yet never pass through them: So that the greatest hurt which our English Canon did, was only by rending their Masts and tackle.  
The Spaniards report that the Duke of Medina, when these burning ships approached, commanded the whole Fleet to weigh Anchor to avoid them yet so, as having shunned the danger, presently every ship to return to her former station, which accordingly he did himself, giving a signal to the rest to do the like, by discharging one of his great Guns; but in this general consternation the warning was heard but of a few, the rest being scattered all about which for fear were driven some into the wide Ocean, and other upon the shallows of Flanders.  
July the twenty ninth, after this miserable disaster, the Spaniards ranging themselves into the best order they could, approaching over against Gravelling, where once again the English getting the wind of them, deprived them of the conveniency of Calais road, and kept them from supply out of Dunkirk, from whence rested their full hope of support. In the mean while Drake and Fenner played incessantly with their great Ordnance upon the Spanish Fleet, and with them presently joined Fenton, Southwel, Be●●●on, Cross, Riman, and lastly the Lord Admiral himself, with the Lords, Thomas Howard, and Sheffield: On the other hand, the Duke of Medina, Leva, Oquenda, Richalde, and others of them, with much ado got clear off the shallows, and sustained the charge as well as they could, yet were most of their ships pitifully torn and shot through, the fight continuing from morning till night, which indeed proved very dismal to the Spaniards; for therein a great Gallion of Biscay perished, the Captains whereof to avoid ignominy; or to be reputed valorous, desparately slew each other. ●n which distress also two other great ships presently sunk. The Gallion Saint Matthew under the command of Don Diego Piementelli, coming to rescue Don Francisco de Toledo who was in the Saint Philip, was, together with the other, miserably torn with shot, their tackle spent, and their bulks rend, so that the water entered in on all sides, which sight was maintained against them by Seimore and Winter; In which distress they were driven near Ostend, where again they were shot through and through by the Zelanders: Their desperate condition being known, the Duke of Medina sent his own skiff for Don Diego Piementelli, Campmaster, and Colonel over thirty two Bands: But he in a Spanish Bravado refused to leave his ship, and like a Soldier assayed every way to free himself: But being unable to do it, he forthwith made towards the coast of Flanders, where being again set upon by five Dutchmen of War, was required to yield, which finally he did unto Captain Peter Banderdness, who carried him into Zealand: and for a Trophy of his victory hung up his Banner in the Church of Leiden, whose length reached from the very roof to the ground: Another also of the Spanish ships coasting for Flanders, was cast away upon the sands.  
Francisco de Toledo also, being likewise a Colonel over thirty two Bands in the other Gallion, taking his course for the coast of Flanders, his ship proved so leak, that himself with some others of the chief betook themselves to their skiff, and arrived at Ostend, the ship with the residue being taken by the Flushingers.  
The Spaniards now finding their welcome into England far worse than they expected, were content to couch their Fleet as close together as they could, not seeking to offend their enemies, but only to defend themselves, and the wind coming to the South-west, in the same order they passed by Dunkirk, the English still following them at the heels. But left the Prince of Parma should take this advantage to put forth to Sea, the Lord Admiral dispatched the Lord Henry Seimore with his squaron of small ships to the Coast of Flanders, to join with those Hollanders, which there kept watch under Justin of Nassau, their Admiral: This Holland Fleet consisted of thirty five ships, furnished with most skilful Mariners, and twelve hundred Muskiteers, old experienced Soldiers, whom the States had culled out of several Garrisons: Their charge was to stop up the Flemish Havens, and to prevent intercourse with Dunkirk, whither the Prince of Parma was come, and would fain have adventured forth, though his men were unwilling, hearing how their friends had been entertained at Sea: Only the English fugitives, being about seven hundred in number, under that treacherous Knight, Sir William Stanley, were very forward to be the first that should assault England.  
July the 31 betimes in the morning the North-west-wind blew hard, and the Spanish Fleet laboured by that advantage to return to the narrow strait, but were driven towards Zealand: whereupon the English gave off the chase, because they saw them carried almost to their utter ruin; for they could not but run a ground upon the sands and shallows near Zealand: but the wind turning presently into the South-west and by West, they sailed before the wind, by which means they were cleared of the shallows, and so that evening they called a Council what to do, and by consent it was resolved to return into Spain by the Northern Ocean: for that they wanted many necessaries, especially great shot; their ships also were pitifully torn, and there remained no hope that the Prince of Parma would or could bring forth his Fleet.  
The Armado having now gotten more Sea-room for their huge bodied bulks, spread their Main sails, and made away as fast as wind and water would give them leave: More fearing the small Fleet and forces of the English (though far inferior to them) then standing upon terms of honour either for the credit of their Commanders, or their Invincible Navy: But surely if they had known the want of Powder ours sustained (a fault inexcusable upon our own Coasts) they no doubt would have stood better to their tackle: But God in this, as in all the rest, infatuated them, and would have us to acknowledge that our deliverance was by his own gracious Providence and power, and not by any strength or policy of our own.  
The Spanish Fleet being now carried forth into the deep, they directed their course Northward, and our English Admiral followed them, lest they should attempt to put into Scotland, against whom they now and then turned head, but stood not to it: Yet most men thought they would return, whereupon our Queen with a manly courage took a view of her Army and Camp at Tilbury, and walking through the ranks of Armed men placed on both sides, with a Leaders Truncheon in her hand, sometimes in a martial pace, and other sometimes like a woman, incredible it is how much she strengthened and encouraged the hearts both of her Captains and Soldiers with her speech and presence. But contrary to expectation, the enemies with their sails spread, betook themselves to an absolute flight, and leaving Scotland on the West, they bended their Course towards Norway, being ill advised therein, (but their necessity urged, and God had infatuated their Counsels) thus to adventure to put their shaken and battered bottoms into those black and dangerous Seas: Neither was the Climate heathful for the crazed Bodies of the Spaniards, over-beaten, and tired with wants, they being now entered the fifty seventh degree of Northerly Latitude; from whence our Lord Admiral returned, leaving only some Scouts to discover their success.  
When the Prince of Parma came to Dunkirk, the Spaniards entertained him with opprobrious speeches, as if in favour of Queen Elizabeth, he had neglected his opportunity, and willingly overthrown so hopeful a Design. The Prince to give them some satisfaction punished his Purveyors of Victuals, yet withal laughing in his sleeve at the insolency of the Spaniards, having heard them formerly to make their boasts that whithersoever they went they carried assured victory along with them, and that the English durst nor once abide to look them in the face.  
The Spaniards (as was said even now) being freed from the English that had haunted them like their Ghosts, consulted most seriously what was next to be done: they were very tender of the Pope's Credit, who had prophesied, that this attempt would be fortunate and successful: The wrath of King Philip of Spain was to be feared, his vast Expenses being thus lost, and his hopes frustrated: other Adventurers would be undone: the glory of the Spaniards would be laid in the dust: the Invincible Navy become a scorn, and England would still be England, not lorded over by the Spaniards, if without further attempt they should return into Spain. But on the other hand they considered that 5 thousand of the Soldiers were slain: a multitude of their Survivors lay sick or maimed upon their hands: Twelve of their greatest ships were sunk, lost, or taken: their Cables, Masts, and Sails were cut; rent and broken with the English shot: Their Anchors left in the road of Calais: their victuals failed: Their fresh water was spent: and their enemies no less fierce, undaunted, and successful than at the first: The Prince of Parma though long in preparing, yet still unready, and kept in by the Dutch, Queen Elizabeth's firm Allies: which circumstances wisely balanced, the vote went currant for their hastening to Spain.  
But withal knowing that the King of Scots (fast knit in affection and blood to our Queen) would yield them no supplies; and having as little hope that Norway would afford them any, they cast all their, Horses, and Mules overboard, for the sparing of their fresh water: and so framing their course to sail about Cathenes, and the Coasts of Ireland, they steered between the Orcadeses and the Isles of Farr unto the sixty first degree of Latitude: From whence the Duke of Medina, with his best stored ships, took Westward over the main Ocean towards Biscay, and at last arrived safely in Spain: where for his welcome, he was deposed from all his authority, forbidden to come at Court, and commanded to live private, neither could he give satisfaction by his bad excuses, albeit he imputed it to the treachery of his Mariners; to their ignorance; and small experience of those Northern Seas. The want of succours from the Prince of Parma; the Tempests, Shipwrecks and ill fortune: but not a word of the judgement of God, upon that Giantlike undertaking to enslave all England to the Spanish yoke.  
The residue of the Ships, being about forty in number, fell nearer with the coast of Ireland, intending to touch at Cape Clare, well hoping there to refresh themselves, and supply their wants: but the winds proving contrary and tempestuous upon those dangerous Seas, many of their ships perished upon the Irish shores, and amongst others a great Galliass, wherein Michael de Oquendo was Commander, and two other Venetian ships of great burden, besides thirty eight more, with most of the Spaniards contained in them Such as got clear off the danger, put forth to Sea: some of which by a strong West Wind were driven into the English Channel, where some of them were again set upon and taken by the English, others by men of Rochel in France; and some arrived at New Haven in Normandy: So that of one hundred thirty four ships that set fail out of Lisboa, only fifty three returned into Spain: Of the four Galliass of Naples but one: of the four Oallions of Portugal, but one: of the ninety one Callions, and great Hulks from divers Provinces, only thirty three returned, fifty eight being lost. In brief, they lost in this voyage eighty one vessels, thirteen thousand, five hundred and odd Soldiers. Prisoners taken in England, Ireland, and the Low-Countries were above two thousand: Amongst those in England, Don Pedro de Valdez, Don Vasques de Silua, and Don Alonzo de Says, and others were kept for their ransom. In Ireland Don Alonzo de Luzon, Roderigo de Lass, and others of great account: In Zealand was Don Diego Piementelli: To be brief, there was no famous, or noble family in all Spain, which in this expedition lost not a son, brother, or kinsman. And thus this Armado which had been so many years in preparing, and rigging with such vast expense, was in one month many times assaulted, and at length wholly defeated with the slaughter of so many of her men, not one hundred of the English being lacking, nor one small ship of theirs taken, or lost, save only that of Cocks: and having traversed round about all Britain, by Scotland, the Orcadeses and Ireland, most grievously tossed, and very much distressed, and wasted by storms, wracks, and all kinds of misery, at length came lamely home, with perpetual dishonour: whereupon Medals were stamped in memory thereof: A Fleet flying with full sails; with this inscription, Venit, vidit, fugit, It came, it saw, it fled: Others in honour of our Queen, with flaming ships, and a Fleet in a great confusion, and this Motto, Dux faemina facti, A woman was conductor of the fact.  
In the aforementioned wracks above seven hundred Soldiers and Sailors were cast on land in Scotland, who (upon the intercession of the Prince of Parma to the King of Scots, and by the permission of Queen Elizabeth) were after a years time sent over into the Low-Countries: But more unmercifully were those miserable wretches dealt withal, whose hap was to be driven by tempest into Ireland: Some of them being slain by the wild Irish (their old friends) and others of them being put to death by the command of the Lord Deputy: For he fearing lest they might join with the Irish to disturb the peace of the Nation, commanded Bingham, Governor of Connaught to destroy them: but he, refusing to deal so rigorously with those that had yielded themselves, He sent Fowl, Deputy-Marshall, who drew them out of their lurking holes, and cut off the heads of above two hundred of them; which fact the Queen from her heart condemned, and abhorred as a fact of too great cruelty. The remainder of them being terrified herewith, sick and starven as they were, committed themselves to Sea in their shattered vessels, and were many of them swallowed up by the waves.  
The Spaniards charged the whole fault of their overthrow upon the Prince of Parma, as if in favour to our Queen he had wilfully and artificially delayed his coming to them: But this was but an invention, and pretention given out by them, partly upon a Spanish envy against that Prince, he being an Italian, and his Son a Competitor to the Kingdom of Portugal: But chiefly to save the scorn and monstous disreputation which they and their Nation received by the success of that enterprise: Therefore their colours, and excuses (forsooth) were, That their General by Sea had a limited Commission, not to fight till the Land Forces were come in to them, and that the Prince of Parma had particular reaches and ends of his own to cross the design.  
But it was both a strange Commission, and a strange Obedience to a Commission, for men in the midst of their own blood, and being so furiously assailed, to hold their hands, contrary to the Laws of Nature and necessity. And as for the Prince of Parma, he was reasonably well tempted to be true to that enterprise, by no less promise than to be made a Feudatory or Beneficiary King of England under the signory (in chief) of the Pope, and the protection of the King of Spain. Besides, it appeared that the Prince of Parma held his place long after of the Govenment of the Netherlands, in the favour and trust of the King of Spain, and by the great employments and services that he performed in France. It is also manifest that this Prince did his best to come down, and put to Sea: The truth was, that the Spanish Navy, upon those proofs of Fight which they had with the English, finding how much hurt they received, and how little, hurt they did, by reason of the activity and low building of our ships, and skill of Seamen; and being also commanded by a General of small courage and experience, and having lost at first two of their bravest Commanders at Sea, Pedro de Valdez, and Michael de Oquenda, durst not put it to a Battle at Sea, but set up their rest wholly upon the Land enterprise. On the other side, the transportation of the Land Forces failed in the very foundation; For, whereas the Council of Spain made full account that their Navy should be Master of the Sea, and therefore able to guard and protect the Vessels of Transportation: When it fell out to the contrary, that the great Navy was distressed, and had enough to do to save itself, and that their Land Forces were impounded by the Hollanders. Things (I say) being in this state, it came to pass that the Prince of Parma must have flown, if he would have come into England, for he could get neither Bark, nor Mariner to put to Sea. Yet certain it is that the Prince looked for the coming back of the Armado even at that time when they were wand'ring, and making their perambulation upon the Northern Seas.  
Thus we see the curse of God and his threatening in Scripture accomplished: They came out against us one way, and they fled seven ways before us: making good (even to the astonishment of all Posterity) the wonderful Judgements of God poured out commonly upon such vast and proud aspire.  
After this Glorious Deliverance of our Land by the Power of the Omnipotent, and the wild Boar repelled that sought to lay waste England's fair and fruitful Vineyard, our Gracious and Godly Queen (who ever held Ingratitude a Capital sin, especially towards her Almighty Protector) as she had begun with Prayer, so she ended with Praise, commanding solemn Thanksgiving to be celebrated to the Lord of Hosts at the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul in her chief City of London, which accordingly was done upon Sabbath day the eighth of September: at which time eleven of the Spanish Ensigns (the once badges of their bravery, but now of their vanity and ignominy) were hung upon the lower battlements of that Church, as Palms of Praise for England's Deliverance: a show no doubt more pleasing to God than when their spread colours did set out the pride of the Spaniards, threatening the blood of so many innocent and faithful Christians.  
Queen Elizabeth herself, to be an example unto others upon Sabbath the twenty fourth of September, came from her Palace of White-Hall in Westminster, through the streets of London (which were hung with blue Cloth, the Companies of the City standing in their Liveries on both sides with their Banners in goodly order) being carried in a Chariot drawn with two Horses to St. Paul's Church, where dismounting from her. Chariot at the West door, she humbled herself upon her knees and with great devotion, in an audible voice She praised God as her only Defender, who had delivered Herself and People from the bloody designs of so cruel an enemy. The Sermon than preached tended wholly wholly to give all the glory to God, as the Author of this wonderful deliverance: and when that was ended, Her Majesty Herself, with most Princely and Christian speeches exhorted all the people to a due performance of those religious services of thankfulness which the Lord expected and required of them.  
About the same time the Fair being kept in Southwark, the Spanish Flags were hung up at London Bridge to the great joy of the beholders, and eternal infamy of the Spaniards proud attempts, as irreligious as unsuccessful. But the solemn day appointed for Thanksgiving throughout the Land was the nineteenth of November being Tuesday, which accordingly was observed with great joy and praising of God; and well it were if it had so continued still, being no less a Deliverance than was that of Purim amongst the Jews, which they instituted to be kept holy throughout their Generations.  
The Zelanders also to leave a memorial of their thnakfulness to God, and their faithfulness to our Queen, caused Medals of Silver to be stamped, having engraven on the one side the Arms of their Country; with this inscription, Glory to God alone, and on the reverse, the pourtracture of great Ships, under written, the Spanish Fleet, and in the circumference, It came, It went, It was, Anno 1588. In other medals also were stamped ships floating, and sinking, and in the reverse, Supplicants upon their knees, with this Motto, man proposeth, God disposeth, 1588. The Hollanders also stamped some medals with Spanish ships and this Motto, Impius fugit nemine sequente: the wicked fly when none pursues.  
Our Queen, to show her gratitude as well to the instruments as to the Author of this great Deliverance, assigned certain yearly Rents to the Lord Admiral for his gallant service, and many times commended him, and the other Captains of Her Ships, as men born for the Preservation of their Country. The rest she graciously saluted by name as oft as she saw them, as men of notable deserts, wherewith they held themselves well paid, and those which were wounded, maimed, or poor, She rewarded with competent pensions.  
The Lord of Hosts having thus dispelled this storm, the Queen dissolved her Camp at Tilbury, and not long after the Earl of Leicester ended his days, having been a Peer of great estate and honour, but liable to the common destiny of Great ones, whom all men magnify in their life time, but few speak well of after their death.  
THis Admirable Deliverance was congratulated by almost all other Nations, especially by all the reformed Churches, and many Learned Men celebrated the same in Verse, amongst which I shall only mention two: The first was that Poem made by Reverend Mr. Beza; Translated into all the chief Languages in Christendom, to be perpetuated to all ensuing Posterity. It was this.  

STraverat innumeris Hispanus classibus aequor,  
Regnis juncturus Sceptra Britana suis  
Tanti hujus rogitas quae motus causa? superbos  
Impulit Ambitio, vexat avaritia.  
Quam bene te Ambitio mersit vanissima ventus;  
Et tumidae tumidos Vos superastis aquae!  
Quam bene Raptores Orbis totius Iberos  
Mersit inexhausti justa vorago Maris!  
At tu, cui venti, cui totum militat Aequor,  
Regina, O mundi totius una decus:  
Sic regnare Deo perge, Ambitione remota,  
Prodiga sic opibus perge juvare pios;  
Vt te Angli longum, longùm Anglis ipsa fruaris,  
Quam dilecta bonis, tam metuenda malis.   

Spain's King with Navies great the Seas bestrewed,  
T' augment with English Crown his Spanish sway:  
Ask ye what caused this proud attempt? 'twas lewd  
Ambition drove, and Avarice led the way.  
It's well; Ambitions windy pufflies drowned  
By winds, and swelling hearts by swelling waves:  
It's well; those Spaniards who the World's vast round  
Devoured, devouring Sea most justly craves.  
But thou O Queen, for whom Winds, Seas do war,  
O thou the Glory of this World's wide Mass,  
So reign to God still, from Ambition far,  
So still with bounteous aids the Good embrace:  
That Thou mayst England long, long England Thee enjoy  
Thou terror of all Bad, Thou Good men's joy.   

The other is that, made by Mr: Samuel Ward of Ipswich.  
OCtogesimus Octavus, Mirabilis annus  
Clade Papistarum, Faustus ubique piis.   

IN Eighty eight Spain armed with potent might  
Against our peaceful Land came on to fight:  
The Winds, and Waves, and Fire in one conspire  
To help the English, frustrate Spain's desire.   
FINIS.   

THE Gunpowder Treason: Being A Remembrance to England, OF THAT Ancient Deliverance From that Horrid PLOT, Hatched by the Bloody PAPISTS, 1605. Tending to revive the Memory of the FIFTH OF NOVEMBER to every Family in this NATION: That all sorts may be stirred up to real Thankfulness, and transmit the same to their Posterities; that their Children may know the reason why the Fifth of November is Celebrated; that GOD may have Glory, and the PAPISTS perpetual Infamy.  
The LORD is known by the judgement that he executeh, but the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. HIGGAION SELAH.  Psal. 9.16. 
By Sam. Clark, Pastor of Bennet Fink, London.  
London, Printed for J. Hancock, and are to be sold at the three Bibles, being the first Shop in Popes-Head Alley, next to Cornhill. 1671.   

TO THE READER.  
Christian Reader,  
Lest the Remembrance of so signal a Mercy, and Deliverance vouchsafed by God both to our Church and State should be buried in Oblivion, I have (at the request of the Bookseller) presented thee here with a true and faithful Narrative of that Grand Work of Darkness forged in Hell, and by Satan suggested to some Popish Instruments, who envying the peace and prosperity of our Church, and progress of the Gospel, had designed at one blow to overthrow both: And that nothing might be wanting to complete that horrid wickedness, their purpose was to have charged it upon the Puritans, thereby hoping to free themselves, and their Religion from the imputation of so heinous a crime.  
Now that the memorial of a Mercy of such public and general concernment should not be forgotten, we have the Word of the Eternal God to be our Guide therein, when the Lord had by his Angel destroyed the first born of Egypt, and spared Israel, He instituted the Feast of the Passover to continue the memorial thereof through their Generations, Exod. 12.11, 12, 14, 26, 27. saith Moses to them, when your Children shall say unto you, What mean you by this service? Ye shall say, It is the Sacrifice of the Lords Passover, who passed over the houses the Children of Israel, when He smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And how careful good Mordecai was to continue the remembrance of that great Deliverance of the people of God from Destruction plotted, and contrived by that wicked Haman, appears Esther 9.20. etc. where they did not only celebrate those present days of their Deliverance with Feasting and Gladness: but he, together with the rest of the Jews ordained, and took upon them, and their Seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep those days in their appointed time every year, and that those days should be remembered, and kept through their Generations, every Family, every Province, and every City, and that those days of Purim should not fail from amongst the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their Seed, etc. And truly the remembrance of this great Mercy hath the more need to be revived at this time, when some noted persons amongst us begin to lessen, and decry it, and wholly to lay aside the observation of that day, though enjoined by Act of Parliament, and made Conscience of by most of the Godly People of the Nation. I have also been induced the rather to make this brief Collection of the Story, because, though it be published by others; yet it is in larger Volumes, which are not every one's money; whereas for a small matter every family may get and keep this by them for the benefit, and satisfaction both of themselves and children, that so the Lord may not lose of his Glory, nor they (for want of information) fail of their duty. I shall conclude with that of the Psalmist, Psal. 107.8. O that men would praise the Lord for his Goodness: and for his wonderful Works to the Children of Men: which is the hearty desire of  
Thine for thy spiritual Good, Sam. Clarke. Octob. 1657.   

THE DELIVERANCE OF OUR CHURCH and STATE FROM THE Hellish Powder-Plot. 1605.  
THe Plot was to undermine the Parliament House, and with Powder to blow up the King, Prince, Clergy, Nobles, Knights, and Burgesses, the very confluence of all the flower of Glory, Piety, Learning, Prudence and Authority in the Land: Fathers, Sons, Brothers, Allies, Friends, Foes, Papists and Protestants, 〈…〉 blast.  
Their intent, when that irreligious achievement had been performed, was, to surprise the remainder of the King's Issue, to alter Religion and Government, and to bring in a foreign Power, Sir Edmond Baynam, an attainted person (who styled himself Prince of the damned Crew) was sent unto the Pope as he was a temporal Prince to acquaint him with the Gunpowder Plot: and now to the Plot itself.  
The Sessions of Parliament being dissolved, July the 7th. Anno Christi, 1605. and prorogued to the seventh of February following▪ Catesby being at Lambeth, sent for Th●mas Winter; who before had been employed into Spain, and acquainted him with the design of blowing up the Parliament House, who readily apprehending it, said, This indeed strikes at the root, only these helps were wanting; a House for residence, and a skilful man to carry on the Mine: But the first, Catesby assured him was easy to be got; and for the man, he commended Guy Fawkes, a sufficient Soldier, and a forward Catholic: Thus Robert Catesby, John Wright, Thomas Winter, and Guy Fawkes had many meetings, and conferences about this business, till at last Thomas Percy came puffing in to Catesby's Lodging at Lambeth, saying, What Gentlemen, shall we always be talking, and never do any thing? You cannot be ignorant how things proceed? To whom Catesby answered, that something was resolved on, but first an Oath for secrecy was to be administered: for which purpose they appointed to meet some three days after, behind Saint Clement's Church beyond Temple-Bar; where being met, Percy professed that for the Catholic 'cause himself would be the man to advance it, were it with the slaughter of the King, which he was there ready to undertake and and do.  
No Tom (said Catesby) thou shalt not adventure thyself to so small purpose; if thou wilt be a Traitor, there is a Plot to greater advantage, and such an one as can never be discovered: Hereupon all of them took the Oath of Secrecy, heard a Mass, and received the Sacrament, after which Catesby told them his Devilish Devise by mine and Gunpowder to blow up the Parliament House, and so by one stroke with the destruction of many to effect that at once which had been many years attempting: And for case of conscience to kill the innocent with the nocent, he told them that it was warrantable by the Authority of Garnet himself, the superior of the English Jesuits, and of Garrard and Tresmond (Jesuitical Priests likewise) who by their Apostolical Power did commend the fact, and absolve the actors. The Oath was given them by the said Garrard in these words; You shall swear by the blessed Trinity, and by the Sacrament you now purpose to receive, never to disclose, directly nor indirectly, by word, or circumstance, the matter that shall be proposed to you to keep secret, nor desist from the execution thereof until the rest shall give you leave.  
The Project being thus far carried on, in the next place the first thing they sought after was an house wherein they might begin their work, for which purpose no place was held fitter than a certain edifice adjoining to the wall of the Parliament House, which served for a withdrawing room to the Assembled Lords, and out of Parliament time was at the dispose of the Keeper of the place, and Wardrobe thereto belonging: these did Percy hire for his Lodgings, entertaining Guy Fawkes as his man, who changing his name into Johnson had the Keys, and keeping of the Rooms. Besides this, they hired another house to lay in Provision of Powder, and to frame, and fit wood in for the carrying on the Mine, which Catesby provided at Lambeth, and swore Robert Ke●es into their Conspiracy, whom he made the Keeper of those Provisions, who by night conveyed the same unto Fawkes.  
The appointed day for the Parliament being the seventh day of February, It was thought fit to begin their work in October before: But Fawkes returning out of the Country, found percies Rooms appointed for the Scottish Lords to meet in, who were to treat about the union of the two Kingdoms, whereupon they forbore to begin their work: But that Assembly being dissolved upon the eleventh of December, late in the night they entered upon the work of darkness beginning their Mine, having tools aforehand prepared, and baked meats provided, the better to avoid suspicion in case they should send abroad for them.  
They which first began the Mine were Robert Catesby Espuire, the Arch-Contriver and Traitor, and ruin of his name, Thomas Percy Esquire, akin to the Earl of Northumberland, Thomas Winter, John Wright, and Guy Fawks Gentlemen, and Thomas Bates, Catesby's man, all of them well grounded in the Romish School, and earnest labourers in this vault of Villainy, so that by Christmas-eve they had brought the Mine under an entry adjoining to the wall of the Parliament House, underpropping the earth as they went with their framed timber, nor till that day were they seen abroad of any man.  
During this undermining, much consultation was had how to order the rest of the business when the deed should be accomplished: the first was how to surprise the next heir to the Crown: for though they doubted not but that Prince Henry would accompany his Father, and perish with him, yet they suspected that Duke Charles, as too young to attend the Parliament, would escape the train, and perchance be so carefully guarded, and attended at Court that he would be gotten into their hands hardly, but Percy offered to be the remover of this rub, resolving with some other Gentlemen to enter the Duke's Chamber, which by reason of his acquaintance he might well do, and others of his like acquaintance should be placed at several doors of the Court, so that when the blow was given, and all men in a maze, then would he carry away the Duke, which he presumed would be easily done, the most of the Court being then absent, and for such as were present, they would be altogether unprovided for resistance.  
For the surprise of the Lady Elizabeth, it was held a matter of far less difficulty, She remaining at Comb Abbey in Warwickshire with the Lord Harrington, and Ashbey, Catesby's house being not far from the same, whither under a pretence of hunting upon Dunsmore Heath, many Catholics should be assembled, who knowing for what purpose they were met had the full liberty in that distracted time to provide Money, Horses, Armour and other necessaries for War, under pretence of strengthening, and guarding the heir apparent to the Crown.  
Then it was debated what Lords they should save from the Parliament, and it was agreed that they should keep as many as they could that were Catholics or favourers of them: but that all others should feel the smart, and that the Treason should be charged upon the Puritans to make them more odious to the World.  
Next it was controverted what foreign Princes they should make privy to this Plot, seeing they could not enjoin them to secrecy, nor oblige them by Oath, and this much troubled them. For though Spain was held fittest to second their Plot, yet he was slow in his preparations, and France was too near and too dangerous to be dealt with, and how the Hollanders stood affected to England they knew very well. But while they were thus busying themselves, and tormenting their brains, the Parliament was adjourned to the fifth day of October ensuing, whereupon they broke off both discourse and work till Candlemass, and then they laid in powder, and other provisions, beginning their work again, and having in the mean time taken into their company Christopher Wright, and Robert Winter; being first sworn, and receiving the Sacrament for secrecy; the Foundation Wall of the Parliament House being very hard, and nine Foot thick, with great difficulty they Wrought half through; Fawkes being their Centinel to give warning when any came near, that the Noise in Digging might not be heard.  
The Labourers thus working into the Wall, were surprised with a great fear, and casting away their digging Tools, betook themselves to their Weapons, having sufficient shot, and powder in the house, and fully resolving rather to die in the place than to yield or be taken. The cause of this their fear was a noise that they heard in a Room under the Parliament House, under which they meant to have Mined, which was directly under the Chair of State; but now all on a sudden they were at a stand, and their countenances cast each upon other, as doubtful what would be the issue of this their Enterprise. Fawkes scouted out to see what he could discover abroad, and finding all safe and free from suspicion, he returned and told them that the noise was only occasioned by the removal of Coals that were now upon Sale, and that the Cellar was to be let, which would be more commodious for their purpose, and also would save their labour for the Mine. Hereupon Thomas Porcy under pretence of stowage for his Winter Provision and Coals, went and hired the Cellar, which done they began a new conference, wherein Catesby found the weight of the whole work too heavy for himself alone to support: for besides the maintenance of so many persons, and the several houses for the several uses hired and paid for by him, the Gunpowder and other Provisions would rise to a very great sum, and indeed too much for one man's Purse. He desired therefore that himself, Percy, and one more might call in such persons as they thought fit to help to maintain the charge, alleging that they knew men of worth and wealth that would willingly assist, but were not willing that their names should be known to the rest. This request, as necessary, was approved, and therefore ceasing to dig any further in the Vault, knowing that the Cellar would be fitter for their purpose, they removed into it twenty Barrels of Gunpowder, which they covered with a Thousand Billets, and five hundred Faggots, so that now their Lodging Rooms were cleared of all suspicious Provision, and might be freely entered into without danger of discovery.  
But the Parliament being again prorogued to the Fifth of November following, these persons thought fit that for a while they should again disperse themselves (all things being already in so good a forwardness, and that Guy Fawkes should go over to acquaint Sir William Stanley, and Master Hugh Owen with these their proceedings,) yet so, as the Oath of Secrecy should be first taken by them. For their design was to have Sir William Stanleys' presence so soon as the fatal blow should be given, to be a leader to their intended Stratagems, whereof (as they thought) they should have great need, and that Owen should remain where he was, to hold correspondency with foreign Princes, to allay the odiousness of the fact, and to impute the Treason to the discontented Puritans.  
Fawkes coming into Flanders found Owen, unto whom, after the Oath, he declared the Plot, which he very well approved of; but Sir William Stanley being now in Spain, Owen said that he would hardly be drawn into the business, having Suits at this time in the English Court: yet he promised to engage him all that he could, and to send into England with the first, so soon as their Plot had taken effect: Upon this, Fawkes to avoid further suspicion, kept still in Flanders till the beginning of September, and then returning, received the Keys of the Cellar, and laid in more Powder, Billets and Faggots, which done he retired into the Country, and there kept till the end of October.  
In the mean time Catesby and Percy, meeting at the Bath, it was there concluded that because th●ir number was but few, Catesby himself should have power to call in whom he would to assist their design, by which authority he took in Sir Everard Digby of Rutlandshire, and Francis Tresham Esquire of Northamptonshire, both of them of sufficient state and wealth: For Sir Everard offered fifteen hundred pounds to forward the Action, and Tresham two thousand. But Percy disdaining that any should outrun him in evil, promised four thousand pounds out of the Earl of Northumberlands Rents, and ten swift horses to be used when the blow was passed. Against which time to provide Ammunition, Catesby also took in Ambrose Rookwood, and John Grant, two Recusant Gentlemen, and without doubt others were acquainted also with it, had these two grand Electors been aprehended alive, whose own tongues only could have given an account of it.  
The business being thus forwarded abroad by their complices, they at home were no less active: For Percy, Winter, and Fawkes had stored the Cellar with thirty six Barrels of Gunpowder, and instead of shot, had laid upon them bars of Iron, logs of timber, massy stones, Iron Crows, Pick-axes, and all their working tools: and to cover all, great store of Billets and Faggots, so that nothing was wanting against that great and terrible day. Neither were the Priests and Jesuits slack on their parts, who usually concluded their Masses with prayers for the good success of their expected hopes, about which Garnet made these Verses, 
Gentem aufert perfidam credentium de finibus:  
Vt Christo laudes debitas persolvamus alacriter.   
And others thus. Prosper Lord their pains that labour in thy cause day and night: Let Heresy vanish away like smoke: Let their memory perish with a crack like the ruin and fall of a broken house.  
Upon Thursday in the evening, ten days before the Parliament was to begin, a Letter directed to the Lord Monteagle, was delivered by an unknown person to his footman in the street, with a straight charge to give it into his Lords own hands, wh●ch accordingly he did: The Letter had neither date, nor subscription, and was somewhat unlegible, so that the Nobleman called for one of his servants to assist him in reading it; the strange contents whereof much perplexed him, he not knowing whether it was writ as a Pasquil to scare him from attendance at the Parliament, or as a matter of consequence, and advice from some friend: Howsoever, though it were now suppertime, and the night very dark, yet to show his loyalty to his Sovereign, he immediately repaired to White-Hall, and imparted the Letter to the Earl of Salisbury, then principal Secretary, and they both presently acquainted the Lord chamberlain therewith, who deemed the matter not a little to concern himself; his Office requiring him to oversee all the places to which his Majesty was to repair: Hereupon these two Counsellors showed the Letter to the Earls of Worcester and Northampton, and all concluded (how slight soever the contents seemed to appear) to acquaint the King himself with the same, which accordingly was done: and the Letwas as followeth:  
My Lord,  
Out of the Love I bear to some of your friends, I have a care of your preservation: Therefore I would advise you as you tender your life, to devise some excuse to shift off your attendance at this Parliament: For God and man have concurred to punish the wickedness of this time. And think not slightly of this Advertisement, but retire yourself into your Country, where you may expect the event in safety. For though there be no appearance of any stir, yet I say they shall receive a terrible blow this Parliament, and yet they shall not see who hurts them. This Counsel is not to be contemned, because it may do you good, and can do you no harm: For the danger is passed so soon as you have burnt the Letter; and I hope God will give you the grace to make a good use of it, to whose holy protection I commend you.  
His Majesty after reading this Letter, pausing a while, and then reading it again, delivered his judgement, that the stile of it was too quick and pithy to be a Libel, proceeding from the superfluities of an idle brain, and by these words, That they should receive a terrible blow at this Parliament, and yet not see who hurt them; he presently apprehended, that a sudden danger by a blast of Gunpowder was intended by some base villain in a corner, though no Insurrection, Rebellion, or desperate attempt appeared: and therefore wished that the Rooms under the Parliament House should be throughly searched, before himself or Peers should sit therein: Hereupon it was concluded that the Lord Chamberlain (according to his Office) should view all the Rooms above and below: but yet to prevent idle rumours, and to let things ripen further, it was resolved that this search should be deferred till Monday, the day immediately before the Parliament, and that then it should be done with a seeming slight eye to avoid suspect.  
According to this conclusion, the Earl of Suffolk, Lord Chamberlain, upon Monday in the afternoon, accompanied with the Lord Monteagle, repaired into those under Rome's, and finding the Cellar so fully stored with Wood and Coals, demanded of Fawkes, the counterfeit Johnson, who stood there attending as a servant of small repute, Who owed the place? He answered that the Lodgings belonged to Master Thomas Percy, and the Cellar also to lay in his Winter Provision, himself being the Keeper of it, and Master: Percy's servant: whereunto the Earl, as void of any suspicion, told him that his Master was well provided against Winter blasts: But when they were come forth, the Lord Monteagle told him that he did much suspect Percy to be the Inditer of the Letter, knowing his affection in Religion, and the friendship betwixt them professed, so that his heart gave him (as he said) when he heard Percy named, that his hand was in the Act.  
The Lord Chamberlain returning, related to the King and Council what he had seen, and the suspicion that the Lord Monteagle had of Percy, and himself of Johnson his man, all which increased his Majesty's jealousy, so that he insisted (contrary to the opinion of some) that a narrower search should be made, and the Billets and Coals turned up to the bottom: and accordingly the search was concluded to be made, but under colour of searching for certain Hangings belonging to the house, which were missing and conveyed away.  
Sir Thomas Knevet) a Gentleman of His Majesty's Privy Chamber) was employed herein, who about midnight before the Parliament was to begin, went to the place with a small, but trusty number of persons: And at the door of the entrance to the Cellar, finding one (who was Guy Fawkes) at so unseasonable an hour cloaked, and booted, he apprehended him, and ransacking the Billet, he found the Serpent's nest stored with thirty six barrels of Powder, and then searching the Villain, he found about him a dark Lantern three Matches, and other instruments for blowing up the Powder: And being no whit daunted, he instantly confessed his guiltiness, and was so far from Repentance, as he vowed, that had he been within the house (as indeed he was but immediately come forth from his work) he would certainly have blown up the House with himself and them all: And being brought before the Council; he lamented nothing so much as because the deed was not done, saying, that the Devil, and not God was the discoverer of it.  
As desperate were Catesby, Percy, and the rest, who seeing the Treason discovered, posted all into Warwickshire, where Grant, and his associates had broken open the Stables belonging to Warwick Castle, and taken some gaeat horses out of the same, to forward their hoped for great day. At Dun-Church Sir Everard Digby had made a match for a great hunting, that under pretence thereof they might seize upon the Lady Elizabeth then at Comb Abby, but when by those which posted from London they were informed that they were discovered, and pursued, being struck with a great fear; not knowing whither to sly, they desperately began an open Rebellion, pretending that they did it for the cause of Religion, all the Catholics throats being intended to be cut, and so trooping together they wandered through Warwickshire, being pursued by Sir Richard Verney, the then High Sheriff, and from thence they went through Worcestershire into Staffordshire, their servants, and followers being about eighty men, who also stole away many of them from them. Thus ranging about, and finding no resistance, they rifled the Lord Windsor's house of all the Armour, Shot, Powder, and all other Warlike Provisions: but the weather being rainy, and the Waters somewhat high, the Powder in carriage took wet, and so became unserviceable.  
For their last refuge they betook themselves to Holbach House in Staffordshire, belonging to Steven Littleton, whither they were pursued by the High Sheriff of Worcestershire, who not knowing of the Treason, and thinking it to be only some fray, or riot, sent his Trumpeter unto them, commanding them to render themselves to him His Majesty's Minister: But their consciences witnessing what the Sheriff knew not, answered, that he had need of greater assistance than of those few that were with him, before he could be able to command or control them: and so they prepared for resistance, and having laid two pounds of the said Powder into a Platter to dry in the chimney, one coming to mend the fire, threw in a Billet, whereby a spark flew into the Powder, whose sudden blast was so violent, that though so small a quantity, it blew up the roof of the house, scorching the bodies and faces of Catesby, Rookwood, and Grant, and some others, whose consciences now told tdem that God had puished them justly with Powder, who with Powder would have destroyed so many. Being dispirited with this accident, yet like desperate men, they resolved to die together, set open the Gates, and suffered the Sheriff's men to rush in upon them, and presently both the wright's were shot down dead: Rookwood and Thomas Winter were very sorely wounded, Catesby and Percy desperately fight back to back, were both shot thorough, and slain with one Musket bullet: the rest being taken, were carried prisoners to London, being all the way gazed at, reviled, and detested by the common people for their horrid, and horrible Treason: and so at last they received the just guerdon of their wickedness.  
Thus you have seen this work of darkness by the watchfulness of God's providence detected, and defeated, and the contrivers of mischief fallen into the pit that they digged for others: Now let us see also how cunningly they contrived the transferring the Odium of it upon the Puritans.  
There was one Mr. Pickering of Tichmarsh-Grove in Northamptonshire that was in great esteem with King James. This Mr. Pickering had a horse of special note for swiftness on which he used to hunt with the King. A little before the blow was given, Mr. Keys, on of the conspirators, and brother in Law to Mr. Pickering, borrowed this horse of him, and conveyed him to London upon a bloody design, which was thus contrived. Fawkes upon the day of the fatal blow was appointed to retire himself into St. George's fields, where this horse was to attend him to further his escape (as they made him believe) so soon as the Parliament House should be blown up. It was likewise contrived, that Mr. Pickering who was noted for a Puritan, should that morning be murdered in his bed, and secretly conveyed away: As also that Fawkes so soon as he came into St. George's fields to escape, should be there murdered, and so mangled that he could not be known: whereupon it was to be bruited abroad that the Puritans had blown up the Parliament House, and the better to make the World believe it, there was Mr. Pickering with his choice Horse ready to make an escape, but that stirred up some, who seeing the heinousness of the fact, and him ready to escape, in detestation of so horrible a deed, fell upon him, and hewed him in pieces, and to make it more clear, there was his horse, known to be of special speed, and swiftness, ready to carry him away, and upon this rumour a Massacre should havy gone through the whole Land upon the Puritans. When the contrivance of this Plot was thus discovered by some of the Conspirators, and Fawkes, who was now a Prisoner in the Tower made acquainted with it, whereas before he was made to believe by his companions that he should be bountifully rewarded for that his good service to the Catholic cause, now perceiving that on the contrary his death had been contrived by them, he thereupon freely confessed all that he knew concerning that horrid conspiracy, which before all the tortures of the rack could not force him unto.  
The truth of all this was attested by Mr. William Perkins, an eminent Christian and Citizen of London to Dr. Gouge, which Mr. Perkins had it from the mouth of Mr. Clement Cotton that made our English Concordance, who also had it from the Relation of Mr. Pickering himself.  
FINIS.   

A Narrative of the visible hand of God upon the Papists by the Downfall in Blackfriars London. Anno Christi, 1623.  
ON the Lord's day, October the twenty sixth according to the English▪ account: but November the fifth according to the Popish account▪ a common report went far and near, that one Drury, a Romish Priest (a man of parts, and eminent gifts) would preach that day in the afternoon in a fair house in Blackfriars London, whither all that would might freely come to hear him.  
Upon this report very many, Protestants as well as Papists, Scholars as well as others, assembled thither about three a clock in the afternoon; That mansion house was now inhabited by the French Ambassador: and the Sermon was to be in a Garret, into which there were two passages: One out of the Ambassadorus withdrawing Room which was private, the other more common without the great Gate of the said Mansion House.  
Under this Garret was another large Chamber which one Redyate, another Romish Priest, had hired for himself: Unto whom Papists frequently repaired to hear Mass, and make confessions. Under this room was the aforesaid withdrawing chamber of the Ambassador: supported with strong Arches of stone being immediately over the entrance into the great House: And at the South end of the Garret and on the West side thereof, there were Bedchambers and Closets which other Priests had hired for themselves: The Bedchamber at the South end was severed from the Garret only by a partition of Wanscote which was taken down for the Sermon time: The length of the Garret from North to South was almost sorry foot, the breadth about sixteen foot: The two aforesaid passages met on one pair of stairs leading to the Garret which had only that one door leading into it.  
More came to this place then possibly it could hold, so that many for want of room returned back again; Others went into the aforesaid Redyates Chamber, and tarried with him. The whole Garret, Rooms adjoining, door, and top of the stairs were as full as they could hold. In the Garret were set chairs and stools for the better sort: most of the women sat on the floor, but most of the men stood thronged together: In all, about two hundred were there assembled. In the midst was a table and a chair for the Preacher.  
All things thus prepared, and the multitude assembled, about three of the clock the expected Preacher, having on a Surplice, girt about his middle with a linen girdle, and a tippet of Scarlet on both his shoulders, came in, being attended by a man that brought after him his book and hourglass.  
As soon as he came to the table, he kneeled down with show of private devotion for a little while; then rising up, and turning himself to the people, he crossed himself, took the book (which was said to be a Rhemish Testament) out of his man's hands, and the hourglass being set on the table, he opened the book, read the Gospel appointed by the Remish Calendar for that day, being the twenty first Sunday after Pentecost: The Gospel was in Matthew 18, 23, etc. The Text being read, he sat down, put on a red cap over a white linen one turned up about the brims: He made no audible Prayer, but having read his Text, which was the Parable of forgiving debts, he spoke something of the occasion of it, and then propounded these three special points to be handled 

1. The debt we owe to God.  
2. The mercy of God in forgiving it.  
3. Man's unmercifulness to his Brother.    
Having insisted some while of the misery of man by reason of the debt wherein he stands bound to God, he passed on to declare the rich mercy of God, and the means which God hath afforded to his Church, for partaking thereof: Amongst which he reckoned up the Sacaments, and especially pressed the Sacrament of Penance, as they call it.  
When he had discoursed on these points about half an hour, on a sudden the floor whereon the Preacher and the greatest part of his Auditory were, fell down with such violence, as therewith the floor of the Chamber under it, where Redyate and his company were, was broken down with it, so that both the floors, with the beams, girders, joyces, boards and feelings, with all the people on them, fell down together upon the third floor, which was the floor of the French Ambassadors withdrawing Chamber, supported with strong arches as aforesad.  
There being a partition on the South side of the middle Chamber which reached up to the floor of the Garret and supported it, that part of the Garret which was beyond the partition Southward, fell not, so as all the people thereon were safe, only they had no way to get forth: for there was but one entrance into the Garret, which was at the North-West corner. Hereupon some through amazement, would have leapt out at a window almost forty foot from the ground: but the people without, telling them of the certain danger if they leapt down, kept them from that desperate attempt: At length by breaking a wall on the Westside they discerned Chambers adjoining thereto, and so by creeping through that hole into the Chambers, they were saved: So were all they that stood on the stair-head at the door leading into the Garret: For the stairs were without the Room, and nothing fell but the floors, neither walls nor roof.  
Also amongst those that fell, many escaped; for some of the timber rested with one end on the walls, and with the other on the third floor that yielded not, and so both such as abode on those pieces, and such as were directly under them, were thereby preserved. Amongst the multidude that fell, there was a Minister who (through God's Providence) fell so between two pieces of timber, as that the timber kept his upper parts from crushing, and holped him by his clasping about the timber to pull out his feet from amongst the dead corpses.  
Amongst others, the present preservation and future destruction of one Parker was very remarkable. This Pa●ker was a factor for the English Seminaries, and Nuns beyond Sea, especially at Cambre; and he had so dealt with two of his brothers here, that he had got from one of them a son, and from the other a daughter to send them to religious houses (as they call them) beyond Sea. This Parker at this time took his Nephew, a youth of about sixteen years old to the aforementioned fatal conventicle, where Drury preached: and both Parker and his Nephew fell with the rest: The youth there lost his life, but Parker himself escaped with a bruised body, being a corpulent man: yet so far was he from making a good use of his deliverance, that with much discontent he wished that he had died for his Nephew, saying, That God saw him not fit to die amongst such Martyrs: Such are Rome's Martyrs. But the preservation of the wicked, is but a reservation to future judgement: For about ten days after, as this Parker was shooting London-Bridge, with his aforesaid Niece, whom he was conveying beyond Sea, they were both cast away and drowned in the Thames. Judge by this (O Parents!) whether God is well pleased with disposing your Children to Popish Education.  
Others there were that were pulled out alive, but so bruised, or so spent for want of breath, that some lived not many hours, others died not many days after.  
The floor of the Chamber immediately over this where the Corpse lay, being fallen, there was no entrance into it but through the Ambassador's Bedchamber, the door whereof was closed up with the Timber of the floors that fell down, and the walls of this room were of stone, only there was one window in it with extraordinary strong cross bars of iron, so that though Smiths, and other workmen were immediately sent for, yet it was more than an hour before succour could be afforded to them that were fallen down.  
Passage at length being made, I had access into the room (saith Doctor Gouge the relater of this story) and viewing the Bodies, observed some (yet but few) to be mortally wounded, or crushed by the timber: Others to be apparently stifled, partly with their thick lying one upon another, and partly with the dust that came from the ceiling which fell down.  
On the Lord's day at night when they fell they were numbered ninety one dead bodies; but many of them were secretly conveyed away in the night, there being a pair of water-stairs, leading from the garden appertaining to the house, into the Thames. On the morrow the Coroner and his Inquest coming to view the bodies, found remaining but sixty three.  
Of those that were carried away, some were buried in a Burying place within the Spanish Ambassador's House in Holborn, amongst whom the Lady Web was one, the Lady Blackstones daughter another, and one Mistress Udal a third: Master Stoker, and Master Bartholomew Bavin were buried in St. Bride's Parish. Robert Sutton, John Loccham, and Abigail Holford in St. Andrews Holborn. Captain Summers' wife in the Vault under Black Friar's Church, and her woman in the Churchyard. For the Corpse remaining, two great pits were digged, one in the fore Court of the said French Ambassadors house, eighteen foot long, and twelve foot broad; the other in the garden behind his house, twelve foot long, and eight foot broad. In the former pit were laid forty four Corpse, whereof the bodies of the aforesaid Drury and Redyate were two: These two wound up in sheets, were first laid into the pit, with a partition of loose earth to fever them from the rest. Then were others brought, some in somewhat a decent manner wound up in sheets, but the most in a most lamentable plight, the shirts only of the men tied under the twists, and some linen tied about the middle of the women, the rest of their bodies naked, and one poor man or woman taking a Corpse by the head, another by the feet tumbled them in, and so piled them up almost to the top of the pit. The rest were put into the other pit in the garden.  
Their manner of burial seemed almost as dismal, as the heap of them, when they lay upon the floor where they last fell. No obsequies of funeral Rites were used at their burial. Only the day after, a black Cross of wood was set upon each grave, but was soon by Authority commanded to be taken down.  
When they were thus interred, through search was made about the cause of the falling of the timber: The timber of each floor was laid together, and the measure of the Summers that broke was taken. The main Summer which crossed the Garret was ten inches square: Two girders were by tenants, and mortaises let into the midst of it, one just against another: the Summer was knotty where the mortaises were made, whereupon being over-burdened, it knapped suddenly asunder in the midst.  
The main Summer of the other floor that fell was much stronger, being thirteen inches square, strong and found every where, neither did the girders meet so just one against another; yet that also failed, not in the midst as the uppermost, but within five foot of one end, and that more shiveringly, and with a longer rend in the timber than the other. For this Chamber was almost full with such persons as coming too late, went into Redyates Chamber: Besides, it did not only bear the weight which lay on the upper floor, but received it with a sudden knock, and so the massy timber shivered in two, and the people were irrecoverably before they could tear any such thing, beaten down into the third floor which was above twenty foot from the first.  
It's true, we must not be rash in censuring, yet when we see judgements executed on sinners in the act of their sin, when they are impudent, and presumptuous therein, not to acknowledge such to be judged by the Lord, is to wink against clear light, Psal. 9 16. God is known by the judgements which he executeth. Shall Nabuchadnezzar, while he is vaunting of his great Babylon, be bereavest of his wits?  
Shall Herod, whilst he is priding himself in the flattering applanse of the people, be eaten of worms? Shall Haman, whilst he practising to destroy all the people of God, be hanged on a Gallows fifty foot high, which he had prepared for Mordecai? Shall the House where the Philistines met together to sport with Samson, fall upon their heads? Shall these and such like judgements overtake men in the very act of their sin, and yet be accounted no judgements, no evidences of God's revenging Justice, or signs of his indignation? Truly then we may deny all Providence, and attribute all to chance: But add hereto, that this fell out upon their fifth of November, and it will be as clear as if written with a Sunbeam, that the pit which they digged for others, they themselves fell into it.  
Doctor Gouge, who relates this Story in his Extent of God's Providence, thus writeth.  
I do the more confidently publish this History, because I was an eye-witness of many of the things therein related, and heard from the mouths of such as were present at the Sermon, the rest. For upon the first hearing of the destruction of so many persons as by that Dowosal lost their lives, our Constables presently caused the Gates of our precinct (it being surrounded with walls and Gates) to be shut, and raised a strong Guard from amongst the inhabitants to keep the house where this accident fell out, and to prevent tumult about it. Thus through the favour of the Constables, and Watch, who were all my neighbours, I had the more free and quiet access to view the dead bodies, and to inform myself of all the material circumstances about that accident: which I did the rather, because the Bishop of London that then was, sent to me to inform myself throughly of all the business, and to send him a narration thereof under my hand; whereupon I did not only view matters myself, but caused Carpenters to search the timber, to take the measures both of the timber and the rooms. I was also present with the Coroner and his Inquest at their examining of all circumstances about the business. And the Archbishop of Camerbury sending to me to come to him, and to bring with me the best evidence I could, I got the foreman and others of the Jury, and four persons that were present at the Sermon, and fell down with the rest, but by God's providence escaped death, and one that stood without the door, within hearing, but fell not, all these I got to go along with me to Lambeth, where I heard the witness which they gave to the Archbishop about this matter. One that fell with the rest, and escaped death, was Master Gee a Preacher in Lancashire: two others were a son and servant to a Citizen in Pater noster Row: The rest were men of good understanding; able to apprehend what they saw and heard, and to relate what they conceived.  
FINIS.