A DECLARATION OF THE CAUSES Moving the Queen's Majesty of England, to prepare and send a Navy to the Seas, for the defence of her Realms against the King of Spain's Forces, to be published by the Generals of the said Navy, to the intent that it shall appear to the World, that her Majesty armeth her Navy only to defend herself, and to offend her enemies, and not to offend any other, that shall forbear to strengthen her enemy, but to use them with all lawful favours.  
Imprinted at London, by the Deputies of Christopher Barker, Printer to the Queen's most excellent Majesty. Anno Dom. 1596.   


DIEV ET MON DROIT    

¶ A declaration of the Causes moving the Queen's Majesty of England, to prepare and send a Navy to the Seas for the defence of her Realms against the King of Spain's Forces, etc.  
TO all Christian people, to whom this Declaration shall come to be read or heard, greeting. We Robert, Earl of Essex, & Ewe, Uiscount Hereford, lord Ferrer of Chartley, Bourghcer, and Louane, etc. And Charles lord Howard, Baron of Effingham, Lord high Admiral of England, etc. having the charge of a Royal Navy of Ships, prepared and sent to the Seas, by the most excellent Princess the Lady Elizabeth, Queen of England, France, and Ireland, etc. do give all men knowledge, that the said Navy under our charge is by her Majesty prepared and sent to serve on the Seas, for defence of her majesties Realms, Dominions, and Subjects, against such mighty Forces, as we are advertised from all parts of Christendom, to be already prepared by the King of Spain, and by further provisions of Men and Ships daily sent for, are to be mightily increased, to invade her majesties Realms: as heretofore in the year of our Lord 1588. was attempted (even when there was a Treaty continued by both their Commissioners for a Peace) with a greater Army than ever before in his time was set to the Seas: though by God's goodness, and the valour and wisdom of her Noble and faithful Subjects, the same was notably made frustrate. And because her Majesty hath good intelligence of perfit amity with all Kings and Princes of Christendom, saving with the King of Spain, who hath this many years most unjustly professed openly great enmity by divers actions, both against her Royal person, and her people, and Countries, without any just cause first given on her majesties part. Therefore we the said Earl, and Lord Admiral, do ascertain all persons, that we are most straightly commanded by her excellent Majesty to forbear from offending in this our voyage of any manner of persons of what Nation soever, except the said Kings natural Subjects, or such others borne Strangers, as shall give to the said King manifest aid, with Men, Ships, Artillery, Uictual, and other Warlike provisions for invasion of her Majesty. Which her majesties commandment we mean dutifully to observe: and do therefore give strait charge to all persons that shall serve in this Navy underneath us, upon pain of extreme punishment to observe the same. Yet to avoid all occasions that may breed question, who they are, being not the King of Spain's Subjects, that shallbe charged by us to be manifest aiders for the furnishing and strengthening of the said King's forces, provided either by land or Sea, to attempt any invasion of her majesties Countries: We do for the liquidation of this doubt, earnestly in God's Name, require and charge all persons, that are not the said Kings natural Subjects, and yet that have given him aid with their Ships, Uictuall, and Munition, as is above said, to withdraw all their said Ships prepared for the war, and all their provisions of hostility out of any havens of Spain, or Portugal, or from the company and service of the King's Ships against our Navy, and therewith to return either to their own Countries, or if they so shall like to come to our Navy: to whom in the reverend name of our Sovereign Lady the Queen's Majesty, we do promise all security, both for their persons and gdods to be used and defended as friends, and to suffer all their Ships and provisions, that were either taken by the King of Spain, or intended for his service, or that shall be by the owners withdrawn from his aid, to remain in their own free dispositions, so as the same be used in all sorts as friends, and not as enemies to the Queen's Majesty, and to us her Generals. And if any shall upon knowledge of this her majesties most honourable order, and of our promise (to observe the same as favourably as we may) willingly and manifestly refuse to accept this our offer, and shall not endeavour themselves to perform this reasonable request, tending to their good and liberty, we shall then be justly moved, as by the law of Arms we may, to take and use all such so refusing this our offer, as manifest aiders of the King of Spain, with forces to invade her majesties Dominions, and so manifest Enemies: and in such case of that refusal, if any harm shall happen by any attempt against their Persons, Ships, & Goods by any our Navy, for the aiding of the said King: there shall be no just cause for them hereafter to complain, or to procure their natural Princes and Lords to solicit restitutions or amends for the same. And for the more notification hereof, we have thought good to have the Original hereof to be signed with our hands and with our seals, to be seen by any that will require to read or see the same: And likewise we have put the same in Print, in French, Italian, Dutch, and Spanish, and have also caused the same to be distributed into as many Ports of Spain and Portugal, as conveniently might be for the better knowledge to be had in the said Ports, as also in all other Parts under his subjection.  
R. Essex. C. Howard.