portrait of Count Gondamor 
The right honourable Diego Sarmiento de Acũna Earl of Gondomor extraordinary ambassador From the Catholic king of Spain to his majesty the king of great Britanny.  
Ao. 1622. jusculptum a Simone Passeo eidemque Comin DD. Are to be sold by Thomas Jennier    

A CHOICE NARRATIVE OF Count Gondamor's TRANSACTONS DURING HIS EMBASSY IN ENGLAND.  
By that Renowned Antiquary, Sir Robert Cotton, Knight and Baronet.  
Exposed to public Light, for the Benefit of the whole NATION.  
By a Person of Honour.  
LONDON, Printed for John Garfield, at the Printing Press for Pictures, near the Royal Exchange in Cornhill, over against Popes-Head Alley, 1659.   

To the Right Worshipful, Sir William Paston, Knight, and Baronet.  
SIR,  
THe general Voice is, That You are a great Lover of Rarities, whence it is that I Dedicate this to You, and I hope You will make my apology yourself, with that of Seneca, Non malè meruit, sed benè judicavit: The Age is full of voluminous Books that are able to make the Reader nauseate, were he not recreated by diversion; This I present You with, is but small, yet were it wire▪ drawn to its full length, it would make a huge Volume: For it includes the Actions of King James, Earl Gondamor, Bishop Bancroft, Sir Walter Raleigh, and some other Famous Men, of whom several Histories might be compiled: I may compare it to Gold, that in a small quantity is of more worth than a great deal of base Coin, for it comprehends much Matter in a few Words. And for the farther Commendation, it bears in the Frontispiece the Name of that ever Famous Antiquary, Sir Robert Cotton, who was never wont to treasure up any thing but what was Rare; nor can I certainly say, whether it were penned by Himself or not. I insist the more upon Him, because it was my chance to be one whom he vouchsafed to take by the Hand a little before his Death, I being sent to him by my Lord privy Seal, to acquaint him that by my Lord's Mediation, the King was Reconciled to him: but his Answer was, That his Heart was broken, and that it was now too late: Whereby it appears that Princes are sometimes abused, and misinformed, to the ruin of the best Men. Sir Walter Raleigh's unfortunate end proves the same, who was circumvented by the cunning practices of Earl Gondamor, whereby to the unspeakable detriment of Posterity, he was prevented from setting forth the Second Part to complete the world's History, which he had made ready for the Press. Gondamor is yet fresh in Memory of many Men, who knew him when he lay leaguer here from the King of Spain; and I never heard or read of any ambassador that acted his part with more dexterity for his Master's glory and advantage than he did, for however he had to deal with a very wise Prince (as he says) yet like another Mercury he could soon with his facetious words and gestures pipe King James a sleep, and did sometimes take hold of the Helm himself, and was very near to have run the Ship a ground, or to have split her upon the Rocks, the influence of his ill Aspect, and Eclipsing the sunbeams is hardly over unto this present Age. Don Caro Columbus who was sent hither, was thought by many judicious Men, to be the more Prudent, and that Gondamor was but a buffoon compared with him: yet when he departed, he was fain to leave this Motto behind him, Revertar, emplying, That he had not accomplished what he came about: but Gondamor put a Period to what he had Designed; and perhaps it had been better for our Nation if that politic Spaniard had never tr●d upon English ground. I should be injurious to Your Patience if I should detain You longer in the Suburbs: Therefore I hasten to subscribe myself,  
Your Worships very humble Servant, John Rowland.   

A CHOICE NARRATIVE OF Count Gondamor's TRANSACTIONS During his Embassy in ENGLAND.  
HIs Catholic Majesty had given commandment, that presently upon the return of Signior Gondamor, his leaguer ambassador from England, (1618.) a special Meeting of all the principal States of Spain, (who were of his Council) together with the precedents of the Council of Castille, of Aragon, of Italy, of Portugal, of the Indies, of the Treasure, of War, and especially of the holy Inquisition, should be held at Mouson in Aragon, the Duke of Lerma being appointed President, who should make declaration of his Master's pleasure, take account of the ambassador's service, and consult touching the State and Religion respectively, to give satisfaction to his Holiness Nuncio, who was desired to make one in this Assembly, concerning certain Overtures of Peace and Amity with the English, and other Catholic Projects which might engender suspicion and jealousy betwixt the Pope and his Majesty, if the mystery were not unfolded and the ground of these Counsels discovered aforehand.  
This made all men expect the ambassadors return, with a kind of longing that they might behold the issue of this meeting, and see what good for the Catholic cause the ambassador's employment had effected in England, answerable to the general opinion conceived of his wisdom, and what further project would be set on foot to become matter for public discourse; At length he arrived and had present notice given him from his Majesty, that before he came to the Court he should give up his account to this Assembly, which Command he gladly received as an earnest of his acceptable service, and gave thanks that for his honour he might publish himself in so judicious a presence; he came first on the day appointed to the Council Chamber, (except the Secretaries) not long after all the Council of State and their precedents met, there wanted only the Duke of Lerma, and the Pope's Nuncio, who were the head and feet of all the Assembly.  
These two stayed long away for divers respects, the Nuncio, that he might express the greatness of his Master, and lose the Sea of Rome, no respect by his oversight, but that the Benches might be full to observe him at his approach. The Duke of Lerma to express the authority and dignity of his own person, and to show how a servant put in place of his Master, exacts more duty of his fellow servants than the Master himself; these two stayed till all the rest were weary of waiting, but at length the Nuncio supposing all the Council set, launched forth and came to road in the Council chamber, where after mutual discharge of duty from the Company, and blessing upon it from him, he sat down in solemn silence grieving at his oversight, when he saw the Duke of Lerma absent, with whom he strove as a Competitor for pomp and glory.  
The Duke had sent before, and understood of the nuntioes being there, and stayed something the longer that his boldness might be observed, wherein he had his desire, for the Nuncio having a while patiently driven away the time with several compliments, to several persons, had now almost run his courtship out of breath, but that the Duke of Villa Hermosa, President of the Council of Aragon, fed his humour by the discharge of his own discontentment, upon occasion of the Duke of Lerma his absence, and beckoned Signior Gondomor to him, using this speech in the hea●ing of the Nuncio, after a sporting manner; how unhappy are the people where you have been, first for their souls, being heretics, then for their estates, where the name of a Favourite is so familiar; how happy is our state where the keys of life and death are so easily come by, (pointing at the Nuncio) hanging at every Religious girdle, and where the doors of Justice and Mercy, stand equally open to all men without respect of persons; The ambassador knew his Ironical stroke to be intended only as a byblow at the Nuncio, but fully at the Duke of Lerma, (whose greatness begun now to wax heavy toward declension) and therefore he returneth this answer.  
Your Excellency knoweth, the estate is happy where wise Favourites govern Kings, if the Kings themselves be foolish, or where wise Kings are, who having Favourites, either foolish, or the wiser sort, will not yet be governed by them. The State of England (howsoever you hear of it in Spain or Rome) is too happy in the last kind, they need not care what the Favourite be, though for the most part he prevent all kind of suspicion in that kind, being chosen rather as a scholar to be taught▪ and trained up, then as a Tutor to teach: Of this they are sure no Prince exceeds theirs in personal abilities; so that nothing could be added to him in my wish, but this one, that he were our vassal and a Catholic. With that the noise without gave notice of the Duke of Lerma's entrance, at whose first approach the whole house arose, though some later than other, as envy had hung Plummets on them to keep them down; the Nuncio only sat unmoved, the Duke cherished the observance of the rest with a familiar kind of carriage, too high for courtesy as not neglecting their demeanours, but expecting it, and after a filial obeisance to the Pope his Nuncio, sat down as President under the cloth of Estate, but somewhat lower, then after a space given for admiration, preparation, and attention, he began to speak in this manner.  
The King my Master (holding it more honour to do, then to discourse, to take from you the expectation of Oratory, used rather in Pulpits and Schools then in Councils,) hath appointed me precedent in this holy, wise, learned, and noble assembly, a man naturally of a slow speech, and not desirous to quicken it, by Art or Industry; as holding action only proper to a Spaniard as I am by birth, to a soldier as I am by profession, to a King, as I am by representation; take this therefore briefly, for declaration both of the cause of this meeting, and my Master his further pleasure.  
There hath been in all times since the world's foundation, one chief Commander or Monarch upon the earth, this needs no further proof than a back looking into our own memories and Histories of the world; neither now is there any question (except with Infidels and heretics,) of their own chief Commander in Spirituals, in the unity of whose person, the members of the visible Church are included. But there is some doubt of the chief Commander in Temporals, who as the Moon to the Sun might govern by night, as this by day, and by the Sword of Justice, compel to come in, or cut off, such as infringe the authority of the Keys: This hath been so well understood long since by the infallible Chair, as that thereby upon the declension of the Roman Empire, and the increase of Rome's Spiritual splendour, (who thought it unnatural that their Sun should be sublunary) our Nation was by the Bishop of Rome, selected before other People, to conquer & rule the Nations with a rod of Iron. And our King to that end adorned with the Title of Catholic King, as a name above all names under the Sun (which is) under God's Vicar General himself, the Catholic Bishop of souls; to instance this point by comparison; look first upon the grand Signior, the great Turk, who hath a large Title but not universal, for besides that he is an Infidel, his command is confined within his own Territories, and he styled not Emperor of the World, but of the Turk and their Vassals only. Amongst Christians, the Defender of the Faith, was a glorious style, whilst the King, to whom it was given by his Holiness, continued worthy of it, but he stood not in the Truth, neither yet those that succeed him, & beside it was no great thing to be called, what every Christian ought to be, Defender of the Faith, no more then to be styled with France, the most Christian King, wherein he hath the greatest part of his Title common with most Christians; the Emperor of Rome, Russia, Germany, extend not their limits further than their styles which are local, only my Master the most Catholic King, is for dominion of bodies, as the universal Bishop for dominion of souls, over that part of the World which we call America (except where the English intruders usurp) and the greatest part of Europe, with some part of Asia, and Africa, by actual possession, and over all the rest by real and indubitable right, yet acknowledgeth this right to be derived from the free and Fatherly donation of his Holiness, who as the Sun to the Moon lends lustre by reflection to this kingdom, to this King, to this King of Kings my Master, what therefore he hath howsoever gotten, he may keep and hold, what he can get from any other King, or Commander, by any Stratagem of War, or pretence of Peace, he may take, for it is theirs only by usurpation, except they held of him from whom all civil power is derived, as ecclesiastical, from his Holiness; what the Ignorant call Treason, if it be on his behalf is truth, and what they call Truth, if it be against him is Treason; and thus all our Peace or War, our Treatises, Marriages, and whatsoever intendment else of ours, aims at this principal end, to get the whole possession of the World, and to reduce all to unity under one temporal Head, that our King may truly be what he is styled, the Catholic & Universal King; as Faith is therefore universal, & the Church is universal, yet so as it is under one Head the Pope, whose seat is and must necessarily be at Rome, where Saint Peter sat; So must all men be Subject to our and their Catholic King, whose particular seat is here in Spain, his universal everywhere. This point of State, or rather of Faith, we see the Catholic Roman Religion hath taught everywhere, and almost made natural; so that by a Key of Gold, by intelligence, or by way of confession, my Master is able to unlock the secrets of every Prince, and to withdraw their subjects allegiance, as if they knew themselves rather my Master his subjects in truth, than theirs, whom their birth hath taught to miscall sovereign; we see this in France, & in England especially, where at once they learn both to obey the Church of Rome, as their Mother, to acknowledge the Catholic King as their Father, & to hate their own King as an heretic and an Usurper; so we see Religion, and the State are coupled together; laugh and weep, flourish, and fade, and participate of either's fortune growing upon one stock of policy: I speak this the more boldly here in this presence, because I speak here before none but Natives, persons who are partakers both in themselves & issues, of these Triumphs of ancient Rome, and therefore such as besides their oaths it concerns to be secret; Neither need we restrain this freedom of speech from the Nuncio his presence, because besides that, he is a Spaniard by birth, he is a Jessuit by profession and order, devised by the providence of God's Vicar, to accomplish this Monarchy the better, all of them being approriate thereunto▪ and as public Agents, and privy Counsellors to this end, whereas the wisdom of this state is to be beheld with admiration, that in temporal Wars, it employs, or at least trusts none but Natives; so in Castille, Portugal, or Aragon: so in Spirituals, it employs none but the Jesuits, and so employs them that they be generally reputed▪ how remote soever they be from us, how much soever obliged to others, yet still to be ours, and to be of the Spanish Faction, though they be Polonians, English, French, and residing in these Countries and Courts; the penitents therefore, and all with whom they deal and converse in their spiritual traffic, must needs be so too, & so our Catholic King must needs have an invisible kingdom and an unknown number of subjects in all Dominions, who will show themselves and their Faiths, by their works of disobedience, whensoever we shall have occasion to use that Jesuitical virtue of theirs; this therefore being the principal end of all our Councils, according to those holy directions of our late pious King Philip, the second, to his son now surviving, to advance the Catholic Roman Religion, and the Catholic Spanish Dominion together, we are now met by his majesty's Command, to take an account of you (Signior Gondomor) who have been ambassador for England, to see what good you have effected there, towards the advancement of this work, and what further project shall be thought fit to be set on foot to this end, and this is briefly the occasion of our meeting.  
Then the ambassador who attended bareheaded all the time, with a low obeisance began thus; this most laudable custom of our Kings, in bringing all Officers to such an account, where a review and notice is taken of good and bad service upon the determination of their employments, resembles those Roman Triumphs, appointed for the soldiers, and as in them it provoked to courage, so in us it stirs up to diligence; our Master converseth by his Agents with all the World, yet with none of more regard than the English, where matter of much diversity is often presented through the several humours of the State, and those of our Religion and Faction, that no instruction can be sufficient for such negotiations, but much must be left in trust to the discretion, judgement, and diligence of the Incumbent: I speak not this for my own glory, I having been restrained, and therefore deserved meanly, but to forewarn on the behalf of others, that there may be more scope allowed them to deal in, as occasion shall require. Briefly this rule delivered by his Excellency, was the Card and compass, by which I scaled to make profit of all humours, and by all means to advance the State of the Romish Religion, and the Spanish Faction together, upon all advantage either of oath or the breach of them, for this an old observation but a true, that for our piety to Rome, his Holiness did not only give, but also bless us in the Conquest of the new World; and thus in our pious perseverance, we hope still to be Conquerors of the old. And to this end whereas his Excellency, in his excellent discourse, seems to extend our outward Forces, & private Aims, only against heretics, and restrain them in true amity with those of the Romish Religion: This I affirm sure, because there can be no security, but such Princes as are now Romish Catholics, may turn heretics hereafter, my aims have ever been to make profit of all, and to make my Master, Master of all, who is a faithful and constant son of his Mother Rome: And to this end I beheld the endeavours of our Kings of happy memory, how they have archeived kingdoms and Conquests by this policy, rather than by open Hostility, and that without difference, as well from their Allies and Kinsfolks, men of the same Religion and profession, such as were those of Naples, France, and Navarre, though I do not mention Portugal now united to us, and Savoy that hardly stepped from us, as of an adverse and Heretical Faith; Neither is this rule left off, as the present kingdom of France, the State of Venice, the low Countries, Bo●emia, now all labouring for life under our plots, apparently manifest this way; therefore I bend my Engines in England, as your honours shall particularly hear; Neither should I need to repeat a Catalogue of all the service I have there done, because this State hath been acquainted with many of them heretofore by the intercourse so wrought, that the State should be rather robbed and weakened (which is our aim) then strengthened, as the English vainly hope; Besides in a small time, they should work so far into the body of the State, by buying Offices, and the like, whether by Sea or Land, of Justice Civil or Ecclesiastical, in Church or State, all being for money exposed to sale, that with the help of the Jesuits, they would undermine them with mere wit, without gunpowder, and leave the King but a few Subjects, whose Faiths he might rely upon, whilst they were of a Faith adverse to his, for what Catholic body that is sound at the heart, can abide a Corrupt and Heretical head.  
With that the Duke of Medina dell Rio secco, President of their Council of War, and one of the Council of State, rose up and said, his Predecessors had felt the Force and Wit of the English in Eighty eight; and he had cause to doubt, that the Catholics themselves that were English, and not fully Jesuited, upon any foreign Invasion, would rather take part with their own King, though an heretic; than with his Catholic Majesty, a Stranger.  
The ambassador desired him to be of another mind; since first, for the persons, generally their bodies by long disuse of Arms were disabled, and their Minds effeminated by Peace and Luxury, far from that they were in 88, when they were daily fleshed in our blood, and made hearty by customary Conquests: And for the affections of those whom they call Recusants, (quoth he) I know the bitterness of their inveterate Malice, and have seen so far into their Natures, as I dare say they will be for Spain against all the World: yea (quoth he) I assure your Honours I could not imagine so basely, of their King and State as I have heard them speak, nay their rage hath so perverted their Judgements, that what I myself have seen and heard proceed from their King beyond admiration even to astonishment, they have slighted, misreported, scorned and perverted to his disgrace, and my rejoicing, magnifying in the mean time our Defects for Graces.  
Here the Duke Pastrana, President of the Council of Italy, steps up and said, He had lately read a Book of one Cambden's, called his Annals, where writing of a treaty of Marriage long since, betwixt the English Elizabeth, and the French Duke of Anjowe; he there observes, that the Marriage was not seriously intended on either side, but politicly pretended by both States counterchangably, that each might effect their own ends: There (quoth he) the English had the better, and I have some cause to doubt, since they can Dissemble as well as we, that they may have their aims under▪ hand as we have, and intend the Match as little as we do: And this (quoth he) I believe the rather, because their King as he is wise to consult and consider, so he is a constant Master of his Word, and hath Written and given strong Reasons against Matches made with Persons of contrary Religion; which Reasons no other man can Answer, and therefore doubtless he will not go from, nor counsel his Son to forsake these Rules, laid down so deliberately.  
Your Excellency mistakes (quoth the ambassador) the advantage was then on the side of the English, because the French sought the Match; now it must be on ours, because the English seek it, who will grant any thing rather than break off; and besides have no patience to temporize or dissemble in this or any other Design, as the French have long since well observed; for their Necessities will give them neither time, nor rest, nor hope elsewhere to be supplied: As for their King I cannot search into his Heart, I must believe others that presume to know his Mind, hear his Words, and read his Writings, and these relate what I have delivered: But for the rest of the People, as the number of those that are truly Religious are ever the least, and for the most part of least account, so it is there; where if an equal opposition be made betwixt their truly Religious and ours, the remainder which will be the greater number, will stand indifferent, and fall to the stronger side where there is most hope of gain and glory, for those two are the gods of the magnitude and multitude; now these see apparently no certain supplies of their Wants, but from us.  
Yes (quoth the Duke) for even now you said, the general State loathing the Match, would redeem the fear thereof with half their Estates; it is therefore but Calling a Parliament, and the business were soon effected.  
A Parliament! (Says the ambassador) Nay, therein lies one of the chiefest Services I have done, in working such a dislike between the King and the Lower House, by the endeavours of that honourable Earl, and admirable Engine, a sure Servant to us, and the Catholic Cause whilst he lived, as that the King will never endure Parliament again, but rather suffer absolute Want, than receive conditional Relief from his Subjects; besides, the Matter was so cunningly carried the last Parliament, that as in the Powder-Plot the fact effected should have been imputed to the Puritans, the gteatest Zealots of that Calvinian Sect; so the Propositions which damned up the Proceedings of this Parliament, howsoever they were invented by Romish Catholics, and by them intended to disturb that Session, and yet were propounded in favour of the Puritans, as if they had been hammered in their Forge, which very Name and Shadow the King hates, being a sufficient Aspersion to disgrace any Person to say he is such, and a sufficient bar to stay any suit, and utterly to cross it, to say it smells of, or inclines to that Party: Moreover, there are so many about him who blow this Coal, firing their own Stakes; if a Parliament should inquire into their Actions, that they use all their Art and Industry to withstand such a Council, persuading the King he may Rule by his absolute Prerogative without a Parliament, and thus furnish himself by Marriage with us, and other domestic Projects without Subsidies, when Levying of Subsidies and Taxes have been the only use Princes have made of such Assemblies: And whereas some free Minds amongst them resembling our Nobility, who preserve the privilege of Subjects against sovereign Invasion, call for the Course of the Common Law, (a Law proper to their Nation) these other time-servers cry the Laws down, and up the Prerogative; whereby they prey upon the Subjects by Suits and Exactions, milk the State and keep it bare, procure themselves much suspicion amongst the better and more judicious sort▪ and Ha●e amongst the oppressed Commons; and yet if there should be a Parliament, such a course is taken, as they shall never choose their Shire Knights and Burgesses freely, who make the greater half of the Body thereof; for these being to be Elected by most Voices of the freeholders in these Countries where such Elections are to be made, are carried which way the great Persons, who have Lands in these Countries, please; who by their Letters command their tenants, Followers, and Friends, to Nominate such as adhere to them▪ and for the most part are of our Faction, and respect their own Benefit or Grace, rather than their Countries good; yea, the countrypeople themselves, will every one stand by the great Man, their Lord, or Neighbour, or Master, without regard of his Honesty, Wisdom, or Religion, that which they aim at (as I am assured by faithful Intelligence, is to please their Landlord) and so to renew their Lease; in which regard they will betray their Country and Religion too, and Elect any man, that may most profit their particular: Therefore it is unlikely there should ever be a Parliament, and impossible the King's Debts should be paid, his Wants sufficiently repaired, and Himself left full-handed by such a course; and indeed, as it is generally thought, by any course but by a Marriage with us; For which cause, whatsoever Project we list to attempt, enter safely at the Door, whilst their Policy lies asleep, and will not see the Danger: I have made trial of these Particulars, and find few Exceptions in this general Rule.  
Thereby I and their own Wants together, have kept them from Furnishing their navy, which being the Wall of their Island, and once the strongest in Christendom, lies now at Road, unarmed, and fit for ruin; If ever we doubted their Strength by Sea, now we need not; there are but few Ships or Men able to look abroad, or live in a Storm, much less in a Sea Fight; this I effected by bearing them in hand, the Furnishing of their navy bred suspicion in my Master, and so would avert him from the Match, the Hope of which, rather than they would lose, they would lose almost their Hope of Heaven.  
Secondly, All their Voyages to the East Indies, I permit rather with a colourable Resistance than a serious, because I see them not helpful but hurtful to the State in general, carrying out Gold and Treasure, bringing home Spice, Silks, Feathers, and the like toys, and insensibly wasting the Common Stock of Coin and Bullion, while it fills the Custom-house, and some private Purses, who thereby are enabled to keep this discommodity on foot by Bribes, especially so many great Persons (even statesmen) being adventurers and sharers in the Gain; besides this, wasteth their mariners, not One of Ten returning, which I am glad to hear, for they are the Men we stand in fear of.  
Thirdly, Their West Indian Voyages, I withstand them in earnest, because they begin to inhabit there, and fortify themselves, and may in time perhaps raise another England, to withstand our new Spain in America; as this old England opposeth our present State, and clouds the glorious extents thereof in Europe: Besides, there they trade for commodities without waste of their Treasure, and often return Gold for Knives, Glasses, and the like trifles, and that without such loss of their mariners, as in other places; therefore I crossed whatsoever Intendments were projected for Virginia, or the Bermudoes, because I see they may be hereafter really helpful unto them, as now they serve for Drains to unload their populous State, which else would overflow its own Banks, by continuance of Peace, and turn Head upon itself, or make a Body fit for any Rebellion.  
And so far I prevailed herein, as I caused most of the Recusants, who were sharers, to withdraw their Ventures and discourage the Work; so that besides private Persons unable to effect much, nothing was done by the public Purse: And we know by experience, that such Voyages and Plantations are not effected without great Means to sustain great Difficulties, and with an unwearied Resolution and Power to meet all Hazards and Disasters with strong Helps and continual Supplies, or else the Undertaking prove idle.  
Fourthly, By this means likewise, I kept the voluntary Forces from Venice, till it was almost too late to set out, and had a hope that work of secrecy, should have broken forth to action, before those could have arrived to succour them.  
Fifthly, I put hard for the cautionary Towns, which our late King Philip, of happy memory so aimed at, accounting them the keys of the Low Countries, that they might be delivered to his Catholic Majesty, as to the proper owner; and had perhaps prevailed, but that professed Enemy to our State and Church who died shortly after, gave Council to restore them to the Rebellious States, as one that knew popular commonwealths to be better Neighbours, surer Friends, and less dangerous enemies, than Monarchs; and so by this practice rescued them from my hands, and furnished the Exchequer from thence for that time; neither was I much grieved at this, because the dependency they had before of the English, seemed now to be cut off, and the interest the English had in them and their cause, to be taken away, which must be fully and finally effected, before we can hope either to Conquer them, or England, who holding together are too strong for the World at Sea; and therefore must be disunited before they can be overcome. This point of State is acknowledged by our most experienced pensioner, and sure Friend, monsieur Barnevel●, whose succeeding plots for this end, shall bear witness for the depth of his Judgement.  
Sixtly, But the last service I did for the State, was not the least, when I underwrought that admirable Engine, Raleigh, and so was the cause, his voyage threatening much danger and damage to us was overthrown, and himself returning in disgrace, I pursued almost to death; Neither (I hope) need I say almost, if all things hit right, and all strings hold; But the determination of my commission would not permit me longer to stay to follow him to execution, which I desired the rather, that by concession I might have wrung from the inconsiderate English, an acknowledgement of my Masters right in those places, punishing him for attempting there, though they might prescribe for the first foot; And this I did to stop their mouths hereafter, and because I would quench the heat and valour of that Nation, that none should dare hereafter to undertake the like, or be so hardy as to look out at Sea, or breath upon our coasts; and lastly, because I would bring to an ignominious death, that old Pirate, who is one of the last now living, bread under that deceased English Virago, and by her fleshed in our blood and ruin: To do this I had many Agents, first, divers Courtiers who were hungry and gaped wide for Spanish Gold; Secondly, some that bare him at the heart for inveterate quarrels; Thirdly, some foreigners, who having in vain sought the elixir hitherto, hope to find it in his head; Fourthly, all men of the Romish Faith, who are of the Spanish Faction, and would have been my bloodhounds to hunt him or any such to death willingly, as persons hating the prosperity of their Country, and the valour, worlh, and wit of their own Nation; in respect of us and our Catholic cause; Lastly, I left behind me such an instrument composed artificially, of a secular understanding, and a Religious profession, as he is every way adopted to screw himself into the Closet of the heart, and to work upon feminine Levity, who in that Country, have masculine Spirits, to command and pursue their Plots unto death. This therefore I account as done, and rejoice in it, knowing it will be very profitable to us, grateful to our Faction there, and what though it be cross to the People, or the Clergy, we that only negotiate for our gain, & treat about this marriage for their own ends, can conclude or break off when we see our time, without respect of such, as can neither profit us, nor hurt us; for I have certain knowledge, that the Commons generally are so effeminate and cowardly, that they at their Musters, which are seldom and slight, only for the benefit of their Muster Masters of a 1000 soldiers, scarce a hundred dares discharge a Musket, and of that hundred, scarce one can use it like a soldier; And for their Arms they are so ill provided, that one Corslet serveth many men, when such as show their Armour one day in one place, lend them to their friends in other places to show, when they have use; And this if it be spied, is only punished by a mulct in the purse, which is the Officers aim, who for his advantage, winks at the rest, and is glad to find and cherish by Connivance profitable faults, that increase his Revenues; Thus stands the state of that poor miserable Country, which had never more people and fewer men; So that if my Master should resolve upon an invasion, the time never fits as at this present, security of this marriage, and the disuse of arms having cast them into a dead sleep, a strong and wakning Faction being ever amongst them ready to assist us, and they being unprovided of Ships, or Arms, or hearts to fight, an universal discontentment following all men: This I have from their Muster Masters, and Captains, who are many of them of our Religion, or of none, and so ours ready to be bought and sold, and desirous to be my Master's servants in Fee.  
Thus much for the State particularly, wherein I have bent myself to weaken them and strengthen us, and in all these have advanced the Catholic cause, but especially in procuring favours for all such as favour that side, & crossing the other by all means; And this I practice myself, and give out to be generally practised by others, that whatsoever success I find, I still boast of the victory, which I do to dishearten the heretics, and to make them suspicious one of another, especially of their Prince's best statesmen, and to keep our own in courage, who by this means increase, otherwise would be in danger to decay.  
Now for Religion, and such designs as fetch their pretence from thence, I beheld the policy of that late Bishop of theirs, Bancroft, who stirred up and maintained a dangerous schism, betwixt our secular Priests and Jesuits, by which he discovered much weakness to the dishonour of our Clergy, and prejudice of our cause; This taught me as it did Barnevelt in the Low Countries, to work secretly and insensibly betwixt their Conformists, and Non-conformists, and to cast an eye as far as the Orcades, knowing that business might be stirred up there that might hinder proceedings in England, as the French ever used Scotland to call home the Forces of England, and so to prevent their Conquests, the effect you have partly seen in the Earl of Argile, who sometimes was Captain for the King and Church, against the great Marq. Huntley, and now fights under our banner at Brussels, leaving the Crosses of St. George, and St. Andrew, for the Cross of St. James: Neither do our hopes end here, but we daily expect more Revolters, or at least such a disunion as will never admit solid reconcilement, but will send some to us, & some to Amsterdam, for the King (a wise and vigilant Prince) labouring for a perfect union betwixt both the kingdoms which he sees cannot be effected; where the least Ceremony in Religion is continued diverse, sharp & bitter brambles from thence arising, whilst some striving for honour more than for truth, prefers their own way and will before the general peace of the Church, and the edification of souls, he I say seeks to work both Churches to uniformity, and to this end made a Journey into Scotland, but with no such success as he expected, for divers of ours attended the train, who stirred up humours and factions, and cast in scruples and doubts to hinder and cross the proceedings, yea those that seem most adverse to us, & averse to our opinions by their disobedience and example, help forward our plots, and these are encouraged by a factious and heady multitude, by a faint and Irresolute Clergy, many false Brethren being amongst their Bishops, and the prodigal Nobility, who maintain these stirs in the Church, & that thereby they may safely keep their Church livings in their hands, which they have most Sacrilegiously seized upon in the time of the first Deformation, and which they fear would be recovered by the Clergy, if they could be brought to a brotherly peace and agreement, for they have seen the King very bountiful in this kind, having lately increased their pensions, and settled the Clergy a Competent Maintenance, and besides out of his own Means which in that kingdom is none of the greatest, having brought in and restored whole bishoprics to the Church, which were before in laymen's hands, a great part of the Nobilities estate consisting of spiritual Lands, which makes them cherish the Puritanical Faction, who will be content to be trencher fed with Scraps and crumbs, and contributions, and arbitrary benevolence, from their Lords, and Lairds, and Ladies and their adherents and followers.  
But (quoth the Inquisitor General) how if this act of the Kings, wherein he is most earnest and constant, should so far thrive, as it should effect a perfect union in the Church and commonwealth, I tell you it would in my conceit, be a great blow to us, if by a General meeting, a general peace should be concluded, and all their Forces bent against Rome, and we see their politic King aims at this.  
True (quoth Gondamor) but he takes his mark amiss howsoever he understands the People and their inclination better than any man, and better knows how to temper their passions and affections, for besides that he is hindered, there in Scotland underhand, by some for the reasons above recited, and by the other great ones of ours, who are in great place and authority amongst them, he is likewise deluded in this point, even by his own Clergy at home in England, who pretend to be most forward in the cause, for they considering if a general uniformity were wrought, what an Inundation would follow, whilst all or most of theirs would flock thither for preferment, (as men pressing towards the Sun for light and heat) and so their own should be unprovided; these therefore I say, howsoever they bear the King fairly in hand, are under hand against it, and stand stiff for all Ceremonies, to be obtruded with a kind of absolute necessity upon them, when the other will not be almost drawn to receive any, when if an abatement were made, doubtless they might be drawn to meet in the midst; but there is no hope of this with them, where neither party deals seriously, but only for the present to satisfy the King, and so there no fear on either side, that affections and opinions, so divers, will ever be reconciled and made one, Their Bishop of St. Andrews stands almost alone in the Cause, and pulls upon himself the labour, the loss and envy, of all with little proficiency, whilst the adverse Faction have as sure friends, & good intelligence about the King, as he hath; and the same Post, perhaps, that brings a packet from the King to him, brings another from their abettors to them, acquainting them with the whole proceedings and Councils, and preparing them aforehand for opposition, this I know for truth, and this I rejoice in as conducing much to the Catholic good.  
But (quoth the Nuncio) are there none of the Heretical Preachers busy about this Match, methinks their fingers should itch to be Writing, and their tongues burn to be Prating about this Business, especially the Puritanical sort, howsoever the most temperate, and indifferent, carry themselves.  
The truth is my Lord, (quoth the ambassador) that privately what they can, and publicly what they dare, both in England and Scotland, all for the most part, except such as be of our Faith, oppose this Match to the uttermost, by Prayers, Counsels, Speeches, & Wishes; but if any be found longer tongued than his Fellows, we have still Means to charm their sauciness, and to silence them, to expel them the Court, to disgrace them, and cross their Preferments, with the imputation of pragmatic Puritanism: For instance, I will Relate this one particular; A Doctor of theirs, and Chapline in Ordinary to the King, gave many Reasons, in a Letter, against this Marriage; and Propounded a Way how to supply the Kings Wants otherwise: which I understanding, so wrought underhand, that the Doctor was committed, and hardly escaped the Danger of this presumptuous Admonition; though the State knew his Intent was honest, and his Reasons good: Wherein we on the other-side (both here, and with the archduke) have had Books penned, and Pictures printed directly against their King and State, for which their ambassadors have sought satisfaction of us in vain, not being able to stay the Prince, or so much as to touch the Hem of the author's Garment. But we have an evasion which heretics miss, our Clergy being freed from the Temporal Sword, and so not included in our Treaties and Conditions of Peace, but at liberty to give any Heretical Prince the Mate when they list, whereas they are liable to account and hazard, and are muzzled for barking, when ours may both Bark, and Bite too: The Council-Table, and the Star-Chamber, do so terrify them as they dare not Riot, but run at the stirrup in excellent command, and come in at the least Rebuke; they call their Preaching in many places standing up, but they crouch and dare not, stand not up, nor Quest, behave themselves like Setters, silent, and creeping upon their Bellies, lick the dust which our Priests shake off from their beautiful feet.  
Now (quoth the Duke of Lerma) satisfy me about our own Clergy how they fare; for there were here Petitions made to the King, in the Name of the Distressed, Afflicted, Persecuted, and Imprisoned Priests, that his Majesty would intercede for them, to free them from the intolerable burdens they groan under, and to procure their Liberties; and Letters were directed from us to this end, That you should Negotiate this Demand with all speed, and diligence.  
Most Excellent Prince, (Replied Gondamor) I did your Command, with a kind of Command myself, not thinking it fit to make it a Suit in your Name, and my Masters; I obtained them liberty to walk up and down, to face, and outface their Accusers, Judges, Magistrates, and Bishops, and to exercise their Functions, almost as freely, altogether as safely as at Rome: Here the Nuncio objected, That he did not well in procuring their liberty, since they might do more good in Prison, than abroad; because in Prison, they seemed to be under Persecution▪ and so were pitied of others, and pity of the person prepares the affection further; besides, than they were careful of their own Lives to give no offence, but abroad they might be scandalous in their Lives, as they use to be in Rome, and Spain, and other Catholic Countries; and so the Opinion of their Holiness▪ which upholds their Credit, and Cause, against the Married Clergy, would soon decay.  
But the ambassador replied, He considered thes● inconveniences, and besides a superior Command, he saw the profit of their liberty, more than of their restraint; for now they might freely confer, and were ever practising, and would doubtless produce some work of Wonder▪ and besides, the reason of their Authority, and Means to change places▪ did apply themselves to many persons, whereas in Prison they could only deal with such as came to be taught, were their own before; And this (quoth he) I added as a Secret, that as before they were maintained by private Contributions from Devout Catholics, even to excess; so much more now shall they be able to gather great Sums to weaken the State, and furnishing them for some high attempt, by the example of Cardinal Wolsie, barreling up Gold for Rome; and this they may easily do, since all Catholics rob the Heretical Priests, and withhold tithes from them by fraud or force, to give to these of their own, to whom it is properly due: And if this be spied, it's an easy matter to lay all upon the Hollander; and say, He carries the Coin out of the Land (who is forward enough indeed in these practices) and so ours shall not only be excused, but a flaw made betwixt them to weaken their Amities, and beget suspicion betwixt them, of each others Love.  
But amongst all these Priests, (quoth the Inquisitor) did you remember that old Reverend Father, Bauldwin, who had a finger in that admirable attempt made on our behalf against the Parliament House; such as he, deserving so highly, and venturing their Liv●s so resolutely for the Catholic Cause, must not be neglected, but extraordinarily Regarded, thereby to encourage others to the like Holy Undertakings.  
Holy Father, (quoth Gondamor) My principal care was of him, whose Life and Liberty, when I had with much difficulty, obtained of the King, I solemnly went in person, atended with all my Train, and divers other well-willers, to fetch him out of the Tower, where he was in durance: as soon as I came in his sight, I behaved myself after so lowly and humble a manner, that our Adversaries stood amazed to see the Reverence we give to our Ghostly Fathers; and this I did to confound them and their contemptuous Clergy, and to beget an extraordinary Opinion of Holiness in the person, and Piety in us; and also to provoke the English Catholics to the like devout Obedience, that thereby at any time these Jesuits whose authority was somewhat weakened since the Schism betwixt them and the Seculars, and the succeeding Powder-plot, may work them to our ends, as Masters their servants, Tutors their scholars, Fathers their Children, Kings their subjects, and that they may do this the more boldly and securely, I have somewhat dashed the authority of their high Commissioners; upon which, whereas there are divers pursuivants, men of the worst kind, and condition, resembling our Flies, and Familiars, attending upon the Holy Inquisition; whose office and employment is to disturb the Catholics, search their Houses for Priests holy Vestments, Books, Beads, Crucifixes, and the like Religious appurtenances; I have caused the Execution of their Offices to be slackened, so that an open way may be given to our Spiritual Instruments, for the free Exercise of their Faculties; and yet when these pursuivants were in greatest authority, a small Bribe, in the Country, would blind their eyes, or a little greater at the Court, or in the Exchequer frustrate and cross all their actions, so that their malice went off like Squibs, making a great Crack to fright Children, and new born Babes, but hurt no old men of Catholic spirits; and this is the effect of all other their Courses of proceedings in this kind, in all their judicial Courts, whither known Catholics (Convicted, as they term them) are often summoned and cited, threatened and bound over, but the danger is past so soon as the Officer hath his Fee paid to him, than the Execution goeth no further; nay, upon my Conscience, they are glad when there are offenders in that kind, because they are bountiful, and the Officers do their best to succour them, that they may increase, and so their benefit and gain come in freely.  
And if they should be sent to prison, even that place for the most part is made a Sanctuary to them, as the old Romans were wont to shut up such by way of restraint, whom they meant to preserve from the people's fury; so they live safe in prison till we have time to work their liberty, and assure their lives, and in the mean time, their place of restraint is as a study unto them, where they have opportunity to confer together as in a college, and to arm themselves in unity against their single adversaries abroad, (but quoth the Inquisitor General) how do they for Books when they have occasion either to write or dispute▪  
My Lord replies, Gondamor, all the Libraries belonging to the Romish Catholics, through the land, are at their Command, from whence they have all such Collections as they can require, gathered to their hands, as well from thence, as from all the Libraries of both Universities, and even the Books themselves if that be requisite.  
Besides I have made it a principal part of my employment, to buy all the Manuscripts and other ancient and rare Authors, out of the hands of the heretics; So that there is no great scholar dies in the Land, but my Agents are dealing with his Books; In so much as even their learned, Isaac Causabons' Library was in Election without question to be ours, had not their Vigilant King (who foresees all dangers, and hath his eyes busy in every place) prevented my plots▪ for after the death of that great scholar, I sent to request a view and Catalogue of his Books, with their price, intending not to be outbid by any man, if money would fetch them, because (Besides the damage that that side should have received by their loss, persecuting the same story against Cardinal Baronius) we might have made good advantage of his Notes, Collections, Castigations, Censures, and criticisms for our own party, and framed and put out other under his name at our pleasure; But that was foreseen by their Prometheus, who sent that torturer of ours, the Bishop of Winchester, to search and sort the Papers, and to seal up the study, giving a large and Princely Allowance for them▪ to the Relict of Causabon, together with a bountiful pension, and provision for her and hers, but this plot failing at that time, hath not ever done, nor had the University of Oxford so Triumphed in their many Manuscripts given by that famous Knight Sir Thomas bodily, if either I had been then employed, or this course of mine then thought upon; For I would labour what I might this way or any other way, to disarm them, & either to translate their ●est Authors hither, or at least to leave none in the hands of any, but Roman Catholics, who are assuredly ours; and to this end, an especial eye should be had upon the Libraries of one Sir Robert Cotton an engrosser of Antiquities, that whensoever it comes to be broken up either before his death or after, the most choice and singular Pieces might be gleaned or gathered up; Neither let any man think that descending thus low to petty particulars is unworthy an ambassador, or of small avail for the ends we aim at, since we see every mountain consists of several sands, and there is not more profitable conversing for statesmen, then amongst scholars and their Books, especially where the King for whom we watch is the King of scholars, and loves to live almost altogether in their Element.  
Besides, if by any means we can continue difference in their Church, or make them wider, or beget distaste betwixt their Clergy and common Lawyers, who are men of greatest power in their Land, the benefit will be ours, the consequence great, opening a way for us to come in between, for personal quarrels produce real questions.  
As he was further prosecuting this Discourse, one of the Secretaries, who waited in the Chamber without desired entrance, and being admitted, delivered Letters which he had newly received of a Post, directed to the precedent, and the rest of the Council, from his Catholic Master; the Contents whereof were to this effect.  
Right trusty and well-beloved Cousins and Counsellors, we Greet you well; Whereas we had a hope by our Agents in England, and Germany, to effect the great Work of the Western Empire, and like on the other side to surprise Venice, and so encircling Europe at one instant, and infolding it into our arms, make the easier Road upon the Turk in Asia▪ and at length reduce all the World to our Catholic Command: And whereas to these holy ends, we had secret and sure Plots and Projects on foot in all these places, and good intelligence in all Courts; Know we that, we have received late and sad News of the apprehension of our most trusty and able pensioner, Barnevelt, and of the discovery of other our intendments; so that our hopes are for the present adjourned, till some other more convenient and auspicuous time; We therefore will you presently▪ upon sight hereof, to break off your Consultation, and repair straight to our Presence, there to take further directions, and proceed as necessity of the time, and cause, shall require.  
With that his Excellency and the whole House, struck with amazement, crossed their foreheads, rose up in sad silence, and broke off this Treaty abruptly, and without tarriance took Horse and Posted to the Court, from whence expect news the next fair wind.  
In the mean time, let not those be secure whom it concerns to be roused up, knowing that this aspiring Nabuchadnezzar, will not lose the glory of his Greatness, who continueth still to magnify himself in this great Babel, until it be spoken,  
Thy kingdom is departed from thee, Dan. 4.  
FINIS.