¶ A SHORT Discourse:  
Expressing the substance of all the late pretended Treasons against the Queen's Majesty, and Estates of this Realm, by sundry Traitors: who were executed for the same on the 20. and 21. days of September last passed. 1586.  
Whereunto is adjoined a Godly Prayer for the safety of her highness person, her honourable Counsel, and all other her obedient Subjects.  
Seen and Allowed.   printer's or publisher's device 
¶ Imprinted at London by George Robinson for Edward White, and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Gun.   

¶ To the right Worshipful Sir Owen Hopton: her majesties Lieutenant in her highness Tower of London.  
RIght Worshipful, the due consideration of the innumerable Treasons practised and intended against the Queen's most excellent Majesty since the time of her highness most happy and prosperous reign, together with the success of them and all other Traitors whatsoever, aswell in the Reign of other Kings and Princes of this Land (from whom she is royally descended) as also in her own, might sufficiently have terrified those late executed Traitors to have been warned from their wicked intents and dangers depending thereon, not only to their lives, their souls, their goods and Lands, but also of the infamy ensuing there by to their posterity for ever: in respect of their horrible practices, against our most gracious and dread sovereign (whose Highness God long preserve in all health and happiness) for whom all her loving and dutiful Subjects are bound (even in our Souls) to give God continual thanks for preserving her Majesty and us all, from so apparent dangers as was pretended, and had ensued thereby, to the ruenating of this whole Realm, had it not most graciously been prevented by the finger of God. The substance of which their intended Treasons, I have rudely handled in a few verses here ensuing, and have boldly dedicated them to your Worship, humbly beseeching you to accept them at his hands, who standeth bound to your Worship (in respect of the undeserved courtesy he lately received by your good means) to pray for you and yours during his life.  
Your Worships in all bounden duty, Thomas Nelson.   

A Godly Prayer given to her Majesty.  
O Gracious God bow down thine ear, to me that prostrate stand,  
And grant my prayer may be performed with thy most mighty hand.  
Grant Lord that our most gracious Queen Elizabeth by name,  
May flourish still in happy state and everlasting fame.  
Grant that her Highness live and reign in health and perfect peace:  
Grant that her foes may be cut of, her friends O Lord increase.  
Grant that her Counsel still may live, to do that which is right,  
For safety of her person and, this Realm both day and night.  
Grant that the Nobles of Estate, and Lords of high renown,  
May live in duty to their Prince, and true still to the Crown.  
Grant Lord that Pastors see discharged, their duties in this Land,  
To beat down Sin and wickedness, which hath the upper hand.  
Grant justices may have a care, to do that which is right,  
That Widows nor the fatherless, be not oppressed by might.  
Grant Lord that they may still defend, the stranger and the poor,  
Who sundry times by violence, is thrust clean out of door.  
Grant Lord that each man's Conscience, may prick him to do well,  
To fly deceit, to banish fraud, lest that they hang in Hell.  
Grant Lord that truth may still take place, though some would blind the same,  
And grant that time may try the truth, to their rebuke and shame.  
Grant love may reign twixt man and man, so may contentions cease:  
Grant Lord that each man have his own, thy blessings to increase.  
Grant Lord that Pride and Covetousness, may banished be for ay,  
Or else the poor shall quickly be, thereby brought to decay.  
Grant Lord that every kind of vice, may strait be trodden down,  
And every man reform himself, in City and in Town.  
From wicked Lawyers us defend, consume the usurers Hall,  
They scratch and scrape the poor man's purse, they get the Devil and all.  
They hoard up wealth in wondrous store, they do encroach for Lands,  
They rack their Rents they paul the poor, yet give nought with their hands.  
Grant Charity may come again, who went to seek S. Eedie,  
That rich men's ears and purses might, stand open to the needy.  
God grant all quarrels now may cease, among both great and small,  
That bowget Lawyers may not lurk, about Westminster Hall.  
God grant that Children now may grow, obedient as they ought,  
And that their Parents have a care, they may be duly taught:  
Their duty to the God of heaven, their Parents and their Peers,  
So shall they better teach their own, when that they come of years.  
God grant that servants may have care, to do their duty still,  
First to please God, to live in fear, and do their Masters will.  
God grant we may forgive our foes, revengement for to shun:  
For God a just revenger is, of wrongs that hath been done.  
Thus of my Prayer I make an end, God grant our ends be good,  
That we may rest with Christ himself, who bought us with his blood.  
T. N.  
FINIS.   

¶ Verses written upon the Alphabet of the Queen's majesties name, and given to her Highness.  

Eternal God who guideth still your Grace,  
Lengthen your life in health and happy state:  
Inspier your subjects hearts in every place,  
Zealous in love, and free from secret hate,  
And shorten life in those that breed debate.  
Behold her Lord who is our only stay,  
Even she it is, by whom we hold our own:  
Turn not thy face from her in any way,  
Hew down her foes and let them all be known.   

Renowned Queen, your highness Subjects joy,  
Even for to see the fall of all your foes:  
God of his mercy shield you from annoy,  
Intended Treasons still for to disclose.  
None of all but will most duly pray,  
Almighty God preserve you night and day.    

❧ The substance of all the late intended Treasons.  

O Lord preserve our noble Queen, her Counsel long maintain:  
Confound her foes and grant her grace in health to rule and reign.   

WHen first the gracious God of heaven, by means did bring to light,  
The Treasons lately practised, by many a wicked wight,  
Against their Prince whose life they sought, and many a noble Peer:  
The substance of whose Treasons strange, you shall most truly hear.   

Their Treasons once discovered, then were the Traitors sought:  
Some of them fled into a Wood, where after they were caught,  
And being brought unto the Tower, for joy the Bells did ring,  
And throughout London Bonfires made, where people Psalms did sing.   

And set their Tables in the streets, with meats of every kind,  
Where was prepared all signs of joy, that could be had in mind:  
And praised the Lord most heartily, that with his mighty hand,  
He had preserved our gracious Queen, and people of this Land.   

Which thing was taken in good part, by our renowned Queen,  
Who by her Letters gave them thanks, as plainly may be seen:  
Assuring them that all her care was for their safety still,  
And that thereby she would deserve their love and great good will.   

The Traitors well examined, (whom God himself bewrayed)  
Their Treasons known, then were they strait to Westminster conveyed,  
Whereas they all indicted were of many a wild pretence,  
Seven pleaded guilty at the Bar before they went from thence.   

The manner how they did begin, herein will plain appear,  
Their purposes in each respect, you shall most truly hear:  
Herein unto you will be seen, if they had not been foiled,  
Our Queen, our Realm, yea rich and poor together had been spoiled.   

One Savidge lurking long in France, at Rheames did there remain,  
Whom Doctor Gifford did persuade, great honour he should gain:  
If that he would go take in hand (these matters very strange,)  
First to deprive our gracious Queen, Religion for to change.   

And then for to invade the Realm, by troupes of foreign power,  
To overthrow the government, and kill her in her Bower:  
Or forcibly to dispossess, the Queen of England's Grace,  
And to proclaim the Scottish Queen, and set her in her place.   

Which matter Savidge promised, his full performance too,  
So that he might see warrant with, safe Conscience so to do:  
The Doctor vowed by his Soul, and bade him understand,  
It was an honourable thing, to take the same in hand.   

When Savidge heard that merits were, to him thereby so rife,  
He vowed for to do the same, or else to lose his life.  
And shortly into England hied, and did impart the same,  
To Babington of Derby shire, a man sure void of shame.   

And told him how that he had vowed, to do it or to die,  
Desiring him of help and aid, and that immediately:  
A jesuit Priest whom Ballard hight, came over to that end,  
He came also to Babington, and daily did attend.   

Still to persuade him that he would, attempt and take in hand,  
This wild and wicked enterprise, and stoutly to it stand:  
And told him that he should have aid, of sixty thousand men,  
That secretly should landed be, and told him how and when.   

And in respect of all his pains, he truly might depend,  
That it was lawful so to do, Renown should be the end:  
But let all Traitors now perceive, what honour he hath won,  
Whose traitorous head and wicked heart, hath many one undone.   

This proud and haughty Babington, in hope to gain renown,  
Did stir up many wilful men, in many a Shire and Town:  
To aid him in this devilish act, and for to take in hand,  
The spoil of our renowned Prince, and people of this Land.   

Who did conclude with bloody blade, a slaughter to commit,  
Upon her Counsel as they should, within Star Chamber sit:  
Which is a place whereas the Lords, and those of that degree,  
yields justice unto every man, that craves it on their knee.   

Yéa famous London they did mean, for to have sack beside,  
Both Mayor and Magistrates therein, have murdered at that tide:  
Each rich man's goods had been their own, no favour than had served,  
Nought but our wealth was their desire, though we and ours had starved.   

Besides these wicked practices, they had concluded more,  
The burning of the Navy and, the chiefest Ships in store:  
With fire and sword they vowed, to kill and to displace,  
Each Lord Knight and Magistrate, true Subjects to her Grace.   

They had determined to have cloyed, and poisoned out of hand,  
The chief and greatest Ordinance, that is within this Land:  
And did intend by violence, on rich men for to fall,  
To have their money and their Place, and to have spoiled them all.   

The Common wealth of England soon, should thereby have been spoiled,  
Our goods for which our Parents and, ourselves long time had toiled,  
Had all been taken from us: besides what had ensued,  
The substance proveth plainly, to soon we all had rued.   

Those were the Treasons they conspired, our good Queen to displace,  
To spoil the States of all this Land, such was their want of grace:  
But God that doth protect her still, offended at the same,  
Even in their young and tender years, did cut them of with shame.   

These Traitors executed were, on Stage full strongly wrought,  
Even in the place where wickedly, they had their Treasons sought:  
There they were hanged and quartered, there they acknowledged why,  
Who like as Traitors they had lived, even so they seemed to die.   

O wicked Imps, O Traitors wild, that could these deeds devise,  
Why did the fear of God and Prince, depart so from your eyes:  
No Rebels' power can her displace, God will defend her still,  
True Subjects all will lose their lives, ere Traitors have their will.   

How many mischiefs are devised: how many ways are wrought:  
How many wild Conspiracies, against her Grace is sought:  
Yet God that doth protect her still, her Grace doth well preserve,  
And works a shame unto her foes, as they do best deserve.   

O heavenly God preserve our Queen, in plenty health and peace,  
Confound her foes, maintain her right, her joys O Lord increase:  
Lord bless her Counsel evermore, and Nobles of this Land,  
Preserve her Subjects, and this Realm, with thy most mighty hand.   
FINIS.   

❧ T●e names of those Traitors that were executed for the Treasons before mentioned on the first day.  

john Ballard, a Priest.  
Anthony Babington of Deticke in the County of Derby Esquire.  
john Savidge Gentleman.  
Robert Barnwell Gentleman.  
Chidiacke Tichborne of Porchester in the County of South Esquire.  
Charles Tylney Esquire and a Pensioner.  
Edward Abington of Hinlop in the County of Worcester Esquire.   
The names of those which were executed on the second day.  

Thomas Salisbury of Denbigh in the County of Denbigh Esquire.  
Henry Dunn Gentleman.  
Edward johnes of Denbigh in the County of Denbigh Esquire.  
john Travers of Prescot in the County of Lancaster Gentleman.  
john Charnock of Lincoln's Inn Gentleman.  
Robert Gage of Croyden in the County of Surrey Gentleman.  
Jerome Bellamy of Harrow in the County of Middlesex Gentleman.