Annales the true and royall history of the famous empresse Elizabeth Queene of England France and Ireland &c. True faith's defendresse of diuine renowne and happy memory. Wherein all such memorable things as happened during hir blessed raigne ... are exactly described.

THE FIFTH YEERE OF HER RAIGNE.* 1.1 Anno Domini, 1562.

THe troubles of France begunne then to waxe hot, in the minority of Charles the Ninth, the Princes which enuied one another, pretending on both sides, the specious name, the defence of Re∣ligion, and those of the reformed Re∣ligion beeing grieuously oppressed. And herevpon, the Papists of England, by I knowe not what hope which they had conceiued thereby, to oppresse the Protestants; many discourses of importance were whis∣pered very secretly in priuate assemblies, and all full of suspicion. Margaret, Countesse of Lenox, who had a se∣cret intelligence with the Queen of Scotland, and the Earle of Lenox, her husband, were for a time put and detayned

vnder the custodie of the Master of the Rolles. Arthur Pole and his Brother, Nephews sonnes to George, Duke of Clarence,* 1.2 King Edwards Brother, Anthony Fortescue, who had married their Sister, and others, were brought into ex∣amination, for hauing conspired to withdraw themselues into France to the Guizes, and from thence to returne with an Armie into Wales, and declare the Queene of Scotland Queene of England, and Arthur Pole Duke of Clarence, as they at their Tryall ingenuously confessed, neuerthelesse protesting that they intended not to doe it while Queene ELIZABETH liued, and that they had been seduced by diuiners, to beleeue that shee should dye that yeere: for which they were condemned to dye; notwithstanding, for the respect which was had vnto their bloud, they were suffered to liue. But (as many haue thought) they vsed Ka∣therine Gray very seuerely, though she was much neerer of kinne to the Queene,* 1.3 being Daughter to the Duke of Suf∣folke: For, hauing beene married to Henry, eldest Sonne to the Earle of Pembrooke, by him lawfully repudia∣ted, and left long time in great contempt, finding her selfe with child, & neere her lying down, was put in the Tower of London, although shee protested that she was married to Edward Seimor, Earle of Hertford, and great by him. Hee himselfe being returned from France, whither he went for his pleasure, by the Queenes permission, hauing made the like acknowledgement, was also imprisoned in the same Towre; the Arch-bishop of Canterbury, and others, were appointed to examine and decide the Cause, without ap∣peale: and when hee could not produce witnesse of his marriage within the time prescribed him, the Arch-bishop, by a definitiue Sentence, pronounced, That the Carnall company which he had had with her, was illegitimate and vnlawfull, and that for this offence, they ought both to be punished. This Sentence was impugned as wicked and vn∣iust, by Iohn Hales, a man very opinatiue, but otherwise

very learned, who maintained, that their sole consent did legitimate their coniunction; for which reason, he himselfe was committed. She was deliuered in prison of her first-borne, and afterwards, her Keepers being corrupted by the Earle of Hertfords deuice, Edward Warner, Lieutenant of the Towre, was punished, as conscious of the fact,* 1.4 and displaced. Hertford is accused in the Starre-Cham∣ber of three crimes, that he had deflowred a Virgine of the Bloud-Royall, broken the Prison, and had accompanied with her since. Whereupon, after hauing protested that hee was lawfully married to her, he confessed, that hauing found the doores of the Prison open, hee had visited her in the affliction which was caused by the sentence pronoun∣ced against them, and had payed her the duty of wedlocke. For which cause,* 1.5 hee was fined fiue thousand pound for e∣uery offence, and kept Prisoner nine yeeres. Yet neuerthe∣lesse, by perswasion of Lawyers, hee insisted against the Arch-bishops sentence, by interiecting an appeale, and continued to visit her priuily. But in this time, hee volun∣tarily, and publiquely left it off: and she, after some yeeres, (to the end I may in the time of their separation speake ioyntly of them) fell into a grieuous sicknesse; after hauing in the presence of Hopton Lieutenant of the Towre, de∣manded pardon of the Queene, in regard shee had married without her aduice, and with Prayers re-commended her Children to her trust, and Hertford his libertie; She dyed in Christ piously and peaceably.

Warre renewing then in France betweene the Princes of the Bloud, and the Guizes, vnder a feigned pretence of Religion, as I haue said, one sought for to strengthen both parties; Queene ELIZABETH began to feare lest neigh∣bour-warres should intangle England therein:* 1.6 For she had learned, that the Guizes, to draw Anthonie of Burbone to their partie, had boasted to put him in possession of Na∣uarre, to marry him to the Queene of Scotland, and to

giue him in dowry the Kingdome of England, at the ex∣pence of the Spaniard, and by the authority of the Pope, who would breake the marriage, because his Wife was an Heretique, and by the same meanes, depose Qu. ELIZA∣BETH of her Kingdome,* 1.7 as being so. Vpon that, she sent H. Sidney, a man of great renowne, that he might informe himself more surely of these things, & to exhort vnto peace, the Conductors of these seuerall parties. But, the busi∣nesse was come to such a passe, that the eares of both par∣ties were shut against peace. Sidney being returned from France,* 1.8 is forthwith sent to the Queene of Scotland, that the Colloque which shee desired to be holden in England with Queene ELIZABETH, might be prorogued vntill the yeere following, or vntill the Warres in France were abated.

* 1.9 Now it is consulted on, whether it were expedient or not, that these two Princesses should speake together: in that the Queene of Scotland desired it the first, it was not without suspition she did it to serue her owne ends, and sought out stratagems in their season, or to affirme the right which shee pretended to haue in England, or to giue hope and increase of courage to the Papists of England, and to the Guizes in France. Some thought the contra∣ry, that this would be a meanes to vnite them with a firme friendship, to decay by little and little the alliance with France, and to draw the Queene of Scotland to the Prote∣stants Religion. Others obserued, that such communica∣tions might rather sow seedes of emulation than of loue, and that the shew of riches and power of the one, would euer excite the enuy of the other, and that the presence not answering to the opinion and reputation of the body, of the grace in speaking, and of the gifts of the spirit, would leaue both to the one and the other, some thing of reprehension.* 1.10 The Queene of Scotland did likewise iudge, that it were not safe for her to expose her selfe into the

power of Queene ELIZABETH, with whom shee had contended for the right of the Kingdome, and as shee had learned, that shee had openly declared her selfe for the Pro∣testants of France: shee was likewise in doubt on what side to ranke her selfe, considering how shee her selfe had written, that of the Father side she had drawne her extra∣ction from England, and of her Mother side from France: that shee had beene crowned Queene of France, and was Dowager of it: that shee was the most certaine Heire of England, and looked for the succession: that if shee were obliged to her Vnkles of France, who brought her vp, she would be no lesse to the loue of her Sister Queene ELI∣ZABETH.

Notwithstanding, as shee was subtill of spirit, shee was afraid, if shee should tye her selfe with a stricter friendship to Queene ELIZABETH, to incurre the disgrace of the King of France, and to be abandoned of the Guizes her Vnkles, and lose the money which shee drew from France for her dowry, while shee should preferre this friendship which was vncertaine; and, as shee said her selfe, there is none but transgresseth, and of the friendship of the French she was assured. And that that was the cause, why the in∣teruiew which had beene in deliberation many moneths, came to nothing, chiefly after she had declared by Letters, that shee altogether refused it, vnlesse, that, for to ground a certaine peace,* 1.11 and the vnion of the two Kingdomes so much desired, she were by authority of the Parliament de∣signed Heire of the Kingdome of England, or adopted Queene ELIZABETHS Daughter: and that if these things were granted her, she promised to be wholly at the deuotion of Queene ELIZABETH, though she quitted all consideration and respect to the Guizes her Vnkles. Fur∣thermore, she assured, that she did not presse these things, but vpon aduice which she had giuen her of the secret pra∣ctices of some, vnder pretence of religion, intended to sub∣orne

some other Successour than her selfe, howbeit she to∣lerates the Protestants Religion in Scotland.

* 1.12 But, as the Cardinall of Lorraine treated at the same time with the Emperour Ferdinand, to marry her with Charles his Sonne, Arch-Duke, who then sought to haue Queene ELIZABETH, ELIZABETH declareth vn∣to her, by Thomas Randolph, that if shee lent any eare to this marriage to the Cardinall, capitall enemy to the Eng∣glish, she might dissolue the amity betweene England and Scotland, and peraduenture therewith to include the losse of the Kingdome of England: admonisheth her amiably, not to fall off, but to chuse her a Husband in England; first, to please her selfe, and afterwards for the contentment of her owne Subiects, and of the English, and to intertaine the friendship which was betweene them, and to prepare her selfe a way to a certaine assurance of the succession of England, of which, declaration could not be made, if it did not first appeare with whom she meant to marry.

All these cares held Queene ELIZABETH in great suspence, neuerthelesse she was altogether attentiue to the warres of France, to hinder that the flames of it in Nor∣mandie should not be blowne into England, and, after ma∣ture deliberation, receiued into her protection the King of France his Subiects, which were in Normandie, and implo∣red her succour, by a Couenant which shee passed with the Princes of Condé, Rohan, Coligni, and others, to this effect, That shee would send them a hundred thousand crownes, and passe ouer sixe thousand Souldiers, of which, three thousand should be employed for the defence of Deepe and Roüan: That they would put into her hands for assurance, Ville-Franche, which is situated at the mouth of Sene, and was built by King Francis the First, (the French calling it Haure de grace, and the English, New-Hauen) to be kept by a Garrison of three thousand Eng∣glish Souldiers, vnder the name of the King of France, vn∣till

Calais be rendred. The same day that this agreement past, to giue a reason of her designe, shee published a mani∣festation to this effect.

That shee sent not an armie into Normandie,* 1.13 to recouer this Prouince, an ancient patrimony of England, which had been wrongfully vsurped, but to conserue it for the King of France, being but yet a Childe, and to warrant it against the Guizes, who had begun cruelly to ouer-runne those who professed the pure Religion, and iniustly to robbe her of her right which shee had to Ca∣lais, and to take possesssion of the Ports of Normandy; from thence, they threaten next to fall vpon England, which they haue by hope deuoured already: insomuch, as shee could not chuse but meete their attempts, vnlesse shee should seeme to be fayling to the young King her Brother and Confederate, and his Subiects that are op∣pressed, to enuy the quiet of Christendome, and, which is more, cowardly betray her Religion, her securitie, and her saluation.

And as Paul de Foix, Ambassadour of France in Eng∣land, summoned her by vertue of the Treaty of Cambray, to deliuer into the Kings hands, the Vidame of Chartres, of Hai, and others, who had signed the accord, as Traitors to their Countrey:* 1.14 shee excused her selfe of that by her Let∣ter to the King, discharging them of the crime, and charged the turbulent spirits of the Guizes for it, who had wrapped in the tempest of warre the Kings Father and Brother, and the King himselfe.

In the moneth of September, one part of the English Ar∣my landed at New-Hauen, vnder the conduct of Adrian Poining, who was appointed Marshall, where they were with ioy receiued by the inhabitants: the other part lan∣ded at Deepe. The Earle of Warwicke, Generall of the

Army, arriued there later, hauing been by contrary windes twice driuen backe into England. Afterwards, they made diuers incursions into the Countrey neere thereabout, but to hinder the same, the Ringraue came and camped neerer. The English, and the French had notwithstanding often light skirmishes, and those which were men of warre, vpon the Sea, brought in rich spoyles, taking and bringing in e∣uery day French ships, from the neighbouring harbors.

* 1.15 This yeere, Iohn Vere, the Earle of Oxford, died, the six∣teenth of that illustrious House, who, by his first Wife, Daughter to Ralph Neuill Earle of Westmerland, had Ka∣therine, who was wife to Edward, Baron of Windsor: by his second Wife Margaret Goulding, Edw. Earle of Ox∣ford, who ouer-threw and wasted his Patrimony, and Ma∣ry, who was married to Peregrine Bartie, Baron of Wil∣loughbie.

At the same time, Shan O-Neale came out of Ireland, to performe that which he had promised the yeere before, ha∣uing for his Guard, a troupe of Galloglassorum, who had their heads naked, and curled haire hanging on their shoul∣ders, yellow shirts, as if they had beene died with Saffron, or steeped in Vrine, wide sleeues, short Cassockes, and rough hairy Clokes. The English admired them no lesse, than they should doe at this day to see those of China, or America. Hauing beene receiued with all courtesie, hee cast himselfe at the Queenes feete, and with teares acknow∣ledged his crime, asked pardon, and obtained it. After, being graciously questioned, Wherefore he had excluded Matthew his Brother from the succession of his great Grand-father, answered fiercely, as hee was vsed to doe in Ireland, that it was his right, and being the certaine and lawfull sonne and Heire of Cone,* 1.16 borne of a legitimate wo∣man, he had taken his succession. That Matthew was the issue of a Lock-Smith of Dundalke, married with a woman named Alison, after this marriage: and notwithstanding,

had beene deceitfully supposed by his Mother Cone, to be her sonne, to the end falsly to take away the dignity of O-Neale. And although he should suffer it, some of the House of O-Neales would not. The grant which his father had made to King HENRY the Eighth, and the restitution that HENRY the Eighth had made vnto him, were no∣thing considerable, seeing that Cone had nothing in the things granted, but during her life, & could not haue made this grant, without the consent of the Peeres, and of the people, who had elected him to the honor of O-Neale. That such Letters also could not be of any valew, vnlesse witnes∣sed by the othes of twelue men, that hee was the certaine Heire of the House, which had not been done in this mat∣ter. That by diuine and humane right, he was vndoubted Heire: moreouer, the eldest Sonne of his Father, begot in lawfull marriage, & designed O-Neale with a generall con∣sent of the Peeres & people, by vertue of the Law of Tem∣ster, which was his Countrey; by which, a man of ripe yeeres ought to be preferred before a Child, and an Vnkle before a Nephew whose great Grand-father out-liued the Father. To conclude, hee had not vsurped any authority ouer the Lords of Vlster, though in times past his Ance∣stors, by a particular right, had vsed it. But of this I haue spoken else-where. Which when the Queene found true, he was sent home with honour, where he behaued himselfe both faithfully and industriously against the Irish Rebels.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Booke 1. 1562.
• * 1.2

  Pole had vn∣der exami∣nation.
• * 1.3

  Katherine Gray impri∣soned.
• * 1.4

  He is fined.
• * 1.5

  He is fined.
• * 1.6

  The Guizes practice a∣gainst Eliza∣beth.
• * 1.7

  H. Sidney is sent into France.
• * 1.8

  After into Scotland.
• * 1.9

  They delibe∣rate the in∣ter-view of the Queene of Scotland.
• * 1.10

  Which puts her in doubt.
• * 1.11

  Ʋnlesse it were vpon certaine con∣ditions.
• * 1.12

  The Cardi∣nall of Lor∣raine pro∣poundeth a marriage to the Queen of Scotland. Queene Elizabeth ende∣uoureth to diuert her from it.
• * 1.13

  Giues her reasons.
• * 1.14

  Shee excuses the French fugitiues.
• * 1.15

  The death of the Earle of Oxford.
• * 1.16

  Defends his cause.