Elizabetha triumphans Conteyning the dammed practizes, that the diuelish popes of Rome haue vsed euer sithence her Highnesse first comming to the Crowne, by mouing her wicked and traiterous subjects to rebellion and conspiracies, thereby to bereaue her Maiestie both of her lawfull seate, and happy life. VVith a declaration of the manner how her excellency was entertained by her souldyers into her campe royall at Tilbery in Essex: and of the ouerthrow had against the Spanish fleete: briefly, truly, and effectually set foorth. Declared, and handled by I.A.

❧ To the gentle Reader.

VVHen I considered with my selfe (Gentle Reader) of the sundry kinds of delights; of the fine wits yeelding, most pleasant conceipts: of the di∣uersitie of inuentions, with the profunditie of euerye mans iudgement, I find that (thereby) this is the hardest world that might happen to grosse heads and greene wits. The redoubling of phrases running with words beginning all with one letter, in the amorous discourses of young Gallants, iointly with the liues of their inamoured Mistrisses: in Histories liuely desciphering foolish dotage ordi∣narily in old men and stale widdowes, with the incon∣ueniencie of matching crooked old age, and wilie youth together are so commonly vsed; as they who spend their time, dull their heads, and bestowe their trauell in penning such bookes, are either thought to steale their inuention from othermens labours, or else accounted of as wittals, for spending their studies about such common deuises. But if any man write louing Songs, and amiable Sonnets, they, as foolish toyes nothing profitable, are of euery one misliked, if of famous mens actes done long agoe, they are tear∣med lyes, and therefore to be reiected, if of things hapned in our dayes, the euents of those but now per∣formed practises, neede no discourses to cause remem∣brance. What shall I say, the Booke-hinders shops, and euery Printers presse are so cloyed and clogged with Bookes of these and such-like matters, that they

are good for nothing (as they say) but to make wast-paper, whereby it falleth out, that through the mispri∣sing of the Authors minds, and misconstruing of their meanings, with the innumerable swarme of Momus followers, that a man were better to go to plough one whole yeare, then to toyle his head but one moneth about publishing any of his studyes. The considerati∣on whereof, hath been such an impediment to the printing of this my Pamphlet (I tearme it so, not in re∣spect of the matter there-in handled, but of the hand∣ling thereof,) that when it was (at the earnest request of one that might haue commaunded) both begun and finished very neere with-in the space of one whole moneth, I was after-wards three long moneths stu∣dying, whether it were better for me to burne it, or to giue it to the Presse: which the rather happened, for that my proceedings were crost by diuers backward euents. For first of all (after the finishing of it) when I had gone through with the Printer, so that within two dayes it should haue been ready for his trade, there fell out a crosse matter, whereby it was dasht for the space of tenne weekes, then hauing intelligence of the commonnesse of Ballads, with Bookes to this purpose, I resolued my selfe to bestowe this my Pamphlet on the fire. But crabbed Fortune (who euer hinders willing enterprises) through the intreatie of diuers of my deerest friends, stayed my determinate purpose, by perswading me that those Bookes and Ballads did very little touch the matter my Booke in∣treateth of, which caused me rather to publish this my worke (intituled Elizabetha Triumphans) truely and effectually declaring the wicked attempts of the

diuelish Pope, with his damned adherents practised to the praise or dispraise of me it Author, then to let such broken tales, told in plaine Ballets, expresse the vnspeakeable actes, and wondrous ouerthrowes had against the Pope by this our royall Queene and her (by this made famous) Island. Committing therefore both this Booke my first worke, with my selfe a yong versefier to your liking, I desire nothing of you for my paynes, but that you will not condemne the beginning, vntill you haue read to the ending, and then of Gods name be free with your censure. Fare you well.

Yours, as he would wish you his, Ia. Aske.