The answer to Tom-Tell-Troth the practise of princes and the lamentations of the kirke / written by the Lord Baltismore, late secretary of state.

CHAP. 6. Of King James his not taking Armes to vindicate the honour of his Son proscribed.

HAving thus curiously examined the grounds and causes of the Proscription of the Count Palatine, and how they stand in Law and conscience, without any partiality, neither taking affection to the one part (whom I know not) nor to the other (whom I pittie) but as the truth of the cause leadeth me, I aske this question: Why is King James accused for not taking armes to vindicate the honour of his Son so proscribed? And why should the King of England give over all treaties, and enter into war with Spaine, if the Palatine be not restored; being the King of Spaine nei∣ther did, nor could proscribe him▪ but the Emperour? For Spaine (as your Majestie knoweth) hath no command in the Empire, nor title, nor Authoritie.

The Archduke Albert sent aide to King Ferdinand his nephew, with the consent of Spaine, to aide their Familie, and to revenge so intollerable injuries to the Em∣perour in a just cause: First the Count Bucquoy, and after Marquesse Spinola (great Commanders) marched thither, whereof the one with the Emperours forces dis∣possessed and ejected the Palatine out of Bohemia, the other invaded the Palatinate and took possession of it, An. 1620. and Verdugo and others his successors did hold it, aswell to weaken the Emperours competitor, to discomfort their partie, to force the Palatine to relinquish his title (for arma tenenti omnia ••at qui ••ustanegat) as also to ingage the same for a pawne, to satisfie the charges of four just a wa••, and to pay the penaltie of an offence so odious.

And there is no reason why the King of Spaine might not succour the Familie whereof he is the Root, seeing these lands were the proper possession of Charles the Fifth, And by him freely given to the family.

Neither did Spaine breake the treatie with England, an. 1604. in any article, by that support, and therfore they shall do well to set the saddle on the right horse, and accuse the Emperour for proscribing the Pal••tine, and the imperiall diet for ratifi∣ing the same, which no wise man will do. For it cannot bee honourable to justifie an unjust and condemned action, or seeke to take vengeance on the executi∣on of justice on offenders, decreed by the generall consent of the whole Empire. And it was wisely said of King Iames in his oration to the Parliament Quis me constituit judicem inter vos?

He were very well ill advised that would perswade the King to fight for the Church of Bohemia, and undertake to preserve Gods children in France, (as they call them) by the sword. For, as that worthy Iohannis Roffensis said lib de po∣testat. Papaec. 20. Quis tribunal, illud erexerit in terris, in quo Rex de Rege, pa•• de pari judicet? Iudex alterius Regis nemo Rex••conditus est, et rempublin rempublicam con∣citant. I know King Iames was defensor fidei; but in his owne circle and imm••••; intra quat nor maria: for Kings like plannets have their proper spheares and bounds

of authority, in which they move proprio motu, and may not extend their prerogative of dignitie into places where it hath no jurisdiction or influence, but by intercessi∣on and graces.

But Spaine hath abused us (they say) with hopes and promises given, and not per∣formes, for they keepe yet the Palatinate: what do they inter upon this? to trust no more your enemies, but give over all treaties with them.

We expect (saith Tom. T. T.) to see an armie raised as well as subsidies, and that the King would really and royally ingage himselfe in the right waie.

Touching the first, the Spaniard can restore no more then he hath, and for that it is fit Don Carolo be heard, who is a man of integritie and plain dealing, the Infanta hath ever had a princely compassion of my Ladies grace, the Countesse Palatine: and all her Councell can witnesse how really she did mediate, that the town in the Pa∣latinate belonging to her dowrie, might by the Spaniards be preserved for her, and not suffered to fall into huks••ers hands, and though C. Gondamore hath beene much defamed in England for a juggler in this case, yet I have heard by wise men, that he imploied his friends, conferred sincerely with men of action, and imploiment, and used al means he could invent and contrive how to satisfie the King of England but ultra posse non est esse. It is neither the fault nor the fallacie of Spaine, and for the restitution of the Palatinate, your Majestie well knoweth, and I think hath disco∣vered that there is a knot in that businesse which onely the Duke of Bavaria can untie.

The Emperour cannot, except he would hazard to loose part of his owne inheri∣tance, (the upper Austria) and what, if that cannot (during the Duke of Baviers life) be yet effected; will you breake of all treaties with Spaine, for a matter hee can∣not compasse, nor prevaile to effect? Will you make a perpetuall deadly feud with Spaine, because he cannot yet therein fully satisfie you? It is a cause neither chari∣table nor politique, for marke the reason and project of this silly states-man. pag. 13 your children (saith he) perhaps may have committed a fault, and though you thought good to purge them, yet to let them still drinke of affliction, you may be thought justus sed crudelis pater.

Well, how should the King helpe his children, and shew his royall wisedome as well as naturall affection, and regard the kingdome, as well as his cradle? A se∣cret treasure (saith he) lies hid in your peoples hearts, wee will contribute more to redeeme the credit of our nation, then to regaine the Palatinate, men and mony are the engines of war, send forces that shall be able to make their way thither.

Mark I humbly pray your Majestie, how ignorance roveth and looseth it selfe, and yet he saith as much as any other can object. If you aske him, shall they march into the Palatinate? No saith he; there is great difficulty to get thither, the Palati∣nate is ill seated for us to warre in, being remote from the sea, and surrounded with enemies, and the protestant league is beheaded (which should have succoured you) and therfore here solveth that you must not confirm the action to the bare Palati∣nate; for so it will never have an end, but draw it selfe into such a circle of troubles, as wee may look twelve years hence to see two such armies keep one another at a bay in the Palatinate, as now they doe in the low Countries.

So by this his Argument, to recover the Palatinate, you must not march thither, For the reasons he wisely alleadgeth, for that it is out of your way. Is not this man in a labyrinth? for hee wisheth a thing whereof hee hath no hope, something hee would have done, but he knoweth not what, nor how, what then? qua spe quo con∣cilis, would he proceed? heare a counterfeit Hanniball speak like a souldier: give the Hollanders your helping hand, and lend the Palatine an armie to dispose of as he shall see cause.

Consider well, first, that his plot is to relieve or revenge the Palatine, but not to recover the Palatinate.

I hope your prudence and providence is such, as you wil be assured how they wil imploy this army. For, if the H••llanders must tutor him, they will assaile Flanders, or some parts of the Empire, or invade Spaine, or the Indies, and your Majesty shall beare the name of the great Nimrod, have all the blame and malice of your neighbours, and yet the Pala••ine himselfe shall gaine nothing by these sharkers; who serve onely their owne turne by you both, and when you come to the account and reckoning for the charges, you shall finde neither honour, comfort, profit, thank∣fulnesse, nor reputation by dealing with them.

Nay, Tom T. T. in all his booke hath but one wise sentence, and that touching them; the Pedlers whom wee our selves set up for use, are become our masters in the East-Indies, and think themselves our f••llowes.

It is now given out in Holland, that your Majestie meaneth not to make peace with Spaine, but to confirme the treaties made with the Hollanders at Southampton before the last journey to Cales, which report I cannot beleive, for your wisedome may foresee many dangers and inconveniences by it, it is neither for ••he benefit of your merchants, nor for the wealth of your Realme, nor the peace of Europe, nor your owne safe••ie. And I beleive France will finde in the end occasions to cast them off, for the Gummarists and the Huganots draw in one line, have suck't one nurse, and like no royaltie.

Forget not your Amboyna, and the imperious and cruell usage of our merchants in the east-Indies.

Forget not how scornefully they used Sir William Morison (your Fathers Ad∣mirall of the narrow seas) not without apparent contempt of your Majestie.

Forget not how th••y used your sea men, and Fishers in Gre••neland.

And call to remembrance how unthankfully they used Qu••ene Elizabeth (their Patrone and Protectour) Anno 1594, wh••n she se••t Sir Thomas Bodley to demand the mony she had la••ed out for them.

And as if they hated Royaltie and the King himselfe, they cause and suffer to bee printed Tom Tell-truth; and other malicious libells, and scandalous, to defame Ma∣jestie, and bring it into contempt, and secretly publish them in Brabant and Flan∣ders.

Consider also how presumptuously they only use the fishing on your coasts with∣out licence, and challenge it as a due to them, which the French never durst doe.

Besides you may discerne clearely what insolency Armata semper militia ever

groweth unto, and I can witnesse how falsely they dealt with the Earle of Leice∣ster and my Lord Willoughby, who was forced to write an Apology for himselfe against them.

And as for your glorious Father, I protest, for all his favours to them, (which were many and great) yet how shamefully they spake of him both living and dead, I cannot with modesty relate.

Nay they have dared to sheere the grasse from under their feete, and laugh at his councell; and therefore they have planted so many low-country-men in Eng∣land to serve their turne, who robbed you, and transported all your gold thither, that the States might make their benefit of it, which your Starre-chamber can well witnesse: and these men are yours externally, theirs in heart and affection, neither hath your Majesty cause to repose too much trust in them, for their Astrologer Dr. Fink long since foretold them of a Starre rising out of the east, which I perceive they long to see come into England, that they might adore him.

But to speake freely and loyally, it would be censured by forraigne Princes, as a great weaknesse in so wise a Prince to hazzard your owne safety, and the welfare of the Kingdome and the lives of your dearest Subjects for a cause so desperate.

And on the contrary part, to enter into amity and league with your ancient confederates, with Spaine, and all men of judgement, and impartiall, hold it most honourable and profitable.

Your leagues wi••h the house of Burgundy were ever wont to be tyed with a su••e knot and inviolable, even by Hen. 2. Rich. the 1. and Hen 3.

Edw. 1. bestowed upon Fland••rs and Brabant great pensions, as it appeareth by the records of the Exchequer.

Edw. 3. loved no nation better, and so did they him.

So long as Hen. 6. preserved amitye with the Netherlands, he prospered, and flourished.

Yea (say the enemies of peace) but now the case is altered, Burgundy was then in mediocrity, now it is in extreames, for the King of Spaine is growne too great, too potent, and seekes to over shadow his neighbours, and terrifie them with his titles of greatnesse, as if Iupiter would ravish Europa.

These are vaine thunderbolts of fancie: for, the benefites which the Realme may reape by peace with Spaine (being well setled) are of farre more advantage then can any way be expected by joyning with Holland. For thereby you shall againe establish commerce and traffique, set all trades on work in the Realme, enrich your merchants, advance your Staples, (which bee your Maiesties Indies) increase, or at least continue your customes, and so store and furnish your Exchequer by peace, which the warres will continu••ally exhaust and draw drie.

Moreover by this peace, you may better hold Holland in awe, and a little restrain their insolency, by a virtus unita, and I see there is need to do so; if you wil bridle their headin••sse, you must keep them between hope and feare, neither make them despaire of your aide, by entertaining their enemies, nor give them cause to pre∣sume, by rej••cting the amity of Spaine. And so holding them in suspence, they wil seek by all good offices to win you, for they know that England onely can curbe

them, and advance their enemie. And so a state alwaies living in Armes must be u∣sed, because they are more dangerous neighbours then all others, and want neither will, nor meanes to offend, and by necessity are forced to respect onely themselves, and to use all extreame shifts to uphold so broken and corrupt a state.

And for that argument of the greatnesse of Spaine, I say it is therefore the greater honour to England, to have so great a Prince to seeke and imbrace your amity.

Philip the third 1604. sent the great Constable of Castile, with an olive branch in his hand to seeke peace, bury al offences, and reconcile the two Kingdoms with a perfect Amnestia, here you see their greatnesse is no obstacle to amity, and the rather, because there never was till of late, betweene England and Spaine any na∣tionall contention, nor any antipathy between the two crowns: but now there is; true, but ab initio non fuit sic: and cursed be he that would make variance continue perpetually betweene Kings and Realmes.

But that your Highnesse may know how great and entire the love and amity long continued betweene Spaine, Portugall and England hath been, the records shew, that Anno 36. Hen. 3. Alphonsus King of Castile made a league with England for him and his successors solemnly contra omnes homines, which he constantly ob∣served. So as when the French solicited a tru••e betweene them, he denyed cessati∣on of armes, and would hearken to no motions of a treaty, till King Edw. 2. did mediate for it, and the knot was so fast tyed betweene these two Realmes, that Edw. 1. did marrie Elenor the Kings sister, who proved a deare and loving wife un∣to him, and plausible to the whole Realme, in respect of which contract and mar∣riage, King Alphonsus renounced and r••signed to King Edw. all his right and title to Aquitaine.

And his love and amity still increased, for Iohn Protectour of Castile, Anno 18. Edw. 2. sent a thousand horse, and ten thousand foote to aide the King of England against France, and so afterwards 18. Edw 3. before he made his challenge and in∣vaded France, King Peter of Castile agreed with King Edw. mutually the one to aid the other, and the same King made the like league with Ferdinand King of Por∣tugall.

But of all others John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster, by his actions, his marriage, and his titles, did incorporate in a perfect union these two crownes, as if nature had determined by an holy Sacrament inviolably to couple and linke together these three Kingdoms, and by an union of blood to confirme that amity (for of him all the Kings of Spaine and Portugal are descended.)

Wherupon, after the civil warres in Eng. were ended (K. H. 7. a politick Prince) sought to match his Sonne Prince Arthur with the Lady Katherine of Spaine, that there might continue a perpetuall succession of consanguinitie between the two crownes, and therefore renewed the old league with Philip the first of Austria. an. 1505. the which continued warmely and faithfully untill the schisme and unkind∣nesse of Hen. 8. made some variance unfortunately betweene them

But all this notwithstanding, they object that the like is not hereafter to be ex∣pected of Spaine, which by the union and accesse of Austria, Portugall, and both

the Indies cannot be contained in any circle, nor tyed by any pact to hold friend∣ship with any Prince farther then he pleaseth.

These are the scar-crowes of Amsterdam, vaine and untrue, for Maximillian the Emperour after that great union, made a league with King Hen. 8. 1507. and held so good correspondency with him, that at Turvey he did his Maiesty the grea∣test honour that ever was done to England, to take a hundred crownes a day to serve under his standard, and he further promised King Henry to assist and aid him to take possession of the crowne of France.

Besides, Carolus 5. (on whom the greatnesse and glory of Spaine and Austria was most eminent and powerfull) did be not come to visit King Henry in Eng∣land? did he not make the treaties of entercourse with him, Anno 1515. and 1520? did he not confirme their amity by the treaty of Cambr••y, 1529? So as there was a reciprocall and inviolable friendship betweene them, till the Kings divorce from Queene Katherine, the disgrace of his Aunt, the schisme of England, and King Henries confederation with the French King, did much alien the Emperours heart from him: but it was no rooted hatred. For, notwithstanding all his supereminent of titles and Kingdomes, Anno 1543 they embraced one anothers friendship, and renued it againe, tractatu auctioris amicitiae.

And lastly, King Edw 6. being dead, the same Charles 5. (as if hee had foreseene how one of these crownes stood in neede of the other) married his legitimate son to Queene Mary; with such conditions as were most honourable and profitable. And after her death nothing but a quarrell of Religion ambition, and faction broke the bond, which prudently, and out of his temperate disposition, King Philip 3. la∣boured to tye a new, and binde with a faster knot, if his Royall offer had beene as wisely accepted, as by the Count of Villa Mediana it was nobly tendred.

By all which appeareth their folly and vanity, that thinke there can be no peace made with Spaine, nor articles kept, nor faith nor fidelity observed.

But consider, who can oppose this peace with reason. The Hollanders will I doubt not, and they have meanes and spies in your Court, I dare not say in your Councell, as others here confidently affirme that know it: but their quarrell is de capite; for which they seeke their owne ends, not yours, and though some of your puritan Subjects will dare to contradict it; yet let traffique be heard, and con∣sult with your merchants who can best tell where entercourse and commerce is to be for their most advantage.

And I am sorry that so religious a King, and so magnanimous as the King of France, for privatum odium, & singulare commodum, I should lay any block in the way of peace, yet your highnesse knoweth that France hath their particular ex∣ceptions and piques against Spaine, which no way concerne England, and pretend what they will for your good, it is their owne they seeke, and keepe Spaine low, and draw dry their finances, but you shall shew to the world both great policy and vertue to glorifie your judgement, if you can keep them both your friends, albeit, è duobus milibus utrum 〈◊〉〈◊〉 tibi ut, your Majesty and Councell can best judge.

Therefore, I beseech your Majesty consider what inconveniences may happen to England, if either you should bee councelled to restore the Palatine, or revenge his

quarrell in despight of justice, whom the law and justice have cast downe. For, cui bonos? it can be no honour to defend a mans errours, who might have said with Al∣binus, Arma ameus capio, let not a non putaram be laid to your charge. The Realme hath no such interest in the quarrell of Forreigners, but by alliance, and I should pit∣ty that Councellours weaknesse, who should advise your Highnesse to the contra∣ry; for nothing is so neere and deare to a King as his Crowne, and solus populi su∣preme lex est, it is not your case, but by consequence and participation, and if you would attempt to restore or revenge him by indirect courses, how are you provi∣ded to performe it? Vana est sine viribus ira, and to breake with Spaine, and doe the Palatine no good, is to damnifie England, undoe your merchants, and blemish the honour of your judgement.