The plain Englishman's historian, or, A compendious chronicle of England from its first being inhabited to this present year 1679 but more especially containing the chief remarques of all our Kings and Queens since the conquest, their lives and reigns, policies, wars, laws, successes, and troubles : with the most notable accidents, as dearths, tempests, monstrous births, and other prodigies that happened in each of their times respectively / by H.C.

CHAP. XXIV. Queen Elizabeth.

THis Virgin Princess, the Honour of our Nation, and Glory of her Sex, came to the Crown in the year 1558. and established the publick profession of the Protestant Re∣ligion, which as it made the Pope her mor∣tal enemy, so the same with the refusal of his suit instigated the King of Spain against her. The Queen of Scots being married to the French King, and he soon after dying, Queen Elizabeth could not but look upon her with a jealous Eye, and the Presbyterian Faction beginning to play Rex in Scotland, driving out their said Queen, she came into

England in the Year 1568, for aid, where she was deteined eighteen Years and at last beheaded, an Action that Reason of State can never excuse, from being a Blot in the fair Reign of our otherwise matchless Queen.

Anno 1569. A Rebellion broke out in the North, on pretence to have the Romish Religion reestablish'd, but was soon quash'd, some of the Inferiors hang'd, and ma∣ny of the great ones fled the Realm.

Pope Pius Quintus absolves all the Queens Subjects from their Allegiance, and curses all that obey her, by his Declaratory Bull, which in the Night was fastned upon the Bishop of London's Palace Gates, by one John Felton, who never fled, but in an af∣fected humour of Martyrdome, confess'd and justifyed the Fact, and was hang'd near the Place. If we consider the Duke of Buckingham's murder long after, and the manner of that Felton's Carriage, one shall find some agreement in their extravagan∣cies as well as Names.

Anno 1571, Sir Thomas Gresham having finisht his Building in Corn-hil, for the use of Merchants, the Queen going to see it, caused an Herauld with sound of Trumpet to name it the Royal Exchange.

In the nineteenth Year of her Reign at the Assizes at Oxford, as the Court was sitting, and one Jenks a Bookseller questi∣on'd for opprobrious Words against the Queen, they were suddenly surprized with a noisome Vapour, of which the Judg, Sheriff, divers Persons of Quality, and in all three hundred Persons died in fourty Hours.

The poor distressed States of Holland, offer to the Queen the Sovereignty and Possession of those Countries, but she re∣fused, only promised to mediate for them to the King of Spain for a safe Peace, but afterwards finding Don John of Austria, plotting to deprive her of her Life and Crown, she did assist them with Men and Money, without which they had never been able to subsist.

In Ireland there happen'd several Rebel∣lions fomented by the Pope and Spaniard, to quiet which cost the Queen great ex∣pence of Blood and Treasure, but they al∣ways ended with the overthrow of the Au∣thors.

On the 13 of November 1577. Captain Drake having before made several good Voiages to America, sets forth again with five Ships and a hundred sixty three Sea∣men,

for the Southern Sea, pafs'd the Stiaeghts of Magellan and at the Isle Moncha took out of a Spanish Ship four hundred pounds weight of Gold; in several places he found Ships with great quantities of Silver, and not a Porson in them, so inap∣prehensive were the Spaniards then in that Coast, not fearing of any Enemy; after this he met with and took the Cacofago, a great Spanish Ship, and took out of her, be∣sides Jewels, fourscore pounds weight of Gold, thirteen Chests of Silver coyned, and a vast quantity of other Silver, and continued on his Voiage, till in three Years time he had sailed round about the World, his Ship being laid up for a Monument at Deptford, and he Knighted.

About this time great means were used for a Marriage between the Queen and the Duke of Alanson, afterwards Anjou, brother to the French King, who came over into England, and was favourably received, but on a sudden the Match was broken off, and after many Years treaty came to no∣thing.

And now passing over lesser matters comes on the Year 1688, wherein the Spanish Armado styled invincible, consisting of one hundred and thirty Sail, 19290

Souldiers, 8350 Mariners, 2080 Gally∣slaves, and 2630 great Ordnance, invaded England, having first received the Pope's Blessing, who would needs have twelve of their best Ships called by the respective names of the twelve Apostles. This Navy was to bring over the Prince of Parma's Army, being fifty thousand old Souldiers, out of Flanders; but whilst they were wait∣ing for him, the Queen having by a Camp at Tilbury, twenty thousand men, laid on the Sea Coast, and a brave Army for de∣fence of her Person; secured the Land, set forth her Navy under the Lord Howard Admiral, and Drake Vice-Admiral, and af∣ter several Engagements and the Stratagem of Fire-ships, (then first used) utterly disper∣sed that vast Navy, above half their Ships being taken, destroyed, or lost, and the rest forced to fly round the North of Scot∣land to get home. A Victory never to be forgot by either England or Spain, for it's contrary Influence on their Affairs.

Anno 1594, Lopez a Jew, Physitian to the Queen, was executed for attempting to poison her. In 1600. the Earl of Essez having incurr'd the Queens Displeasure in Ireland, and more by scandalous Speeches, and a kind of open Rebellion at his House

in London, being condemned by his Peers is beheaded. On the 24th. of March, or last day of the year 1602. died Queen Eliza∣beth, having reigned above 44 years in as troublesom times as any, yet full of Honour, and most happy in the Love of her People.