BOOK "would join her forces with his, against them and their "fautors.

II.

Anno 1576.

The danger

ed of the

"That in his way to don John he should confer secretly "with some of the chiefest of the States; and to persuade "them to demand nothing that was unfit for subjects to “ask, or a prince to grant. Otherwise they should, what"soever in word they professed, declare their inward meaning to be other than they pretended.

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"And that if don John should not yield to reasonable "requests, but would prosecute the matter with force, she "minded not to see them oppressed, but would aid them "by all the good means she might.

"That if he could learn the said States' proceedings and "intelligence with France; to dissuade them from the same; as well by offering them assistance from hence, as by threatening; and assuring them, that she would join with "don John to impeach their said intelligence.

"That while he remained with don John, to observe all "his actions, both secret and other, as much as he could: "what forces he had, or was like to have, and from whence: "how he was affected towards her majesty: how he was persuaded of her sincere meaning touching the king of Spain: how he accepted and liked that she should interpose herself as a mediator between the king and his sub"jects.

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"And lastly, that he demand of don John restitution "and recompence of all things taken away in Antwerp; "and of all wrongs offered to her majesty's subjects and "merchants there, in the late massacre; with liberty and "safe conduct for them all to depart from thence, with their goods that were left, and ships; according to the good 66 amity and intercourse betwixt her realms and those Low "Countries."

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The

queen was the more jealous of the disturbances in apprehend- those Low Countries, because she was informed of the French aid- French designs there, upon their application to them for States. Ti- aid: which she by no means liked of, (as appeared above,)

ing the

tus, B. 2.

I.

as being a course to betray them to their enemies. And CHAP. this a notable paper of intelligence discovered, being sent from somebody nameless in those Low Countries; adding Anno 1576, this advice in the conclusion, which was as follows:

"They are about to play such a tragedy in this country, 403 "touching matters of the state and religion, as if her ma- Intelligence "jesty do not bear therein such a part as she ought, she is "like, out of hand, to see what she would not.

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"The duke of Alençon prepareth great forces in France, "which will be in a readiness before midsummer. He doth "openly confess that he doth nothing without his brother's "will and consent; without the which, men of judgment "had never any great hope of him. Hereby the end of his departure from the king is known. And indeed it could "no longer be hidden from those that are acquainted with "Bussis voyage to Paris, and his conference had with the "duke of Guise, the Spanish ambassador, and such like. "His demands of the States are very small, and in effect "almost of no weight. He promiseth to drive don John "out of the country at his own costs and charges. After "which time, if they do resolve to change their lord, he "prayeth to be preferred before any other. He giveth it

out, that he will give an example, or pattern, in these "countries, of the manner how he meaneth to carry him"self in two enterprises, which he intendeth against two

kingdoms, which he nameth to be Naples and Sicilia. But "it is feared the nations he meaneth are nearer unto France, [viz. England and Ireland.]

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"He must needs shoot at one of these two marks. The "first, and that which is most to be feared, under colour "of assisting the States, to oppress them. Which is ga"thered by three sound reasons: first, by his former deal"ing towards these of the religion. Secondarily, by the "interest that the crown of France hath in the example of "dissolving or reforming of this state, [viz. to bring it "under a more arbitrary government.] And thirdly, by "the amity and secret intelligence which the king, his bro

thereof sent

over.

Titus, B. 2.

Cott. Libr.

II.

BOOK "ther, and he, have with the Spaniard: having lately pro"cured a truce between the Turk and him, for the furtherAnno 1576.❝ance of his affairs in these parts. By this first mark, the " tyrannous authority of the Spaniard shall be established "in these countries; to their prejudice that know the in"conveniencies likely to follow of the same, and have opposed themselves thereunto.

"The other mark is, to be pricked forward with desire "of greatness, by winning these countries, or a great part ❝of the same, to the crown of France: which, in outward "show, he seemeth to pretend. And being come with great "forces, and having great intelligence in the said countries, "to lay wait for duke Casimire's person, to despatch him "out of the way; the better afterwards to deal with those "of the religion: which have none elsewhere to trust unto "in Germany but him. And finally, that having possessed "himself of these countries, France may be able on every "side to overtop England, while they do practise new "troubles in Scotland.

"Having these two strings to his bow, he doth so ear"nestly press the States here in this negociation; as whe"ther it be to their liking or disliking, he is fully resolved "to come. The poor men having, as the common proverb "is, the wolf by the ears, cannot resolve whether it should 404" be less hurtful and dangerous for them to have his open enmity, by refusing of him; or to have him in continual jealousy, by accepting him to them.

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"To meet these two inconveniencies, the queen is to use "two remedies. The one is, the war earnestly followed; "the other is, to procure a peace. But that would hinder greatly her majesty's affairs. For that by such means "the Spaniard would be put again in authority, if not as great as heretofore, yet likely to come to that, by the only accident of the prince of Orange's death, if he should happen to die. Besides, her majesty should greatly discourage such as were devoted unto her here, by procur"ing unto them a very hurtful and dangerous peace. And

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I.

"further, there is small likelihood here of acceptation of CHAP. "peace, the change of the lord, or alteration of the state, "being intended, if not already resolved on.

"It remaineth that the queen should take in hand a se"cret war, by strengthening duke Casimir, in such sort as " he may be able secretly in her name to make head against "the king and his brother, as long as he shall be here; and "to send him over into France, if need should require, to "divert the course of their enterprises. For it will be more profitable and necessary, that in case this state be driven "to change master, they should rather choose a new one, "than by yielding themselves unto France, to make the "same so strong, that they may be able to bridle their "neighbours.

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"For which purpose it were requisite her majesty did "not only secretly strengthen the said duke Casimir with "the two thousand corslets already required, but also with as many more at her own charges: to the end, that hav❝ing armed him to withstand all enterprises against her, he 66 may do her some worthy service in these troublesome "times, and upon this so happy occasion; as, if her majesty "do not take her benefit of it now, she is not like to have "the like again."

This Casimir was son of Frederick, elector palatine of the Rhine; who came into the Low Countries about this time, or before, to assist the States: to whom queen Elizabeth sent supplies, according to the advice above given. And so also came d'Alençon. But with what success, I leave it to the historians of those Low Country wars to relate.

Anno 1576.

tection:

But the great desire and endeavour of those of the Low Reasons for Countries, and their friends here, was to bring the queen to States untaking the receive them under her protection, and to take the govern- der her proment of them upon her, with convenient forces: which they earnestly offered her majesty; having no great inclination to venture themselves with the French: under one of the two they found it necessary to commit themselves. And for what reasons and considerations the queen should accept their offer, a discreet and knowing merchant, (whose name

BOOK was W. Villers,) then at Middleburgh, thus wrote to a great II. lord, lord Burghley, as I think: out of whose original letAnno 1576. ter, dated March 26, I had the ensuing lines, viz.

In a letter to a statesman in

England.

"And for further intelligence, it may please your honour to understand, it is no small grief unto me to hear "in this country that which I do hear; considering the "offers that have been made by his excellency [the prince 405" of Orange] and the states of the countries, to her ma“jesty; and to be utterly refused [viz. to take them into "her protection, and openly to aid them against the king "of Spain's tyranny.] I cannot think but that there are some great hinderers of the same; wherein they may "have a good meaning. But I beseech Almighty God to 66 open their eyes, and to turn their hearts; that they may "rather be helpers and setters forward of noble and worthy "deeds, than to be hinderers thereof.

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"There never could have happened the like safety to "our most worthy queen and country, as for her majesty "to have such a government offered unto her; the which "without comparison are the strongest, and of the greatest "consequence, that be in the world. God preserve and

keep her majesty from the malice of her enemies and 66 ours, and grant that she may long reign over us: Amen. "If it be true, that her majesty hath utterly refused the “offer, (as it is here said she hath,) undoubtedly it will fall "into the government of the French, or it be six months. "It is of a very truth, that there is at this present with the

prince certain commissioners out of France for the same. "And it is said there shall come ten thousand men from "thence, if her majesty do refuse the same. And for the "good wills of the French towards us, we do well know

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they do make account of us to be their ancient enemies: "and if the kings of England, in times past, did find it was "not for the safety of our realm to have such a neighbour "as Calais was, before it was taken by king Edward the "Third, how much more are we to consider of these coun"tries, and of the consequence of them every way; and "what will follow, if the French may once possess them?