BEcause the rumours are diuersly spred, as well in Englande as in the lowe countries and els where, of this late encounter be­tween her maiesties ships and the Armada of Spain; and that the Spaniardes according to their vsuall maner, fill the world with their vaine glorious vaunts, making great apparance of victories: when on the contrary, themselues are most commonly & shameful­ly beaten and dishonoured; therby hoping to possesse the ignorant multitude by anticipa­ting and forerunning false reports: It is agree­able with all good reason, for manifestation of the truth to ouercome falshood and vntruth; that the beginning, continuance and successe of this late honourable encounter of Syr Ri­chard Grinuile, and other her maiesties Cap­taines, with the Armada of Spaine; should be [Page] truly set downe & published without parciali­tie or false imaginations. And it is no maruell that the Spaniard should seeke by false & slan­drous Pamphlets, aduisoes and Letters, to co­uer their owne losse, and to derogate from o­thers their due honours, especially in this fight beeing performed farre of: seeing they were not ashamed in the yeare 1588. when they purposed the inuasion of this land, to publish in sundrie languages in print, great victories in wordes, which they pleaded to haue obteined against this Realme; and spredde the same in a most false sort ouer all partes of France, Italie, and elsewhere. When shortly after it was hap­pily manifested in verie deed to all Nations, how their Nauy which they termed inuinci­ble, consisting of 240. saile of ships, not onely of their own kingdom, but strengthened with the greatest Argosies, Portugall Caractes, Flo­rentines and huge Hulkes of other countries: were by thirtie of her Maiesties owne shippes of warre, and a few of our owne Marchants, by the wise, valiant, and most aduantagious conduction of the L. Charles Howard, high Ad­mirall of England, beaten and shuffeled togi­ther; euen from the Lizard in Cornwall: first to Portland, where they shamefully left Don Pedro de Valdes, with his mightie shippe: from Port­land to Cales, where they lost Hugo de Monca­do, with the Gallias of which he was Captain, and from Cales, driuen with squibs from their [Page] anchors: were chased out of the sight of Eng­land, round about Scotland and Ireland. Where for the sympathie of their barbarous religion, hoping to finde succour and assistance: a great part of them were crusht against the rocks, and those other that landed, being verie manie in number, were notwithstanding broken, slaine, and taken, and so sent from village to village coupled in halters to be shipped into Englād. Where her Maiestie of her Princely & inuin­cible disposition, disdaining to put them to death, and scorning either to retaine or enter­taine them: were all sent backe againe to their countries, to witnesse and recount the worthy achieuements of their inuincible and dread­full Nauy. Of which the number of souldiers, the fearefull burthen of their shippes, the com­manders names of euerie squadron, with all other their magasines of prouisions, were put in print, as an Army & Nauy vnresistible, and disdaining preuention. With all which so great and terrible an ostentation, they did not in all their sailing rounde about England, so much as sinke or take one ship, Barke, Pinnes, or Cockbote of ours: or euer burnt so much as one sheepcote of this land. When as on the contrarie, Syr Francis Drake, with only 800. souldiers not long before, landed in their In­dies, and forced Santiago, Santo Domingo, Carta­gena, and the Fortes of Florida.

And after that, Syr Iohn Norris marched [Page] from Peniche in Portugall, with a handfull of souldiers, to the gates of Lisbone, being aboue 40. English miles. Where the Earle of Essex himselfe and other valiant Gentlemen, braued the Cittic of Lisbone, encamped at the verie gates; from whence after many daies abode, finding neither promised partie, nor prouisiō to batter; made retrait by lād, in despight of all their Garrisons, both of Horse and foote. In this sort I haue a little digressed from my first purpose, only by the necessarie comparison of theirs and our actions: the one couetous of honor without vaunt or ostentation; the other so greedy to purchase the opiniō of their own affaires, & by false rumors to resist the blasts of their owne dishonors, as they will not only not blush to spread all manner of vntruthes: but euen for the least aduantage, be it but for the taking of one poore aduenturer of the English, will celebrate the victorie with bonefiers in e­uerie town, alwaies spending more in faggots, then the purchase was worth they obtained. When as we neuer yet thought it worth the consumption of two billets, when we haue ta­ken eight or ten of their Indian shippes at one time, & twentie of the Brasill fleet. Such is the difference betweene true valure, and ostenta­tion: and betweene honourable actions, and friuolous vaineglorious uaunts. But now to returne to my first purpose.

The L. Thomas Howard, with sixe of her [Page] Maiesties ships, sixe victualers of London, the barke Ralegh, and two or three Pinnases ri­ding at anchor nere vnto Flores, one of the Westerlie Ilands of the Azores, the last of Au­gust in the after noone, had intelligence by one Captaine Midleton, of the approch of the Spanish Armada. Which Midleton being in a verie good Sailer, had kept them eompanie three daies before, of good purpose, both to discouer their forces the more, as also to giue aduice to my L. Thomas of their approch. He had no sooner deliuered the newes but the Fleet was in sight: manie of our shippes com­panies were on shore in the Iland; some pro­uiding balast for their ships; others filling of water and refreshing themselues from the land with such thinges as they coulde either for money, or by force recouer. By reason whereof our ships being all pestered and ro­maging euerie thing out of order, verie light for want of balast. And that which was most to our disaduantage, the one halfe part of the men of euerie shippe sicke, and vtterly vnser­uiceable. For in the Reuenge there were nintie diseased: in the Bonauenture, not so many in health as could handle her maine saile. For had not twentie men beene taken out of a Barke of Sir George Caryes, his being comman­ded to be sunke, and those appointed to her, she had hardly euer recouered England. The rest for the most part, were in little better state. [Page] The names of her Maiesties shippes were these as followeth the Defiaunce, which was Admi­rall, the Reuenge Viceadmirall, the Bonauenture commanded by Captaine Crosse, the Lion by George Fenner, the Foresight by M. Thomas Va­uisour, and the Crane by Duffeild. The Foresight & the Crane being but smal ships; onely the o­ther were of the middle size; the rest, besids the Barke Ralegh, commanded by Captaine Thin, were victualers, & of small force or none. The Spanish fleete hauing shrouded their approch by reason of the Iland; were now so soone at hād, as our ships had scarce time to waye their anchors, but some of them were driuen to let slippe their Cables and set sayle. Sir Richard Grinuile was the last waied, to recouer the men that were vpon the Iland, which otherwise had beene lost. The L. Thomas with the rest ve­rie hardly recouered the winde, which Sir Richard Grinuile not being able to do, was per­swaded by the maister and others to cut his maine saile, and cast about, and to trust to the sailing of the shippe: for the squadron of Siuil were on his wether bow. But Sir Richard vt­terly refused to turne from the enimie, alled­ging that he would rather chose to dye, then to dishonour him selfe, his countrie, and her Maisties shippe, perswading his companie that he would passe through the two Squadrons, in despight of them: and enforce those of Siuill to giue him way. Which he performed vpon [Page] diuerse of the formost, who as the Marriners terme it, sprang their luffe, and fell vnder the lee of the Reuenge. But the other course had beene the better, and might right well haue beene answered in so great an impossibilitie of preuailing. Notwithstanding out of the greatnesse of his minde, he could not bee per­swaded. In the meane while as hee attended those which were nearest him, the great San Philip being in the winde of him &, comming towards him, becalmed his sailes in such sort, as the shippe could neither make way nor feele the helme: so huge and high carged was the Spanish ship, being of a thousand & fiue hun­drcth tuns. Who afterlaid the Reuenge aboord. When he was thus bereft of his sailes, the ships that wer vnder his lee luffing vp, also laid him aborde: of which the next was the Admi­rall of the Biscaines, a verie mightie and puy­sant shippe commanded by Brittan Dona. The said Philip carried three tire of ordinance on a side, and eleuen peeces in euerie tire. She shot eight forth right out of her chase, besides those of her Sterne portes.

After the Reuenge was intangled with this Philip, foure other boorded her; two on her larboord, and two on her starboord. The fight thus beginning at three of the clocke in the after noone, continued verie terrible all that euening. But the great San Philip ha­uing receyued the lower tire of the Reuenge, [Page] charged with crossebarshot, shifted hir selfe with all diligence from her sides, vtterly misli­king hir first entertainment. Some say that the shippe foundred, but wee cannot report it for truth, vnlesse wee were assured. The Spanish ships were filled with companies of souldiers, in some two hundred besides the Marriners; in some fiue, in others eight hundreth. In ours there were none at all, beside the Marriners, but the seruants of the commanders and some few voluntarie Gentlemen only. After many enterchanged voleies of great ordinance and small shot, the Spaniards deliberated to enter the Reuenge, and made diuers attempts, hoping to force her by the multitudes of their armed souldiers and Musketiers, but were still repul­sed againe and againe, and at all times beaten backe, into their own shippes, or into the seas. In the beginning of the fight, the George Noble of London, hauing receiued some shot thorow her by the Armados, fell vnder the Lee of the Reuenge, and asked Syr Richard what he would command him, being but one of the victulers and of small force: Syr Richard bidde him saue saue himselfe, & leaue him to his fortune. Af­ter the fight had thus without intermission, cōtinued while the day lasted & some houres of the night, many of our men were slaine and hurt, and one of the great Gallions of the Ar­mada, and the Admirall of the Hulkes both sunke, and in many other of the Spanish ships [Page] great slaughter was made. Some write that sir Richard was verie dangerously hurt almost in the beginning of the fight, and laie speechlesse for a time ere he recouered. But two of the Reuenges owne companie, brought home in a ship of Lime from the Ilandes, examined by some of the Lordes, and others: affirmed that he was neuer so wounded as that hee forsooke the vpper decke, til an houre before midnight; and thē being shot into the bodie with a Mus­ket as hee was a dressing, was againe shot into the head, & withall his Chirurgion wounded to death. This agreeth also with an examinati­on taken by Syr Frances Godolphin, of 4. other Marriners of the same shippe being returned, which examination, the said Syr Frances sent vnto maister William Killigrue, of her Maiesties priuie Chamber.

But to return to the fight, the Spanish ships which attempted to board the Reuenge, as they were wounded & beaten of, so alwaies others came in their places, she hauing neuer lesse thē two mightie Gallions by her sides, and aboard her. So that ere the morning, from three of the clocke the day before, there had fifteene seue­rall Armados assailed her; and all so ill appro­ued their entertainment, as they were by the breake of day, far more willing to harken to a composition, then hastily to make any more assaults or entries. But as the day encreased, so our men decreased: and as the light grew more [Page] and more, by so much more grew our discom­forts. For none appeared in sight but enemies, sauing one small ship called the Pilgrim, com­manded by Iacob Whiddon, who houered all night to see the successe: but in the mornyng bearing with the Reuenge, was hunted like a hare amongst many rauenous houndes, but escaped.

All the powder of the Reuenge to the last barrell was now spent, all her pikes broken, for­tie of her best men slaine, and the most part of the rest hurt. In the beginning of the fight she had but one hundreth free from sicknes, and fourescore and ten sicke, laid in hold vpon the Ballast. A small troupe to man such a ship, and a weake Garrison to resist so mighty an Army. By those hundred all was sustained, the voleis, bourdings, and entrings of fifteene shippes of warre, besides those which beat her at large. On the contrarie, the Spanish were alwaies supplied with souldiers brought from euerie squadron: all maner of Armes and pouder at will. Vnto ours there remained no comfort at all, no hope, no supply either of ships, men, or weapons; the mastes all beaten ouer board, all her tackle cut a sunder, her vpper worke al­togither rased, and in effect euened shee was with the water, but the verie foundation or bottom of a ship, nothing being left ouer head either for flight or defence. Syr Richard finding himselfe in this distresse, & vnable anie longer [Page] to make resistance, hauing endured in this fifteene houres fight, the assault of fifteene se­uerall Armadoes, all by tornnes aboorde him, and by estimation eight hundred shot of great artillerie, besides manie assaults and en­tries. And that himselfe and the shippe must needes be possessed by the enimie, who were now all cast in a ring round about him; The Reuenge not able to moue one way or other, but as she was moued with the waues and billow of the sea: commanded the maister Gunner, whom he knew to be a most resolute man, to split and sinke the shippe; that there­by nothing might remaine of glorie or victo­rie to the Spaniards: seeing in so manie houres fight, and with so great a Nauie they were not able to take her, hauing had fifteene houres time, fifteene thousand men, and fiftie & three saile of men of warre to performe it withall. And perswaded the companie, or as manie as he could induce, to yeelde them selues vnto God, and to the mercie of noneels; but as they had like valiant resolute men, repulsed so manie enimies, they should not now shorten the honour of their nation, by prolonging their owne liues for a few houres, or a few daies. The maister Gunner readilic condes­cended and diuers others; but the Captaine and the Maister were of an other opinion, and besought Sir Richard to haue care of them: al­leaging that the Spaniard would be as readie [Page] to entertaine a composition, as they were wil­ling to offer the same: aud that there being di­uerle sufficient and valiantmen yet liuing, and whose woundes were not mortall, they might doe their countrie and prince acceptable ser­uice hereafter. And (that where Sir Richard had alleaged that the Spadiards should neuer glorie to haue taken one shippe of her Maie­sties, seeing they had so long and so notably defended them selues) they answered, that the shippe had sixe foote water in hold, three shot vnder water which were so weakly stopped, as with the first working of the sea, she must needes sinke, and was besides so crusht & bru­sed, as she could neuer be remoued out of the place.

And as the matter was thus in dispute, and Sir Richard refusing to hearken to any of those reasons; the maister of the Reuenge (while the Captaine wan vnto him the greater party) was conuoyde aborde the Generall Don Alfonso Bassan. Who finding none ouer hastie to en­ter the Reuenge againe, doubting least S. Richard would haue blowne them vp and himselfe, and perceiuing by the report of the maister of the Reuenge his daungerous disposition: yeel­ded that all their liues should bee saued, the companie sent for England, and the better sorte to pay such reasonable ransome as their estate would beare, and in the meane season to be free from Gally or imprisonment. To this [Page] he so much the rather condescended as well as I haue saide, for feare of further losse and mischiefe to them selues, as also for the de­sire hee had to recouer Sir Richard Grinuile; whom for his notable valure he seemed great­ly to honour and admire.

When this answere was returned, and that safetie of life was promised, the common sort being now at the end of their perill, the most drew backe from Sir Richard and the maister Gunner, being no hard matter to diswade men from death to life. The maister Gunner finding him selfe and Sir Richard thus preuen­ted and maistered by the greater number, would haue slaine himselfe with a sword, had he not beene by force withheld and locked in­to his Cabben. Then the Generall sent ma­nie boates abord the Reuenge, and diuerse of our men fearing Sir Richards disposition, stole away aboord the Generall and other shippes. Sir Richard thus ouermatched, was sent vnto by Alfonso Bassan to remoue out of the Re­uenge, the shippe being maruellous vnsauerie, filled with bloud & bodies of deade, & woun­ded men like a slaughter house. Sir Richard an­swered that he might do with his bodie what he list, for he esteemed it not, and as he was car­ried out of the shippe he swounded, and reui­uing againe desired the companie to pray for him. The Generall vsed Sir Richard with all humanitie, and left nothing vnattempted that [Page] tended to his recouerie, highly commending his valour and worthines, and greatly bewai­led the daunger wherein he was, beeing vnto them a rare spectacle, and a resolution sildome approued, to see one ship turne toward so ma­ny enemies, to endure the charge & boording of so many huge Armados, and to resist and re­pell the assaults and entries of so many souldi­ers. All which & more, is confirmed by a Spa­nish Captaine of the same Armada, and a pre­sent actor in the fight, who being seuered from the rest in a storm, was by the Lyon of London a small ship taken, & is now prisoner in Lōndon.

The generall commander of the Armada, was Don Alphonso Bassan, brother to the Mar­quesse of Santa Cruce. The Admirall of the Bis­caine squadron, was Britan Dona. Of the squa­dron of Siuill, Marques of Arumburch. The Hulkes and Flybotes were commaunded by Luis Cutino. There were slaine and drowned in this fight, well neere two thousand of the ene­mies, and two especiall commanders Don Luis de sant Iohn, and Don George de Prunaria de Mallaga, as the Spanish Captain confesseth, be­sides diuers others of speciall account, wherof as yet report is not made.

The Admirall of the Hulkes & the Ascention of Siuill, were both suncke by the side of the Reuenge; one other recouered the rode of Saint Michels, and suncke also there; a fourth ranne her selfe with the shore to saue her men. Syr [Page] Richard died as it is said, the second or third day aboard the Generall, and was by them greatly bewailed. What became of his bodie, whether it were buried in the sea or on the lande wee know not: the comfort that remaineth to his friendes is, that he hath ended his life honou­rably in respect of the reputation wonne to his nation and country, and of the same to his po­steritie, and that being dead, he hath not outli­ued his owne honour.

For the rest of her Maiesties ships that en­tred not so far into the fight as the Reuenge, the reasons and causes were these. There were of them but six in all, wherof two but smal ships; the Reuenge ingaged past recouerie: The Iland of Flores was on the one side, 53. saile of the Spanish, diuided into squadrons on the other, all as full filled with soldiers as they could con­taine. Almost the one halfe of our men sicke and not able to serue: the ships growne foule, vnroomaged, and scarcely able to beare anie saile for want of balast, hauing beene sixe mo­neths at the sea before. If al the rest had entred, all had been lost. For the verie hugenes of the Spanish fleet, if no other violence had been offred, would haue crusht them between them into shiuers. Of which the dishonour and losse to the Queene had been far greater then the spoile or harme that the enemy could any way haue receiued. Notwithstanding it is verie true, that the Lord Thomas would haue entred between the squadrons, but the rest wold not [Page] condescend; and the maister of his owne ship offred to leape into the sea, rather then to con­duct that her Maiesties ship and the rest to be a praie to the enemy, where there was no hope nor possibilitie either of defence or victorie. Which also in my opinion had il sorted or an­swered the discretion & trust of a Generall, to commit himselfe and his charge to an assured destruction, without hope or any likelihood of preuailing: therby to diminish the strength of her Maiesties Nauy, & to enrich the pride & glorie of the enemie. The Foresight of the Queenes commanded by M. Th. Vauisor, per­formed a verie great fight, & stayd two houres as neere the Reuenge as the wether wold permit him, not forsaking the fight, till hee was like to be encompassed by the squadrōs, & with great difficultie cleared himselfe. The rest gaue di­uers voleies of shot, & entred as far as the place permitted & their own necessities, to keep the weather gage of the enemy, vntill they were parted by night. A fewe daies after the fight was ended, & the English prisoners dispersed into the Spanish & Indy ships, there arose so great a storme from the West and Northwest, that all the fleet was dispersed, as well the Indi­an fleet which were then come vnto them, as the rest of the Armada that attended their ar­riuall, of which 14. saile togither with the Re­uenge, & in her 200. Spaniards, were cast away vpon the Isle of S. Michaels. So it pleased them to honor the buriall of that renowned ship the [Page] Reuenge, not suffring her to perish alone, for the great honour she achieued in her life time. On the rest of the Ilandes there were cast away in this storme, 15. or 16. more of the ships of war; and of a hundred and odde saile of the Indie fleet, expected this yeere in Spaine, what in this tempest, & what before in the bay of Mexico, & about the Bermudas there were 70. & odde con­sumed & lost, with those taken by our ships of London, besides one verie rich Indian shippe, which set her selfe on fire, beeing boorded by the Pilgrim, & fiue other takē by Maister Wats his ships of London, between the Hauana and Cape S. Antonio. The 4. of this month of Nouē ­ber, we receiued letters from the Tercera, affir­ming y ^t there are 3000. bodies of mē remaining in that Iland, saued out of the perished ships: and that by the Spaniards own Cōfessiō, there are 10000. cast away in this storm, besides those that are perished betweene the Ilands and the maine. Thus it hath pleased God to fight for vs, & to defend the iustice of our cause, against the ambicious & bloudy pretenses of the Spa­niard, who seeking to deuourall nations, are themselues deuoured. A manifest testimonie how iniust & displeasing, their attempts are in the sight of God, who hath pleased to witnes by the successe of their affaires, his mislike of their bloudy and iniurious designes, purposed & practised against all Christian Princes, ouer whom they secke vnlawfull and vngodly rule and Empery.

One day or two before this wrack hapned to the spanish fleet, when as some of our priso­ners desired to be set on shore vpō the Ilands, hoping to be frō thēce trāsported into Englād, which libertie was formerly by the Generall promised: One Morice Fitz Iohn, sonne of old Iohn of Desmond a notable traitor, cousen german to the late Earle of Desmond, was sent to the English from ship to ship, to persuade them to serue the King of Spaine. The argu­ments he vsed to induce them, were these. The increase of pay which he promised to bee tre­bled: aduancement to the better sort: and the exercise of the true Catholicke religion, and safetie of their soules to all. For the first, euen the beggerly & vnnaturall behauiour of those English and Irish rebels, that serued the King in that presentaction, was sufficient to answere that first argument of rich paie. For so poore and beggerly they were, as for want of apparel they stripped their poore country men priso­ners out of their ragged garments, worne to nothing by six months seruice, and spared not to despoile them euen of their bloudie shirts, from their wounded bodies, & the very shooes from their feete; A notable testimonie of their rich entertainment and great wages. The se­cond reason was hope of aduancement if they serued well, and would continue faithfull to the King. But what man can be so blockishly ignorant euer to expect place or honour from [Page] a forraine king, hauing no other argument or perswasion then his owne disloyaltie; to bee vnnaturall to his owne countrie that bredde him; to his parents that begat him, and rebel­lious to his true prince, to whose obedience he is bound by othe, by nature, and by religion. No, they are onely assured to be imployed in all desperate enterprises, to be held in scorne and disdaine euer among those whom they serue. And that euer traitor was either trusted or aduanced I could neuer yet reade, neither can I at this time remember any example. And no man could haue lesse becommed the place of an Orator for such a purpose, then this Morice of Desmond. For the Earle his cosen be­ing one of the greatest subiects in that kingdō of Ireland, hauing almost whole contries in his possession; so many goodly manners, Castles, and Lordships; the Count Palatine of Kerry, fiue hundred gentlemen of his owne name and familie to follow him, besides others. All which he possessed in peace for three or foure hundred yeares: was in lesse then three yeares after his adhering to the Spaniards and rebel­lion, beaten from all his holdes, not so many as ten gentlemen of his name left liuing, him selfe taken and beheaded by a souldiour of his owne nation, and his land giuen by a Parla­ment to her Maestie, and possessed by the En­glish. His other cosen Sir Iohn of Desmond takē by M. Iohn Zouch, & his body hanged ouer the [Page] gates of his natiue citie to bee deuoured by Rauens: the third brother Sir Iames hanged, drawne, and quartered in the same place. If he had withall vaunted of this successe of his owne house, no doubt the argument woulde haue moued much, and wrought great effect; which because he for that present forgot, I thought it good to remember in his behalfe. For matter of religion it would require a parti­culer volume, if I should set downe how irre­ligiously they couer their greedy and am­bicious pretences, with that vayle of pietie. But sure I am, that there is no kingdom or common wealth in all Europe, but if they bee reformed, they then inuade it for religion sake: if it be, as they terme Catholike, they pre­tende title; as if the Kinges of Castile were the naturall heires of all the worlde: and so betweene both, no kingdom is vnsought. where they dare not with their owne forces to inuade, they basely entertaine the traitors and vacabondes of all nations; seeking by those & by their runnagate Iesuits to win partes, and haue by that meane ruined many Noble hou­ses and others in this land, and haue extingui­shed both their liues and families. What good, honour, or fortune euer man yet by them achiued, is yet vnheard of, or vnwritten. And if our English Papistes do but looke into Portugall, against whom they haue no pre­tence of religion, how the Nobilitie are put [Page] death, imprisoned, their rich men made a pray, and all sortes of people captiued; they shall find that the obedience euen of the Turke is easie and a libertie, in respect of the slauerie & tyrannie of Spaine. What they haue done in Sicill, in Naples, Millayne, and in the low coun­tries; who hath there beene spared for religi­on at all? And it commeth to my remem­brance of a certaine Burger of Antwerpe, whose house being entred by a companie of Spanish souldiers, when they first sacked the Citie, hee besought them to spare him and his goodes, being a good Catholike, and one of their own partie and faction. The Spaniardes answered, that they knew him to be of a good conscience for him selfe, but his money, plate, iewels, and goodes, were all hereticall, and therfore good prize. So they abused and tormented the foolish Flemming, who hoped that an Agnus Dei had beene a sufficient Target against all force of that holie and charitable nation. Nei­ther haue they at any time as they protest in­uaded the kingdomes of the Indies and Peru, and els where, but onely led thereunto, rather to reduce the people to Christianitie, then for either golde or emperie. When as in one onely Iland called Hispaniola, they haue wasted thirtie hundred thousand of the naturall peo­ple, besides manie millions els in other places of the Indies: a poore and harmelesse peo­ple created of God, and might haue beene [Page] won to his knowledge, as many of them were, and almost as manie as euer were perswaded thereunto. The Storie whereof is at large written by a Bishop of their owne nation cal­ Bartholome de las Casa, and translated into En­glish and manie other languages, intituled The Spanish cruelties. Who would therefore re­pose trust in such a nation of rauinous straun­gers, and especially in those Spaniardes which more greedily thirst after English bloud, then after the liues of anie other people of Europe; for the manie ouerthrowes and dishonours they haue receiued at our handes, whose weak­nesse we haue discouered to the world, and whose forces at home, abroad, in Europe, in In­dia, by sea and land; we haue euen with hand­fulles of men and shippes, ouerthrowne and dishonoured. Let not therefore anie English man of what religion soeuer, haue other opini­on of the Spaniards, but that those whom hee seeketh to winne of our nation, hee esteemeth base and traiterous, vnworthie persons, or vn­constant fooles: and that he vseth his pretence of religion, for no other purpose, but to be­witch vs from the obedience of our naturall prince; thereby hoping in time to bring vs to slauerie and subiection, and then none shall be vnto them so odious, and disdained as the traitours themselues, who haue solde their countrie to a straunger, and forsaken their faith and obedience contrarie to nature or re­ligion; [Page] and contrarie to that humane and ge­nerall honour, not onely of Christians, but of heathen and irreligious nations, who haue al­waies sustained what labour soeuer, and em­braced euen death it selfe, for their countrie, prince or common-wealth. To conclude, it hath euer to this day pleased God, to prosper and defend her Maiestie, to breake the purpo­ses of malicious enimies, of foresworne trai­tours, and of iniust practises and inuasions. She hath euer beene honoured of the worthiest Kinges, seruedby faithfull subiects, and shall by the fauour of God, resist, repell, and con­found all whatsoeuer attempts against her sa­cred Person or kingdome. In the meanetime, let the Spaniard and traitour vaunt of their successe; and we her true and obedient vas­salles guided by the shining light of her ver­tues, shall alwaies loue her, serue her, and obey her to the end of our liues.