ALthough the Queenes Maiestie as a So­ueraigne Prince, and Queene, is not (for respect of any person) bounde to make accompte, or declare to the world the causes for iusti­fication of any her publike actions: yet least any sinister, or doubtfull interpretation should be made, by the diuersitie of opinions, either of Strangers, or of her owne naturall [Page 2] Subiects, of her present preparations of a Nauy, and an Army, nowe committed to the Earle of Essex, as her Generall, with di­uers Noble men, and other persons of cre­dite and reputation, to serue with him both by Sea and Land: Her Maiestie would haue it vnderstood for a very trueth, that shee is mooued hereunto, onely for defence of the State of her owne Kingdomes, and people, against the apparant preparations of great Forces, put in readinesse by the King of Spaine, to offend her Maiestie sundry wayes, and specially to inuade her Realme of Ireland. In which desseigne he was so farre proceeded in the beginning of this last Winter, that he had amassed together as great a number of Ships to serue in the said action, as he could furnish from all partes of his Dominions, or could recouer, by imbarging all other Ships of seruice, which came for trade into Spaine or Portugall. And yet such was the prouidence of God, contrary to that Kings hope, and in­tention, (by hastning of his Enterprise in a time vnlooked for) to surprise some place in England or Ireland, before her Maiestie could haue had her owne Force in readinesse, shee still prouiding (but that shee is dayly prouo­ked) to haue liued in Peace, which shee pro­fesseth to wish both to her selfe, and all Chri­stendome, as it pleased him who from Hea­uen [Page 3] with Iustice beholdeth all mens purpo­ses, condemning the tyrannous disturbers of the worlde, and comforting such as for Peace withstand violence) suddenly and most strangely to drowne and make vnseruiceable diuers of his best Ships of warre, being vn­der sayle comming from Lisbone, and very neere to the destined Hauen of Ferroll, with destruction of no small numbers of souldiers and Mariners. Amongst which, many of those Irish Rebels of all sortes of professions both tituler Bishops, and other Irish people, that were entertained in Spaine, to haue ac­companied either that Nauie or some part thereof into Ireland, were also cast away. By which manifest acte of Almighty God, that Armie was so weakened, as the same coulde not put to the Seas, according to his former desseigne: and yet neuerthelesse, as it mani­festly hath appeared, the King of Spaine not being warned by this iust punishment by Gods ordinance, without resistance by any outward Force, but forgetting howe by the fauour of Almighty God, his proud Nauie in the yeere eightie eight, was ouerthrowen by our Forces, and notwithstanding his losse at Cales by her Maiesties Armie, which shee was in like sort constrained for her safetie to defeate, (all being but the preparatiues to some dangerous action against her) such is [Page 4] still his malice, (although he finde that both by God and man he is impeached in his in­iust pretences,) as he hath hastened to make all maner of new preparations of Shipping, and of men and victuall, and munitions, greater then all Spaine and Portugall coulde yeeld, & therefore hath sent into Italie, and to the East Countreyes for all things necessarie to repaire his Armie at Ferroll, to pursue his former purpose, and in the meane time hath sent certaine Captaines in sundry small Ves­sels, with a remnant of some Irish Fugi­tiues into Ireland, to animate the Rebels to be obstinate in their Rebellion, vntill hee might send them succours, not onely feeding the Principals with hope of vaine Titles, and Dignities, but plainely auowing the v­surpation of the whole Realme for himselfe, to the depriuation of her Maiesties Crowne and State of that Kingdome, a matter so farre knowen, and prooued, as besides that, it is most notorious, that his Army was in October last on the high way towards their iourney, the Capitall Traytour Tyrone him­selfe, hath sent to her Gouernour of that Realme, a letter signed with the King of Spaines owne name, to the purposes afore­saide. Nowe then that these the King of Spaines actions and purposes, are manifestly knowen, & the reparation of his Nauy dayly [Page 5] laboured, and an Army newly leuyed, with all necessaries of Victuall and Munition, brought to Ferroll fit for such an enterprise, so as his sending to the Seas (assoone as those difficulties are ouercome) is dayly ex­pected, and so publikely diuulged without gi­uing colour for any other purpose. And seeing her Maiestie doeth finde the Rebels in Ire­land persist still in generall expectation to be relieued with a Spanish Nauie: Her Maiestie of her Princely prouidence for the safetie of both her Kingdomes, doth appeale to all the world whether shee be not necessarily infor­ced, to send out this Army to the Seas, to re­sist & diuert all Acts of Hostilitie which that Army of Spaine, might nowe this Sommer time attempt against either of her realmes of England or Ireland, her Nauy being compoun­ded of a competent number of her Maiesties owne Shippes of warre without burdening of her Subiects for seruice with their Port ships (as in former times) but retaining the Admirall of her Kingdome in readines with the rest of her Royall Shippes, to withstand all other accidents that might appeare dan­gerous in these parts neere her. To all which courses her excellent Maiestie being thus prouoked, this her purpose may and ought not onely to be allowed, but fauoured, & fur­thered by all Christian Princes, States, and [Page 6] people, the same being so affected generally by her owne Subiects as she is iustly moued to denie the sutes of great numbers of her Nobilitie & valiant Gentlemen, who hauing importuned her for leaue to serue as Volun­taries in this Voyage, shee hath stayed great part of them to doe her seruice at home. And therefore little doubteth, but by continuance of Gods fauour (whereof shee hath hy sun­dry speciall and notable blessings had singu­lar demonstration) to preserue her King­domes by her Forces, thus timely prouided, and shadowed vnder the fauour of Almighty God, who hath hitherto, and will here­after see these Spanish, proude, and vniust at­tempts, made frustrate, whereby the King may by the chastisement of the Almightie God of Hostes, bee induced to liue in Peace with his neighbours, which all iust Princes propound for an ende of all their Martiall actions.