hauens as particularly as I could; and within fewe dayes after, finding by him that the force, intended hither, was farre inferiour to that I spake of, and that there was some differens betweene the Pope and the King of Spaine for the charge, I tolde him that the surest course, and of least danger, were, to send a supplie into Scotland, where a small force would breede a great alteration, and, things being there established by the good liking of the King, I thought it was in him by a continuall warre, and by incursions, so to anoy this state, as her Maiestie here shoulde be forced to yeelde the libertie of the Scottish Queene, and what should thereupon haue bene reasonably demaunded for the benefite of Catholickes here. And herein I said it woulde be a great furtherance, if, at the same time, some fewe were landed in Irelande, where, although they abid the same hazarde that the former forces sustained, yet would the charge be so great to her Maiestie, and so great an occasion of dispersing of her forces, as a much lesse companie, then was spoken of first by me, would (being landed here in a conuenient place) shake the mindes of men generally, and be of force (if any thing) to drawe them to shewe themselues, in the furtherance of the purpose,

He vtterly reiccted the purpose for Irelande, and disliked not the purpose for Scotlande: But still he was in minde to haue forces landed here, and therefore desired ine verie earnestly to inquire particularly of the hauens on the side of Cumberland and Lancashire, and what men were dwelling there that were well affected in religion*, and what places easie to be taken, and what apt for fortification.

The next time that I went to the Spanish ambassadour, he found himselfe agrieued that he vnderstood matters were determined in Fraunce, without his priuitie; and tolde me that Parsons the Iesuite was gone to Rome, sent, as he thought, to vnderstand the Popes minde,

Soone after came ouer my brother Thomas, to make an ende of our accompt, and to perswade me to come ouer, assuring me that, for ought he could see in likelihood, the enterprise was neuer like to take effect. In the time of his being heere, and while I entertained intelligence with the Scottish Queene, concerning her libertie, the Spanish ambassadour sent for me, and told me of the comming ouer of Mope to view Sussex, and the hauens, and, as he thought, to take the best of accompt there: whereat he seemed to bee agrieued, for that such matters had not bene left to him, beeing one that they in Fraunce made belecue that they relyed vpon, principallie in this enterprise. Afterwardes, the ambassadour tolde me, that it was Charles Paget, and that he was retourned, but, where he had bene, hee knewe not, and, at the same time, I received a letter from Morgan, that it was Paget; but assuring me, and so willed me to assure the ambassadour, that his comming was not to moue any man, but onely to viewe the countrey, for that the moouing of any man was referred to him. I did so, and he intreated me to remember him for those foresaide names and hauens, saying that, so it were done exactly by the spring, it would suffice; for that sooner he saw no likelihoode of the execution of the enterprise,

⚫ viz. Popish.

My brother, hauing made an ende of his accompt with me, retourned with this resolution betweene vs, I protest before God, that, if the enterprise succeeded not betweene this and the next spring nowe past; that I woulde settle my things here and go ouer. And for this cause, he being gone, I went downe into the countrey, both to sell and take order for my land in those partes, as also to fetch the draught of gentlemen and hauens for the most part of England, which had bene set downe by me aboue two yeres since, and left behinde me at Feckenham in my studie.

Not finding the draught at Feckenham, I retourned to London, where I founde the note of names in secretarie hande, which I caried to the Spanish ambassadour, and there drewe that other in Romane hande in his studie, putting downe Chester to be taken, in respect of the casinesse, as I thought, and the rather to giue him incouragement in the matter. I left it with him, promising him that by the next spring I woulde perfect it, if I taried so long, making knowen vnto him, that I was had in suspition, and my determination to be gone; but he pressed the contrarie of me, asssuring me, that, if the enterprise proceeded not, he would then also depart.

Whether Sir Frauncis Englefielde were a dealer in this practise or no, I know not; but sure I am, for so the Spanish ambassadour tolde me, that Frauncis had intelligence with the said ambassadour all the time of his being here.

The Spanish ambassadour tolde me, that he heard the people of Northwales were generallie wel affected*, and therefore he desired to haue the hauens of that countrie: I tolde him, that hereafter I would help hime thereunto, although no good might be expected there, for the reasons by me set downe in my first confession: and hereupon, the day before mine apprehension, the ambassadour sent me backe the said paper in Romane hand, desiring me to set downe the same at my leasure more exactly, which was the cause that it was not in my greene veluet casket. The writings in my casket were such as were by me confessed, and came vnto my hands as I haue confessed.

I most humbly beseeche her most excellent Maiestie, that the extremitie which I haue alreadie sustained, and the causes by me discouered, to the safetie of her Maiestie and the state, not made knowen, as hath appeared, by any other meane then by my selfe, may craue at her handes the extending of her gratious commiseration towardes the relieuing of the lamentable estate of me, her Maiesties poore distressed subiect, and mine, if God for mine offences forbid not the same.

NOWE judge all yee, that be not peruersly affected, whether Throck morton be justly condemned, and whether his confessions, though, as he pretended, extorted from him by violence, be of force in lawe against him; he hath conspired to ouerthrowe the state, to bring in strangers to inuade the realme, to remoue her Maiestie from her lawfull and naturall right and inheritance to the Crowne of England, and to place a stranger in ber

To the Popish Faction.

seate. But this last point, for placing of a stranger, will, perchaunce, be denied; then note, that, in the whole course of the practise, the greatest barre to the prosecution of the enterprise was, they found no way how to put the Scottish Queene in safetie. Then, if these dangerous treasons be discouered by torture, the onely meanes left vnto princes to discouer treasons and attemptes against their states and persons, where they finde apparant matter to induce suspition, as in the case of Throckmorton, vpon sight of the plottes of hauens, &c.-, may the law touch the traitour, or not? If any man holde this question negatiuely, holde him for a friend to traitours and treasons, and an enemie to the Queene's Maiestie, whome God long preserue, and confound her enemies.

TREASON

PRETENDED AGAINST

THE KING OF SCOTS,

BY CERTAINE

LORDES AND GENTLEMEN,

Whose Names hereafter followe.

With a Declaration of the Kinges Maiesties Intention to his last Acts of

Parliament:

Which openeth fully in Effect all the saide Conspiracy.

OUT OF SKOTTISH INTO ENGLISH,

Imprinted at London, for Thomas Nelson, and are to be solde at the West Ende of Paules. 1585. Black Letter, octavo, containing twenty-four Pages.

The Coppie of a Letter sent from a Gentleman in Scotland, to a Frend of his in England, touching the Conspiracie against the Kinges Maiestie.

TH

My approved Friend, T. S.

HERE hath beene lately secret practising against the Kinges Maiestie of Scotland. But time serueth not nowe to set down the maner of their proceeding in the said attempt: I haue here sent to you the Kinges declaration to his last acts of parliament, and, for breuitie, haue set downe the names of the conspirators, which are as followeth. And thus, in hope you will accept my good will, I commit you to the Almightie. From Edenbrough, this 20 of Februarie, 1585.

Yours, Christopher Studley,

The Lord of Don Whasell.

The Lord of Dunkrith.

The Lord of Baythkicte.

Robert Hamelton of Yuchmachan.

M. Iames Sterling.

These wer apprehended at the Kinges court.

John Hoppignell of the Mores, apprehended at his owne house, by the captaine of the Kinges garde.

The Lord Keir and Lord Maius apprehended, with other gentlemen, about Sterling.

The Lord Blaketer and Georg Douglasse are sommoned to the court, upon suspition.

The Lord Don Whasell

The Lord Maius

}

executed.

The treason discouered by Robert Hamelton.

The Kinges Maiesties Declaration of his Acts confirmed in Parliament.

FORASMVCH as there is some euil affected men that goeth about, so farre as in them lieth, to invent lies and tales to slaunder and impaire the Kinges Maiesties fame and honour, and to raise reportes as if his Maiestie had declined to Papistrie, and that he had made many actes to abolish the free passage of the gospel, good order and discipline in the church: Which bruites are mainteined by rebellious subiects, who would gladly couer their seditious enterprises vnder pretense of religion, albeit there can be no godly religion in such as raiseth rebellion to disquiet the state of their natiue soueraigne, and periuredly doeth stand against the othe, band, and obligation of their faith, whereunto they haue sworne and subscribed; therefore, that his Maiesties faithfull subiects bec not abused with such slanderous reportes, and his Highnesse good affectionated friends in other countries may understand the veritie of his vpright intention, his Highnesse hath commaunded this briefe declaration of certaine of his Maiesties acts of parliament holden in May, 1584, to be published and imprinted, to the effect, that the indirect practises of such, as slaunder his Maiestie and his lawes, may be detected and discouered.

IN the first acte his Majestic ratifies and approues the true profession of the gospell, sincere preaching of the worde, and administration of the sacraments, presently by the goodnes of God established within this realme, and alloweth of the confession of faith set downe by acte of parliament, the first ycere of his Maiesties raigne, Likewise, his Highnesse not onely professeth the same in all sinceritie, but, praysed be God, is come to that ripenesse of iudgement, by reading and hearing the worde of God, that his Highnesse is able to conuince and ouerthrowe by the doctrine of the prophets and apostles, the most learned of the contrary sect of the aduersaries: So that, as Plato affirmeth, that com monwealth to be most happy, wherein a philosopher raigneth, or he that raigneth is a philosopher: We may much more esteeme this country of

Scotland to be fortunate, wherein our King is a diuine, and whose heart is replenished with the knowledge of the heauenly philosophy, for the comfort not onely of his good subiects and friends in other countreys, but of them that professeth the gospell euery where, he beyng a King of great wisedome, and, by his birthright, borne to great possessions, but much more his Highnesse, vertue, godlinesse, and learnyng, and daily increase of all heauenly sciences, doth promise and assure him of the mighty protection of God, and fauour of all them that fear his holy

name.

IN the second acte his Maiesties royal authority ouer all estates, both spirituall and temporall, is confirmed: Which acte, some of malice, and other some of ignorance, doth traduce, as if his Maiestie pretended to be called the Head of the Church; a name which his Maiestie acknowledgeth to be proper and peculiar to the Sonne of God, the Sauiour of the World, who is the head, and bestoweth life spiritual vpon the members of his misticall body; and he, hauyng receiued the Holy Spirite in all aboundance, maketh every one of the faithfull pertakers thereof, according to the measure of faith bestowed vpon them. Of the which number of the faithfull vnder the head Christ, his Maiestie acknowledgeth himselfe to be a member, baptised in his name, pertaker of the mysterie of the crosse and holy communion, and attending with the faithfull for the comming of the Lord, and the finall restitution of Gods elect. And notwithstanding his Maiestie surely vnderstandeth by -the scriptures, that he is the chief and principall member appointed by the lawe of God, to see God glorified, vice punished, and vertue maintained within his realme, and the soueraigne iudgement for a godly quietnesse and order in the commonwealth, to appertaine to his Highnesse care and solicitude. Which power and authoritie of his Highnesse, certaine ministers being called before his Maiestie for their seditious and factious sermons in stirring up of the people to rebellion against their natiue King (by the instigation of sundry vnquiet spirites) would in no wyse acknowledge but disclaime his Maiesties authoritie as an incomper tent iudge; and specially one called M. Andrew Meluile, an ambitious man, of a salt and fiery humour, vsurping the pulpit of Sandroyes, without any lawfull callyng, and priuie at that tyme to certaine conspiracies attempted against his Maiestie and crowne, went about, in a sermon vpon a Sunday, to inflame the hearts of the people, by odious comparisons of his Maiesties progenitours and counsaile, albeit the duetie of a faithfull preacher of the gospell be rather to exhort the people to the obedience of their natiue King, and not by popular sermons (which hath been the euersion and decay of great cities and commonwealths, and hath greatly, in times past, bred disquietnesse to the state thereby) to trouble and perturbe the countrey. The sayd M. Andrew, beyng called before his Highnesse, presumptuously answered, that he would not be iudged by the King and co unsaile, because he had spoken the same in pulpit, which pulpit, in effect, he alleged to be exempted from the judgement and correction of Princes, as if that holy place sanctified to the word of God, and to the breaking of the bread of life, might be any colour to any sedition in worde or deede, against the lawfull authoritie,