First it is well observed by the wisedome of our State, that the king of England (who otherwise is one of the most accomplishte princes that ever reigned) extreamely huntes after peace, & so affects the true name of a Peacemaker, as that for it he will doe or suffer any thing: & withall they haue behelde the generall bounty & munificence of his mind, & the necessity of the state, so exhausted as that it is vnable to supplie his desires, who only seekes to haue, that he might giue to others. Vpon these advantages they haue giuen out theire di= rections & instructions both to me & others, & I haue observed them so farre as I am able. And for this purpose whereas there was a marriage propounded betwixte them & vs, (howsoever I suppose our State too devoute to deale with heretikes in this kind in good earneste,) yet I made that a Cover for much intelligence & a meanes to obteine whatsoever I desired, whilste the State of England longed after that warr. hoping thereby though vaine= ly to settle peace & fill the exchequer Exchequor. Here the Archbishop of Toledo Inquisitor generall, stept vp, & interrupted Gon= damor, saying, that maarriage was not to be thought vpon. 1. For Re= ligions sake, leaste they should endanger the soule of th younge Ladie, & the reste of her company, who might become heretikes. 2 For the State, leaste by giving so large a portion to heretikes, they should enriche & enable them, for warre, & impoverish & weaken the Catholics.

To the first objection the Popes Nuncio answered that his Holines for the Catholic Cause would dispense with the marriage though it were with a Turke or an infidell. & .1. thaat there was no valuable danger in hazarding one for the gaine of many, perhaps of all. 2 that it was no hazarde since women (especiallie young ones) are too obstinate to be removed from theire opinions, & abler to worke Salomon to theire opinions, then Salomon to worke them to his faithe. 3 that it was a greate advantage to matche with such, from whom, they might breake at pleasure, having the Catholic cause for a colour, & besides (if neede were) be at libertie in all respects, since there was no faithe to be kepte with heretikes. & if his Holiness may dispence with the murthers of suche, & dispose of theire Crownes (as what good Catholic doubts but he may much more may he & will he in theire marriages to prevent the leprous seede of heresie, & settle the Catholic bloud in the chayer of State. To the second objection the Embassador him= selfe answered saying that the English generally hated the matche & would as he thought buy it of, with halfe theare estates, (hating the nation of Spanyards & theire religion, (as appeered by aan vproare & assaulte (a day or two before his departure from London) by the ap= prentices who seemed greedie of such an occasion, to vente theire owne splene in doing him or any of his a mischiefe) yet two sortes of people vnmeasurablie desire the matche might proceede. 1. The beg= ging & beggerly Courtiers, that they might haue to furnish theire wants. 2 The Roman Catholikes who hope thereby at leaste for a mode= ration of theire Fines & lawes, perhaps a Toleration, yea a totall Re= stauration stauration of theire Religion in England. In which regarde, quoth he, I haue knowne some zealous persons proteste, that if all theire frends & halfe their estates could procure them to the service of our Ladie (if she came to be married to theire prince) they would freely use the meanes, faithful= lie to fight vnder her colours when they might doe it safelie. And if it came to portion they would contribute largelie of theire estates to the Spanish Collector, & make vp halfe the portion, out of themselues, perhaps more; so that by this marriage it might be so wrought that the State should rather be robd’e & weakened (which is our ayme) then strength= ned, as the English vainly hope. Besides in a smalle time, they should worke so farre into the bodie of the State by buying offices & the like, whether by Sea or Land, of justice Civill or ecclesiasticall, in Church or State (all being for mony exposed to sale) that with the helpe of the Iesuites, they would vndermine them with meere witte without gun-powlder, & leave the king but a fewe subjects whose faithes he might relye vpon, whilste they were of a faithe adverse to his, for what Catholic bodie that is sounde at the hearte can abide a Corrupte & hereticall heade. With that the duke of Medina del cio Secco president of the Councell of warre, & one of the Councell of State rose vp and said, his predecessors had felte the force & witte of the English in 88, & he had cause to doubte that the Catholics them= selues that were English & not fullie Iesuited, vpon any forraine invasion, would rather take parte with theire owne king, though an here= tike, then with his Catholic Majestie a stranger. The Embassador desired him to be of another mind since First for the persons, theire bodies by long disuse of armes, were disabled & theire mindes effe= minated, by peace & luxury; farre from that they were in 88, when they were fleshte in our bloude, & made heartie by customary con= quests, & for the affection of those they call recusants (quoth he) I knowe the bitternes of theire inveterate malice, & haue seene f so farre into their natures, as I dare say they will be for Spain against all the world. Yea (quoth he) I assure your Honors, I could not imagine so basely of this king & State, as I haue hearde them speake; nay theire rage hath so perverted their iudgment, that what I my selfe have seene & hearde pro= ceede from theire king, beyond admiration even to astonishment, they haue slightly misreported, scorned, & perverted, to his disgrace, & my rejoicing, I magnifying in the meane time our defects as graces.

Here the Duke Pastrana presidente of the Councell of Italy steps vp, & said he had latelie reade a booke of one Cambden called his Anna= les where writing of a treatie of marriage long since betwixt the English Elizabeth & the French Duke of Anjou, he there observes that the marriage was not seriously eentended on either side, but politikely pretended by both States, counterchangeablie, that eche might effecte theire owne endes. & here quoth he the English had the better, & I haue some cause to doubte, since they can dissemble as well as we, that he they haue theire aimes vnderhand as we haue, & entende the matche as litle as we doe, & this quoth he I believe the rather, because their king as he is wise to consulte & consider, so he is a constant maister of his worde, & hath written & giuen strong reasons against matches made with persons of contrary religion, which reasons no other man can answer & therefore doubtles will not goe from, or counsell his sonne to forsake, those rules laid downe so deliberatelie. Your Excellency mistakes (quoth the Embassador) the advantage was then on the side of the English, because the French sought the matche, nowe it must be on ours, because the English seeke it, who will grante any thing rather then breake of, & besides haue no patience to temporise & dissemble in this or in any other kind designe, as the French haue long since well observed, for theire necessities will giue them neither time nor reste, nor hope elsewhere to be supplied. As for this king I can= not serche into his hearte, I must believe others that presume to knowe his mind, heare his wordes, & reade his writings, & these relate what I haue deliuered: but for the reste of the people, as the number of them, that be truly religious, are ever the leaste & for the most parte of leaste accompte, so it is there, where if an equall opposition be made betweene theire truly religious & ours, the re= mainder, which will be the greatest number, will stand indifferent & fall to the stronger side, where there is most hope of gaine & glo= ry, for these two are the gods of the magnitude & the multitude. Nowe these see apparantlie no certaine supplies of theire wants but from vs. Yes quoth the Duke for even nowe you said the generall state loathing this matche would redeeme the feare halfe of theire estates. thereof with halfe theire goods. It is therefore but calling a Par= liament, & the busines were soone effected. A Parliament quoth the Embassador nay therein lies one of the principall services I haue done, in working such dislike between the king & the lower house by the endeavour of that Honorable Earle & admirable engine (a sure servant to vs & the Catholic cause while he liued) as the king will never endure Parliament againe, but rather suffer absolute wante then re= ceive conditionall relife reliefe from his subjects. Beside the mat= ter was so cunningly carried, the last Parliament that as in the powder- plot the fact effected should haue beene imputed to the Puritans (the greatest zealots of the Caluinian secte) so the propositions which dammed vp the proceedings of this Parliament howsoever they were invented by Roman Catholics & by them intended to disturbe that Session, yet were propounded in favour of the Puritans (as if they had beene hammered in theire forge, which very name & shadowe the king hates it being a suffficient aspersion to disgrace any person to say he is such, & a sufficient barre to stoppe any suite & vtterly to crosse it, to say it smelles of, or enclines to, that partie. Moreover there are so many about him, which blowe this coale fearing theire owne states, if a Parliament should enquier into theire actions, that they vse all theire arte & industrie to withstand such a Councell, persu= ding the king he may rule by his absolute prerogatiue without a Parliament & thus furnish him by marrying with vs, & other domestike projects, without Subsidies, when levying of Subsidies & taskes haue beene the only vse Princes haue made of such assemblies. and where= as some free mindes among them ( resembling our Nobilitie who preserve the priviledge of Subjects against Soveraigne invasion) call for the course of the Common lawe, (a lawe proper to that nation) these other timeservers cry the lawes downe & cry vp the prerogatiue, whereby they pray vpon the subjecte, by suites & exactions, milke the State that is pore, procure themselues much suspition among the better & more judicious sorte, & hate among the oppressed commons. & yet if there should be a Parliament such a course is taken, as they shall never choose theire Shire knights & burgesses freely, who make the greater parte of the bodie thereof; for these being to be elected by most voices of Freeholders in the Coun= try where such election is to be made, are carried which way the greate persons who haue lands in those countries please, who by theire letters commande theire Tenants, followers, & frends to nomi= nate such as adheare to them, & for the most parte are of our faction, & respecte theire owne benefite or grace, rather then theire countries good; yea the Country people themselues, will every one stand for the greate man theire Lord or neighbour or Maister, without regard of his honestie wisedome or religion. That which they aime at (as I am assured, by faithfull intelligence) is to please theire Landlords & so renue theire lease; in which regarde they will betray theire country & religion too, & electe any man that may most profite theire particuler. Therefore it is vnlikely there should be a Parliament & be impossible the king’s debts should be payd his wants sufficiently re= payred, & himselfe lefte full handed with such a course, & indeed (which is generally thought) by any course but by a marriage with vs; for which cause whatsoever projecte we liste to attempte, enters safelie at that dore, whilste theire policy lyes asleepe, & will not see the danger. I haue made triall of these particulers & found fewe exceptions in this generall rule. Thereby I & theire owne wants together haue kepte them from furnishing theire Navie, which being the walle of theire Iland & once the strongest in Christendome, lies nowe at rode vnarmed, & fitte for ruine. If ever we doubted theire strngth by Sea, nowe we neede not; there are but fewe shippes or men able to looke abroade, or to liue in a storme, much lesse in a Sea-fight. This I effected by bearing them in hande, the furnishing of a Navie bredde suspition in my Maister, & so would averte his minde from this matche the hope of which rather then they would loose, they would loose almost theire hope of heaven. Secondlie all the voyages to the Easte Indies I permitte rather with a colourable resistance, then a seri= ous, because I see them not helpefull, but hurtefull to the State in gene= rall, Carrying out gould & siluer, bringing some spice, silkes, feathers & the like toies, (an insensible wasting the common stocke) of coine & of bullion whilste it filles the Custome-house & some private purses who thereby are inabled to keepe this discommoditie on foote by bribes, especially so many greate persons (even Statesmen) being venturers & sharers in the gaine. besides this wasteth theire marriners, not one of x returning, which I am gladde to heare for they are the men we stand in feare of.

Thirdly as for theire West Indian voyages I withstand them in ernest, because they beginne to inhabite there, & to fortifie themselues & may in time there perhaps raise another England to withstand our newe Spain in A= merica, as this ould England opposeth our present state & cloudes the glo= rious extent thereof in Europe. Besides there they trade for commodi= ties without waste of theire treasure, & often returne gould for kniues glasses or like treasures trifles & that without such losse of theire mar= riners as in other places. Therefore I cross’de whatsoever entendments were projected for Virginia, or the Bermudaes, because I see they may be hereafter reallie helpefull vnto them, as nowe they serve for draines to vnloade theire populous state, which else would overflowe its owne bankes by continuance of peace, & turne heade vpon it selfe to make a bodie fitte for any rebellion. And so farre haue I prevailed herein, as I caused most of the Recusants, who were sharers, to withdraw theire ventures & to discourage the worke; so that besides private persons (vnable to effecte much) nothing was done by the publike purse, & we knowe by experience such voyages & plantations are not effected without greate meanes to susteine greate difficulties, & with an vnwearied re= solution & power, to meete all hazards & disastres, with strong helpes & continuall supplies, or else the vndertaking proves idle. Fourth= ly by this meanes likewise I kepte the voluntarie supplies forces from Venice , till it was almoste too late to set out, & had a hope that worke of secry secrecy shoud haue broken forthe to action, before these could haue arrived to succour them. Fiftly I put harde for the Cautionary townes, which our late king Philip of happie memory so aimed at (ac= compting them the keies of the Lowe-countries) that they might be deli= uered to his Catholic Majesty as to the proper owner, & perhaps had prevailed but that the profeste enemie to our State & Church (who died shortlie after) gaue Councell to restore them to the rebellious States, as one that knewe populer commonwealths, to be better neighbours, surer frends & lesse dangerous enemies, then potent Monarchies, & so by this practise rescued them from my hands, & furnished the Exchequor from thence for that time. Neither was I much grieved at this because the dependancy on the English they had before seemed to be cutte of with the English seemed to be cutte of, & the interest the English had in them & theire cause to be taken away, which must be fullie & finally effected, before we can hope either to con= quer them or England, who holding together are too strong for the world at Sea, & therefore must be disvnited before they can be over= come: This pointe of State is acknowledged by our most experienced pensioner & suer frend Mouns. Barnevelte whose succeeding plotte to this ende shall beare witnesse for the depth of his iudgmente.

Sixtly the laste service I did for the State was not the leaste, when I vnderwrought that admirable engine Rawleigh, & so was the cause his voyage (threatning much danger & damage to vs) was overthrowne, & himselfe returning in disgrace, I pursued almost to death, neither I hope neede I say almost, if all things hitte right & all strings houlde. But the determination of my Commission would not permitte me longer to staye to followe him to execution, which I desired the rather, that by Conces- sion I might haue wronge from the inconsiderate English and acknowledgment of my Maisters right in those places, punishing him for attempting there though they might prescribe for the first foote. And this I did to stoppe theire mouthes heereafter, & because I would quenche the heate & valour of that nation, that none should dare after to take in hand the like or to be so hardie, as to looke out at Sea, or breathe vpon our coastes, & lastly be= cause I would bring to an ignominious death that ould Pirate who is one of the last nowe living, breade vnder the deceased English Virago & by her fleshte in our bloud & ruine. To doe this I had many agents 1. Diverse Courtiers who were hungry & gaped wide for Spanish gould. 2 Some that bare him at the hearte for inveterate quarrels. 3. Some Forrainers who havinge in vaine sought the Elixar hitherto, hope to find it in his heade.. 4 all men of the Roman faith who are of the Spanish fac= tion, & would haue beene my bloudhounds to hunte him or any such to death willingly as persons hating the prosperitie of theire country & the va= lour, worth & witte of theire owne nation, in respecte of vs & our Catholic * cause. Lastlie I lefte behinde me such an instrumente composed artificially of a seculer vnderstanding & religious profession as he is every way adapted, to scrue himselfe into the closet of the hearte & worke vpon the Feminine levity, who in that Country haue Masculine spirits to command, & pursue theire plottes vnto deathe. This there= for I accompte as done, & rejoice in it, knowing it will be very profitable for vs, gratefull to our Faction there, & for the reste what though it be a crosse to the people, or the Clergie; we that only negotiate for our owne gaine, & treate about this marriage for owr owne endes, can conclude or breake of when we see our time, without respecte of such as can neither profite vs nor hurte vs. For I haue certaine knowledge that the Commons generallie are so effeminate, & Cowardlie, as that they at theire Musters (which are seldome & slighte, only for the benefitte of their Mustermaisters) of 1000 soldiers, scarce an 100 dare discharge a musket, & of that 100 scarce one, can vse it like a soldier. & for theire armes they are so evill provided, that 1 Corselet serveth many men, when such as shewe theire armes vpon one day, in one place, lende them to theire frends in other places, to shewe when they haue vse; & this if it be spied is only punished by a mulcte in the purse, which is the officers aime, who for his advantage winkes at the reste, & is gladde to finde & cherish by connivence, profitable faultes, which ex= rease his revenue. Thus standes the State of that pore misera= ble country, which had never more people & fewer Men: so that if my Maister should resolue vpon an invasion, the time never fitted as at this present, security of this marriage & the disvse of armes, having caste them into a deade sleepe, a strong & weakening faction being ever among them, readie to assiste vs, & they being vnprouided of ships, & armes, or heartes to fight, an vniuersall discontentment filling all men. This I haue from theire mustermaisters & captaines, who are many of them of our Religion, or of none, & so ours, readie to be bought & sould, & desirous to be my Maisters servants in Fee. Thus much for the State particulerly wherein I haue bente my selfe to weaken them & strengthen vs, & in all these haue advanced the Catholic cause, but specially in procuring favours for all such as favour s that side & crossing the other by all means. And this I practise my selfe & giue it out to be generallie practised by others, that whatsoever successe I finde, I still boaste of the victorie, which I doe to dishearten the heretikes to make them suspitious one of another, especiallie of theire prince & best states men, & to keepe our owne in Courage, who by this meanes encrease, o= therwise would be in danger to decay. Nowe for Reli= gion & such designes as fetche theire pretence from thence. I behelde the policy of that late Bishop of theires Bancrofte, who stirred vp & main= teined a dangerous schisme betweene our Seculer priests & Iesuites, by which he discovered much weakenes, to the dishonour of our Clergie & prejudice of our cause. This taught me (as it did Barnevelt in the Lowe-countries) to worke secretlie, & insensiblie, betweene theire con formists & non-conformists, & to caste an eye as farre as the Orcades knowing, that busines might be stirred vp there, that might hinder procee= ding in England as the French ever vsed Scotland to call home the forces of England & so to prevente theire conquests. The effecte you haue partlie seene in the Earle of Argile, who sometime was captaine for the king & Church, against the great Marques Huntlie & nowe fights vnder our banner at Bruxels, leaving the Crosses of St George & St Andrewe, for the staffe of St Iames; neither doe our hopes end here, but we dayly expecte more revolters, at least such a division, as will never admitte solide reconcilement, but will sende some to vs, & some to Amsterdam; for the king (a wise & Vigilant Prince) labouring for a perfecte Vnion betwixte both the kingdomes, which he seeth cannot be effected where by the leaste Ce= remonie in Religion is continued, diverse sharpe & bitter brawles from thence arising, whilste some striving for honour more then for truth, preferre theire owne way & will before the generall peace of the Churche, & the edification of soules; he I say seekes to worke both Churches to vniformity, & to this ende, made a ioury iourney into Scotland, but with no such successe as he expected; for diverse of ours attended the traine, who stirred vp humors, & factions, & caste in scruples, & doubtes, to hinder & crosse the proceedings. Yea those that seeme most adverse to vs, & our opinions, by theire disobedience & ex= ample helpe forwarde our plottes, & those are encouraged by a factious & headie multitude, by a fainte & irresolute Clergie (many false brethren being among theire BB) & by theire prodigall Nobi= lity who mainteine these stirres in the Church, that therby they might most sacrilegiously seized vpon, in the time of the first deformation, & which they feare would be recovered, by the clergie, if they could be brought to brotherly peace, & agreement: for they haue seene the king very bountifull in this kinde, hauing latl latelie encreased their pensions, & setled to the Clergie a competent maintenance, & besides out of his owne meanes, (which in that kingdome is none of the greatest) having brought in & restored whole Bishopricks to the Church, which were before in Lay-mens hands, a greate parte of the Nobilities estates consisting of spirituall lands, which makes them cherish the Puritanicall faction who will be contente to be trencher fedde with scrappes & Crumbes, & Contributions, & arbitrary benevolences, from their Lordes & Lairdes & theire Ladies, theire adherents & followers.

But (quoth the Inquisitor generall) howe if this acte of the kings wherein he is most earnest & constant should so farre thrive as to effecte a perfecte vnion, both in the Church & Commonwealth. I tell you in my conceipte it would be a greate blowe to vs, if by a generall meeting a generall peace should be concluded, & all theire forces bente against Rome / & we see this politike king aimes at this. True qu. Gondamor but he takes his marke amisse, howsoever he vnderstand the people & theire inclination better then any man, & better knowes howe to temper theire passions & affections, for (besides that he is hindered there in Scotland vnderhand for the reasons before recited, & by other greate ones of ours, who are in greate place & authority among them) he is likewise deluded in this pointe even by his owne clergie at home in England, who pretende to be most for= warde in the cause; for they considering if a generall vniformitie were wrought, what an invndation would followe, whilste all or moste of theires (as they feare) would flocke thither for preferment, as men pressing to= wards the Sunne for light & heate, & so theire owne should be vnprovi= ded. These therefore I say howsoever they beare the king fairely in hand and vnderhand against it, & stand stiffely for all ceremonies to be obtruded with a kind of absolute necessity, vpon them, when the other will not be al= most drawne to receive any; when if an abatement were made, they might be drawne to meete in the middest. But there is no hope of this with them, where neither partie deales seriously but only for the present to satisfie the king, & so there is no feare on our side, that affections & opi= nions so diverse will ever be made one reconciled & made one. Theire Bishop of St Andrewes standes almost alone, in the cause, & pulles on himselfe the labour, the losse, & the envy of all, with litle proficiency whilste the adverse faction, haue as sure frends, & as good intelligence from the king as he hath & the same. Those perhaps that bring a packet from the king to him bring another from theire abettors to them, acquainting them with the whole proceedings, & Counselles, & preparing them aforehand for opposi= tion. This I knowe for th truth & this I rejoice in as conducing much to the Catholike good. But (quoth the Nuncio) are there none of the hererticall preachers, busy about this matche? me thinkes, theire fingers should itche to be writing, & theire tongues burne to be prating of this bu= sines, especially the Puritanicall sorte, howsoever the most temperate & indifferente carry themselues. The truth is (my Lord quoth the Embassador that priuatelie what they can, & publikely what they dare (both in England & Scotland) all for the most parte (excepte such as are of our faithe) oppose this matche, to the vtmoste, by prayers, Counsels, speeches wishes; but if any be found longer-tongued then his fellowes, we haue still meanes to charmes theire sawcines, to silence them & expelle them the Courte, to disgrace them & crosse theire preferments, (with the imputa= tion of pragmatike puritanisme. For instance I will relate this one particuler A Doctor of theires & a Chapleine Chaplan in ordinary to the king gaue many reasons in a letter against this marriage & propounded a way howe to supply the king’s wants otherwise, which I understanding so wrought vnderhand that the Doctor was committed, & hardlie escaped the danger of his presumptuous admonition, thoughe the State knewe his intente was honeste, & his reasons good; wherein we on the other side (both here & with the Archduke) haue had bookes penned, & pictures printed di= rectlie against theire king & State, for which theire Embassador haue sought satisfaction of vs in vaine, not being able to staye the printe or to touche so much as the hemme of the authors garment. But we haue an evasion which heretikes misse, our Clergie being freed from the Temporall sworde, & so not encluded in our treaties & conditions of peace, but at libertie to giue any heretike prince the mate, when they liste, wheras theires are liable to accompte, & are musled for barking when ours may both barke & bite too: The Councell table & Star- chamber, doe so terrifie them, as they dare not ryot but came at the stirrop, in excellent command, & come in th at the leaste rebuke. They call theire preaching in many places (standing vp) but they crouche & dare not stande vp, nor queste, behaue themselues like Setters si= lent & creepe in vpon theire bellies, & lic licke the duste which our priests shake from theire beutifull feete. Nowe quoth the Duke of Lerma satisfie me about our owne Clergie, howe they fare, for there were petitions made to this king in the name of the distressed afflicted persecuted & imprisoned priests, that his Majestie would intercede for them, to free them from the intollerable bur= thens they groaned vnder, & to procure theire liberties, & letters were directed from vs to that ende, that you should negotiate this com= mand with all speed & dilligence. Most excellent Prince replyed Gondamor I did your Commande, with a kind of Commande, my selfe not thinking it fitte, to make it a suite in your name or my Maisters. I obteined them libertie to walke freely vp & downe, to face & outface theire accusers, iudges magistrates or BB. & to exercise theire functions almost as freely, altogether as safely as at Rome.

Here the Nuncio objected that he did not well in his iudgment in procuring theire libertie, since they might doe more good in pri= son then abroade, because they seemed to be vnder persecution in prison, & so were pitied of others, & pity of the person prepares the affection; besides then there they were carefull over theire owne lives to giue no offence; but abroade they might be scandalous in theire lives as they vse to be in Rome & Spain & other Catholic Countries, & so the o= pinion of theire holines which vpholds theire credite & cause against the married clergie, would soone decay. But the Embassador replyed that he considered the inconveniencies, but besides a superior command, he sawe the profite of theire libertie to be more then of their restrainte, for nowe they might freely conferre, & were ever practising, & would doubtles produce some worke of wonder, & be= sides by reason of theire authority & meanes to change places did apply themselues to many persons, whereas in prison they only could deale with such as came to be wrought, & were theire owne before, & this quoth he I adde as a secret, that as before they were maynteined by private contributions of devout Catholics even to excesse so much more nowe shall they be able to gather greate summes to weaken the State & furnish them for some high attempte by the example of Cardinall Woolsey barrelling vp gould for Rome. & this they may easily doe since all the Catholics robbe the hereticall priests & withold tithes from them by fraude or force, to giue to these of theire owne to whom it is properly due, & if this be espied it iss an easie matter to lay all vpon the Hollander, & say he carryes the coine out of the land (who are forward enough indeede in such practises) & so ours shall not only be excused, but a flawe made betwixte them, to weaken theire amities, & begette suspition, betwixte them of each o= thers love. But among all the priests (quoth the Inqui= sitor-generall) did you remember that ould revered father Baldwin who had a finger in that admirable attempte, against the Parliament house. Such as he deserving so highly, adventuring theire lives so resolutely for the Catholic cause must not be regarded forgotten but extraordinarily regarded thereby to encourage others to the like holy vndertakings/.

Holy Father quoth Gondamor my principall care was of him, whose life & libertie, when I had with much difficultie obteined of the king I so= lemnly went in person, attended with all my traine & diverse other well-wishers, to fetche him out of the tower, where he was in durance. As soone as I came in his sight I behaved my selfe after a lowly & humble manner that our adversaries stood amazed to beholde the reve= rence we giue to our ghostlie fathers. And this I did to confounde them & theire contemptuous Clergie, & to begette an extraordinary opinion of holines in the person, & pietie in vs, & also to provoke the English Catholics to the like devout obedience, that thereby at any time these Iesuites (whose authority was somewhat weakened, since the schisme betwixte them & the Seculers, & the succeeding powlder-plotte) may worke them to our ends as maisters theire sercvants, Tutors theire schollars, fathers theire children, kings theire subjects. And that they may doe this more bouldly I haue dashte the authority of theire high commission, vpon which, whereas there are diverse Pursevants (men of the worst kind & Condition resembling our Flies & Familiers attending at vpon the Inquisition) whose office & em= ployment is to disturbe the Catholics & searche theire houses for priests, ho= ly vestments, bookes, beades, crucifixes & the like religious appurte= nances, I haue caused the execution of theire office to be slackned, that so an open way may be giuen to our spirituall instruments for the free exercise of theire faculties; & yet when the Pursevants had greatest authority a small bribe in the Country would blinde theire eyes, or a litle greater at Courte, or in the Exchequor, frustrate & crosse all theire ac= tions, so that theire malice went of like squibbes, made greater crackes to fright children, & new borne babes, but hurte no ould men of Catholike spirits. And this is the effecte of all other theire courses of proceeding in this kinde in all theire judiciall Courtes, whither knowne Catholikes (as they stile them) are often summoned, & cited, threatned & bounde over but the danger is paste so soone as the officer hath his fee payd to him then the execution goeth no further. Nay vpon my conscience they are gladde when there are offendors in that kinde, because they are bounti= full, & the officers doe theire best to favour them that they may encrease & so theire revenewe & gaine come in freely, & if they should be sent to prison even that place for the most parte is made as a Sanctuary to them. As the ould Romanes were wont to shutte vp such by way of re te restrainte restrainte as they meante to preserve from the peoples fury so they liue safe in prison, till we haue time to worke theire liberty & assure theire lives, & in the meane time theire place of restrainte is a stu= dy vnto them, where they haue opportunity to conferre together as in a Colledge, & to arme themselues in vnity against the single adver= sity abroade. But quoth the Inquisitor generall howe doe they for bookes when they haue occasion either to write or dispute?

My Lord (replyes Gondamor) all the libraries belonging to the Roman Catholics through the lande are at theire command, from whence they haue all such Collections, as they can require, gathered to theire hande, as well from thence, as from all the libraries in both the vni= versities, & even the bookes themselues if that be requisite. Besides I haue made it a principall parte of mine employment to buy all the manuscripts, & other auncient & rare authors out of the handes of the heretikes, so that there is no greate scholler dies in the land but my agents are dealing with his bookes, in so much that theire learned Isaac Causabons librarie, was in election without question to be ours, had not theire vigilant king (who foresees all dangers, & hath his eye busie in every place) prevented my plotte, for after the death of that greate Scholler I sente to request a viewe & Cata= logue of his bookes with theire price, intending not to be out-weighed by any man, if mony would fetche them, because (besides the damage that side should haue received by theire losse, prosecuting the same * story against Cardinal Baronius) we might haue good advantage by b his notes, collections, castigations, censures & Criticismes, for our owne partie, & framed & put out others vnder his name at our pleasure. But this was foreseene by theire Prometheus who sent that Torturer of ours (the Bishop of Winchester) to searche & sorte the papers, & to seale vp the Studie giving a large & princelie al= lowance, for them, to the relicte of Causabon, together with a boun= tifull pension & provision for her & hers. But this plotte fayling at that time, hath not ever done so, nor had the Vniuersitie of Oxford so triumphed in theire many manuscripts giuen by that famous knight Sir Tho. Bodly if either I had beene then imployed, or this course of mine then thought vpon, for I would labour this way or any other way to disarme them, & either to translate theire best authors hither or at leaste to leave none in the hands of any but Roman Catholikes who are assuredlie ours. (& to this ende, an especiall eye would be had to the library of one Sir Rob. Cotton, an engrocer of antiqui= ties, that whensoever it come to be broken vp (either before his death or after) the most choice & singuler pieces might be gleaned & gathered vp by a Catholic hande: neither let any man thinke that descending thus lowe to pety-particulers, is vnworthy an Embassador or of small availe for the endes we aime at, since we see every mounteine consistes of severall sandes, & there is no more profitable conversing for Statesmen, then amongst schollers & theire bookes, e= specially when the king for whom we watche, is the king of schollers & loves to liue almost altogether in theire element. Besides if we can by any meanes continue differences in theire Church to make them wider, or begette distaste betweene theire clergie & Common lawyers (who are men of greatest power, in the lande) the benefite will be ours the consequence greate, opening a way for vs to come in betweene, for personall quarrelles produce reall questions. As he was prosecuting this discourse one of the Secretaries (who worth waited without the Chamber) desired entrance, & being admitted deliuered lettres which he had newly received from a Poste directed to the President & the reste of the Councell from his Catholic Maister, the contentes where= of were to this effecte. Right trusty & wellbeloued Cosens & Counsellors, we greete you well, wheras we had a hope of our agents in England & Germany to effecte that greate worke of the Westerne Empire & likewise on the of other side to surprise Venice, & so encircling Europe at one instant & enfolding it in our armes, make the easier roade upon the Turke in Asia, & at length to reduce all the worlde to our Catholike commande, & whereas to these holy endes, we had secrete & sure plottes on foote in all those places & good intelligence in all Courtes. Knowe ye nowe that we haue receiued late & sadde newes of the apprehension of our most trusty & able Pensioner Barneuelte, & of the discouery of other our intendments, so that our hopes are for the presente adjourned till some other more conuenient & auspicious time; We therefore will you presentlie upon sight hereof to breake of your consultation, & repaire streighte to our presence, there to take further direction, & proceede as necessity of time & cause shall require. With this Excellency his Excellencie & the whole house stroke with amazement crossed theire foreheades, rose vp in sad silence, & brake of this treatie abruptelie, & without tarrying tooke horse, & posted to the Courte, from whence expecte newes the nexte fayer winde. In the meane time let not those be secure whom it concernes to be rowsed vp, knowing that this aspiring Nebuchadnezzar, will not loose the glorie of his greatnes (who continueth still to magnifie himselfe in his greate Babell) vntill it be spoken thy kingdome is departed from the ./ Dan. 4. Finis.