XX. time letters between that queen and the queen's majesty. CHAP. But what thoughts she had of any good success of it, with other matters, by her said letters to that fugitive gentle- Anno 1584. man, may appear. A copy of which was endorsed thus by the lord treasurer's own hand; (and so the more certain credit to be given to it ;) viz. The queen of Scots to sir Francis Englefield, October 9, 1584. And seems to be copied from the cipher. It ran in this tenor: 66 in "Of the treaty between the queen of England and me, I Her letter to Englemay neither hope nor look for good issue. Whatsoever Geldi "shall become of me, by whatsoever change of my state and Spain. "condition; let the execution of the great plot go forward, "without any respect of peril or danger to me: for I will "account my life very happily bestowed, if I may, with the same, help and relieve so great a number of the oppressed "children of the church. And this I give you as my last " and final resolution: for [I] doubt, I shall not have the "commodity to write it hereafter: to the end you should "impart the same to whomsoever you think convenient. 66 66 "And further, I pray you, use all possible diligence and "endeavour to pursue, and promote, at the pope's and "other kings' hand, such a speedy execution of their for 66 66 mer designments, that the same may be effectuated some "time this next spring: which is the longest time the same can be expected. And failing then, it cannot be avoided or prevented, but that we shall see forthwith an extreme "and general overthrow of our whole cause; never again "to be repaired and set afoot in our days. "Of the 12,000 ducats, long since promised to myself, I "have yet received no penny; nor my son: but 6000, of "10,000 promised unto him. Wherewith he is not a little 66 66 grieved and discontent: and yet as well inclined to our designment as before; and in the rest of his doings and "proceedings to direct his course, as I will advise him. He "is now despatching a gentleman of his, called Gray, to "the court of England; chiefly to have occasion to visit me; and by mouth to impart unto me his resolution in "all our affairs. The gentleman is catholic. God grant he 66 66 BOOK may be permitted to come to me. Solicit with all dili I. gence, that the 12,000 ducats for myself be sent with all Anno 1584. " speed. October 9, 1584." 247 A horrid popish plot against the queen's life. 66 This letter will receive light by what our historian writes under this year, of sir Francis Throgmorton being taken up for treason; and the lord Paget and others fleeing thereupon into France: and that it was certain at this time a horrid piece of popish malice against the queen discovered itself by a book set forth, wherein the queen's gentlewomen were exhorted to lay violent hands upon the queen, Camd. Eliz. after the example of Judith. Quere, Whether the Scots queen was not privy to this treachery by what she called the great plot and designment in her letter. p. 295. to the pope Spain. She came now under a new keeper, from the earl of Shrewsbury to sir Amyas Paulet: wherein she suspected Englefield more strait looking to. Whereupon her abovesaid agent, and king of Englefield, thought it of moment to acquaint both the pope and king of Spain with it: which he in another letter let her know and withal sent a copy to her of what he writ to them both, dated January the 8th, 1585, mutatis mutandis, as followeth: "The queen of Scots pressing, that "by the change of her keepers, and place of abode, the "great appearance that she shall not longer have liberty, "nor commodity of receiving nor sending letters, hath "therefore written as followeth, the 9th of Octob. 84. Of "the treaty of the queen of England and me for my li"berty," &c. The whole letter before set down. Whereunto sir Francis Englefield adjoined this which ensueth. "Besides this written by the queen of Scotland herself, "it is to be considered, that the queen of England and her "council, having first, by printed libels, published the 66 queen of Scotland to be a confederate practiser with don "Bernardino de Mendoza [the Spanish ambassador, now "commanded to depart from England] and Francis Throg"morton against the queen and realm of England; having "also contrived and set forth a new form of association and "confederacy, whereby all men shall swear and subscribe "to resist and pursue all that shall pretend a right in suc 66 XX. "cession in the crown of England; and now lastly, hav- CHAP. "ing changed the place of her abode and keepers, by re"moving her from the custody of the earl of Shrewsbury, Anno 1584. "and putting her into the hand of base and obscure here"tics; whole affectionate, and at the devotion of her com"petitors; it is by these doings very probable, and in effect "manifest to such as have had experience of the English government, that the queen and council of England have "made a secret resolution, not only to deprive and disin"herit the said queen of Scotland, but also to ruin her per"son, and take away her life, if the pope and the king of "Spain shall not, within the time prescribed, find some "means, either to deliver her, or at least so to occupy and "molest the queen of England, that she shall conceive and "find, as hitherto she hath done, till of late, that the life "and safety of the queen of Scots is and hath been her own principal security and assurance. 66 "And by this it is made evident, how vain and weakly 248 “founded those arguments and reasons were, which in the "spring past did persuade, that the succours expected by "the queen and catholics of the realm might without prejudice be delayed and deferred, till either the Low Coun"tries could be recovered, the queen of England dead, or some notable mutation occurred in that realm. 66 66 66 "And admitting that the said queen of Scots should "escape this plunge and ruin intended; yet since her passing through the same cannot be without the favour and friendship of heretical authority, it were neither wisdom "nor policy, but apparently prejudicial to the catholic "church, to acknowledge the safety of her life, and enjoy"ing of her estate, to the favour of heretics. As also if she “perish, (which is now most likely,) it cannot be but very “scandalous and infamous to his catholic majesty. Because "he being, after the queen of Scotland, the nearest catholic "that is to be found of that blood royal, shall ever be sub"ject to the false suspicion and calumniation of leaving " and abandoning that good queen to be devoured by her BOOK "competitors, for making the way more open to his claim "and interest." 1. the inter ters. Anno 1584. These secret intercepted letters make it evident how privy The sum of this queen of Scots was to this conspiracy against the state, cepted let- and how fierce for overthrowing the whole government thereof by violent methods, to be used by the pope and Spain, whatsoever became of her. And we learn the title that king pretended to this crown, as next heir catholic to that queen. And how earnest these English fugitives were, forthwith to set upon this enterprise: and that queen also of the same mind; (guided, as it seems, by some prognosticators;) confidently averring, that unless they made haste, and began their business against England the next spring, they should see an extreme and general overthrow of their ❝ whole cause, never again to be repaired and set on foot in "their days:" as in her letter. Parry's A cardinal's letter to him. Parry executed for treason. THE notorious treason of William Parry, a doctor of the treason and civil law, (of whom something before,) was now discovered, execution. and execution deservedly done upon him. Our historians shew us what it was; namely, to kill the queen, as she was riding abroad: and how he had encouragement for doing XXI. from the pope. the fact from the pope; one of the cardinals, named cardinal CHAP. di Como, assuring him of the pope's allowance and absolution, as of a highly meritorious act, in his letter dated from Anno 1584. Rome, January the 30th, 1584. The very original whereof, Cardinal di in Italian, I have seen among the papers of the lord Burgh- ter to him, ley, then lord treasurer; being the pope's plenary indulgence and pardon of all his sins. And it being so remarkable a piece of history, I might set it down from thence: it was superscribed, Al signore Guglielmo Parri. Beginning, Mon signore, la santita, &c. The cardinal's whole letter ran thus in English, as I find it translated in one of our historians; which I cannot but set down, being so instructive of what I have afterwards to add of this matter. 66 "Sir, His holiness hath seen your letter of the first, with "the certificate included, and cannot but commend the good disposition and resolution which you write to hold toward "the service and benefit public. Wherein his holiness doth "exhort you to persevere, and to bring to effect that which 66 you have promised. And to the end you may be so much "the more holpen by that good Spirit which hath moved 66 you thereunto, he granteth unto you his blessing, plenary "indulgence, and remission of all your sins, according to your request. Assuring you, that beside the merit that 66 you shall receive therefore in heaven, his holiness will fur"ther make himself debtor, to acknowledge your deservings 250 "in the best manner that he can; and so much the more, "in that you use the greater modesty, in not pretending "any thing. "Put therefore your most holy and honourable purposes ❝in execution, and attend your safety. And to conclude, I "offer myself unto you heartily, and do desire all good and happy success. From Rome, the 30th of January, 1584. "At the pleasure of your signorie, 66 "N. Cardinal of Como." Holinshed, in his Chronicle, hath preserved divers particulars concerning this wretch and his treasons; taken from a book printed soon after his death. As, 1. A true and plain |