But nowe touching the matter of their priuiledges, for which they keepe such a stirre, in complayning to the Emperour, the states of the Empire, and al other princes els, which neuerthelesse are cleerely found to haue beene broken, and forfeited in the time of Edward the sixt, that most noble and famous prince. The Queene of Englande can sufficiently proue, that these Hanse men haue deserued no benefite or fauour at her hands, euen by the lawes of the Empire it selfe, if her Maiestie thought the argument necessary to stande vpon. It is a very apparant thing, that her Maiestie neglecting and not regarding the vniust pretenses and forged suggestions, wherewith these Hanse men haue charged her among strangers, hath yeelded to them no lesse a benefit of free negotiation, then to her owne subiects, The fauour and liberalitie of the Queene of Englande, no lesse to the Haunse men, then to the English themselues. without any other restraint but this, that in liewe and memorie of so singular a fauour, they also on their parts should graunt the like freedome in their portes, and cities to her subiects, and marchantes: and yet like vnkinde people, and without respect to this fauour, they returne to their olde byas, & cease not to attempt thinges dangerous to her Maiestie, and by the opinions of all princes in no case to bee suffered.
These Hanse men were at the like controuersie sometimes with the kings of Denmarke & Swethen, by reason of certaine like priuileges in the kingdomes of Norway and Swethland, and the matter grew so hot that it brake out to an open warre: but with what fruite or gaine to the state of the Haunse C.ij. men? This was the issue: they were forced to accept such conditions of priuiledges, not as they challenged but as the foresaid kings thought iust, & equal. By which president they might learne if they were wise, not to accept only, but most gladly & thankefully to accept the conditions offered by her Maiestie, as proceeding from such a kind of liberalitie, that may make them in this case superiours to all other Strangers, equall and alike with her owne Subiects. But if they continue in this their stubbernesse and ingratitude, let them take heede least they plucke vpon themselues that most iust reward of their most peruerse behauiours, whereof they haue felt the smart before this, both in Swethlande, Norway and Liuonia also.
Seeing then these Hanse men haue receiued from her Maiestie many great benefits, but no ill deserts at any time, shee desireth the Emperours Maiestie, and the rest of the Princes and States of the Empire, to giue no credite to the rumours spread abroad by them, or by the friendes of the Romish Church, or by such as are corrupted with Spanish pensions, men suborned of purpose to scatter these false surmises, to the ende that we being drawen to a mutual dislike and hatred, they in the meane time may the sooner and the more easily bring vs, and the Religion which we professe (if it were possible) vnderfoote.
And further her Maiestie intreateth, that this heauie warre entred into with the Spaniard, for the mainteinance whereof no small but huge summes are of necessitie required, and wherein the quarrell is not in her owne behalfe onely, but for the safetie of all the Kings, Kingdoms, and Dominions of Europe that professe the sinceritie of true Religion, and for that cause are as much hated of this Spanish enemie and his Romish Confederats, as her Maiestie is, may at the least in this one thing seeme more tollerable, and lesse difficult and labourious to bee continued, in not suffering the foresaid Hanse men, to transport to the forenamed common enemie, out of their Kingdomes, Dukedomes, Ports and Straights, any victuals or instruments of warre, by ordeyning seuere corrections vpon the rebellious and disobedient, and such as shall dare to attempt the contrary, and to thinke of her Maiestie and her actions, as of a Prince most careful, both of the vniuersall peace of Religion, The desire of the Queenes Maiestie for a peace through Christendome. and of the safetie of all and singular Princes her Confederats, & that they would by ioyning their Counsels & forces in one, vse all their power and abilitie to extinguish the practises of the Romish [priesthod], that so a sincere, holy, and largely extending peace, free from treacheries, may be entred, concluded and established throughout all Christianitie, to the honour of Almightie God, and the tranquilitie of all Kings, Princes and Estates, with all increase of happines. In which cogitation, her Maiestie most sincerely and constantly abideth, and will not cease (God blessing her) to remooue all impediments for her part, to procure this good effect according to her honourable desire.
But nowe hauing hitherto spoken of the open violence of the Spanish King, and the Bishop of Rome, The Bishop of Romes inuasion of England by his Iesuites. giue vs leaue to vse a fewe wordes also of another matter not lesse odious then the former, C.iij consisting in the subtiltie of the litle foxe: which is a thing so much the more diligently to be lookt vnto, by how much the more close and secret it is, and a thing that creepes farre without many mens knowledge. It is that same priuie legation and sending as it were in corners of certaine falsly termed Iesuites and Seminaries into this kingdome, to withdrawe the mindes of the simple and ignorant people, from their duetifull obedience to the Queenes Maiestie and the Realme. But as these kind of men doe spring of certaine runnagates, and fugitiues naturally borne Subiects, who at home, either for pouertie growe desperate, or by reason of their vicious liues, could not long lie hid: so being nowe sent home againe by the Pope, cease not vnder the habite of their superstitious profession to runne from house to house, frō Towne to Towne, stirring vp the people by their whisperings to rebellion, and scattering certaine popish Buls, made and sent for that purpose, teaching the people out of them, vnder the paine of excōmunication, and of a curse, that there is no hope of saluation remaining them, except they change their affections, and cast off their due obedience to her Maiestie.
Those of her Maiesties Subiects, which being taken with these Buls, and called in question for the same, haue reuealed their practises: and being moued with a conscience of their offence, doe returne to a better minde, and doe forsake that filthie sinke or dunghill of the companie and opinions of Iesuites and Seminaries: are pardoned of their former transgressions, and passe without punishment: but as for those that are rooted in their wickednesse, and remaine stifnecked in their offence, The manifest treason of the Iesuites, against the Queenes Maiestie, & the kingdome of England. they being demaūded, whether if an inuasion of the kingdome should be made by the Bishop of Rome or the Spanish King, they would (as good Subiects ought to do) stand for the Queene or no, they answere stoutly and proudly, that they are bound whensoeuer it should seeme good to the said Bishop of Rome, to make any such inuasion of the Kingdome, and Dominions of her Maiestie, to assist and further the said inuasion, by al the wayes and meanes they can.
I aske nowe of you, what Prince soeuer you be, hauing the authoritie of a Prince, what you would doe with such monsters as these are, giuen ouer after this sort to such diuelishnes? would you suffer the cloke of popish religion and obedience, to exempt such traytors from the seueritie of Iustice? woulde you suffer them to liue, that woulde you should not liue? surely no Prince or Monarche ought or may tollerate such monstrous creatures, except he purposeth voluntarily to neglect good lawes, his people, kingdome, and life; and sinne grieuously against God himselfe. And these are the monsters that are in England committed to execution; howsoeuer the companions of their treasons, by their infamous libels spread amongst the people crie out, and say, they suffer for the cause of Religion onely, and for their consciences.
Many of her subiects, and they no obscure men, but some of the Nobilitie, and some others of the degree of knights are witnesses, that howsoeuer they stand catholikely affected, yet as long as they conteine themselues within the compasse of their duetie, & obedience to her Maiestie and the State, are neither committed to prison, nor in any ill sort vsed, only for breaking the lawes of frequenting the Churches, are peraduenture rated at some pecuniarie fine.
The ende and purpose why wee speake and publish these things, is to let all good Princes and Magistrates, and others desirous to know the trueth of things, vnderstande howe and by what meanes, as openly, priuily, by force of armes, and practises of treacherie, the state of her Maiestie and of her kingdome is assaulted by the bishop of Rome, and the Spanish King: and therefore howe conueniently and necessarily her Maiestie is drawen to resist this force and to auoyde these frauds, and with what iniurious allegations the execution of lawes and iustice, is as it were torne and rent in pieces, not only by malitious imprinted Libels, but also by painted tables and pictures, signifying I knowe not what monstrous things, resemblances of some barbarous crueltie, as they falsely calumniate and exclaime, to be vsed against the foresaid Iesuites, and Seminarie Priests, that is to say, against men guiltie of high and horrible treason.
But as for her Maiestie, she desireth to stand as a person voide of all trueth and credite with good Princes, if she euer punished any of these men with any strange or newe kinde of torment, then is appointed by the prescript of the ancient lawes of this Realme prouided against such persons, as shall be found and conuicted for Rebels and Traytors.