¶ A SHORT Discourse:
Expressing the substaunce of all the late pretended Treasons against the Queenes Maiestie, and Estates of this Realme, by sondry Traytors: who were executed for the same on the 20. and 21. daies of September last past. 1586.
VVhereunto is adioyned a Godly Prayer for the safetie of her Highnesse person, her honorable Counsaile, and all other her obedient Subiects.
Seene and Alowed.
¶ Imprinted at London by George Robinson for Edward VVhite, and are to be solde at his Shop at the signe of the Gun.
¶ To the right Worshipfull Sir Owen Hopton: her Maiesties Lieutenaunt in her Highnesse Tower of London.
RIght Worshipfull, the due consideration of the innumerable Treasons practised and entended against the Queenes most excellent Maiestie since the tyme of her Highnesse most happie and prosperous raigne, togither with the successe of them and all other Traytors whatsoeuer, aswell in the Raigne of other Kings and Princes of this Land (from whom she is royally decended) as also in her owne, might sufficiētly haue terrified those late executed Traytors to haue bene warned from their wicked entents and daungers depending thereon, not onely to their liues, their soules, their goodes and Lands, but also of the infamie ensuing there by to their posteritie for euer: in respect of their horrible practises, against our most gracious and dread soueraigne (whose Highnesse God long preserue in all health and happinesse) for whom all her louing and duetifull Subiects are bound (euen in our Soules) to giue God cōtinuall thankes for preseruing her Maiestie and vs all, from so apparant daungers as was pretended, and had ensued thereby, to the ruenating of this whole Realme, had it not most graciously bene preuented by the finger of God. The substaunce of which their entended Treasons, I haue rudely handled in a fewe verses here ensuing, and haue boldly dedicated them to your Worship, humbly beseeching you to accept them at his hands, who standeth bound to your Worship (in respect of the vndeserued courtesie he lately receiued by your good meanes) to pray for you and yours during his life.
Your Worships in all bounden duetie,
Thomas Nelson.
A Godly Prayer giuen to her Maiestie.
O Gracious God bowe downe thine eare, to me that prostrate stand,
And graunt my prayer may be perfourmde with thy most mightie hand.
Graunt Lord that our most gracious Queene Elizabeth by name,
May florish still in happie state and euerlasting fame.
Graunt that her Highnesse liue and raigne in health and perfect peace:
Graunt that her foes may be cut of, her friends O Lord encrease.
Graunt that her Counsaile still may liue, to doe that which is right,
For safetie of her person and, this Realme both day and night.
Graunt that the Nobles of Estate, and Lords of high renowne,
May liue in duetie to their Prince, and true still to the Crowne.
Graunt Lord that Pastors see dischargde, their dueties in this Land,
To beate downe Sinne and wickednesse, which hath the vpper hand.
Graunt Iustices may haue a care, to doe that which is right,
That Widdowes nor the fatherlesse, be not opprest by might.
Graunt Lord that they may still defend, the straunger and the poore,
Who sondry tymes by violence, is thrust cleane out of doore.
Graunt Lord that each mans Conscience, may pricke him to doe well,
To flye deceite, to banish fraude, least that they hang in Hell.
Graunt Lord that trueth may still take place, though some would blinde the same,
And graunt that tyme may trye the trueth, to their rebuke and shame.
Graunt loue may raigne twixt man and man, so may contentions cease:
Graunt Lord that each man haue his owne, thy blessings to encrease.
Graunt Lord that Pride and Couetousnesse, may banisht be for aye,
Or els the poore shall quickly be, thereby brought to decaye.
Graunt Lord that euery kinde of vise, may straight be troden downe,
And euery man reforme himself, in Cittie and in Towne.
From wicked Lawyers vs defend, consume the Vsurers Hall,
They scratch and scrape the poore mans purse, they get the Deuill and all.
They hourd vp wealth in wondrous store, they doe incroach for Lands,
They racke their Rents they poule the poore, yet giue nought with their hands.
Graunt Charitie may come againe, who went to seeke S. Eedie,
That rich mens eares and pursses might, stand open to the needie.
God graunt all quarrelles now may cease, among both great and small,
That bowget Lawyers may not lurke, about Westminster Hall.
God graunt that Children now may growe, obedient as they ought,
And that their Parents haue a care, they may be duely taught:
Their duetie to the God of heauen, their Parents and their Peeres,
So shall they better teach their owne, when that they come of yeeres.
God graunt that seruaunts may haue care, to doe their duetie still,
First to please God, to liue in feare, and doe their Maisters will.
God graunt we may forgiue our foes, reuengement for to shunn:
For God a iust reuenger is, of wrongs that hath bene donn.
Thus of my Prayer I make an ende, God graunt our endes be good,
That we may rest with Christ himself, who bought vs with his blood.
T. N.
FINIS.
¶ Verses written vpon the Alphabet of the Queenes Maiesties name, and giuen to her Highnesse.
Eternall God who guideth still your Grace,
Lengthen your life in health and happie state:
Inspier your Subiects hearts in euery place,
Zealous in loue, and free from secret hate,
And shorten life in those that breede debate.
Beholde her Lord who is our onely stay,
Euen she it is, by whom we holde our owne:
Turne not thy face from her in any way,
Hewe downe her foes and let them all be knowne.
Renowmed Queene, your highnesse Subiects ioye,
Euen for to see the fall of all your foes:
God of his mercie shield you from anoye,
Intended Treasons still for to disclose.
None of all but will most duely pray,
Almightie God preserue you night and day.
❧ The substance of all the late entended Treasons.
O Lord preserue our noble Queene, her Counsaile long maintaine:
Confound her foes and graunt her grace in health to rule and raigne.
WHen first the gracious God of heauen, by meanes did bring to light,
The Treasons lately practised, by many a wicked wight,
Against their Prince whose life thei sought, and many a noble Péere:
The substaunce of whose Treasons straunge, you shall most truely heare.
Their Treasons once discouered, then were the Traytors sought:
Some of them fled into a Wood, where after they were caught,
And being brought vnto the Tower, for ioye the Belles did ring,
And throughout
London Bonfiers made, where people Psalmes did sing.
And set their Tables in the streates, with meates of euery kinde,
Where was preparde all signes of ioye, that could be had in minde:
And praisde the Lord most hartely, that with his mightie hand,
He had preserued our gracious Quéene, and people of this Land.
Which thing was taken in good parte, by our renowmed Quéene,
Who by her Letters gaue them thankes, as plainly may be seene:
Assuring them that all her care was for their safetie still,
And that thereby she would deserue their loue and great good will.
The Traytors well examined, (whom God himself bewrayed)
Their Treasons knowne, then were they straight to Westminster conuayed,
Whereas they all indited were of many a vilde pretence,
Seauen pleaded guiltie at the Barre before they went from thence.
The maner how they did begin, herein will plaine appeare,
Their purposes in each respect, you shall most truely heare:
Herein vnto you will be seene, if they had not bene foylde,
Our Quéene, our Realme, yea rich and poore together had bene spoylde.
One Sauidge lurking long in
Fraunce, at
Rheames did there remaine,
Whom Doctor
Gifford did perswade, great honor he should gaine:
If that he would goe take in hand (these matters very straunge,)
First to depriue our gracious Quéene, Religion for to chaunge.
And then for to enuade the Realme, by trowpes of forraine power,
To ouerthrowe the gouernment, and kill her in her Bower:
Or forceably to dispossesse, the Quéene of Englands Grace,
And to proclaime the
Scottish Quéene, and set her in her place.
Which matter
Sauidge promised, his full performance too,
So that he might see warrant with, safe Conscience so to doo:
The Doctor vowed by his Soule, and bad him vnderstand,
It was an honorable thing, to take the same in hand.
When
Sauidge heard that merits were, to him thereby so rife,
He vowed for to doe the same, or els to lose his life.
And shorthy into England hyed, and did imparte the same,
To
Babington of Darby shire, a man sure voyde of shame.
And tolde him how that he had vowed, to doe it or to dye,
Desiring him of helpe and ayde, and that immediatly:
A Iesuit Priest whom
Ballard hight, came ouer to that end,
He came also to
Babington, and daylie did attend.
Still to perswade him that he would, attempt and take in hand,
This vilde and wicked enterprise, and stoutly to it stand:
And tolde him that he should haue ayde, of sixtie thousand men,
That secretly should landed be, and tolde him how and when.
And in respect of all his paines, he truely might depende,
That it was lawfull so to doe, Renowne should be the ende:
But let all Traytors now perceiue, what honor he hath wonne,
Whose trayterous head and wicked heart, hath many one vndone.
This proude and haughtie
Babington, in hope to gaine renowne,
Did stirre vp many wilfull men, in many a Shire and Towne:
To ayde him in this deuilish act, and for to take in hand,
The spoyle of our renowmed Prince, and people of this Land.
Who did conclude with bloudie blade, a slaughter to commit,
Vpon her Counsell as they should, within
Star Chamber sit:
Which is a place whereas the Lords, and those of that degrée,
Yéeldes Iustice vnto euery man, that craues it on their knée.
Yéa famous
London they did meane, for to haue sacke beside,
Both Maior and Magistrates therein, haue murdered at that tide:
Each rich mans goodes had bene their owne, no fauour then had serude,
Nought but our wealth was their desire, though we and ours had starude.
Besides these wicked practises, they had concluded more,
The burning of the Nauie and, the chéefest Shippes in store:
With fier and sworde they vowed, to kill and to displace,
Each Lord Knight and Magistrate, true Subiects to her Grace.
They had determinde to haue cloyde, and poysoned out of hand,
The chéefe and greatest Ordinaunce, that is within this Land:
And did entend by violence, on rich men for to fall,
To haue their money and their Place, and to haue spoyld them all.
The Common wealth of England soone, should thereby haue bene spoylde,
Our goodes for which our Parents and, our selues long tyme had toylde,
Had all bene taken from vs: besides what had ensued,
The substance proueth plainly, to soone we all had rewed.
Those were the Treasons they conspirde, our good Quéene to displace,
To spoyle the States of all this Land, such was their want of grace:
But God that doth protect her still, offended at the same,
Euen in their yong and tender yeres, did cut them of with shame.
These Traytors executed were, on Stage full strongly wrought,
Euen in the place where wickedly, they had their Treasons sought:
There they were hangde and quartered, there they acknowledgd why,
Who like as Traytors they had liude, euen so they seemde to dye.
O wicked Impes, O Traytors vilde, that could these déedes deuise,
Why did the feare of God and Prince, departe so from your eyes:
No Rebelles power can her displace, God will defend her still,
True Subiects all will lose their liues, ere Traytors haue their will.
How many mischiefes are deuisde: how many waies are wrought:
How many vilde Conspiracies, against her Grace is sought:
Yet God that doth protect her still, her Grace doth well preserue,
And workes a shame vnto her foes, as they doe best deserue.
O heauenly God preserue our Queene, in plentie health and peace,
Confound her foes, maintaine her right, her ioyes O Lord encrease:
Lord blesse her Counsaile euermore, and Nobles of this Land,
Preserue her Subiects, and this Realme, with thy most mightie hand.
FINIS.
❧ T [...]e names of those Traytors that were executed for the Treasons before mentioned on the first day.
- Iohn Ballard, a Priest.
- Anthonie Babington of Deticke in the Countie of Darbie Esquier.
- Iohn Sauidge Gentleman.
- Robert Barnwell Gentleman.
- Chidiacke Tichborne of Porchester in the Countie of South Esquier.
- Charles Tylney Esquier and a Pentioner.
- Edward Abington of Hinlop in the Countie of Worcester Esquier.
The names of those which were executed on the second day.
- Thomas Salisburie of Denbigh in the Countie of Denbigh Esquier.
- Henry Dunn Gentleman.
- Edward Iohnes of Denbigh in the Countie of Denbigh Esquier.
- Iohn Trauers of Prescot in the Countie of Lancaster Gentleman.
- Iohn Charnock of Lincolnes Inne Gentleman.
- Robert Gage of Croydon in the Countie of Surrey Gentleman.
- Ierome Bellamie of Harrow in the Countie of Middlesex Gentleman.