CHAPTER 15.

A MOTION for peace with Spain. Deliberation thereupon. The lord treasurer delivers his judgment. A treaty begun with commissioners from the duke of Parma. The articles propounded to Parma: broke off. The Spaniards about to invade England.

Consultations thereupon. Intelligence of the fleet from Spain. The queen’s preparations. Public prayers appointed. The Spanish forces. La felicissime armada, so termed. Account of the Spanish forces in their books. The defeat of this fleet. News printed of the overthrow of the English. Friars aboard the Spanish fleet. Litanies used for their success. The English nation at first in a dreadful consternation. A pasquil concerning the Spanish fleet set up at Rome. Their defeat and miseries in Ireland. Sir Francis Drake’s letter of the victory, from aboard. Killigrew, ambassador, his letter to the States at this juncture. Rogers, ambassador in Denmark, his service there. King Philip’s words when the bad news was first brought him. Public thanksgivings. The queen rides in triumph to St. Paul’s. A thanksgiving prayer used. Exhortation to the people of England to be upon their guard. The true cause of the queen’s taking up arms.

CHAPTER 16.

The Spaniards, after their overthrow, spread lying reports of their victory. Books thereof printed in Spanish. One entitled, Advice from London. Sir Francis Drake’s narrative of this engagement.

Don Pedro de Valdes, Drake’s prisoner. His examination: and ransom. His letter from Brussels to the queen. His complaint to her concerning his ransom to be paid to sir Francis Drake: the lords answer in the queen’s name. The queen’s preparations against the next year. Requires a loan of her subjects. The council’s letters to the lords lieutenants of the counties for that purpose. Don Antonio offers articles to the queen. Reports at Rome of the queen’s being taken, and to be sent to the pope.

Triumphs there for this supposed victory. Intelligence from Rome, and other places abroad, of the king of Spain; and his purposes for the catholic cause, against the kings of Scotland and Navarr. A sessions of parliament in this dangerous season. Bills brought in.

Speeches made upon those bills: for a subsidy: against the strangers: and against pluralities and nonresidences. The parliament’s declaration and offer to the queen, at the dissolving thereof.

CHAPTER 17.

Contest between the church of Norwich and sir Thomas Shirley, knight, upon pretence of concealment: a book drawn up, in order to agreement. The dean and chapter disallow thereof: and why.

The dean’s application by letters to the lord treasurer. And his complaint of the said patentee. Articles of agreement between them offered: but refused. The lord treasurer takes the case before him.

The conclusion of it. Endeavors used to get the archbishop of York’s house at London from him. His contest with the dean of Durham. This archbishop dies. His last will. His pedigree, and posterity. Some passages in his sermons before the queen, and at York; concerning the reformation, schism, and spoiling the church of its revenues. Cooper, bishop of Winton, slandered by Marprelate. Vindicated. Endeavor of obtaining long leases from the dean and chapter of Ely. Dr. Pern the dean, his letter thereupon. Scambler, bishop of Norwich, condemns one for heresy.

His letter to court for execution. Archbishop of Dublin, lord chancellor, commends sir William Herbert for his promoting religion in Ireland.

CHAPTER 18.

Popish books. Pope Sixtus his bull brought in and dispersed: to encourage the invasion intended. Cardinal Allen’s books. Bennet, a priest; his penitent letter to the earl of Arundel for a false information against him. Sir Thomas Tresham’s protestation of allegiance. Francis Blount, a catholic at Paris, desirous to come home, writeth to the queen for the liberty of his conscience. A case of conscience propounded by some catholics, whether they might take up arms under the Spaniard against the queen; resolved by a priest at large in the negative. Divers lists of priests, and other English catholics, at home and abroad. Englishmen, pensioners of the king of Spain. A proclamation against bringing in the pope’s bull; and other popish books: such to be punished by martial law.

CHAPTER 19.

Scoffing and railing books of puritans. Martin Marprelate. He is brought before the ecclesiastical commission. A false report he had spread of Cooper, the bishop of Winchester. His abusive book against Bridges, dean of Sarum. Dr. Bancroft’s sermon of the jus divinum of episcopacy. Penry’s confutation. Dr. Raynold’s judgment of that point; upon the motion of sir Francis Knowles.

Examination of some concerned in Marprelate’s printing press: their confessions. Secret conventicles: discovered. Their worship and opinions. Another sort of sectaries: allow dissimulation. The same practised by papists. Noted in a sermon of archbishop Sandys.

CHAPTER 20.

Digby, a senior fellow of St. John’s college, Cambridge, expelled.

Appeals to the visitors. Restored. Dr. Whitaker, master of that college, to the lord Burghley hereupon. Digby popishly affected.

The earl of Leicester’s letter to the archbishop of Canterbury in this cause. Hickman of Bene’t college expelled: and why.

Restored. The foundress of Sidney Sussex college. Her will.

Bainbrigg and Johnson, of Christ’s college, cited before the vicechancellor for their sermons in St. Mary’s. Their protestations.

The heads to their high chancellor concerning them. The judgment of the chief civilians given of the case. These two preachers give account of what they had preached, that had been excepted against.

CHAPTER 21.

The death of the earl of Leicester. Some remarks of him. The lord Burghley’s meditation upon the death of his lady: her large benefactions: her learning. An English gentleman, named sir Edward Kelly, in Germany, reported to have found the art of making gold; invited by the queen into England. The lord treasurer’s letter to Dyer, to persuade him to come over. His great learning and abilities, and deserts towards England. He is seized by the emperor’s order. The cause thereof conjectured. The queen sends her agent with a letter to the emperor, in behalf of Kelly.

CHAPTER 22.

Books this year set forth: some relating to the Spanish invasion: some puritanical: against the government of the church by bishops. Answers to them. An Exhortation to the Queen’s Subjects to defend their Country. An Answer to certain Spanish Lies.

Certain Advertisements out of Ireland, concerning the Spanish Fleet scattered there. Elizabetha triumphans. The Coronation of David. Penry’s Supplication; and Appellation to Parliament. His Epitome. A godly Treatise in vindication of Episcopal Government. An Admonition to the People of England. An Answer to ten frivolous Reasons set down by the Rhemists, translators of the New Testament from the vulgar Latin. Disputations concerning the sacred Scriptures against Bellarmine and Stapleton, by William Whitaker, D.D.