r
Fleete, and as lawfull prises taken and confiscated. Which is done to no
other end or purpose, but to make it euident that the same action doth
stand & agree with equitie and iustice, and to be a thing most probable,
that other Princes whosoeuer, their seruants and Officers in the like
case, and vpon the like occasion, woulde not haue failed to take the
like course.

For it is a thing notorious & sufficiently knowen, not onely to the fewe
_Hanse_ townes, but also to all Christendome, that the king of Spaine is
transported with a mortall hatred against the Queenes Maiestie of
England: a witnes whereof is the intended but not performed inuasion of
the kingdome, and Dominions of England by the saide king the yeere last
past, furthered by him with all his force, but by the mercie of God
vtterly disappointed.

Which exulcerate malice of the Kings minde, not lately sprong vp, but of
long time lurking in the closet of his heart, yet foreseene and still
preuented by the Queenes Maiestie, she often by her messengers sent to
him for that purpose, as with most gentle medicines indeuoured to
asswage, to reduce him to a newe minde meeter for a Prince, and so great
a king as himselfe: to the ende that remouing out of both their mindes
not onely the staine, but also the suspition of the staine of
discontentments, they might dispose themselues to enter and conclude a
firme peace and durable friendship, according to the ancient leagues
betweene their progenitours and fathers, and their kingdomes, for the
space of many yeeres happily continued.

The king as a man bewitched by the bishop of Rome, the very firebrand
and bellowes of all the ciuill warres in Christendome, neglecteth the
remedies and conditions of peace that haue bene offred, and perseuereth
according to his beginning, in his hostile intendement against her
Maiestie, not otherwise contentable or satisfiable then with her
destruction, the slaughter and bloodshed of her people most obedient
vnto her, and to bee short, with the conquest of the whole kingdome.

And for the better effecting hereof, hee hath oftentimes sent his
messengers (you woulde rather say his fireflingers) into England, & of
latest yeeres two speciall persons, of all the rest most eger and
furious, _Gyrald Despes_, and _Bernardine Mendoza_, who ceased not to
sound and perswade the mindes of all those whome they coulde growe in
acquaintance with, and were men giuen ouer to al mischiefes and
diabolical p