BEing forced by the fore remembred occasions , to make of a priuate Letter a publik discourse : I am at the verie first troubled , not knowing what method to obserue in a matter so abrupt and full of confusion ; which I feare mee , is likely to proue to the true English and well minded reader as delightlesse , as it is to me that write it altogether comfortles , in regard of the numbers of our nation wherof I must intreate , & among the rest , of some of good parentage , that haue with full draught swallowed into their intrailes the loathsome dregges of this Spanish infection : being to our nation a thing as fatall and deadly , as euer was the golde of Tholouse , or the horse of Seian to the vnfortunate possessors therof . Whose course & actions ( thogh the lawe of God , the law of nations , the duetie to our Soueraigne , and the loue to our countrie , bindeth vs to detest and hate , because they followe an opposite armed enemie that seeketh our subuersion : yet in regard they are of the same nation and language which we are of , charitie & kindnes wisheth vs to take compassion of their abused conceits , and to wish them yet now at length to open their eies , and to beholde the dangerous estate wherein they haue plunged themselues , the infamie and scorne wherein they liue , yea , vnder those whom they serue as hirelings : and lastly , the reprochful blot that they haue giuen to the noblenes of our heretofore vnblemished nation , which in former ages , howsoeuer laboring in intestine broiles , yet neuer was detected of such base & wicked trecheries , as to sell themselues to a forreine prince , to be by him imploied to the ouerthrow of their countrie , and the taking awaie of their Soueraignes life .

This is the vnpleasing subiect I must intreat of , drawing forcibly vnto it the recitall of so many conspiracies , murthers , violences , practises , and treasons , that for the strangenesse thereof , it will rather beare the resemblance of a tragical fiction , them of a true discourse .

The method of this insuing Discourse . I will first direct my speeches to such vnexperienced gentlemen , as are in desire addicted to the Spanish seruice , shewing them in what point of their hope & expectation they doo faile and are deceiued , laying vnto them before their eies , the fall , miserie , and calamitie of as many as haue before them entered within the compas of this inchanted circle .

Secondly , to our credulous Catholikes at home , vpon whose ignorance & driftles search into these matters , our practising traitors abroad do bulid their chefest foundations of al their vilanies ( whom while they entertain with vaine expectations , in the meane time , with traitors & spies which they daily send ouer ) they abuse with ouer-reaching subtilties , to the irreparable ruine and ouerthrow of them and theirs .

They haue also at their deuotion certaine ambodexter felowes , who vpon fained colours and pretenses passe to & fro , feeding either side with newes , who in regard of some few bad inteligences , which now & then they bring into England , would faine be accounted honest seruiceable men : but they must pardon me a litle , in respect of some experience that I haue had of them , if I conceiue otherwise , thinking them to be in deed farre more dangerous than either the secret spie , or the discouered traitor , and in place where when I shall be askt , I will yeelde my reason . For since I was a scholler , I remember a verse in Seneca , Seneca in Octaua Tragedia Agamemnon . Pretio parata vincitur pretio sides : I speake this , because the Prince whome they serue , howsoeuer otherwise , with these fellowes will not sticke to deale most liberally .

Thirdly , because many of our countrymen liuing in great happines at home , yet ( like those that cannot take good rest when they lie soft ) doo in their conceit mislike ( surfetting with to much ease ) the quiet estate they liue in , and the maner of her Maiesties most gracious & mercifull gouernment , I haue thought it my dutie somewhat to expresse these fewe thinges which haue come to my knowledge touching the benefites and blessings which it hath pleased God so plentifully to poure downe upon her maiesty and her people : together with the flourishing estate of that fortunate realme , since this the time of her Maiesties gouernment , so plentifull in peace , so victorious in warres , so industrious in artes , & so excelling in all sciences , that the verie Spanish enemie himselfe will not stick many times to breake out into admiration thereat , The Spanish enemie himselfe admireth the blessed estate and happie gouernment of England . and somtimes in his scoffing or rather blasphemous humour sweare that he thinkes Iesu Christ is become a protestant : withall , I will briefly make a short comparison betweene this and the gouernment of the aduersarie , I meane the king of Spaine , his cruell and inhumane vsage of his miserable subiects , his violent abolition & taking awaie of their priuiledges , and in fine , the vnspeakable bondage , constrained seruitude , and pittiful desolation in which they liue , or rather despairfully do languish : a matter though farre vnfit for mee to handle , but worthie of grauer wits , & men of the highest wisdome and experience , yet considering I shall not presume to treate of matters of great estate & secrets , but such as euerie well affected subiect may finde and picke out of the heroicall actions of the one , and the tyrannicall insolencies of the other , both done in the apparance of the world , I hope , and so with all lowlynes most humbly desire her most gracious & benigne maiestie to pardon mee , if vndertaking such a taske , I chance to come far short of that , which men fitter for the handling thereof could saie or intreat , and so likewise most earnestly beseech that I may therin be censured according to the loyall zeale I beare to her Maiesties seruice and my countrie , and not to the basenes and simplicitie of my stile , or the handling thereof .

But to come to my discourse , to the end that you & the rest of your opinion , may cleerely and plainly discerne those things , which hetherto your eies blinded with the vaile of partialitie , or perchance misled with a contrarietie of affection , haue not bin able to view : I will begin with the good vsage , honor , and aduancement that you and other Gentlemen addicted to the Spanish seruice are to expect , bringing you for example sundrie braue and worthie Gentlemen , Captains , & souldiers , that haue taken the like cause before you ; whereby you shall perceiue that all is not golde that glistereth faire , but that whatsoeuer shew the Spaniard make vnto vs , yet in his heart hee mortally abhorreth vs , & by all meanes possible seeketh our destruction , ruine , and subuersion , as it euidently appeareth by his vsage of such troups and companies of our nations as haue serued him .

I will not speak of the crueltie of the Commendador vpon certaine English Gentlemen that had done notable seruices both to him and the Duke of Alua , Eight Englishmen hanged vp in Antwarp by commandement of Don Luis Requesence , the Cōmendador and Captaine generall of the lowe Countries for the king . of whom neuerthelesse for a meere trifling occasion , he caused eight to be hanged vp after the sacke of Antwarpe on the Mere brigge .

Neither will I trouble you with the tragicall discourse of M. Aegrimont Ratcliffe , & M. Grey , who were as the world knoweth , both gentlemen of noble houses , and most faithfully affected both in religion & seruice to the Spanish king ; neuertheles , vpon I know not what suspition , that they should haue practised the death of Don Ioan , they were both apprehended , and though there neuer was , M. Aegrimon● Ratcliffe and M Grey wrongfully put to death by the Spaniard . nor euer coulde bee anie thing proued against them , and they at their deathes protested themselues to be most innocent of that wherwith they were charged , yet theyr heads were striken off in the market place of Namures . I touch these things the more sparingly , because they happened before my time of being there , and in matters deliuered by heresaie I might erre , which ( vndertaking to write no thing but that which is true & vnrefutable ) I wold be loth to doo , and therefore I will come to things of later time , and such as I doo certainly know .

At the siege of Audenarde , where the D. of Parma laie incamped , there came rendering themselues vnto his seruice , vnder the conduct of Norris , Barney , Cornish , and Gibson , Six hundred Englishmen came and rendred themselues to the Duke of Parmas seruice , who then laye at the siege of Audenarde . whome they had chosen to be theyr Captaines , a troupe of sixe hundred , the tallest & best appointed souldiers that I remember euer to haue seene in all my life , theyr comming beeing the onelie cause , that the Towne ( a matter of greate importance , and on the land side , as it were the verie key of the prouince of Flanders ) was so soon deliuered vnto him as it was . The manner of their comming and their vsage . For whereas the Duke of Aniou and the Prince of Orenge laie vnder the walles of Gaunt , with sufficient force and most deliberate resolution to succour the sayd towne of Audenarde , vpon this mutinie of the English , they marched awaie with their whole armie , leauing the enemie now battering the towne : which , seeing it selfe frustrated of the expected succours , presently rendered it self vnto the Duke of Parma . Thence they were drawen to Wynoch bergen to serue against the French and English that lay there incamped , where they behaued themselues with such desperate resolution , that day that Monsieur de Balanson , brother to the Marquesse of Warambon was taken prisoner , that besides the losse of many of their liues , they were a wonder to the whole armie , which praise of theirs the pride of the Spaniards not induring , The enuy of the Spaniard . dyd vpbraide them that they had serued rather like giddie headed dronkards , than men wisely valiant . Sir Roger Williams well remembreth this daies worke , for hee was there in seruice of the states , and vnles I am deceiued , lost a brother in that seruice . Shortly after , vppon the remoue of the Duke of Alansons armie towardes Gaunt , they were likewise brought thether , where also they gaue exceeding testimonie of their valor & courage , namely , the verie daie that sir Iohn Norris made that famous & memorable retreat before Gaunt , The famous ●etreate made before Gaunt by sir Iohn Norris . who when the French men fled with a disordered amazement , did with a present courage and excellent direction maintaine the place with such regiments of English as were vnder his charge ; and withstanding the Duke of Parma in the teeth with al his puissance , who furiously charged him , neuertheles withdrew his men still holding their pikes in the bosomes of the enemy , safely vnder the wals of Gaunt , not without exceeding domage to the enemie : insomuch that the Duke of Parma woulde euer after saie , that hee onely had that daie barred him from crying quittance with the Duke of Alanson , for the retreate which hee had caused him to make from Cambray ; which still did sticke in his stomacke euen to his dying day .

But now to my newcome English that had done these notable seruices to the Spaniard , let vs see howe they were recompensed : within one yeere they were suffered all in a manner to famish , which miserie some of them seeking to releeue by foraging out vpon the countrie , Eoure & twentie Englishmen hanged by the Spaniard in Audenarde , foure & twentie of them were taken by the Spanish prouost , & carried to Audenarde ( of the rendering whereof they had bin the chiefest meanes ) & openly hanged in the market place . Another troup of them , being thirty in number , and lying in a village neere Poppering in Flanders , a companie of Spaniards hearing of them , came into the village where they were , and after a friendly and souldierly salutation of each side , as they were all making mery together , on a sodain the Spaniards toke them at aduantage vnarmed , A most monstrous murther committed by the Spaniard vp on sundry English souldiers that serued among them . & most trecherously and inhumanely murdred them euerie one , rifling them of their clothes , & such other things as they had pilled abroad in the countrie . Sundrie complaintes were made to the Duke by the friends of those that were thus murthered , and by the Captaines of the regiment , Amongst the rest that were thus murthered , ther was one Aucrie Crispe , brother in lawe to sir Stephen Thornax , likewise a younger sonne of Alderman Starkie : one Norton , &c. but Spaniards being the doers thereof , there could neither bee remedie nor iustice obtained . But to make amends , because they woulde bee the cleanlyer rid of the residue of this poore miserable troupe the campe being then before Wynochbergen , wherein laie a mightie strong garrison of Frenchmen , they made them two little fortes of purpose , in which they willingly placed them in the vtmost quarter of the whole campe , and neerest confining to the towne , to the end they might haue all their throates cut , as in deede they had verie fewe nightes after , at which time the enemie assaulting them with great furie , and they defending themselues most manfully aboue the space of an houre , in such sort as the allarum passed through the whole camp , yet they were neuer releeued with anie succour at all , These English troups ouerthrowen by trechery of the Sqaniard insomuch as the greatest part of them being slaine in the defence , the enemie at last entered , & put the residue to the sword .

To rehearse vnto you the sundrie and seuerall calamities that these poore men as well captaines as souldiers indured , during the time of that their vnfortunate seruice , especially at Gausbecke , Aske , and Gauer , would seeme ( I am sure ) vnto you for the vnspeakable strangenes thereof , scarcely credible , for they neuer receiued in all the time of their seruice , anie one moneths paie , I haue seen Lieutenants & Ensignes of them go vp and downe sickly and famished , begging their bread , couered onely with poore blankets and tikes of featherbeds , that they had rifled in the villages abroade , and haue my selfe releeued some of them : Neither were the ends of their Captaines lesse tragicall , which I thought good to set downe , to the ende you may perceiue , that such and so great calamities as these , could neuer haue happened without the apparant hand of God , whose reuengful iustice neuer ceased to pursue the infidelitie of these miserable men , til he had taken them from the face of the earth .

First Norris , chiefe captaine and ringleader of the rest , The strange & tragicall ends of the leaders and captaines of this reuolted regiment . after hee had leasure to bethinke himselfe of the foulenes of his fault , and withall sawe the scorne and contempt wherein hee liued vnder the Sraniard , conceiued thereof so deep an impression , that he fell dangerouslie sicke , and into a kind of lunasie , of which before hee was well recouered , hee stole secretly out of the campe lying then at Varnaton , with intention to conuey himselfe into England , but by the way was taken prisoner and carried to Flushing , Norris died mirably at Flushing . whereby dying in prison , or as some saie , by laying violent hands on him selfe , hee preuented those torments , that according to the qualitie of his offence , were prepared for him . Gibson at such time as the campe laie before Mening , lying one night with his wife in his cabine , a Spanish horseman comming vpon occasion into his quarter , chanced to tie his horse to the stake whereunto Gibsons cabbin was fastned , who what with stamping and shaking the cabbin , did so disquiet him , that he arose thinking to vntie the horse , giuing withall some harde wordes to the owner , who in requitall thereof ranne him through the bodie with this rapier , Gibson slain sodenly by night . so that hee fell downe in the place starke dead . I sawe his wife many times afterwardes weeping and falling downe vpon her knees before the Duke of Parma for iustice . But English bloud was there of so vile price , especially being shed by a Spaniard , that the matter was not thoght worthie the inquiring after .

Cornish was in the one of the litle forts before mentioned , at such time as they were surprised by the French men , within the which both himselfe , his lieutenant , Ensigne , and whole companie were miserablie slaine and mangled . Barnies Companie was with the other likewise defeated , and put to the swoord , but he himselfe was by his good happe sicke and absent at Saint Homars . Cornish & hys whole company slaine in a forte before Winocbergen Neuerthelesse hee escaped not altogether his part and portion of these afflictions , for presently vppon his returne to the campe , as hee stood beholding the march of a companie of footmen that passed by , hee was shot at , by an vnknowen man with an harguebuze , which by chaunce though it missed his bodie , yet it lighted vppon his right arme , in such sorte , as it sheuered all the principall bones thereof to peeces , so that hee hath vtterly lost the vse thereof . Shortly after hee was taken prisoner by the English souldyers of Ostend , where hee was euerie daie in daunger of the gallowes , but vppon promises of great seruices hee was at length set at libertie by Sir Iohn Conway , and suffered to returne from whence hee came , whereas yet hee liueth but maymed and verie muserable , and in exceeding great distresse , needinesse , and pouertie .

Two or three yeeres after this foreremembred storie , came one William Pigot , A lost betrayed to the Kinge of Spaine by a regiment of Englishmen , of which one Pygot had the comanding . who beeing of a meane man raysed to the degree of a Captaine by Sir Iohn Norris , and in his absence lefte as commander in Alost , ouer the rest of the Companies , trecherously deceiuing him to whome hee was so infinitely beholding , rendered the Towne , himselfe , and the whole Regiment , ( beeing well neere a thousand as tall and well appoynted men as were in Europe ) to the seruice and deuotion of the Spanish King , which seruice , howe meritorious and beneficiall it was vnto the Spaniard , I leaue to theyr iudgementes that knowe the Countrie . For by this rendition of the towne of Alost , they were the occasion that hee got Dermounde , the Sasse , the fortes of Leifkins hooke , Saint Anthonies , and Saint Margarets the dole , the best parte of the lande of Wast , and in manner Gaunt it selfe , as the sequele verie apparantly shewed : notwithstanding all which seruice , they were within two yeeres space , what wyth hunger , the gallowes , and rigorous dealing , quite consumed and brought to nothing . And lastly at Stalbrooke , euen agaynst the yeelding vp of Anwarpe , when all other Nations whatsoeuer , were to receiue theyr count and reckoning , they onelye were infamouslye cashierde without anie one monethes paie , receiuing onelie euerie one a Ducket .

And which of all others is most monstrous and scarcely credible , whereas some of the Captaines not long before , had made them of their own purses new and faire Ensignes , those Ensignes were by a Spanish Commissarie called Spinosa ( who came with order to dissolue the regiment ) taken violently from those that bare them , An exceeding disgrace vsed to the English by the Spaniard . in presence of the Earle of Westmerland , who was Coronell of the regiment , and for a greater disgrace both to him and the rest , though both hee , Captaine Tresham , and the other Captaines complained to the Duke for redres , Captain Tresham a litle before the breaking of the regiment when Tailor was slain had his companie giuen him . which they could not obtaine : the Spaniard afterwards made his brags , that he turned the English Ensignes into Spanish fieldbeds .

Somwhat before this time , when the whole camp receiued at the siege of Dermounde two moneths pay , they onely though of all others most trauelled in the trenches , wading euerie night from their quarter to the place where they kept their gard , which was vpon a dike or caussey , through waters vp to the bosome , & hauing had more men slaine in that siege , than anie other regiment in the whole campe , could not receiue one penie , notwithstanding that they had passed musters with the rest , yea , and some of the Captaines had bribed the Commissaries to passe them many places , thinking thereby to make a great hand : but in sted of monie when they made sute to the Duke , There are in the kings army two Contadors , whose office is to keepe the Rols and bookes of the armie , to make the Patents of captains and coronels , & to put theyr hands to al such assignations of money as are granted , & many other the lyke thinges , so that their office is of great re●l●ning and dignitie . were scornfully by him poasted off to the Contadores of the armie , of whom they receued the most base and opprobrious speeches that were euer giuen vnto souldiers , and that can Lieutenant Butlar well testifie : for he being then Lieutenant vnto Pigot , was one of the number vnto whom they were vsed : he is now in her Maiesties seruice , and was lately Lieutenant of sir Iohn Poolies horsemen , and as I heare , hath done her Maiestie many good seruices . The conclusion is , they were absolutely reiected , without euer receiuing one halfepenie . And lastly , vpon casting of the regiment , wheras the paie of a reformed Captaine , ( for so they call them whose companies are cashierd or taken awaie ) of what nation so euer he bee amongst them , is fortie crownes a moneth , they gauè onely to our English Captains but fiue and twentie , neither that but in paper onely , for I thinke some of them neuer receiued anie pennie at all in mony , and if they did , I am sure it was verie little .

Thus much as touching the vsage which they receiued from the Spaniard , but now keeping the course I beganne , I will acquaint you with the punishment which it pleased God to laie vpon the leaders and first seducers of this miserable forenamed troupe .

Vpon their arriuall in the Spanish campe , they were diuided into seuen companies , The names of the Captaines and commanders of this Regiment , and their miserable endo● . the one of which was giuen to the Earle of Westmerland , who vpon their humble request and sute , was made Coronell & commander of them all , and one Contraras , a Spaniard , ioyned with him as his assistant , or rather as a master and commander both ouer him and the regiment : another was giuen to Pigot , with the title of Lieutenant Coronell : the third to Dalton , with the office of Sergeant maior : the names of the other four vpon whom the residue of the companies were bestowed , were Tailor , Vincent , Smith , and Walsh . I will begin with Pigot , The strange calamitie & death of Pigot . because hee onely was the first and chiefe actor & instrument in this trecherie , abusing with the subtiltie of his fair speech the rest of his countrymen , that were by him drawen into this action . Pigot after hee had stayed a while in the campe , as hee was wilie and full of crafte , The strange calamitie & death of Pygot . so hee quicklye perceiued howe the worlde was likely to go with him and his fellowes , and therefore leauing the rest to weare themselues out in pouertie and trauell , he while hee had monie in his purse got him into Spaine , thinking surely with himself , that in regard his seruice had ben so important , hee should there haue bene receiued with crosse and candle , and besides bee mightily recompensed . He would not admit anie other of the Captaines for companion in the iourney , fearing least partnership might haue made the merite of his seruice , ( which to himselfe hee attributed alone ) seeme the lesse , Pygots cold entertainment in Spayne . and so consequentlie his reward .

With this craftie intention hee arriued at Madrile , where after hee had a while wandered vp and downe vnregarded , at length by meanes of sir Frances Englefield , to whom he was in that behalfe an earnest suter , hee was brought by an interpreter , ( for hee had no other language but plain English ) to the speech of Don Ioan de Ydeaques , being then the kings Secretorie , from whom ( after he had declared his seruice and cause of comming ) hee receiued this answere , that the King had appointed the Duke of Parma to be his lieutenant , The answere of Don Iuan De Ydeaques the Kings secretarie . and Captaine generall in the lowe Conntries , to whose direction and discretion hee referred the consideration of all such lyke seruices as shoulde there fall out , wishing him therefore with all speede to returne vnto the Duke , who , no doubt , woulde take notice of his seruices : offering him his Letter vnto the Duke in that behalfe .